U.S. patent application number 17/485591 was filed with the patent office on 2022-01-13 for method for controlling terminal apparatus, terminal apparatus, and non-transitory computer-readable recording medium.
The applicant listed for this patent is Panasonic Intellectual Property Management Co., Ltd.. Invention is credited to HIROSHI YAHATA.
Application Number | 20220012793 17/485591 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 1000005915553 |
Filed Date | 2022-01-13 |
United States Patent
Application |
20220012793 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
YAHATA; HIROSHI |
January 13, 2022 |
METHOD FOR CONTROLLING TERMINAL APPARATUS, TERMINAL APPARATUS, AND
NON-TRANSITORY COMPUTER-READABLE RECORDING MEDIUM
Abstract
A method for controlling a terminal apparatus includes
receiving, through an input device of the terminal apparatus,
identification information and selection of a store identifier
indicating a second restaurant in a chain different from a chain to
which a first restaurant belongs, obtaining taste information
associated with the identification information from a first sever,
obtaining menu information regarding the second restaurant
indicated by the store identifier from a second server relating to
the second restaurant, arranging, on a basis of the taste
information and the menu information regarding the second
restaurant, menu items included in the menu information in order
according to the taste information, and displaying menu information
regarding the menu items arranged in the order on a display screen
of the terminal apparatus.
Inventors: |
YAHATA; HIROSHI; (Osaka,
JP) |
|
Applicant: |
Name |
City |
State |
Country |
Type |
Panasonic Intellectual Property Management Co., Ltd. |
Osaka |
|
JP |
|
|
Family ID: |
1000005915553 |
Appl. No.: |
17/485591 |
Filed: |
September 27, 2021 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
|
|
|
|
|
|
Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
|
|
PCT/JP2021/005102 |
Feb 10, 2021 |
|
|
|
17485591 |
|
|
|
|
Current U.S.
Class: |
1/1 |
Current CPC
Class: |
G06Q 30/0201 20130101;
H04L 63/0861 20130101; G16H 40/67 20180101; G06F 3/0482 20130101;
G06Q 30/0631 20130101; G06Q 30/0639 20130101; G06Q 30/0641
20130101 |
International
Class: |
G06Q 30/06 20060101
G06Q030/06; G06Q 30/02 20060101 G06Q030/02; G06F 3/0482 20060101
G06F003/0482 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Feb 10, 2020 |
JP |
2020-020979 |
Claims
1. A method for controlling a terminal apparatus that communicates,
over a network, with a first server which manages taste information
regarding a user including an order record at a first restaurant
and which associates the taste information with identification
information for identifying the user, the method comprising:
receiving, through an input device of the terminal apparatus, the
identification information and selection of a store identifier
indicating a second restaurant in a chain different from a chain to
which the first restaurant belongs; obtaining from the first server
the taste information associated with the identification
information; obtaining menu information regarding the second
restaurant indicated by the store identifier from a second server
relating to the second restaurant; arranging, on a basis of the
taste information and the menu information regarding the second
restaurant, menu items included in the menu information in order
according to the taste information; and displaying menu information
regarding the menu items arranged in the order on a display screen
of the terminal apparatus.
2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the second restaurant
includes a coffee shop in a chain different from the chain to which
the first restaurant belongs.
3. The method according to claim 1, wherein the second restaurant
includes a hamburger shop in a chain different from the chain to
which the first restaurant belongs.
4. The method according to claim 1, further comprising: outputting
positional information regarding the terminal apparatus of the user
to a third server that manages information relating to the first
and second restaurants over the network; obtaining, from the third
server on a basis of the positional information, restaurant
information indicating one or more restaurants in an area including
a position indicated by the positional information; and receiving
the selection of the store identifier on a basis of the restaurant
information.
5. The method according to claim 4, further comprising: wherein the
positional information regarding the terminal apparatus of the user
is obtained using a global positioning system.
6. The method according to claim 1, further comprising: obtaining,
from the first server, order record information indicating an order
record of the user at the second restaurant, wherein, when there is
no order record of the user at the second restaurant, the menu
items included in the menu information regarding the second
restaurant are arranged in the order according to the taste
information associated with the identification information on a
basis of the taste information and the menu information regarding
the second restaurant.
7. The method according to claim 6, wherein, when there is an order
record of the user at the second restaurant, the menu items
included in the menu information regarding the second restaurant
are arranged in order according to the order record at the second
restaurant on a basis of the order record at the second restaurant
and the menu information regarding the second restaurant.
8. The method according to claim 1, further comprising: obtaining,
from the first server, order record information indicating an order
record of the user at the second restaurant, wherein, when a number
of order records of the user at the second restaurant is smaller
than a certain value, the menu items included in the menu
information regarding the second restaurant are arranged in the
order according to the taste information associated with the
identification information on a basis of the taste information and
the menu information regarding the second restaurant.
9. The method according to claim 8, wherein, when the number of
order records of the user at the second restaurant is larger than
or equal to the certain value, the menu items included in the menu
information regarding the second restaurant are arranged in order
according to the order record at the second restaurant on a basis
of the order record at the second restaurant and the menu
information regarding the second restaurant.
10. The method according to claim 1, further comprising: obtaining,
from the first server, order record information indicating an order
record of the user at the second restaurant, wherein, when a latest
order record of the user at the second restaurant precedes a
certain period of time, the menu items included in the menu
information regarding the second restaurant are arranged in the
order according to the taste information associated with the
identification information on a basis of the taste information and
the menu information regarding the second restaurant.
11. The method according to claim 10, wherein, when the latest
order record of the user at the second restaurant is within the
certain period of time, the menu items included in the menu
information regarding the second restaurant are arranged in order
according to the order record at the second restaurant on a basis
of the order record at the second restaurant and the menu
information regarding the second restaurant.
12. The method according to claim 1, further comprising: obtaining,
from the first server, order record information indicating an order
record of the user at the second restaurant, wherein, when a number
of orders at the second restaurant within a set period of time is
smaller than or equal to a certain value, the menu items included
in the menu information regarding the second restaurant are
arranged in the order according to the taste information on a basis
of the taste information and the menu information.
13. The method according to claim 1, wherein the order record at
the first restaurant and a store identifier indicating the first
restaurant are stored in the first server and are associated with
each other.
14. The terminal apparatus that executes the method according to
claim 1.
15. A non-transitory computer-readable recording medium storing a
program for causing a computer of the terminal apparatus to execute
the method according to claim 1.
16. The non-transitory computer-readable recording medium according
to claim 15, wherein the identification information for identifying
the user includes a serial code given to the program for each of
information terminals.
Description
BACKGROUND
1. Technical Field
[0001] The present disclosure relates to a method for controlling a
terminal apparatus.
2. Description of the Related Art
[0002] Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No.
2009-64348 discloses an order system that obtains order records of
a customer and that presents an order proposal relating to foods
and drinks to the customer on the basis of information regarding
the obtained order records in order to save the customer the
trouble of finding foods and drinks that suit his/her taste on a
menu at a restaurant.
[0003] Further improvements are needed in the above example of the
related art.
SUMMARY
[0004] In one general aspect, the techniques disclosed here feature
a method for controlling a terminal apparatus that communicates,
over a network, with a first server which manages taste information
regarding a user including an order record at a first restaurant
and which associates the taste information with identification
information for identifying the user. The method includes
receiving, through an input device of the terminal apparatus, the
identification information and selection of a store identifier
indicating a second restaurant in a chain different from a chain to
which the first restaurant belongs, obtaining from the first server
the taste information associated with the identification
information, obtaining menu information regarding the second
restaurant indicated by the store identifier from a second server
relating to the second restaurant, arranging, on a basis of the
taste information and the menu information regarding the second
restaurant, menu items included in the menu information in order
according to the taste information, and displaying menu information
regarding the menu items arranged in the order on a display screen
of the terminal apparatus.
[0005] With the above aspect, further improvements can be
achieved.
[0006] Additional benefits and advantages of the disclosed
embodiments will become apparent from the specification and
drawings. The benefits and/or advantages may be individually
obtained by the various embodiments and features of the
specification and drawings, which need not all be provided in order
to obtain one or more of such benefits and/or advantages.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0007] FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating an example of the entirety
of an information provision system in the present disclosure;
[0008] FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating an example of a specific
configuration of the information provision system according to a
first embodiment;
[0009] FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating an example of an
authentication screen displayed on an information terminal
immediately after a user who is to order foods and drinks activates
a matching app;
[0010] FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating an authentication screen in
another example;
[0011] FIG. 5 is a diagram illustrating an example of a home screen
displayed immediately after the user is authenticated for the
matching app;
[0012] FIG. 6 is a diagram illustrating an example of a map screen
displayed on the information terminal;
[0013] FIG. 7 is a diagram illustrating an individual menu screen,
which is an example of a display screen for individual menu
information displayed on the information terminal;
[0014] FIG. 8 is a diagram illustrating an individual menu screen,
which is another example of the display screen for individual menu
information displayed on the information terminal;
[0015] FIG. 9 is a diagram illustrating a standard menu screen,
which is an example of a display screen for standard menu
information displayed on the information terminal;
[0016] FIG. 10 is a diagram illustrating how the user orders a food
and a drink on the individual menu screen illustrated in FIG.
7;
[0017] FIG. 11 is a diagram illustrating an example of an order
confirmation screen displayed when the user confirms the order of
the food and the drink selected in FIG. 10;
[0018] FIG. 12 is a diagram illustrating an example of the data
configuration of an order record database storing order
records;
[0019] FIG. 13 is a diagram illustrating an example of the data
configuration of standard menu information;
[0020] FIG. 14 is a table illustrating the number of orders, placed
by a certain user, for each of foods and drinks included in the
standard menu information;
[0021] FIG. 15 is a sequence diagram illustrating an example of a
process performed by the information provision system when the user
who is visiting a store in a familiar chain orders foods and
drinks;
[0022] FIG. 16 is a sequence diagram illustrating an example of a
process performed by the information provision system when the
user's order for foods and drinks is received in consideration of
whether a store that the user is visiting belongs to a restaurant
chain that the user uses for a first time;
[0023] FIG. 17 is a diagram illustrating an example of a process at
a time when step S30 in the sequence diagram of FIG. 16 is focused
upon;
[0024] FIG. 18 is a diagram illustrating an example of a specific
mode for implementing the information provision system according to
the first embodiment;
[0025] FIG. 19 is a flowchart illustrating an example of a process
performed by the matching app on files until an image of an
individual menu is displayed after the matching app is activated;
and
[0026] FIG. 20 is a sequence diagram illustrating an example of a
process performed by the information provision system according to
a second embodiment when the user's order for foods and drinks is
received in consideration of whether a store that the user is
visiting belongs to a restaurant chain that the user uses for a
first time.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
Underlying Knowledge Forming Basis of the Present Disclosure
[0027] Today, with development of a restaurant industry, various
chain stores that serve foods and drinks, such as family
restaurants, hamburger shops, coffee shops, and Chinese
restaurants, are being deployed on a nationwide scale. Different
stores often share the same menu table if the stores belong to the
same chain. Even when the user is visiting a store for a first
time, therefore, the user can efficiently order foods and drinks
using a familiar menu table if the store belongs to a familiar
chain.
[0028] If the user is visiting for a first time a store managed by
a chain that the user has never used, however, the user needs to
order foods and drinks using an unfamiliar menu table, which can be
troublesome.
[0029] In the technique disclosed in Japanese Unexamined Patent
Application Publication No. 2009-64348, information regarding order
records of the user is obtained from an order record database, and
an order proposal to be presented to the user is generated on the
basis of the information regarding the order records. With the
technique disclosed in this example of the related art, however, an
order proposal is generated using only order records of the user at
a store that the user is visiting. With the technique disclosed in
this example of the related art, therefore, when the user is
visiting a store for a first time, for example, it is difficult to
generate an order proposal since there are no order records at the
store. With the technique disclosed in this example of the related
art, therefore, it is difficult to address the troublesomeness
described above.
[0030] When it is difficult to generate an order proposal, a
standard menu for general customers might be presented to the
user's mobile terminal at a store. Because mobile terminals have
limitations in display area, however, foods and drinks that the
user is not interested in might be displayed at positions of high
priority. In this case, the user needs to find desired foods and
drinks through scrolling or the like, which can be troublesome.
[0031] One non-limiting and exemplary embodiment provides a
technique for enabling the user to efficiently select foods and
drinks that suit his/her taste using a terminal apparatus having a
limitation in display area.
[0032] A method for providing information according to an aspect of
the present disclosure is a method for controlling a terminal
apparatus that communicates, over a network, with a first server
which manages taste information regarding a user including an order
record at a first restaurant and which associates the taste
information with identification information for identifying the
user. The method includes receiving, through an input device of the
terminal apparatus, the identification information and selection of
a store identifier indicating a second restaurant in a chain
different from a chain to which the first restaurant belongs,
obtaining from the first server the taste information associated
with the identification information, obtaining menu information
regarding the second restaurant indicated by the store identifier
from a second server relating to the second restaurant, arranging,
on a basis of the taste information and the menu information
regarding the second restaurant, menu items included in the menu
information in order according to the taste information, and
displaying menu information regarding the menu items arranged in
the order on a display screen of the terminal apparatus.
[0033] According to this aspect, the information management system
manages taste information regarding a user including an order
record at a first restaurant while associating the taste
information with identification information for identifying the
user. A store identifier indicating a second restaurant different
from the first restaurant is selected on a terminal apparatus used
by the user. As a result of the selection, menu items included in
menu information regarding the second restaurant are arranged in
order according to the taste information regarding the user, and
menu information regarding the menu items arranged in the order is
displayed on a display screen of the terminal apparatus.
[0034] Consequently, the user can display, at positions of high
priority in the order according to the taste information, the menu
items included in the menu information regarding the second
restaurant on the display screen of the terminal apparatus that has
a limitation in display area on the basis of the taste information
including the order record at the first restaurant, which the user
has used before, even if the user is using the second restaurant
for a first time.
[0035] The user, therefore, can efficiently select foods and drinks
that suit his/her taste even if the user is using the second
restaurant for the first time,
[0036] Furthermore, according to this aspect, a second server
obtains the menu information regarding the second restaurant
whereas a first server obtains the taste information. As a result,
menu information that takes into consideration the taste
information regarding the user can be displayed at the second
restaurant, which the user is using for the first time, without
leaking the taste information to business operators that are not
permitted by the user to access the taste information.
[0037] In the method, the second restaurant may include a coffee
shop in a chain different from the chain to which the first
restaurant belongs.
[0038] According to this aspect, at a coffee shop in a certain
chain, menu information in which menu items are arranged in order
according to taste information including an order record at a
coffee shop in another chain is displayed. Even if the user is
using a coffee shop in a certain chain for a first time, for
example, therefore, the user can efficiently select foods and
drinks that suit his/her taste.
[0039] In the method, the second restaurant may include a hamburger
shop in a chain different from the chain to which the first
restaurant belongs.
[0040] According to this aspect, at a hamburger shop in a certain
chain, menu information in which menu items are arranged in order
according to taste information including an order record at a
hamburger shop in another chain is displayed. Even if the user is
using a hamburger shop in a certain chain for a first time,
therefore, the user can efficiently select foods and drinks that
suit his/her taste.
[0041] In the method, the second restaurant may be a restaurant in
a chain different from a chain to which the first restaurant
belongs.
[0042] According to this aspect, at a restaurant in a certain
chain, menu information in which menu items are arranged in order
according to taste information including an order record at a
restaurant in another chain is displayed. Even if the user is using
a restaurant in a certain chain for a first time, therefore, the
user can efficiently select foods and drinks that suit his/her
taste.
[0043] Each of the restaurants may be any place to eat that serves
drinks and/or foods of two or more types. For example, the
restaurant may be a family restaurant or a tavern that serves a
wide variety of foods, a cafe that serves snacks and drinks, a
steakhouse that serves various steaks, or a bar that has an
assortment of alcoholic beverages.
[0044] The second restaurant is not limited to a place to eat of
the same type as the first restaurant that serves foods of the same
types as ones served at the first restaurant. For example, the
first restaurant may be a family restaurant, and the second
restaurant may be a cafe. In this case, menu information in which
menu items of the cafe are arranged on the basis of an order record
of the user at the family restaurant is displayed.
[0045] The first restaurant may refer to some or all of places to
eat at which there are order records of the user. In this case,
menu information in which menu items of the second restaurant are
arranged on the basis of some or all of the records of the user at
the places to eat is displayed. When a lot of order records are
used, the arrangement of the menu items of the second restaurant
can be optimized.
[0046] The method may further include outputting positional
information regarding the terminal apparatus of the user to a third
server that manages information relating to the first and second
restaurants over the network, obtaining, from the third server on a
basis of the positional information, restaurant information
indicating one or more restaurants in an area including a position
indicated by the positional information, and receiving the
selection of the store identifier on a basis of the restaurant
information.
[0047] According to this aspect, the user can select a desired
restaurant among restaurants around a position thereof. Menu items
included in menu information regarding the selected restaurant are
then arranged in order according to taste information regarding the
user. Even if the user is using the selected restaurant for a first
time, the user can efficiently select foods and drinks that suit
his/her taste.
[0048] The method may further include obtaining the positional
information regarding the terminal apparatus of the user using a
global positioning system.
[0049] According to this aspect, positional information regarding a
terminal apparatus is obtained using a global positioning system. A
position of the user, therefore, can be accurately detected, and
restaurants around the user can be presented to the user.
[0050] The method may further include obtaining, from the first
server, order record information indicating an order record of the
user at the second restaurant. If there is no order record of the
user at the second restaurant, the menu items included in the menu
information regarding the second restaurant may be arranged in the
order according to the taste information associated with the
identification information on a basis of the taste information and
the menu information regarding the second restaurant.
[0051] According to this aspect, if there is no order record of the
user at the second restaurant, menu information based on taste
information including an order record at the first restaurant is
displayed. As a result, even if the user is using for a first time
a chain to which the second restaurant belongs, the user can
efficiently select foods and drinks that suit his/her taste.
[0052] In the method, if there is an order record of the user at
the second restaurant, the menu items included in the menu
information regarding the second restaurant may be arranged in
order according to the order record at the second restaurant on a
basis of the order record at the second restaurant and the menu
information regarding the second restaurant.
[0053] If the second restaurant is not a restaurant that the user
uses for a first time, it might be more convenient for the user to
generate menu information on the basis of an order record at the
second restaurant, instead of taste information including an order
record at the first restaurant. According to this aspect, if there
is an order record of the user at the second restaurant, menu
information in which menu items are arranged in order according to
the taste information including the order record at the second
restaurant is displayed. If the user has used the second restaurant
before, therefore, the user can efficiently select foods and drinks
that suit his/her taste using the menu information that reflects
the order record at the second restaurant.
[0054] The method may further include obtaining, from the first
server, order record information indicating an order record of the
user at the second restaurant. If a number of order records of the
user at the second restaurant is smaller than a certain value, the
menu items included in the menu information regarding the second
restaurant may be arranged in the order according to the taste
information associated with the identification information on a
basis of the taste information and the menu information regarding
the second restaurant.
[0055] If the user is not using the second restaurant for a first
time but has not used the second restaurant many times, menu
information that sufficiently reflects the user's taste might not
be generated when menu information is generated for the user on the
basis of the order record at the second restaurant. According to
this aspect, if the number of order records at the second
restaurant is smaller than a certain value, menu information in
which menu items are arranged on the basis of taste information
including not only the order record at the second restaurant but
also an order record at another restaurant is displayed. It is
therefore possible to prevent menu information that does not
sufficiently reflect the user's taste from being displayed at the
second restaurant.
[0056] In the above method, if the number of order records of the
user at the second restaurant is larger than or equal to the
certain value, the menu items included in the menu information
regarding the second restaurant may be arranged in order according
to the order record at the second restaurant on a basis of the
order record at the second restaurant and the menu information
regarding the second restaurant.
[0057] If the user has used the second restaurant a certain number
of times or more, it might be more convenient for the user to
generate menu information on the basis of order records at the
second restaurant, instead of taste information including an order
record at the first restaurant. According to this aspect, if the
number of order records at the second restaurant is larger than or
equal to a certain value, menu information in which menu items are
arranged on the basis of the order records at the second restaurant
is displayed. If the user has used the second restaurant the
certain number of times or more, therefore, the use can efficiently
select foods and drinks that suit his/her taste using the menu
information that reflects the order records at the second
restaurant.
[0058] The method may further include obtaining, from the first
server, order record information indicating an order record of the
user at the second restaurant. If a latest order record of the user
at the second restaurant precedes a certain period of time, the
menu items included in the menu information regarding the second
restaurant may be arranged in the order according to the taste
information associated with the identification information on a
basis of the taste information and the menu information regarding
the second restaurant.
[0059] Even if the user is not using the second restaurant for a
first time, the user's taste might have changed when, for example,
the user has not used the second restaurant for a long time. In
this case, menu information regarding the second restaurant might
not be displayed desirably. According to this aspect, menu
information that reflects taste information including an order
record at the first restaurant is displayed in this case, and the
user can efficiently select foods and drinks that suit his/her
taste.
[0060] In the above method, if the latest order record of the user
at the second restaurant is within the certain period of time, the
menu items included in the menu information regarding the second
restaurant may be arranged in order according to the order record
at the second restaurant on a basis of the order record at the
second restaurant and the menu information regarding the second
restaurant.
[0061] If the user is not using the second restaurant for a first
time and a last time that the user has used the second restaurant
is not so long ago, it might be more convenient for the user to
display menu information that reflects an order record at the
second restaurant, instead of taste information based on an order
record at the first restaurant. According to this aspect, since the
menu information that reflects the order record at the second
restaurant is displayed in this case, the user can efficiently
select foods and drinks that suit his/her taste.
[0062] The method may further include obtaining, from the first
server, order record information indicating an order record of the
user at the second restaurant. If a number of orders at the second
restaurant within a set period of time is smaller than or equal to
a certain value, the menu items included in the menu information
regarding the second restaurant may be arranged in the order
according to the taste information on a basis of the taste
information and the menu information.
[0063] According to this aspect, if the number of orders at the
second restaurant is smaller than or equal to a certain value, menu
information in which menu items are arranged on the basis of taste
information including not only an order record at the second
restaurant but also an order record at another restaurant is
displayed. It is therefore possible to prevent menu information
that does not sufficiently reflects the user's taste from being
displayed at the second restaurant.
[0064] In the method, the order record at the first restaurant and
a store identifier indicating the first restaurant may be stored in
the first server and are associated with each other.
[0065] According to this aspect, an order record at the first
restaurant and a store identifier indicating the first restaurant
are stored while being associated with each other. By using the
store identifier indicating the first restaurant, therefore, the
order record at the first restaurant can be easily referred to.
[0066] The present disclosure can also be implemented as a program
for causing a computer to achieve the characteristic components
included in the method for controlling a terminal apparatus or a
terminal apparatus that operates in accordance with the program. It
is needless to say that such a computer program may be distributed
using a non-transitory computer-readable recording medium such as a
compact disc read-only memory (CD-ROM) or a communication network
such as the Internet.
[0067] In the program, the identification information for
identifying the user may include a serial code given to the program
for each of information terminals.
[0068] According to this aspect, a serial code for each of
information terminals given to the program is used as
identification information. Character string information
meaningless to humans, therefore, can be set as identification
information, and personal information of increased secrecy can be
communicated.
First Embodiment
[0069] It is expected that the Internet will continue to spread in
our society and various sensors will become more familiar to us. As
a result, it is expected that information regarding persons'
conditions and activities, as well as information regarding entire
cities, including buildings and transportation networks, will be
digitized and become available in computer systems. Digitized data
regarding persons (personal information) will be accumulated in the
cloud via communication networks, managed, as big data, by
information banks that have a mechanism for enabling third parties
to access the data with the person's permission, and used for
various purposes for individuals and society.
[0070] Such a highly information-oriented society is called
"Society 5.0" in Japan. The highly information-oriented society is
a society where economic development and solutions to social issues
are expected through an information infrastructure (cyber-physical
system) that highly integrates real space (physical space) and
virtual space (cyber space).
[0071] When a person makes decisions in such a highly
information-oriented society in various daily situations, the
person can analyze the big data including the accumulated personal
information and identify possible optimal options therefor
according to the situation at the time.
[0072] In the following description, modes for achieving economic
efficiency and personalization in a highly information-oriented
society where such a cyber-physical system operates will be
described with a theme of personal meals.
[0073] In Society 5.0, servers of business operators, which are
called "information banks", singlehandedly manage personal
information such as taste information indicating a user's taste by
encrypting and concealing the personal information so that the
personal information becomes inaccessible by third parties without
the user's permission. Most of the personal information does not
require the user's conscious input operation, and is continuously
collected and updated from time to time under the management of the
information banks.
[0074] An example of a personalized ordering system for foods and
drinks transmits menu information from a restaurant server to a
person's information terminal and presents a menu including foods
and drinks that suit the user's taste on the information terminal
as a recommended menu.
[0075] FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating an example of the entirety
of an information provision system in the present disclosure. The
information provision system illustrated in FIG. 1 is a system
configured on the basis of Society 5.0 and provides a user, who is
a consumer whose personal information is used, with a selection
support service for supporting selection of a product or a service
by presenting products or services suitable for the user. In a
first embodiment, a service that supports ordering of foods and
drinks will be described as the selection support service. More
specifically, the information provision system presents an optimal
menu to a user by matching menu information viewed by the user to
order foods and drinks when eating out with personal information
regarding the user.
[0076] The information provision system includes three apparatus
groups. A first apparatus group includes an information terminal
100 (an example of a terminal apparatus) owned by the user, such as
a smartphone. A matching application is installed on the
information terminal 100. The matching application (hereinafter
referred to as a "matching app") selects or recommends products or
services suitable for a user using personal information regarding
the user. Personal information herein broadly includes public or
non-public information regarding a person. For example, personal
information includes a name, a date of birth, an address, annual
income, movables and immovables, physical information such as
height and weight, genetic information, allergy information,
medical information such as medical history and diagnosis charts,
activity information such as the number of steps and calories
burned, meal record information, vital sign information such as
heartbeat and blood pressure, purchase information via stores and
electronic commerce (EC) websites, word information regarding words
used in searches using web search engines and artificial
intelligence (AI) speakers, information regarding text and images
sent and received by mail and social networking services (SNSs),
movement record information, and/or the like. The information
terminal 100 can be connected to the Internet via a mobile base
station 400 by, for example, a mobile communication network called
"4G" or "5G".
[0077] A second apparatus group includes a first server 200.
[0078] The first server 200 is a personal information server that
stores personal information regarding the user while splitting the
personal information between different locations and encrypting the
split personal information. For example, the first server 200
manages the personal information regarding the user by storing the
personal information in different storage devices on the cloud
while fragmenting and encrypting the personal information. As a
result, high security is ensured, and leakage of the personal
information is prevented. The first server 200 also has a function
of returning necessary data in response to an inquiry from a third
party with the user's permission. Furthermore, the first server 200
has a function of securely sharing personal information selected by
the user to a business operator authorized by the user. That is,
the first server 200 has a function as an information bank. In this
case, for example, the first server 200 stores a piece of data
while splitting the piece of data between different storage
devices. An example of the piece of data is a file containing
personal information.
[0079] In the present embodiment, the first server 200 causes a
specific business operator to share specific personal information
with the user's permission. The first server 200 also has a
function for providing the selection support service, which will be
described later.
[0080] The matching app described above is developed and/or
distributed by, for example, a company that manages the first
server 200. The company evaluates, using personal information
regarding the user, a degree of suitability of the user to products
or services that might be used by the user. The company that
manages the first server 200, a company that develops the matching
app, and a company that distributes the matching app may be the
same or different from one another. The information provision
system illustrated in FIG. 1 achieves the selection support service
using the above-described matching app, but this is just an
example. For example, the selection support service may be achieved
using an application other than the matching app, a common browser,
or the like, instead. In order to handle the personal information
regarding the user securely, it is preferable to provide the
selection support service using a dedicated application such as the
matching app. This, however, is just an example, and when personal
information whose degree of security importance is low, such as
publicly available personal information, is handled, or when a
function for ensuring security, such as hypertext transfer protocol
secure (HTTPS) communication, is provided using an Internet
browser, the selection support service may be provided by means
other than the matching application.
[0081] The matching app handles personal information only inside
the information terminal 100. The matching app presents the user
with products or services that are estimated to be most suitable
for the user under conditions such as a time, a place, and a
situation. For example, the matching app provides a mediation
function in economic activities such as purchase by the user.
[0082] The matching app opens up a recommendation function, which
has been isolated to each service provider. For example, an example
of a service provider famous in an EC market such as EC websites
will be described. A large number of products are listed on the
service provider's website. When a user searches for or purchases a
particular product, other products that are highly relevant to that
product (e.g., products that are often purchased together) are
recommended to the user. The recommendation function for such
purchase is effective only on the EC website of the service
provider. The recommendation function, therefore, has no effect
when the user purchases products on EC websites operated by other
service providers, when the user orders meals at restaurants, or
when the user plans family vacations.
[0083] It is expected in the future that personal information will
be aggregated in information banks and a mechanism will be
established in which anyone can access, under certain conditions,
an enormous amount of a wide variety of accurate personal
information obtained over a long period of time. In this case, a
degree of suitability can be estimated, on the basis of searches or
purchase histories on an EC website of a service provider and
personal information regarding various users, for not only a
product of the service provider but also any product or service.
This makes it possible to recommend products or services that are
more valuable to a user from among various options.
[0084] The first server 200 assumed in the present embodiment is a
cloud server that, in order to achieve the above idea or function,
stores personal information in different storage devices while
splitting and encrypting the personal information and manages and
controls access to the personal information from the outside.
[0085] A third apparatus group includes second servers 300 in which
business operators manage data unique thereto. Each of the business
operators owns or rents one of the second servers 300 and manages
and/or provides information regarding products and/or services
thereof. In the present embodiment, the business operators are
companies that operate chain stores. In the example illustrated in
FIG. 1, three second servers 300 are operated by restaurant chains
A to C, respectively. Restaurant chain A is, for example, chain
stores managed by company A, restaurant chain B is, for example,
chain stores managed by company B, and restaurant chain C is, for
example, chain stores managed by company C. Chain stores refer to a
management form in which a large number of stores are operated and
managed with a brand, a management policy, services, appearance,
and the like given a sense of unity. Restaurants deployed as chain
stores include family restaurants, coffee shops, and hamburger
shops. The business operators may be ready-to-eat meal companies
where customers can take out cooked food, such as lunch vendors and
fast-food restaurants. Alternatively, the business operators may be
business operators that sell foodstuffs for home cooking, such as
supermarkets. The second servers 300 are, for example, cloud
servers.
[0086] Although different companies manage restaurant chains A to C
in the example illustrated in FIG. 1, this is just an example. The
same company may manage restaurant chains A to C, instead. In
addition, although there are three second servers 300 in the
example illustrated in FIG. 1, this is just an example. There may
be one, two, or four or more second servers 300, instead.
[0087] One of advantageous effects produced by the information
provision system according to the present embodiment is that
personal information is not given to business operators without the
user's permission. This is because the first server 200, which has
the function of an information bank, is configured to share
specific pieces of information to only specific business operators
with the user's permission.
[0088] It is troublesome, however, to let each of users determine
how to operate personal information regarding the user. Even if
there is a trust company that sets a data operation policy, it is
difficult for the users to understand which pieces of data have
been given and who has received the pieces of information, which
can make the users feel uneasy.
[0089] In the present embodiment, therefore, the business operator
that operates the first server 200 may be inhibited or restricted
from using, that is, decrypting and interpreting, for example, the
stored personal information without the user's permission.
[0090] Furthermore, when an information bank or an information
intermediary that manages personal information and provides the
matching app enters a market under an operation policy strict about
privacy, the user may make a contract with the information bank or
the information intermediary in order to receive the service. This
makes it possible to prevent personal information from being given
to a business operator without the user's permission.
[0091] The information provision system according to the present
embodiment is a mode of an operation system in a next-generation
information society that reduces a possibility that personal
information including sensitive information will be known to a
third party and that can use, with personal permission, an enormous
amount of personal information which changes from moment to moment
for matching with various services. The information provision
system will be described hereinafter on this assumption.
[0092] The information provision system illustrated in FIG. 1
further includes a biological sensor 600 and a public information
server 500.
[0093] The public information server 500 manages public information
different from information regarding restaurants and personal
information. The public information server 500 is connected to the
Internet. For example, the public information includes map
information, weather information, and traffic information. These
pieces of information are used if necessary for matching.
[0094] The biological sensor 600 is a smartwatch or the like. The
biological sensor 600 is worn by the user who owns the information
terminal 100. The biological sensor 600 continuously measures vital
sign information and/or activity information regarding the user.
The biological sensor 600 transmits the vital sign information
and/or the activity information measured thereby to the information
terminal 100 through short-distance communication such as Bluetooth
(registered trademark). The vital sign information and/or the
activity information are stored and/or managed by a sensor app
installed on the information terminal 100. The sensor app uploads,
to the first server 200 in accordance with user account
information, the collected vital sign information and/or activity
information and time information indicating times at which the
vital sign information and/or the activity information have been
measured. The vital sign information and/or the activity
information are thus accumulated.
[0095] The sensor app may give rights to access the stored and/or
managed data to the matching app or an operating system (OS) of the
information terminal 100. In this case, the vital sign information
and/or the activity information are uploaded to the first server
200 via the matching app or the OS. The sensor app may store the
vital sign information and/or the activity information in a memory
of the information terminal 100 or by uploading the vital sign
information and/or the activity information to the first server
200.
[0096] FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating an example of a specific
configuration of the information provision system according to the
present embodiment. The information provision system illustrated in
FIG. 2 includes the information terminal 100, the first server 200,
and the second servers 300 described with reference to FIG. 1. FIG.
2 does not illustrate the mobile base station 400 and the
biological sensor 600 for convenience of description. The
information terminal 100, the first server 200, and the second
servers 300 are communicably connected to one another over a
network NT. The network NT is a wide-area communication network
including a mobile phone communication network and the
Internet.
[0097] The information terminal 100 is achieved by a mobile
information processing apparatus such as a smartphone or a tablet
terminal. In the present embodiment, the information terminal 100
is carried by a user who orders foods and drinks at stores in
restaurant chains. The information terminal 100 includes a
communication unit 101, a memory 102, a camera 103, a processing
unit 104, a display 105, an operation unit 106, and a global
positioning system (GPS) sensor 107.
[0098] The communication unit 101 is achieved by a communication
circuit that connects the information terminal 100 to the network
NT. The communication unit 101 transmits, to the first server 200,
a store identifier (ID) of a second restaurant in a chain different
from one to which a first restaurant belongs while associating the
store ID with identification information regarding the user, the
first restaurant having been selected by the user using the
operation unit 106. The first restaurant belongs to a restaurant
chain that the user frequently uses. The second restaurant belongs
to a restaurant chain different from the one to which the first
restaurant belongs.
[0099] The communication unit 101 receives menu information, which
will be described later, transmitted from one of the second servers
300. The processing unit 104 displays the menu information received
by the communication unit 101 on the display 105. The communication
unit 101 transmits, under the control of the processing unit 104,
order information indicating foods and drinks ordered by the user
to the second server 300. The memory 102 is achieved by a
non-transitory storage device such as a flash memory. The
communication unit 101 receives surrounding map information, which
is map information regarding a surrounding area of a position of
the information terminal 100 detected by the GPS sensor 107. The
surrounding map information is displayed on the display 105.
[0100] The memory 102 stores, in advance, identification
information for identifying the user.
[0101] The camera 103 is an imaging device achieved by a
complementary metal-oxide-semiconductor (CMOS) sensor or the like.
The camera 103 is used to capture an image of the user's face, for
example, for face recognition.
[0102] The processing unit 104 is achieved by a processor such as a
CPU. The processing unit 104 executes the OS of the information
terminal 100, the matching app, a browser, and the like. The GPS
sensor 107 detects the position of the information terminal 100 on
the basis of a signal from a GPS satellite.
[0103] The display 105 is achieved by a liquid crystal display
panel, an organic electroluminescent (EL) panel, or the like and
displays various images. For example, the display 105 displays the
menu information. The display 105 also displays the surrounding map
information.
[0104] The operation unit 106 is achieved by an input device such
as a touch panel. The operation unit 106 receives an operation
performed by the user to select, among restaurants displayed in the
surrounding map information, a restaurant that the user desires to
visit. The operation unit 106 receives an instruction to select
foods and drinks desired by the user in the menu information.
[0105] The configuration of the information terminal 100 has been
described.
[0106] Next, the configuration of the first server 200 will be
described. The first server 200 includes a communication unit 201,
a processing unit 202, and a memory 203. The communication unit 201
is achieved by a communication circuit for connecting the first
server 200 to the network NT. The communication unit 201 receives,
from the information terminal 100, identification information for
identifying the user of the information terminal 100 and a store ID
indicating a second restaurant in a restaurant chain different from
one to which a first restaurant belongs. The store ID is
identification information regarding a store selected by the user
who operates the information terminal 100. The communication unit
201 transmits individual menu information, which will be described
later, generated by the processing unit 202 to the information
terminal 100 owned by the user who has selected the second
restaurant.
[0107] The processing unit 202 is achieved by a processor such as a
CPU. The processing unit 202 processes personal information
regarding the user stored in the memory 203.
[0108] The processing unit 202 provides the information terminal
100 with store information indicating one or more restaurants
around the information terminal 100 owned by the user who has
selected a second restaurant. The user of the information terminal
100 selects a second restaurant in the provided store information.
The information terminal 100 transmits, to the first server 200, a
store ID of the second restaurant selected by the user and the
identification information regarding the user.
[0109] The processing unit 202 extracts, from the memory 203, taste
information corresponding to the identification information
regarding the user transmitted from the information terminal 100
and associated with the store ID. The processing unit 202
generates, on the basis of the extracted taste information and menu
information regarding the second restaurant indicated by the store
ID, individual menu information, which is meu information in which
menu items are arranged in order according to the taste
information. The individual menu information is displayed on the
display 105 of the information terminal 100 owned by the user who
has selected the second restaurant. The menu information regarding
the second restaurant is standard menu information generated for a
general customer in a restaurant chain to which the second
restaurant belongs. In the standard menu information, menu items
are arranged in certain order determined by the restaurant chain to
which the second restaurant belongs. The menu items refer to foods
and drinks served at the second restaurant.
[0110] If there are no order records, at the second restaurant, of
the user who has selected the second restaurant, the processing
unit 202 generates, on the basis of the taste information extracted
from the memory 203 and the standard menu information, individual
menu information in which the menu items included in the standard
menu information are arranged in order according to the taste
information. As a result, the user can efficiently select foods and
drinks that suit his/her taste even when the user uses for a first
time the restaurant chain to which the second restaurant
belongs.
[0111] If there are order records, at the second restaurant, of the
user who has selected the second restaurant, on the other hand, the
processing unit 202 generates, on the basis of the order records at
the second restaurant and the standard menu information regarding
the second restaurant, individual menu information in which the
menu items included in the standard menu information regarding the
second restaurant are arranged in order according to the order
records at the second restaurant. As a result, if the user has used
the second restaurant before, the user can efficiently select foods
and drinks that suit the user's taste using the individual menu
information that reflects the order records at the second
restaurant.
[0112] If the number of order records, at the second restaurant, of
the user who has selected the second restaurant is smaller than a
certain value, the processing unit 202 may generate, on the basis
of the taste information corresponding to the identification
information regarding the user and the standard menu information
regarding the second restaurant, individual menu information in
which the menu items included in the standard menu information
regarding the second restaurant are arranged in the order according
to the taste information.
[0113] In this case, if the number of order records, at the second
restaurant, of the user who has selected the second restaurant is
larger than or equal to the certain value, the processing unit 202
may generate, on the basis of the order records at the second
restaurant and the standard menu information regarding the second
restaurant, individual menu information in which the menu items
included in the standard menu information regarding the second
restaurant are arranged in order according to the order records at
the second restaurant.
[0114] Furthermore, if a latest order record placed at the second
restaurant by the user who has selected the second restaurant
precedes a certain period, the processing unit 202 may generate, on
the basis of the taste information corresponding to the
identification information regarding the user and the standard menu
information regarding the second restaurant, individual menu
information in which the menu items included in the standard menu
information regarding the second restaurant are arranged in the
order according to the taste information.
[0115] It is assumed, for example, that the communication unit 201
has received a signal for requesting obtaining of personal
information regarding an authorized user. The authorized user
refers to a user directly permitted to read personal information
stored in the first server 200 or a user indirectly permitted by
trusted third party to read the personal information, the personal
information having been requested by the information terminal 100
or one of the second servers 300. In this case, the processing unit
202 reads, in response to the request from the information terminal
100 or the second server 300, personal information regarding the
authorized user stored in the memory 203 and causes the
communication unit 201 to transmit the personal information. The
personal information to be read may be the entirety of managed
personal information or a part of the managed personal information
relating to certain requested items (only a part of the personal
information).
[0116] The memory 203 is achieved by nonvolatile storage devices
such as hard disk drives. The memory 203 stores personal
information regarding one or more users. The personal information
includes taste information regarding the users. The taste
information indicates the users' taste. The taste information
includes order records of the users for foods and drinks. In the
present embodiment, order records are managed in an order record
database D2 illustrated in FIG. 12 generated for each of the users
and stored in the memory 203.
[0117] Activity record information indicates activity records of
the users. Personal information is stored in the storage devices
while being split and encrypted. The personal information stored in
the memory 203 may include biological information, purchase record
information, and the activity record information as well as the
taste information. The biological information is information
relating to each user's body, such as heart rate. The purchase
record information indicates each user's records of purchasing
products (articles) or services. The activity record information
is, for example, time series data in which positional information
regarding each user and time information are associated with each
other.
[0118] Next, the configuration of each of the second servers 300
will be described. There are one or more second servers 300 for
each restaurant chain. Each of the second servers 300 includes a
communication unit 301, a processing unit 302, and a memory 303.
The communication unit 301 is achieved by a communication circuit
for connecting the second server 300 to the network NT. The
communication unit 301 transmits standard menu information to the
first server 200 in response to a request from the information
terminal 100. The processing unit 302 is achieved by a processor
such as a CPU. The processing unit 302 processes standard menu
information stored in the memory 303. The memory 303 is achieved by
a nonvolatile storage device such as a hard disk drive. The memory
303 stores the standard menu information.
Ordering for Foods and Drinks Based on Individual Menu
Information
[0119] Ordering for foods and drinks based on individual menu
information starts when the matching app is activated. FIG. 3 is a
diagram illustrating an example of an authentication screen G1
displayed on the information terminal 100 immediately after the
user who is to order foods and drinks activates the matching app.
The authentication screen G1 is a screen on which the user is
authenticated through fingerprint recognition. A fingerprint image
1201 schematically indicating a fingerprint is displayed at the
center of the authentication screen G1, and a message,
"Authenticate with your fingerprint", is displayed under the
fingerprint image 1201. The authentication screen G1 thus prompts
the user to perform fingerprint recognition. "Personal matching" is
displayed at a top of the authentication screen G1. The user can
thus understand that the authentication screen G1 is a screen of
the matching app. This holds true for FIGS. 4 and 5, which will be
referred to later.
[0120] FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating an authentication screen G2
in another example. The authentication screen G2 is an example of a
screen for authenticating the user through face recognition. Broken
lines 1301 schematically indicating a contour of a face are
displayed at the center of the authentication screen G2 so that the
information terminal 100 can capture an image of the user's face
from the front in an appropriate size. The user adjusts a direction
and a position of the information terminal 100 such that the user's
face from the front fits into the broken lines 1301.
[0121] If there is a method for authenticating the user by which
necessary authentication accuracy can be achieved with a smaller
burden on the user than the above methods for authenticating the
user, the method may be employed, instead. As a method for
authenticating the user, two-step authentication, which is
generally said to have high security strength, may be employed, or
a method in which a user ID and a password are input may be
employed, instead.
[0122] FIG. 5 is a diagram illustrating an example of a home screen
G3 displayed immediately after the user is authenticated for the
matching app. An app name "personal matching" is displayed at a top
of the home screen G3, and tile objects 1401 are arranged in a
middle in a matrix. The tile objects 1401 are associated with
association functions or other applications incorporated into the
matching app. The other applications are, for example, applications
activated in the matching app. In this example, five tile objects
1401 indicated by a, b, c, d, and e are displayed. These tile
objects 1401 are associated with dedicated functions (e.g.,
applications of certain restaurants available in the matching app)
for matching with products or services of various business
operators in association with the matching app. The user can thus
use the five association functions indicated by a, b, c, d, and e.
Grayed-out tile objects 1401 are vacant tile objects for which no
association function has been installed. A scan button 1402, a map
button 1403, an account button 1404, and a home button 1405 are
displayed at a bottom of the home screen G3 from the left. These
four buttons are fixed buttons provided for all users. The scan
button 1402 is used to read a quick response (QR) code (registered
trademark), a near-field communication (NFC) tag, a radio-frequency
identification (RFID) tag, or the like associated with a service
provided by a business operator such as a restaurant. The map
button 1403 is used to display a map screen including store
information regarding stores that are located around the current
position of the information terminal 100 and that have registered
with the matching app and/or information regarding products or
services provided at the stores. The account button 1404 is used to
register and edit account information regarding the user. The
registration and editing of the account information include, for
example, settings for personal authentication and settings for the
association functions with the first server 200. The home button
1405 is used to return to the home screen G3.
[0123] As described above, the tile objects 1401 indicating the
dedicated functions for associating with services provided by other
business operators through the matching app are arranged in the
middle of the home screen G3. The user can display, remove, or move
these tile objects 1401 as desired. The user, therefore, can
obtain, among products and/or services provided by a large number
of business operators (e.g., appliance stores, digital versatile
disc (DVD) and Blu-ray disc (registered trademark) rental stores,
bookstores, coffee shops, taxis, etc.), products and/or services
suitable for the user on the basis of personal information using a
matching app.
[0124] FIG. 6 is a diagram illustrating an example of a map screen
G4 displayed on the information terminal 100. The map screen G4 is
displayed when the user selects the map button 1403 in the home
screen G3. The map screen G4 includes a map of an area including
the current position of the information terminal 100. Store
information in the area available in the matching app is also
displayed in the map screen G4. Here, an icon 3200 indicating a
current position of the user, stores A1 and A2 in restaurant chain
A, store K1 in bookstore chain K, and store B1 in restaurant chain
B are displayed.
[0125] The user selects a store to visit on the map screen G4. In
this example, the user selects store B1, which is indicated by an
icon 3210, in restaurant chain B closest to the current position
thereof. The user touches the icon 3210, for example, to select
store B1 in restaurant chain B. The user touches the icon 3210, and
the matching app obtains connection information regarding store B1
in restaurant chain B indicated by the icon 3210 and a store ID of
store B1. The matching app also obtains the identification
information (user ID) regarding the user from the memory 102. As
described later with reference to FIG. 18, the user ID is stored in
a "user_account.xml" file under an "account" directory of the
information terminal 100. The connection information is, for
example, address information (e.g., a URL) for communicating with
the second server 300 for restaurant chain B.
[0126] The matching app obtains individual menu information for the
user on the basis of the obtained store ID and user ID in
cooperation with the first server 200 and the second server 300 for
restaurant chain B.
[0127] More specifically, the matching app transmits, to the first
server 200, a request to obtain an individual menu including the
store ID and the user ID. Upon receiving the request, the first
server 200 transmits, to the second server 300 for restaurant chain
B on the basis of the store ID, a request to obtain standard menu
information regarding a standard menu that can be provided by store
B1. Upon receiving the request, the second server 300 transmits the
standard menu information regarding restaurant chain B to the first
server 200. The standard menu information is stored in a
"ResB.html" file and a "ResB.css" file of the second server 300,
which will be described later with reference to FIG. 18.
[0128] Upon receiving the standard menu information regarding
restaurant chain B, the first server 200 obtains, from the memory
203, order records of the user at restaurant chain B in order to
optimize the obtained standard menu information for the user
corresponding to the user ID. It is assumed here that the memory
203 does not store order records of the user at restaurant chain
B.
[0129] In this case, for example, the first server 200 obtains,
from the memory 203, order records of the user at another
restaurant chain. The first server 200 then changes order of
display of foods and drinks in the standard menu of restaurant
chain B such that foods and drinks ordered more by the user in the
order records at the other restaurant are displayed earlier. It is
assumed, for example, that the user has frequently ordered "caffe
mocha" at another restaurant. In this case, the first server 200
displays "caffe mocha" earlier in the individual menu information
regarding restaurant chain B so that the user can easily order
"caffe mocha". Furthermore, in this case, the first server 200 may
change a mode in which "caffe mocha" is displayed from a default
mode so that the user can easily find "caffe mocha" on the basis of
the size and/or color of letters "caffe mocha".
[0130] The first server 200 transmits the individual menu
information regarding restaurant chain B generated in the above
manner to the information terminal 100.
[0131] FIG. 7 is a diagram illustrating an individual menu screen
G5, which is an example of a display screen for individual menu
information displayed on the information terminal 100. The
individual menu screen G5 is an individual menu screen for
restaurant chain B selected by the user on the map screen G4.
"Restaurant chain B store B1 custom menu" is displayed at a top of
the individual menu screen G5. This means that a menu in the
individual menu screen G5 is a menu personalized in consideration
of the standard menu information regarding restaurant chain B to
which store B1 selected by the user belongs and the order records
of the user stored in the memory 203.
[0132] In this example, the memory 203 does not store order records
of the user at restaurant chain B but stores order records of the
user at another restaurant chain. The order records of the user at
the other restaurant chain indicate that the user has ordered ice
cream, cappuccino, caffe mocha, tapioca yogurt, iced coffee, and a
chocolate cookie more in this order. In the individual menu screen
G5, therefore, tile objects 701 indicating the foods and the drinks
are arranged in this order.
[0133] Since foods and drinks that suit the user's taste are
displayed at such positions that the user can easily order the
foods and the drinks, the user can efficiently select foods and
drinks that suit his/her taste. In the example illustrated in FIG.
7, priority of display of the tile objects 701 is the highest at an
upper-left position and the lowest at a lower-right position. This,
however, is just an example, and priority of display may be the
highest at an upper-right position and the lowest at a lower-left
position, instead.
[0134] Although the tile objects 701 are displayed in a matrix of
three rows and two columns in the example illustrated in FIG. 7,
this is just an example. The tile objects 701 may be displayed in a
matrix of three rows and one column or four rows and two columns,
instead. Furthermore, in the example illustrated in FIG. 7, tile
objects 701 indicating foods and drinks that are not displayed in
an initial screen can be displayed through scrolling. The initial
screen refers to a screen displayed first when the individual menu
screen G5 is displayed.
[0135] Alternatively, design of the individual menu screen G5 with
which the user can easily order foods and drinks may be as follows.
For example, tile objects 701 indicating foods and drinks ordered
most may be displayed in the initial screen of the individual menu
screen G5, for example, and, in the initial screen, tile objects
701 indicating foods and drinks ordered most may be arranged at the
center. After the tile objects 701 are arranged in such a manner,
tile objects 701 indicating foods and drinks ordered most may be
displayed larger, in a different color, with a different thickness
of boundary lines, and/or with item names, prices, and/or item
images decorated.
[0136] FIG. 8 is a diagram illustrating an individual menu screen
G6, which is another example of the display screen for individual
menu information displayed on the information terminal 100. In the
individual menu screen G6, tile objects 7011 indicating a certain
number of (here, top two) foods and drinks (here, ice cream and
cappuccino) ordered most are arranged above tile objects 7012
indicating other foods and drinks (here, caffe mocha and tapioca
yogurt). The tile objects 7012 indicating caffe mocha and tapioca
yogurt are arranged in a third row of the individual menu screen
G6.
[0137] The tile objects 7011 are also displayed larger than the
tile objects 7012. Furthermore, frames 801 of the tile objects 7011
are thicker than ones of the tile objects 7012 and decorated. The
frames 801 may be decorated, for example, a mode in which the
frames 801 are displayed in a prominent color such as gold or red.
Furthermore, images 802 in the tile objects 7011 indicating foods
and drinks are larger than ones in the tile objects 7012.
Furthermore, in the tile objects 7011, marks 803 (here, star marks)
for highlighting the images 802 indicating foods and drinks are
displayed. Furthermore, in the tile objects 7011, character strings
804 indicating names of foods and drinks are displayed larger than
in the tile objects 7012. The character strings 804 may be
highlighted by giving shadows, instead. Furthermore, in the tile
objects 7011, marks 805 (here, heart marks) indicating favorites
are displayed.
[0138] In FIG. 8, a reason why the tile object 7011 indicating ice
cream is arranged above the tile object 7011 indicating cappuccino
is that the user has ordered ice cream more than cappuccino. In
FIG. 8, tile objects 7012 indicating foods and drinks that are not
displayed in an initial screen may be displayed through scrolling.
In this case, the user may vertically scroll the individual menu
screen G6 to move all tile objects vertically. Alternatively, the
user may horizontally scroll a field where the tile objects 7012
are displayed to move only the tile objects 7012 with the tile
objects 7011 fixed.
[0139] FIG. 9 is a diagram illustrating a standard menu screen G7,
which is an example of a display screen for standard menu
information displayed on the information terminal 100. In the
standard menu screen G7, standard menu information regarding store
B1 in restaurant chain B, which is not optimized for each user, is
displayed.
[0140] "Restaurant chain B store B1 standard menu" is displayed at
a top of the standard menu screen G7. This means that a menu
displayed in the standard menu screen G7 is a standard menu of
restaurant chain B. Tile objects 701 are arranged in the standard
menu screen G7, for example, in a matrix of three rows and two
columns. Here, tile objects 701 indicating popular foods and drinks
of restaurant chain B are arranged at such positions that the user
can easily order the foods and the drinks. More specifically, tile
objects 701 indicating most popular foods and drinks are arranged
at upper-left positions, and tile objects 701 indicating least
popular foods are arranged at lower-right positions. The standard
menu screen G7 is configured to display, through scrolling, tile
objects 701 that are not displayed in an initial screen.
[0141] The tile objects 701 are arranged in the standard menu
screen G7 without taking into consideration taste information
regarding each of the users, and it is troublesome for the user to
find tile objects 701 indicating desired foods and drinks.
[0142] In the individual menu screens G5 and G6, on the other hand,
foods and drinks that suit the user's taste are arranged at such
positions that the user can easily order the foods and the drinks,
and it is more likely for the user to be able to easily find tile
objects 701 indicating foods or drinks that the user desires.
Furthermore, in the individual menu screens G5 and G6, tile objects
701 indicating foods and drinks most ordered by the user are
displayed at positions of highest priority on the basis of the
order records of the user stored in the first server 200. Even if
the user has not used not only store B1 selected by the user but
also any of stores in restaurant chain B, to which store B1
belongs, therefore, the tile objects 701 are arranged in the
individual menu screens G5 and G6 in order that takes into
consideration the user's taste.
[0143] It is assumed, for example, that the user frequently visits
store A1 in restaurant chain A and the user has ordered foods and
drinks at store A1 while displaying an individual menu screen that
takes into consideration order records thereof on the information
terminal 100. In this case, even if the user visits store B1 in
restaurant chain B for a first time, the user can display, on the
information terminal 100, the individual menu screen G5 or G6, in
which foods and drinks are arranged in order similar to that in the
individual menu screen for familiar restaurant chain A. As a
result, the user can promptly find desired foods and drinks and
feel comfortable. Furthermore, since an individual menu screen in
which foods and drinks are arranged in familiar order is displayed
even at a store in a chain that the user visits for a first time,
the user will be surprised and get more interested in ordering.
[0144] FIG. 10 is a diagram illustrating how the user orders a food
and a drink on the individual menu screen G5 illustrated in FIG. 7.
Here, the user selects a tile object 7013 indicating cappuccino and
a tile object 7014 indicating a chocolate cookie. A color of the
tile objects 7013 and 7014, therefore, is changed from a first
color to a second color, which indicates that a corresponding item
has been selected. Furthermore, since the tile objects 7013 and
7014 have been selected once each, numbers "1", which indicate the
number of items ordered using the tile objects 7013 and 7014, are
displayed.
[0145] FIG. 11 is a diagram illustrating an example of an order
confirmation screen G8 displayed when the user confirms the order
for the food and the drink selected in FIG. 10. The order
confirmation screen G8 is displayed when the user presses a
"proceed to order" button, which is not illustrated, in the
individual menu screen G5 illustrated in FIG. 10. In the order
confirmation screen G8, the tile object 7013 indicating cappuccino
and the tile object 7014 indicating a chocolate cookie selected in
the individual menu screen G5 are displayed. A total amount field
7015 indicating the total amount of money to be paid for the food
and the drink is displayed under the tile objects 7013 and 7014.
Since the user has selected one cappuccino and one chocolate cookie
and the total amount is 500 yen, "500 yen" is displayed in the
total amount field 7015. An order button 7016 for confirming the
order is displayed under the total amount field 7015. The user who
is satisfied with details of the order displayed in the order
confirmation screen G8 touches the order button 7016 to complete
the order.
Ordering
[0146] FIG. 15 is a sequence diagram illustrating an example of a
process performed by the information provision system when the user
who is visiting a store in a familiar chain orders foods and
drinks.
[0147] In step S1, the information terminal 100 receives an
instruction to activate the matching app from the user, activates
the matching app, and displays the map screen G4 on the display
105. More specifically, when activated, the matching app displays
the authentication screen G1 or G2 and authenticates the user. If
the user is successfully authenticated, the matching app displays
the home screen G3. If the user touches the map button 1403 in the
home screen G3, the matching app displays the map screen G4.
[0148] In step S2, the matching app obtains positional information
indicating the current position of the information terminal 100
detected by the GPS sensor 107 and transmits, to the public
information server 500, a request to obtain surrounding map
information, which is map information regarding a surrounding area
including the position.
[0149] Upon receiving the request, the public information server
500 obtains the current position of the information terminal 100
from the positional information included in the request, extracts,
from a map database, map information regarding an area within a
certain range from the position as surrounding map information, and
transmits the map information to the matching app. Upon receiving
the surrounding map information, the matching app displays the map
screen G4 including a map indicated by the surrounding map
information (step S3). The certain range indicating the area is a
range within which the user who is going to eat out can visit a
store on foot or by car from the current position, such as a radius
of 1 km or 2 km.
[0150] After displaying the map screen G4, the matching app
transmits, to the first server 200, a request to obtain store
information regarding stores that are included in the map indicated
by the received surrounding map information and that are registered
in the first server 200 (step S4).
[0151] Upon receiving the request, the first server 200 extracts
store information regarding stores included in the map from the
memory 203 and transmits the store information to the matching app.
The memory 203 stores a store database including store information
regarding stores. The store information includes a store ID and a
name of each of the stores, a chain to which the store belongs, and
positional information and connection information regarding the
store. The first server 200, therefore, may identify stores
included in the area of the map indicated by the request to obtain
store information from the positional information regarding stores
stored in the store database.
[0152] Upon receiving the extracted store information, the matching
app displays the store information on the map in the map screen G4
(step S5). As a result, as indicated by the map screen G4
illustrated in FIG. 6, stores included in a surrounding area of the
current position of the user are displayed on the map indicating
the surrounding area.
[0153] In step S6, the matching app receives an instruction given
by the user to select store A1 in restaurant chain A among the
stores displayed in the map screen G4. It is assumed here that the
user frequently visits store A1.
[0154] In step S7, the matching app transmits a request to obtain
individual menu information regarding store A1 to the first server
200. The request includes a store ID of store A1, connection
information regarding store A1, a user ID of the information
terminal 100, and the like.
[0155] Upon receiving the request, the first server 200 transmits,
to a second server 300 for restaurant chain A or store A1, a
request to obtain standard menu information regarding restaurant
chain A to which store A1 belongs (step S8).
[0156] Upon receiving the request, the second server 300 of
restaurant chain A or store A1 transmits standard menu information
regarding store A1 to the first server 200. The first server 200
receives the standard menu information regarding store A1 (step
S9). The standard menu information regarding store A1 transmitted
here may be menu information common to stores in restaurant chain A
or menu information partly different between the stores in
restaurant chain A.
[0157] Upon receiving the standard menu information regarding store
A1, the first server 200 collects order records, at the stores in
restaurant chain A, of the user stored in the memory 203 and
generates individual menu information regarding store A1 (step
S10). The first server 200 transmits the generated individual menu
information regarding store A1 to the information terminal 100
(matching app), and the matching app receives the individual menu
information (step S11).
[0158] In the steps up to step S11, various screens displayed on
the information terminal 100 are designed in a style defined by a
manager (information bank) of the first server 200. In step S12 and
later steps, however, various screens displayed on the information
terminal 100 are designed in a style defined by restaurant chain
A.
[0159] Alternatively, in step S12 and the later steps, the various
screens displayed on the information terminal 100 may be screens in
which materials (text explaining foods, photographs of foods, etc.)
prepared by restaurant chain A are laid out in a style defined by
the manager (information bank) of the first server 200, instead. In
this case, unified user experience can be offered to the user who
uses the matching app.
[0160] In step S12, the matching app displays an individual menu
screen indicating the received individual menu information
regarding store A1 and receives, from the user, an instruction to
select foods and drinks to be ordered.
[0161] In step S13, the matching app transmits order information
indicating ordered foods and drinks to the first server 200. Upon
receiving the order information, the first server 200 transmits the
order information to the second server 300 for restaurant chain A
(step S14). Upon receiving the order information, the second server
300 instructs, by displaying the order information on a display of
a store terminal of store A1, for example, a staff member at store
A1 to start cooking (step S15).
[0162] In step S16, the first server 200 stores the order
information in the memory 203 to update the order records of the
user (step S16).
[0163] Although a server with which the matching app communicates
in the steps other than the obtaining of surrounding map
information is the first server 200 in the sequence diagram of FIG.
15, the present disclosure is not limited to this. For example, the
matching app may access a third server other than the first server
200 in order to obtain store information, instead.
[0164] FIG. 16 is a sequence diagram illustrating an example of a
process performed by the information provision system when the
user's order for foods and drinks is received in consideration of
whether a store that the user is visiting belongs to a restaurant
chain that the user uses for a first time.
[0165] Steps S21 to S25 are the same as steps S1 to S5 illustrated
in FIG. 15, respectively. In step S26, the matching app receives,
from the user, an instruction to select store B1 in restaurant
chain B among the stores displayed in the map screen G4.
[0166] In step S27, the matching app transmits, to the first server
200, a request to obtain individual menu information regarding
store B1. The request includes the store ID of store B1, connection
information regarding store B1, and the user ID of the information
terminal 100.
[0167] Upon receiving the request, the first server 200 transmits,
to a second server 300 for restaurant chain B, a request to obtain
standard menu information regarding restaurant chain B to which
store B1 belongs (step S28).
[0168] Upon receiving the request, the second server 300 for
restaurant chain B transmits the standard menu information
regarding store B1 to the first server 200. The first server 200
receives the standard menu information regarding restaurant chain B
(step S29). The standard menu information regarding restaurant
chain B transmitted here may be menu information common to stores
in restaurant chain B or menu information partly different between
the stores in restaurant chain B.
[0169] Upon receiving the standard menu information regarding
restaurant chain B, the first server 200 generates individual menu
information regarding store B1 for the user on the basis of order
records of the user (step S30). More specifically, if the order
records of the user at restaurant chain B do not satisfy a
reference condition C1, which will be described later, the first
server 200 generates individual menu information regarding store B1
using order records of the user about foods and drinks that are the
same as or similar to foods and drinks served at store B1 in
restaurant chain B. If the order records of the user at restaurant
chain B satisfy the reference condition C1, on the other hand, the
first server 200 generates individual menu information regarding
store B1 for the user using order records of the user at restaurant
chain B. Details of step S30 will be described later with reference
to a flowchart of FIG. 17.
[0170] The first server 200 transmits, to the information terminal
100 (matching app), the generated individual menu information
regarding store B1, and the matching app receives the individual
menu information (step S31).
[0171] In the steps up to step S31, various screens displayed on
the information terminal 100 designed in a style defined by the
manager (information bank) of the first server 200 are used. In
step S32 and later steps, however, various screens displayed on the
information terminal 100 are designed in a style defined by
restaurant chain B.
[0172] Alternatively, in step S32 and the later steps, the various
screens displayed on the information terminal 100 may be screens in
which materials (text explaining foods, photographs of foods, etc.)
prepared by restaurant chain B are laid out in a style defined by
the manager (information bank) of the first server 200, instead. In
this case, unified user experience can be offered to the user who
uses the matching app.
[0173] In step S32, the matching app displays the individual menu
screen G5 or G6 indicating the received individual menu information
regarding store B1 and receives, from the user, an instruction to
select foods and drinks to be ordered.
[0174] Steps S33 to S36 are the same as steps S12 to S16
illustrated in FIG. 15, respectively, except that foods and drinks
are ordered at store B1, not store A1, in steps S33 to S36.
[0175] FIG. 17 is a diagram illustrating an example of a process
performed by the information provision system at a time when step
S30 in the sequence diagram of FIG. 16 is focused upon.
[0176] In step S101, the first server 200 obtains, from the second
server 300, standard menu information regarding a specified
restaurant chain. This step corresponds to step S29 illustrated in
FIG. 16. The specified restaurant chain is a restaurant chain to
which a store selected by the user on the map screen G4
belongs.
[0177] FIG. 13 is a diagram illustrating an example of the data
configuration of standard menu information D1. In the standard menu
information D1, "name", "price", and "time limit" are associated
with one another for each of one or more foods and drinks. "Name"
indicates a name of a food or a drink, such as "blended coffee" or
"American coffee". "Price" indicates a price of a food or a drink.
"Time limit" indicates whether a food or a drink is an item on sale
for a limited time. "Yes" indicates an item on sale for a limited
time, and "no" indicates a constantly available item. For example,
"special Mont Blanc white caffe latte" is a drink served in a
particular period, and "time limit" is "yes".
[0178] FIG. 17 will be referred to again. In step S102, the first
server 200 searches order records of the user stored in the memory
203 for ones at the specified restaurant chain.
[0179] In step S103, the first server 200 determines whether the
found order records satisfy the reference condition C1. The
reference condition C1 may include at least one of following (a) to
(d) in a period of time set by the company that manages the first
server 200, the company that develops the matching app, the company
that distributes the matching app, a company that provides the
service (here, restaurant chain B), or the user. The period of time
may be, for example, a limited period such as past three years,
past two years, or a past one year or an unlimited period.
[0180] (a) The number of orders for foods and drinks at the
specified restaurant chain is larger than or equal to a threshold
Ta
[0181] (b) The number of days when the user has ordered foods and
drinks at the specified restaurant chain (the number of times that
the user has visited the specified restaurant chain) is larger than
or equal to a threshold Tb
[0182] (c) The number of foods and drinks (the number of dishes)
ordered at the specified restaurant chain is larger than or equal
to a threshold Tc
[0183] (d) The total amount of money paid for foods and drinks
ordered at the specified restaurant chain (order amount) is larger
than or equal to a threshold Td
[0184] For each of the thresholds Ta to Td, for example, a
predetermined value with which the user is considered to visit the
specified restaurant chain frequently is used. Alternatively, a
predetermined value with which the user is considered to be
visiting the specified restaurant chain essentially for a first
time may be used for each of the thresholds Ta to Td.
[0185] The period of time is provided as a condition in order to
take into consideration a possibility that the user has not visited
the specified restaurant chain for a long time and the user's taste
has changed during that time or that stores in the specified
restaurant chain have updated a menu. The user's taste might
change, for example, when the user becomes more conscious about
health.
[0186] If the found order records satisfy the reference condition
C1 (YES in step S103), the first server 200 generates individual
menu information regarding a specified store for the user using the
found order records as priority indices (step S104). The specified
store is a store selected by the user on the map screen G4. If the
specified store is store B1 and the user frequently visits store B1
or any of the other stores in restaurant chain B, for example, a
result of step S103 becomes YES. In this case, for example, the
first server 200 may increase, on the basis of the number of orders
based on the found order records, priority of foods and drinks
ordered more. In addition, the first server 200 may rank foods and
drinks in descending order of a possibility of being ordered while
taking into consideration surrounding conditions of the user at a
time of ordering. For example, appeal priority of foods and drinks
in an individual menu may be determined on the basis of the number
of orders under surrounding conditions ("day", "season",
"temperature", "humidity", "weather", "place", "store", "biological
information regarding user", and/or "amount of activity of user")
similar to ones of current ordering. In this case, foods and drinks
are not recommended regardless of conditions just because the
number of orders for the foods and the drinks is the largest. The
first server 200 may then generate individual menu information by
rearranging menu items in the standard menu information regarding
restaurant chain B such that the user can easily order prioritized
foods and drinks. The individual menu information is transmitted to
the information terminal 100.
[0187] FIG. 12 is a diagram illustrating an example of the data
configuration of an order record database D2 storing order records.
FIG. 12 illustrates an order record database D2 for the user who
has specified a store. In each of order records of the order record
database D2, for example, details of the user's order in each visit
to a store are stored. In the order record database D2, "order time
information", "store ID", "store name", and "ordered item names"
are associated with one another. The order record database D2 is
encrypted and managed while being split into
"userID_FoodHistory_tjson" to "userID_FoodHistory_N.json" files
illustrated in FIG. 18, which will be referred to later.
[0188] "Order time information" indicates a time at which the user
has ordered foods and drinks. "Store ID" is identification
information regarding a store that the user has visited. "Store
name" indicates a name of a store that the user has visited. Here,
"store name" also includes a name of a restaurant chain to which
the store belongs. "Ordered item names" indicate names of foods and
drinks ordered by the user. In a first order record, for example,
information indicating that the user has ordered cappuccino and ice
cream at Kadoma store in restaurant chain A at 13:15:45 on Jan. 3,
2020.
[0189] Although the above-described surrounding conditions are not
illustrated, information regarding surrounding conditions may also
be stored in order records. "Day" indicates a day of ordering,
"season" indicates a season of ordering, "temperature" indicates a
temperature around the user at a time of ordering, "humidity"
indicates a humidity around the user at a time of ordering,
"weather" indicates weather around the user at a time of ordering
(sunny, rainy, cloudy, etc.), "place" is information (an address,
GPS information, etc.) indicating a place of ordering, "store" is
information for identifying a store at which the user has ordered
foods and drinks, "biological information regarding user" is
biological information (blood pressure, heart rate, etc.) regarding
the user at a time of ordering, and "amount of activity of user" is
activity information (the number of steps, calories consumed, etc.)
regarding the user.
[0190] If the specified restaurant chain is restaurant chain B, the
first server 200 may refer to the order record database D2 and
collect the number of orders for each of foods and drinks included
in the standard menu information D1 regarding restaurant chain B.
The first server 200 may then rank the foods and the drinks
included in the standard menu information D1 from a result of the
collection and generate individual menu information.
[0191] In step S105, the information terminal 100 displays an
individual menu screen indicating the individual menu information.
In step S106, the information terminal 100 receives, from the user,
an instruction to select foods and drinks to be ordered.
[0192] If the found order records do not satisfy the reference
condition C1 in step S103 (NO in step S103), the first server 200
determines whether the order records of the user satisfy a
reference condition C2 (step S107).
[0193] The reference condition C2 may include at least one of
following (e), (f), and (g) in a period of time set by the company
that manages the first server 200, the company that develops the
matching app, the company that distributes the matching app, the
company that provides the service (here, restaurant chain B), or
the user. The period of time may be a limited period such as past
three years, past two years, or past one year or an unlimited
period.
[0194] (e) The sum of count values is larger than or equal to a
threshold Te
[0195] (f) The number of foods and drinks whose count values are
larger than or equal to a threshold Tf is larger than or equal to a
certain value
[0196] (g) The sum of order amounts is larger than or equal to a
threshold Tg
[0197] A count value indicates the number of times that each of
foods and drinks included in standard menu information regarding a
specified restaurant chain appears in the "ordered item names"
field of the order record database D2. A count value is measured
through text matching in which the number of times that a character
string to be searched for appears in a target text. If a character
string "cappuccino" included in standard menu information appears
29 times in the "ordered item names" field of the order record
database D2 within a set period of time (e.g., three years), for
example, a count value of "cappuccino" is 29. When standard menu
information separately includes "dan dan noodles" and "Chinese
dumplings" and the "ordered item names" field of the order record
database D2 includes "dan dan noodles & Chinese dumplings set",
for example, count values of "dan dan noodles" and "Chinese
dumplings" may each be increased by 1.
[0198] The sum of count values is the sum of count values of foods
and drinks for the user. In the example illustrated in FIG. 14, the
sum of count values of foods and drinks for the user is
2+29+11+3=45 with respect to illustrated items, namely from
"blended coffee" to "special Mont Blanc white caffe latte".
[0199] A count value of each of foods and drinks included in a
standard menu increases if the "ordered item names" field of the
order record database D2 includes a food or a drink whose character
string is the same as or similar to that of the food or the drink
included in the standard menu. "Blended coffee" and "original
blended coffee", for example, are determined to be similar to each
other because one character string includes another. The sum of
count values is the sum of count values of foods and drinks.
[0200] If the threshold Tf is 10, foods and drinks whose count
values are larger than or equal to the threshold Tf are
"cappuccino" and "caffe mocha" in the example of the order record
database D2. In this case, if the certain value in the condition
(f) is 2, it is determined that the order records of the user
satisfy the condition (f).
[0201] If the order records satisfy the reference condition C2 (YES
in step S107), the first server 200 generates individual menu
information regarding the specified store using the order records
of the user (step S108). In this case, the first server 200 may
generate individual menu information such that it becomes easier
for the user to order foods and drinks whose count values, that is,
number of orders, are larger. After step S108, the process proceeds
to step S105, and step S105 and a later step is performed.
[0202] The sum of order amounts is the sum of prices of foods and
drinks multiplied by the number of orders. The sum of order amounts
are 2*350+29*350+11*350+3150=15,150 yen with respect to the items
illustrated in FIGS. 13 and 14.
[0203] FIG. 14 is a table illustrating the number of orders placed
by a certain user for foods and drinks included in standard menu
information. In the table, "total number of orders" indicates the
number of orders for each of the foods and the drinks at all
restaurant chains including a specified restaurant chain. "Number
of orders at specified restaurant chain" indicates the number of
orders placed by the user for each of the foods and drinks at a
restaurant chain to which a store selected by the user on the map
screen G4 belongs.
[0204] Because the number of orders at the specified restaurant
chain is zero for every one of the foods and the drinks, it can be
seen that the user has never visited the restaurant chain. It is
therefore difficult to generate individual menu information that
suits the user's taste on the basis of order records at the
restaurant chain. The number of orders for "cappuccino" and "caffe
mocha", however, is large in the "total number of orders" field,
and the user's taste is evident.
[0205] The first server 200, therefore, generates individual menu
information while referring to "total number of orders". As a
result, the first server 200 can generate individual menu
information that suits the user's taste. In the example illustrated
in FIG. 14, "total number of orders" for "cappuccino" and "caffe
mocha" is larger than that of any other food or drink. Even if the
user uses a specified restaurant for a first time, therefore, these
drinks are displayed in an initial screen of an individual menu
screen in such a manner that the user can easily order the drinks.
A food or a drink whose "total number of orders" is small, such as
"American coffee", may be removed from the initial screen of the
individual menu screen. Alternatively, when tile objects 701
indicating foods and drinks whose "total number of orders" is large
can be displayed in the initial screen of the individual menu
screen, "American coffee" may also be displayed. In this case, a
tile object 701 indicating a food or a drink whose "total number of
orders" is small, such as "American coffee", may be displayed
smaller than tiles objects 701 indicating "cappuccino" and "caffe
mocha".
[0206] If the order records satisfy the reference condition C2, the
count value of each of the foods and the drinks may be calculated
while excluding the number of orders at the specified restaurant
chain from "total number of orders" illustrated in FIG. 14.
Alternatively, if the order records satisfy the reference condition
C2, the count value of each of the foods and the drinks may be
calculated while weighting the number of orders at the specified
restaurant chain and the number of orders at other restaurant
chains differently (e.g., weighting the number of orders at the
specified restaurant chain more heavily than the number of orders
at the other restaurant chains) in "total number of orders"
illustrated in FIG. 14. Alternatively, if the order records satisfy
the reference condition C2, the count value of each of the foods
and the drinks may be calculated using "total number of orders" at
certain one or more restaurant chains other than the specified
restaurant chain in "total number of orders" illustrated in FIG.
14. The certain one or more restaurant chains are restaurant chains
that the user frequently visits.
[0207] FIG. 17 will be referred to again. In step S107, if the
order records of the user do not satisfy the reference condition C2
(NO in step S107), the first server 200 displays, on the
information terminal 100, a standard menu screen for the restaurant
chain to which the store selected by the user on the map screen G4
belongs (step S109).
[0208] By providing branching at step S107, generation of
individual menu information can be prevented, for example, if the
number of order records of the user stored in the order record
database D2 is small and it is difficult to estimate the user's
taste from the order record database D2. In step S110, the
information terminal 100 receives, from the user who has viewed the
standard menu screen, an instruction to select foods and drinks to
be ordered.
Example of Information Processing When User Orders Using Individual
Menu
[0209] Next, an example of information processing when the user
orders foods and drinks using an individual menu screen will be
described. When an interface for communicating information and a
data structure to be handled are unique to a restaurant chain or a
store, various pieces of data handled in the information provision
system might be available at store A1 in restaurant chain A but
might be unavailable at restaurant chain B, or might be unavailable
at both other stores in restaurant chain A and restaurant chain B.
In order to avoid such situations, a general-purpose solution for
enabling many users to order foods and drinks using individual
menus at many restaurants will be described.
[0210] FIG. 18 is a diagram illustrating an example of a specific
mode for implementing the information provision system according to
the present embodiment. The memory 102 of the information terminal
100 includes a "matching_app" directory, which is a location
storing files necessary to execute the matching app. There are an
"account" directory, a "main" directory, and a "matching_temp"
directory under the "matching_app" directory. The "account"
directory stores information necessary for user accounts and/or
user authentication. The "main" directory stores information
necessary for the matching app to achieve basic functions including
drawing of the home screen. The "matching_temp" directory
temporarily stores information necessary for matching.
[0211] The "account" directory stores a "user_account.xml" file
containing information necessary for accounts and/or user
authentication. In the "user_account.xml" file, unique account
names (e.g., user IDs specified by users) and authentication
information (e.g., passwords, fingerprint feature values, and/or
face feature values) are encrypted and recorded as information for
identifying the users.
[0212] Each of the account names is not limited to a user ID
specified by a user and may be information with which the user who
uses the matching app can be uniquely identified. For example, a
serial code unique to each set of the matching app may be employed,
the serial code being embedded in a program of the matching app or
distributed along with the matching app. The serial code unique to
each set of the matching app is a serial code uniquely given to an
information terminal 100 on which the matching app is installed.
Alternatively, each of the account names may be a unique account
name generated by the matching app on the basis of random numbers
when the matching app is activated for a first time or the account
name is registered. In this case, the matching app may
automatically generate an account name while confirming, with the
first server 200, that the account name is not one of existing
account names that have been registered.
[0213] When character string information meaningless to humans is
set as an account name, personal information of increased secrecy
can be communicated.
[0214] The "main" directory stores a "main.html" file containing
content information necessary to achieve the basic functions of the
matching app and a "main.css" file containing a style (e.g., a user
interface (UI) design) for displaying screens.
[0215] The second server 300 for restaurant chain B stores a
"ResB.html" file containing content information to reply with and a
"ResB.css" file containing a style (e.g., a UI design) for
displaying screens for the content information. For example, the
"ResB.html" file may include the standard menu information D1
illustrated in FIG. 13. Alternatively, an external file referred to
with the "ResB.html" file may store the standard menu information
D1.
[0216] An enormous amount of a wide variety of personal information
regarding the user is accumulated in the first server 200 while
being split and encrypted. For example, the order record database
D2 for the user used in the present disclosure may be stored in
physically different storage devices in the first server 200 as N
JavaScript object notation (JSON)-format files, namely a
"userID_FoodHistory_tjson" file, a "userID_FoodHistory_2.json", . .
. , and a "userID_FoodHistory_N.json" file. In each of the N files,
"userID" at a beginning of a filename is identification information
for identifying the user and "FoodHistory" is identification
information for identifying the order record database D2 described
with reference to FIG. 12. A number at an end of the filename is an
identification number of the file obtained as a result of the
splitting.
[0217] If the first server 200 can receive a request for order
records of the user along with an appropriate permission (e.g.,
access permission information), the first server 200 can correctly
restore data from the N files, encrypt the data by converting the
data into a certain description format (.json), and transmit the
data to the information terminal 100.
[0218] How the matching app handles files when controlling screens
using a hypertext markup language (HTML) will be described with
reference to a flowchart of FIG. 19. FIG. 19 is a flowchart
illustrating an example of a process performed by the matching app
on the files until an image of an individual menu is displayed
after the matching app is activated.
[0219] In step S201, the matching app is activated and draws the
home screen. The matching app draws the home screen using the
"main.html" file and the "main.css" file in the "main" directory
immediately after the activation. As a result, the home screen G3
illustrated in FIG. 5 is drawn.
[0220] In step S202, the matching app receives, from the user who
is viewing the home screen G3, an instruction to display the map
screen G4.
[0221] In step S203, the matching app transmits, to the public
information server 500, a request to obtain surrounding map
information at a current position and displays the map screen G4
indicating the surrounding map information.
[0222] In step S204, the matching app transmits, to the first
server 200, a request to obtain store information regarding stores
in an area indicated by the surrounding map information and
displays the store information in the map screen G4. As a result,
the icon 3210 and the like indicating the stores are displayed.
[0223] In step S205, the matching app receives, from the user, an
instruction to select store B1 in restaurant chain B.
[0224] In step S206, the matching app transmits, to the first
server 200, a request to obtain individual menu information
regarding restaurant chain B.
[0225] In step S207, the first server 200 transmits, to the second
server 300 for restaurant chain B, a request to obtain standard
menu information (ResB.html and ResB.css) regarding restaurant
chain B.
[0226] In step S208, the first server 200 generates individual menu
information regarding restaurant chain B from the order records of
the user. The generated individual menu information is newly stored
under the "matching_temp" directory as a "Custom_ResB.html"
file.
[0227] In step S209, the first server 200 transmits the individual
menu information regarding restaurant chain B to the matching
app.
[0228] Various screens are thus drawn using HTML/cascading style
sheets (CSS) files. When a single matching app presents, from among
products or services provided by a large number of unspecified
business operators, products or services that suit an enormous
amount of a wide variety of personal information regarding a user,
therefore, information expected by the business operators can be
displayed in styles (e.g., UI designs) expected by the business
operators.
[0229] When a user who has finished ordering foods and drinks using
an individual menu returns to the home screen of the matching app,
or when a certain period of time has elapsed since a user finished
ordering foods and drinks using an individual menu, files
temporarily stored in the "matching_temp" directory may all be
removed for the sake of safety.
Second Embodiment
[0230] In the first embodiment, the first server 200 generates
individual menu information. In a second embodiment, on the other
hand, the information terminal 100 generates individual menu
information.
[0231] In the second embodiment, the same components as in the
first embodiment will be given the same reference numerals, and
description thereof is omitted.
[0232] First, a configuration according to the second embodiment
will be described with reference to FIG. 2. Since the information
terminal 100 generates individual menu information in the second
embodiment, the configuration of the information terminal 100 will
be mainly described hereinafter.
[0233] The GPS sensor 107 of the information terminal 100 obtains
positional information regarding the information terminal 100. The
communication unit 101 transmits the obtained positional
information to the public information server 500 (third server).
The public information server 500 obtains restaurant information
(store information) indicating one or more restaurants in an area
including a position indicated by the received positional
information.
[0234] The display 105 displays the map screen G4 including the
store information.
[0235] The operation unit 106 (an example of an input device) of
the information terminal 100 receives an operation for selecting a
store ID indicating the second restaurant through the map screen
G4.
[0236] The processing unit 104 obtains, using the communication
unit 101, menu information (standard menu information) regarding
the second restaurant from a second server 300 for the second
restaurant indicated by the store ID.
[0237] The processing unit 104 of the information terminal 100
obtains, from the first server 200 using the communication unit
101, taste information associated with a user ID of the user.
[0238] The processing unit 104 arranges menu items in order
according to the taste information on the basis of the taste
information and the standard menu information regarding the second
restaurant.
[0239] The processing unit 104 displays menu information
(individual menu information) regarding the arranged menu items on
the display 105.
[0240] If there are no order records, at the second restaurant, of
the user who has selected the second restaurant, the processing
unit 104 generates individual menu information in which the menu
items included in the standard menu information regarding the
second restaurant are arranged in the order according to the taste
information on the basis of the taste information and the standard
menu information regarding the second restaurant. The user,
therefore, can efficiently select foods and drinks that suit
his/her taste even if the user is using a chain to which the second
restaurant belongs for a first time.
[0241] If there are order records, at the second restaurant, of the
user who has selected the second restaurant, on the other hand, the
processing unit 104 generates individual menu information in which
the menu items included in the standard menu information regarding
the second restaurant are arranged in order according to the order
records at the second restaurant on the basis of the order records
at the second restaurant and the standard menu information
regarding the second restaurant. If the user has used the second
restaurant before, therefore, the user can efficiently select foods
and drinks that suit his/her taste using individual menu
information that reflects order records at the second
restaurant.
[0242] If the number of order records, at the second restaurant, of
the user who has selected the second restaurant is smaller than a
certain value, the processing unit 104 may generate individual menu
information in which the menu items included in the standard menu
information regarding the second restaurant are arranged in the
order according to the taste information corresponding to the user
ID of the user on the basis of the taste information and the
standard menu information regarding the second restaurant. As a
result, even if the number of order records at the second
restaurant is smaller than the certain value, the user can
efficiently select foods and drinks that suit his/her taste using
the individual menu information that reflects the taste
information. The certain value is a predetermined value with which
the user is considered to visit the second restaurant frequently or
a predetermined value with which the user is considered to be
visiting the second restaurant for a first time.
[0243] If the number of order records, at the second restaurant, of
the user who has selected the second restaurant is larger than or
equal to the certain value, on the other hand, the processing unit
104 may generate individual menu information in which the menu
items included in the standard menu information regarding the
second restaurant are arranged in order according to the order
records at the second restaurant on the basis of the order records
at the second restaurant and the standard menu information
regarding the second restaurant. If the number of order records at
the second restaurant is larger than or equal to the certain value,
therefore, the user can efficiently select foods and drinks that
suit his/her taste using the individual menu information that
reflects the order records at the second restaurant.
[0244] Furthermore, if a latest order record, at the second
restaurant, of the user who has selected the second restaurant
precedes a certain period of time, the processing unit 104 may
generate individual menu information in which the menu items
included in the standard menu information regarding the second
restaurant are arranged in the order according to the taste
information corresponding to the user ID of the user on the basis
of the taste information and the standard menu information
regarding the second restaurant. Even if the user has not visited
the second restaurant for a long time, therefore, the user can
efficiently select foods and drinks that suit his/her taste using
the individual menu information that reflects the taste
information. The certain period of time may be a limited period
such as past three years, past two years, or past one year or an
unlimited period.
[0245] Furthermore, if the number of orders placed by the user at
the second restaurant within a set period of time is smaller than
or equal to a certain value, the processing unit 104 may generate
individual menu information in which the menu items included in the
standard menu information regarding the second restaurant are
arranged in the order according to the taste information
corresponding to the user ID of the user on the basis of the taste
information and the standard menu information regarding the second
restaurant. Even if the number of orders placed by the user at the
second restaurant within the set period of time is smaller than or
equal to the certain value, therefore, the user can efficiently
select foods and drinks that suit his/her taste using the
individual menu information that reflects the taste information.
The set period of time may be a limited period such as past three
years, past two years, or past one year or an unlimited period. The
certain value may be a predetermined value with which the user is
considered to visit the second restaurant frequently or a
predetermined value with which the user is considered to visit the
second restaurant essentially for a first time.
[0246] FIG. 20 is a sequence diagram illustrating an example of a
process performed by the information provision system according to
the second embodiment when the user's order for foods and drinks is
received in consideration of whether a store that the user is
visiting belongs to a restaurant chain that the user uses for a
first time. In FIG. 20, the same steps as in FIG. 16 are given the
same reference numerals, and description thereof is omitted. Steps
S21 to S26 are the same as in FIG. 16.
[0247] In step S301 after step S26, the information terminal 100
(matching app) transmits a request to obtain individual menu
information regarding store B1 to the second server 300. The
request includes the store ID of store B1 and the user ID of the
information terminal 100.
[0248] Upon receiving the request, the second server 300 for
restaurant chain B transmits the standard menu information
regarding store B1 to the information terminal 100. The information
terminal 100 receives the standard menu information regarding
restaurant chain B (step S302). The standard menu information
regarding restaurant chain B transmitted here may be menu
information common to the stores in restaurant chain B or menu
information partly different between the stores in restaurant chain
B.
[0249] In step S303, upon receiving the standard menu information
regarding restaurant chain B, the information terminal 100
transmits, to the first server 200, a request to obtain order
records (an example of taste information) of the user. Upon
receiving the request, the first server 200 reads the order records
of the user from the memory 203 and transmits the order records to
the information terminal 100. Here, the first server 200 may
determine whether a user indicated by a user ID is an authorized
user. If determining that the user indicated by the user ID is an
authorized user, the first server 200 may read the order records of
the user from the memory 203 and transmit the order records to the
information terminal 100. If determining that the user indicated by
the user ID is not an authorized user, on the other hand, the first
server 200 may transmit, to the information terminal 100,
information indicating that the personal information is
inaccessible.
[0250] If determining that the user indicated by the user ID is not
an authorized user, the first server 200 may transmit, to the
information terminal 100, a message asking whether to permit the
user indicated by the user ID to read the personal information. If
information indicating permission is transmitted from the
information terminal 100 in response to the message, the first
server 200 may read the order records of the user from the memory
203 and transmit the order records to the information terminal
100.
[0251] In step S304, the information terminal 100 receives the
order records.
[0252] In step S305, the information terminal 100 generates
individual menu information regarding store B1 for the user on the
basis of the order records of the user.
[0253] More specifically, if the order records of the user at
restaurant chain B do not satisfy the reference condition C1 (e.g.,
if the user is considered to be visiting restaurant chain B for a
first time), the first server 200 generates individual menu
information regarding store B1 using order records of the user
about foods and drinks that are the same as or similar to the foods
and the drinks served at store B1 in restaurant chain B.
[0254] If the order records of the user at restaurant chain B
satisfy the reference condition C1 (e.g., if the user is considered
to visit restaurant chain B frequently), on the other hand, the
first server 200 generates individual menu information regarding
store B1 for the user using the order records of the user at
restaurant chain B. Details of this process have been described
with reference to the flowchart of FIG. 17.
[0255] In the steps up to step S305, various screens displayed on
the information terminal 100 are designed in a style defined by the
manager (information bank) of the first server 200. In step S306
and later steps, on the other hand, various screens displayed on
the information terminal 100 are designed in a style defined by
restaurant chain B.
[0256] In step S306, the information terminal 100 displays the
individual menu screen G5 or G6 indicating the received individual
menu information regarding store B1 and receives, from the user, an
instruction to select foods and drinks to be ordered.
[0257] In step S307, the information terminal 100 transmits order
information indicating the ordered foods and drinks to the second
server 300. Upon receiving the order information, the second server
300 instructs, by displaying the order information on a display of
a store terminal of store B1, for example, a staff member at store
B1 to start cooking (step S36).
[0258] In step S308, the information terminal 100 also transits the
order information to the first server 200.
[0259] Upon receiving the order information, the first server 200
stores the order information in the memory 203 to update the order
records of the user (step S35).
[0260] According to the second embodiment, even when the
information terminal 100 generates individual menu information,
menu information that takes into consideration taste information
regarding the user can be displayed at the second restaurant that
the user is using for a first time while keeping business operators
that have not been authorized by the user from accessing the taste
information.
Modifications
[0261] The above description is just an example, and those skilled
in the art may implement various applications of the present
disclosure.
[0262] (1) When the first server 200 obtains order information for
store B1 in restaurant chain B selected by the user on the map
screen G4, the first server 200 may monitor the current position of
the information terminal 100. When a distance between the
information terminal 100 and store B1 becomes smaller than or equal
to a certain value, the first server 200 may transmit the order
information to the second server 300 of restaurant chain B. As a
result, store B1 can promptly provide foods and drinks for the user
when the user arrives at store B1.
[0263] (2) In each of the above embodiments, each of the components
may be achieved by dedicated hardware or by executing a software
program corresponding to the component. Each of the components may
be achieved by reading and executing a software program stored in a
storage medium such as a hard disk or a semiconductor memory using
a program execution unit such as a CPU or a processor, instead.
[0264] (3) Count values need not be calculated for foods and drinks
that are included in the standard menu information D1 illustrated
in FIG. 13 and for which time limits are provided. That is, count
values may be calculated only for foods and drinks whose "time
limit" is No in standard menu information, and individual menu
information may be generated on the basis of a result of the
calculation.
[0265] (4) In the present disclosure, a case where individual menu
information is generated at a store in a second restaurant chain at
which the user has never or hardly ever placed an order using
personal information such as order records at stores in a first
restaurant chain at which the user has placed orders and a result
of comparison between names of foods and drinks served at stores in
the second restaurant chain and names of foods and drinks served at
the stores in the first restaurant chain has been described as an
example. Information used in combination with personal information
in order for the first server 200 to generate individual menu
information, however, is not limited to the above example.
[0266] For example, the first server 200 may generate individual
menu information using statistical information estimated from big
data including purchase records of users who have placed orders at
both stores in the first restaurant chain and the stores in the
second restaurant chain, instead. In this case, if it is
determined, from personal information regarding a user who is using
a service, that the user has frequently ordered an item A at the
stores in the first restaurant chain, for example, the first server
200 generates individual menu information in which an item X takes
priority in display, that is, the item X is displayed at a position
of high priority, for example, on the basis of statistical
information obtained by analyzing big data, the statistical
information indicating "users who order the item A at the stores in
the first restaurant chain frequently orders the item X at the
stores in the second restaurant chain".
[0267] Although information obtained by analyzing big data is
called "statistical information" above, a term used is not limited
to this. For example, the information may be called "correlation
information indicating a correlation between an item served at the
stores in the first restaurant chain and an item served at the
stores in the second restaurant chain" or simply called
"information generated using big data". Information obtained from
other users and that is used as big data may be, for example, used
for an analysis or the like after being converted into anonymous
information with which the users are not identified. Alternatively,
when generating the statistical information, the first server 200
may anonymize personal information associated with a user who is
using a service used to generate an individual menu.
[0268] (5) In the present disclosure, an example has been described
where the first server 200 generates individual menu information in
which foods and drinks are arranged in order according to taste
information regarding the user estimated from purchase records of
the user or the like. In the following description, a method in
which the first server 200 controls or specifies, through
individual menu information, order of foods and drinks displayed on
a terminal apparatus in an individual menu will be described while
taking some examples. That is, a method for providing information
in which the first server 200 generates, on the basis of taste
information regarding a user including order records at a first
restaurant and menu information regarding a second restaurant,
individual menu information for arranging, on a display screen of a
terminal apparatus, menu items included in the menu information
regarding the second restaurant in order according to the taste
information, transmits the individual menu information to the
terminal apparatus, and displays menu information regarding the
menu items arranged in the order on the display screen of the
terminal apparatus will be described with reference to some
examples. A method used by the first server 200 to control or
specify order of foods and drinks displayed in an individual menu
and that can be implemented in the above embodiments is not limited
to the above example. That is, the first server 200 may use any
method insofar as order of foods and drinks displayed in an
individual menu can be changed in accordance with taste information
estimated from personal information such as order records.
[0269] In a first example, when generating individual menu
information, the first server 200 stores foods and drinks, which
are menu items, in the individual menu information in order in
which the foods and the drinks are to be displayed.
[0270] In a second example, when generating individual menu
information, the first server 200 directly specifies a display
position in a screen for each of foods and drinks to be displayed
in an individual menu.
[0271] In a third example, the first server 200 stores each of
foods and drinks to be displayed in an individual menu in
individual menu information while associating the food or the drink
with a position in order of display. In this case, an app or a
browser on the terminal apparatus that has received the individual
menu information may determine, on the basis of a certain display
screen generation rule, for example, the number of foods and
drinks, display sizes of the foods and the drinks corresponding to
the positions in the order of display, display positions of the
foods and the drinks corresponding to the positions in the order of
display, and the like in accordance with the size of an area in
which the individual menu is to be displayed or the display size of
a font specified by the user and generate a display screen for the
individual menu by disposing objects indicating the foods and the
drinks in accordance with the positions in the order of display
included in the individual menu information.
[0272] In a fourth example, the first server 200 may store, in the
individual menu information for each of the foods and the drinks,
one or more parameters that have been generated on the basis of
personal information regarding the user and that are available in
determining the position of the food or the drink in the order of
display instead of directly storing the position of the food or the
drink in the order of display in the individual menu information.
Upon receiving the individual menu information, the app or the
browser on the terminal apparatus calculates the position of the
food or the drink in the order of display from the one or more
parameters in accordance with a certain display position
calculation rule or a display position calculation rule specified
by the user from among more than one candidate. With this
configuration, the app or the browser on the terminal apparatus
does not simply display a display screen for an individual menu in
accordance with generated individual menu information but can
adjust a method for displaying an individual menu or positions of
foods and drinks in order of display in accordance with a type of
terminal apparatus used by the user or settings made by the user.
The service, therefore, can be provided more flexibly.
[0273] (6) In the present disclosure, a mode in which files that
define UI designs and whose filename extensions are ".css" are
prepared, for example, and a style is changed by switching a file
that defines a UI design to be used for display has been described
as an example of changing a style on a screen of the matching app.
The style, however, may be changed using a method other than that
in which the file that defines a UI design to be used for display
is switched, instead. For example, the style may be changed by
uniquely setting a font of text, the size of the font, colors of a
background and the text, a logo, menu images, designs of buttons,
the layout of menus, the display size of the menus, UIs for
selecting foods and drinks and confirming orders, and/or the like
to be uniquely used by each of restaurant chains A and B in display
of the menu screen of the matching app, instead. The font of the
text, the size of the font, the colors of the background and the
text, the logo, the menu images, the designs of the buttons, the
layout of the menus, the display size of the menu, the Uls for
selecting foods and drinks and confirming orders, and/or the like
to be used for the menu screen can be set in an HTML file provided
by each of business operators that provide a service using the
matching app, such as restaurant chains A and B. At this time, CSS
files specified by the matching app are used for an individual menu
display screen of the matching app, but a file provided by a
business operator that provides a service is used as an HTML file
to be displayed in a screen area provided to display an individual
menu. As a result, designs of windows and frames of the matching
app become the same as those in other display screens of the
matching app, and each of the business operators that provide a
service can set the design of the screen area in which an
individual menu is displayed. As a result, the user can easily
determine whether a business operator of a service with which the
user is placing an order is restaurant chain A or restaurant chain
B. Furthermore, even though a business operator that provides a
service can set a style for an individual menu screen, positions
and order of items in a menu to be displayed can be changed on the
basis of taste information including order records at different
restaurant chains and that are managed by a manager (information
bank). The user, therefore, can efficiently select foods and drinks
that suit his/her taste using individual menu information that
reflects the taste information.
[0274] (7) Although the matching app uses taste information
including order records at restaurants in different chains in the
above description, the restaurants in different chains need not be
restaurants in chains including more than one store in the present
disclosure. For example, order records used by the matching app may
be order records at a restaurant that does not belong to a chain
including more than one store. That is, according to the present
disclosure, positions and order of items in a menu to be displayed
can be changed between restaurants that serve different menus on
the basis of taste information including order records at different
restaurants, and the user can efficiently select foods and selects
that suit his/her taste using individual menu information that
reflects the taste information.
[0275] The above modifications (1) to (7) can also be applied when
a mode in which the information terminal 100 generates individual
menu information is employed.
[0276] Although the information provision system and the method for
providing information according to one or more aspects have been
described on the basis of embodiments, the present disclosure is
not limited to the embodiments. The scope of the present disclosure
may also include modes obtained by modifying the above embodiments
in ways conceivable by those skilled in the art and modes
constructed by combining together components from different
embodiments, insofar as the spirit of the present disclosure is not
deviated from.
[0277] With an example of the method for providing information in
the present disclosure, the user can efficiently order foods and
drinks. The method for providing information, therefore, is
effective as a technique used in a restaurant industry, where the
user is served with foods and drinks.
* * * * *