JP2006252174A - Information providing system - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an information providing system for promoting the use of a question reception counter by providing question reception counter information for actually receiving a reply together with the URL of an information provision page. <P>SOLUTION: An information acquiring device 103 acquires the counter information of an information provider from a Web page (information provision page) 101. An information storing device 104 stores information acquired by the information acquisition device 103. An information confirming device 105 prepares and transmits a text for confirming the presence/absence of the intention of a reply to an inquiry to a question reception counter address of the information provider stored in the information storing device 104. An information receiving device 108 receives information showing the presence/absence of the intention of the reply of an information answering device 107. An information analyzing device 109 analyzes the presence/absence of the intention of the information provider acquired by the information receiving device 108, and additionally writes the analytic result as update in the information storing device 104. An information generating device 111 prepares a Web page (list display page) 110. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2006,JPO&NCIPI

Description

  The present invention relates to an information providing system for exchanging information via a wide area network.

To date, the use of wide area networks has become common due to the spread of computer systems. In such a situation, the information requester uses a wide area network to provide information when a question or problem arises about various events ranging from computer-related to life in general. looking for. One way to solve questions and problems is to ask questions at the reception desk for questions and questions that exist on the wide area network. Here, the reception window refers to a system that accepts a question by providing e-mail address information as a link address on a Web page published on a wide area network (see Non-Patent Document 1 and Non-Patent Document 2).
Description in "RFC"<URL:http://www.ietf.org/rfc/rfc1738.txt> "List of inquiries about JPO"<URL:http://www.jpo.go.jp/shoukai/toiawase1.htm>

  In the technology and Web page shown in each of the above non-patent documents, in a system operated by an information provider such as an individual or a company, an information requester accesses the reception counter page and asks a question by e-mail or the like. Become. On the other hand, on the information provider side, when a question is received by e-mail or the like, generally, an answer is arbitrarily given.

However, the following problems exist in the techniques shown in the non-patent documents.
In order for the information requester to access the reception desk established by the information provider, various information published on the wide area network is carefully examined to obtain information on the services required by the information provider or on the wide area network. It was necessary to use the existing search service to discover the web pages that they needed. Even when a web page is found, the reception desk page is covered with an enormous amount of information in the content of the web page, and the information requester is often unaware of its existence and often overlooked. It was.
On the other hand, there is a problem that there is generally no obligation to answer because the information provider's reception desk is targeted to an unspecified number of information requesters. Therefore, even if the information requester finds the information provider's reception window and sends a question to the corresponding window, the information provider cannot obtain a clear answer to the question, or an answer is obtained. However, there are many situations in which you have to wait until there is no guarantee that an answer will be made. This may cause the information requester to hesitate to use the window.
For the reasons described above, the reception window for questions, questions, etc. by information providers established on the wide area network has not been frequently used by many information requesters at present.

  The present invention is for solving the above-mentioned problems, and it is possible to promote the use of the question reception window by providing the question reception window information that can actually receive an answer together with the URL of the information providing page. An object is to provide an information providing system.

In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, the present invention searches a character string from text data indicating an information providing page for a question reception window address of an information provider device that provides one or a plurality of information that can be browsed via a wide area network. And a means for generating a question sentence asking whether or not there is an intention to answer the question reception window address, and transmitting the reply sentence from the information provider device. When received, the information providing device includes a storage unit that stores an information providing possibility identifier that identifies the information provider device that has transmitted the reply message and the information providing page in association with each other.
The information providing system further includes means for creating list information of the information providing pages stored in the storage means and publishing the list information to the wide area network.

With the above configuration, in the present invention, the information requester refers to the information provided by the information provider group that is highly likely to answer that is published on the wide area network, so that the information requester can solve the problem. At the same time as speeding up, the information provider group can have more users use the window.
In addition, by searching the information reception desk page for questions from information providers that are publicly disclosed on the wide area network, inquiring whether there is a willingness to respond to the actual contact, and checking the response to the inquiry, It is possible to evaluate the possibility of the information provider answering and to release the information.
This makes it possible for the information requester to confirm in advance information providers who are likely to give answers, and to shorten the time required to obtain answers to the questions.
Furthermore, the awareness of the window service is improved for the information provider, leading to an increase in the number of service users, and this service can be used by many information requesters.

Hereinafter, an information providing system according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.
FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a schematic configuration of an information providing system according to an embodiment of the present invention.
Reference numeral 101 denotes a Web page (information providing page) that is open to an unspecified number of users on the wide area network. This includes corporate web pages and personal web pages.
Reference numeral 102 denotes a wide area network. For example, this is the Internet.
Reference numeral 103 denotes an information acquisition apparatus that acquires information provider contact information from the Web page 101 on the wide area network 102.
Reference numeral 104 denotes an information storage device that stores information acquired by the information acquisition device 103. It is possible to access the stored information from all the processing devices of this system using database access means.
Reference numeral 105 denotes an information confirmation device that generates and transmits a text for confirming whether or not there is a willingness to answer an inquiry with respect to the question reception window address of the information provider stored in the information storage device 104. For example, SMTP (http://www.ietf.org/rfc/rfc0821.txt) corresponds to the protocol to be transmitted.
Reference numeral 106 denotes a question receiving apparatus that serves as a reception window for questions regarding the Web page 101 published on the wide area network 102. An example of a protocol received at the reception window is POP (http://www.ietf.org/rfc/rfc1939.txt).
Reference numeral 107 denotes an information answering apparatus that serves as a reply window where an information provider answers a question or the like when a question or the like regarding the Web page 101 published on the wide area network 102 is received. As a protocol to be transmitted, for example, SMTP of an information provider corresponds to this.
Reference numeral 108 denotes an information receiving apparatus that receives information indicating whether or not the information answering apparatus 107 is willing to answer. The received information is stored in the information storage device 104. An example of a protocol received by the information receiving apparatus 108 is POP.
Reference numeral 109 denotes an information analysis device that analyzes the presence or absence of a reply from the information provider obtained by the information reception device 108. Information provider information generated by the analysis of the information analysis device 109 is added to the information storage device 104 in the form of update.
A web page 110 represents a web page (list display page) for publishing information proposer information stored in the information storage device 104 on the wide area network 102.
The information generation device 111 is an information generation device that generates a Web page 110 to be disclosed on the wide area network 102.

FIG. 2 shows the content of a typical Web page including the information reception window of the information provider of the Web page 101 displayed using an Internet browser in the present embodiment. The interior can be divided as follows.
201 is the title of the contact page.
202 is the text of the window. Information about what kind of inquiries are accepted.
Reference numeral 203 indicates the name of the person in charge of information provision.
Reference numeral 204 denotes a telephone number of an information providing window.
Reference numeral 205 indicates the FAX number of the information providing window.
Reference numeral 206 describes information on the reception window of the communication system via the wide area network 102 of the information providing window worthy of the question reception device 106. In this example, an e-mail address is described.

FIG. 3 shows the content source code of a typical Web page 101 including information provider reception desk information. The contents of this page are called window page data. This data is text data, but the inside can be divided as follows.
301 is the title of the window page data.
302 is the text of the window page data. Information about what kind of inquiries are accepted.
Reference numeral 303 denotes the name of the person in charge of information provision.
Reference numeral 304 denotes a telephone number of an information providing window.
Reference numeral 305 describes the FAX number of the information providing window.
Reference numeral 306 describes information on a reception counter of the communication system via the wide area network 102 of the information provision counter worthy of the question reception device 106. In this example, information for starting a mail transmission program for transmitting an electronic mail to a predetermined mail address is described.

FIG. 4 is a flowchart showing a window page data acquisition method performed by the information acquisition apparatus 103. In the present embodiment, the method shown in this flow is defined as information acquisition processing.
In step 401, the information acquisition apparatus 103 searches the Web page 101 published on the wide area network 102 using “robot type search” as a keyword “mailto”. As a search result, a list of URLs of each web page (Uniform Resource Locator is defined in RFC1738. Http://www.ietf.org/rfc/rfc1738.txt) and the text data shown in FIG. get. Here, the robot type search is a mechanism in which the information search apparatus automatically circulates on the wide area network 102 and collects Web page information. In the circulated Web page 101, a search is performed using a keyword, and the Web page is searched. This is a system that can automatically detect all URLs in which the same word is used in 101.
In Step 402, the text data of the Web page 101 is acquired from the URL of each Web page 101 acquired in Step 401.
In step 403, a text string search is performed to check whether an <A> tag that is an HTML link tag exists in the text data constituting each Web page 101. Here, if the <A> tag does not exist, the search for the currently searched page is terminated, and the process proceeds to step 407. If the <A> tag exists, the process proceeds to step 404.
In step 404, the attribute value of the <A> tag is checked. In the <A> tag attribute, the value of the href attribute that specifies the jump address when the link is clicked is searched. If the character string “mailto:” is included between the opening double quotation and the ending double quotation, the subsequent character string can be regarded as an email address text field containing information on the window. it can. Next, the process proceeds to step 405. On the other hand, if there is no href in the attribute value of the <A> tag, or if there is no string “mailto:” between the start double quote and the end double quote, the page currently being searched The search is terminated because there is no window information, and the process proceeds to step 407.
In step 405, information is acquired in accordance with the format for storing information in the information storage device 104 for the page that the web page 101 regards as window page data in step 404. The information acquisition method is as follows.
As a method of acquiring information on the window, a character string from the character immediately after the character string “mailto:” to the character immediately before the double quotation is acquired.
As a method of acquiring the person-in-charge information, a “person in charge:” search is performed on the text data of the Web page 101 and a character string from the character immediately after that to the end of the line is acquired.
The method of acquiring page information is to search the text data of the Web page 101 with “<title>”, and search for the character string from the character immediately after that to the character string immediately before “</ title>”. get.
In step 406, the information created by combining the formats in step 405 is stored in the information storage device 104.
In step 407, it is determined whether to search for the next Web page information. If there is next web page information, the process from step 402 is performed, and if the web page information is the last, the information acquisition process is terminated.

FIG. 5 shows an information storage format to be stored in the information storage device 104. The window page data shown in FIG. 3 is converted into this format and stored in the information storage device 104.
Reference numeral 501 denotes the ID of this window page data. The ID is assigned a value by automatic numbering.
Reference numeral 502 denotes a URL of window page data as information regarding the window.
Reference numeral 503 denotes page information of the contact page data. A character string search is performed in step 404 in the flow of FIG. 4, and when the title page title information can be acquired, the value is acquired. Company information and personal information deserve this.
Reference numeral 504 denotes the name of the person in charge of this window. When the information can be acquired from the person in charge field 203 of the window page data in step 404 in the flow of FIG. 4, the character string immediately after that is acquired. Personal names and company department names are worth this.
Reference numeral 505 denotes the information reception window information acquired in step 404 in the flow of FIG. 4, and specifically shows an e-mail address.
Reference numeral 506 denotes an information acquisition date as a date when this page information is acquired. The date is obtained from the time stamp of this system.
Reference numeral 507 denotes an information transmission date and time as a date when mail data to be described later is transmitted. The date is obtained from the time stamp of this system.
Reference numeral 508 denotes a Message-ID added to the mail transmitted to the information provider as the header information of the mail (defined in RFC2822: http://www.ietf.org/rfc/rfc2822.txt).
Reference numeral 509 denotes an information reception date and time as a date when the reply mail is received when a reply is received from the corresponding information provider with respect to the mail data transmitted to the information provider. The value is NULL until a reply mail is received.
510 indicates a Reply-Message-ID to be added to the mail returned from the information provider as the header information of the mail (defined in RFC2822: http://www.ietf.org/rfc/rfc2822.txt) .
Reference numeral 511 denotes a difference between the date / time of the information reception date / time 509 and the information transmission date / time 507, and indicates a reply elapsed time as a time taken to receive the reply.

FIG. 6 shows mail data collectively transmitted to the reception window of the communication system via the wide area network 102 of the window page data created by the information confirmation apparatus 105 and stored in the information storage apparatus 104.
Reference numeral 601 denotes mail header information, which is address information of the communication system via the wide area network of the information provider window acquired by the information acquisition device 103.
Reference numeral 602 denotes mail header information, which is the title of the mail transmitted to the information provider using the communication system via the wide area network. The information confirmation device 105 uses a device created from a fixed character string registered in advance and an ID 501.
Reference numeral 603 denotes mail header information, which is the date when the mail is transmitted to the information provider.
Reference numeral 604 denotes mail header information indicating the Message-ID of the mail transmitted to the information provider.
Reference numeral 605 denotes a company and personal information of a destination of mail to be collectively transmitted. When a value is stored in the page information 503, the value is quoted.
Reference numeral 606 denotes person-in-charge information on the destinations of the mails to be sent in a batch, and the personal name and company department name are worth this. When a value is stored in the person in charge 504, the value is quoted.
Reference numeral 607 denotes destination information of mails to be transmitted collectively.
Reference numeral 608 denotes a text of a mail transmitted to the information provider terminal using the communication system via the wide area network 102. The information confirmation device 105 uses a device created from a fixed character string registered in advance.

FIG. 7 shows an example of reply mail data received from the information provider terminal received by the information receiving apparatus 108.
Reference numeral 701 denotes mail header information, which is address information of a communication system disclosed by the present system to the information receiving apparatus 108 via the wide area network 102.
Reference numeral 702 denotes mail header information, which is the title of the mail transmitted from the information provider using the communication system via the wide area network 102.
Reference numeral 703 denotes mail header information indicating the date of the mail received from the information provider terminal.
Reference numeral 704 denotes mail header information indicating the Message-ID of the mail received from the information provider terminal.
Reference numeral 705 denotes mail header information corresponding to the Message-ID of the mail transmitted from the system to the information provider terminal, and indicates In-Reply-To.
Reference numeral 706 denotes a body of an email transmitted from the information provider terminal via the wide area network 102.

FIG. 8 is a flowchart illustrating an analysis method performed by the information analysis device 109 when the information reception device 108 receives a reply mail from the information provider terminal. In the present embodiment, the method shown in this flow is defined as information analysis processing.
In step 801, the information receiving apparatus 108 acquires information received from the information provider terminal via the wide area network 102.
In step 802, the header information of the received mail from the information provider terminal acquired in step 801 is searched, and the value of the Date field, the value of the Message-ID field, and the value of the In-Reply-To field are acquired.
In step 803, the Message-ID stored in the information storage device 104 in the format of FIG. 5 is searched for a value that matches the value of In-Reply-To acquired in Step 802, and Message If the ID exists, go to step 804. If the Message-ID does not exist, the process proceeds to step 805.
In step 804, Date, Message-ID, and reply elapsed time are calculated from the header information of the mail received from the information provider terminal, and the values are stored in the information storage device 104.
In step 805, it is determined whether or not to analyze the next mail. If there is a next mail, the process from step 802 is performed. If the mail is the last, the information analysis process is terminated.

FIG. 9 shows an example in which a Web page (list information page) 110 for displaying a list of information providers stored in the information storage device 104 together with the answer possibility information is displayed using an Internet browser in the present embodiment. Yes. The interior can be divided into the following fields:
Reference numeral 901 denotes the title of the information provider list page data.
Reference numeral 902 denotes information corresponding to the URL 502 of the information provider contact page data.
Reference numeral 903 denotes information corresponding to the page information 503 of the information provider contact page data.
Reference numeral 904 denotes information corresponding to the name 504 of the person in charge of the information provider window page data.
Reference numeral 905 denotes information corresponding to the information reception window information 505 of the information provider window page data, and indicates an e-mail address.
Reference numeral 906 denotes a value obtained by calculating a time from when an e-mail is transmitted from the system to the information provider contact page data until a return e-mail is received by the system. By arranging the list of information providers in ascending order of these values, the information requester can select from information providers who are likely to reply.

FIG. 10 is a flowchart showing a processing method for generating the information provider list Web page (Web page 110) of FIG. 9 from the information provider group information stored in the information storage device 104 in the information creating apparatus 111. . In the present embodiment, the method shown in this flow is defined as information creation processing.
In step 1001, in addition to the title (901) of the information provider list page data registered in the information creation device 111, a fixed character string such as footer information is acquired.
In step 1002, the data acquired in step 1001 is described in text data.
In step 1003, the information storage device 104 is accessed and the first information provider information is acquired.
In step 1004, the URL 502 of the contact page data of the information provider information accessed in step 1003 is acquired.
In step 1005, the page information 503 of the contact page data of the information provider information accessed in step 1003 is acquired.
In step 1006, the person in charge 504 of the window page data of the information provider information accessed in step 1003 is acquired.
In step 1007, an e-mail address is acquired as information reception window information 505 of the information provider information accessed in step 1003.
In step 1008, reply reception elapsed time information 511 of the information provider information accessed in step 1003 is acquired.
In step 1009, the information provider information acquired in steps 1004 to 1008 is described in the text data described in step 1002.
In step 1010, the information storage device 104 is accessed again to determine whether the next information provider information exists. If the next information provider information exists, the process proceeds to step 1003. If the next information provider information does not exist, the process proceeds to step 1011.
In step 1011, the text data created in steps 1002 to 1009 is converted into a list format and stored, and the web page 110 is published as an information provider list via the wide area network 102.

It is a block diagram which shows schematic structure of the information provision system which concerns on one embodiment of this invention. It is a figure which shows an example of a web page (information provision page). It is a figure which shows an example of the HTML source code of a web page (information provision page). It is a flowchart which shows the flow of the information acquisition process which acquires window page data from a web page (information provision page). It is a figure which shows an example of the information provider information stored in an information storage device. It is a figure which shows an example of the email transmitted to an information provider apparatus by an information confirmation apparatus. It is a figure which shows an example of the email received from an information provider apparatus by an information receiver. It is a flowchart which shows the flow of the information analysis process which analyzes the reply mail from an information provider apparatus. It is a figure which shows an example of a web page (list display page). It is a flowchart which shows the flow of the information generation process which produces | generates a web page (list display page).

Explanation of symbols

101 Web page (information provision page), 102 Wide area network, 103 Information acquisition device, 104 Information storage device, 105 Information confirmation device, 106 Question reception device, 107 Information answer device, 108 Information reception device, 109 Information analysis device, 110 Web Page (list display page), 111 Information generation device.

Claims (2)

Means for obtaining a question reception window address of an information provider device that provides one or a plurality of information that can be browsed via a wide area network from a text data indicating an information providing page by a character string search;
Means for generating a question sentence asking whether or not there is an intention to reply to the question reception window address, and transmitting it via the wide area network;
An information storage means for storing, in association with the information providing page, an information provision possibility identifier that identifies the information provider device that has transmitted the reply text when a reply text is received from the information provider device; Information provision system. The information providing system includes:
The information providing system according to claim 1, further comprising means for creating list information of the information providing pages stored in the information storing means and publishing the list information to the wide area network.

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