JP5155272B2 - Community management platform equipment - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to a technique for efficiently managing a connection between users without making the user aware of it as a user community on a network.

  Conventionally, so-called “SNS (Social Networking Service)” has been provided as one of net services. In this SNS, for example, users who match hobbies and preferences with reference to a user profile gather to form a community, and exchange can be made with a thread that can write about a specific category or topic.

  By using such an SNS, the user can construct a social network similar to the real society in a virtual space on the Internet.

JP-A-2005-235118

  However, the above conventional techniques have the following problems. First, despite the fact that the Internet is an infinite society all over the world, SNS has a problem that a community can be formed only within a limited and closed society within the services used. Therefore, it is not realized in principle that the “rock music” community in one service A and the “rock music” community in another service B interact.

  Secondly, as a premise for community formation, there is a problem that positive intention expression by the user is necessary. Specifically, in order to form a community, a community is formed only after an action for obtaining approval (or participation) for community formation is performed on the other party and the approval of the other party is obtained. Therefore, the result is that the user is troublesome.

  In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, the present invention manages the community management function in common through, for example, an API (Application Program Interface) customized for each service, and manages each service providing server. A community management platform device having a function to be provided across the network is provided.

  Specifically, it is a community management platform device that provides a server on the network with the same function as the community management function provided in response to a request from the user terminal, the data identifying the user as the community management function It is a community management platform apparatus which has a community management function provision part which provides the said server with the function which manages the connection between user identification data which is.

  In addition to the above configuration, the community management function providing unit refers to a user database on the network that holds the user identification data and the user profile in association with each other, and uses the user identification data to There is also provided a community management platform device for managing connections between identification data.

  In addition, even if there is no active community participation or approval intention display by the user, for example, a community having a function of automatically associating a user ID by writing on the bulletin board of the same topic at the same time and managing as the same community member A management platform device is also provided.

  Specifically, in addition to the above-described configuration, the community management function providing unit, user identification data acquisition means for acquiring user identification data, and user information for acquiring user information that is user attribute information or / and behavior information An acquisition unit, a grouping unit that associates the acquired user identification data with the acquired user information, and a membership ID that is information for identifying the group with respect to the group of the associated user identification ID A community management platform device having membership management means for linking and accumulating.

  Further, in addition to the above configuration, the service information that the user information acquisition unit acquires as the behavior information is service behavior information that is information related to the behavior performed by the user on the web service provided by the server. A community management platform device having acquisition means is also provided.

  Further, in addition to the above configuration, the service behavior information acquisition unit includes a classification information acquisition unit that extracts and acquires predetermined classification information from the service behavior information, and the grouping unit acquires the user A community management platform device is also provided that groups identification data based on the extracted and acquired classification information.

  According to the present invention configured as described above, a community management function can be provided across various web services on the Internet. Therefore, for example, a “rock music” community in one service A and a “rock music” community in another service B can interact.

  Further, even if there is no active community participation or approval intention display by the user, the user ID can be automatically associated, for example, by writing on the bulletin board of the same topic at the same time, and managed as the same community member.

The figure showing an example of the functional block in the community management platform apparatus of Example 1. The figure showing an example of the database utilized in the community management function provision part of the community management platform apparatus of Example 1. The figure showing an example of another database utilized in the community management function provision part of the community management platform apparatus of Example 1. The flowchart showing an example of the flow of the process in the community management platform apparatus of Example 1. The figure showing an example of the functional block in the community management platform apparatus of Example 2. The figure showing an example of the database utilized with the membership management means of the community management platform apparatus of Example 2. The flowchart showing an example of the flow of the process in the community management platform apparatus of Example 2. The figure showing an example of the functional block in the community management platform apparatus of Example 3. The figure showing an example of the hardware constitutions in the community management platform apparatus of Example 2.

  Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. Note that the present invention is not limited to these embodiments, and can be implemented in various modes without departing from the spirit of the present invention.

  In the first embodiment, claims 1, 2, 6, and 7 will be mainly described. In the second embodiment, claims 3, 4, 5, 8, 9, and 10 will be mainly described. In the third embodiment, other embodiments will be described.

Example 1
<Overview>
The community management platform providing apparatus according to the present embodiment provides a community management function across various web services such as an SNS, a blog service, a comment posting type news site, a bulletin board site, a shopping site, and an auction site. Then, for example, a user who has posted a comment on the news topic A on another news site can be associated with a community that has posted the topic A in the SNS and managed as one community. .

  Also, using such a management database, each web service can take actions such as sending recommendation information to users other than its own service.

<Functional configuration>
FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating an example of functional blocks in the community management platform device according to the present embodiment. Note that the functional blocks of the community management platform device described below can be realized as hardware, software, or both hardware and software. Specifically, if a computer is used, a CPU, a main memory, a bus, or a secondary storage device (a hard disk, a non-volatile memory, a storage medium such as a CD or a DVD, a read drive for the medium, etc.), information Input devices used for input, printing equipment, display devices, other hardware components such as external peripheral devices, interfaces for external peripheral devices, communication interfaces, driver programs for controlling these hardware, Other examples include application programs and user interface applications.

  Then, by CPU processing according to the program developed on the main memory, the data input from the input device or other interface and held in the memory or hard disk is processed and stored, An instruction for controlling the software is generated. In addition, the present invention can be realized not only as a community management platform device but also as a method. A part of the invention can be configured as software. Further, a software product used to cause a computer to execute such software and a recording medium on which the product is fixed are naturally included in the technical scope of the present invention (the same applies throughout the present specification). .

  As shown in FIG. 1, the “community management platform device” (0100) of the present embodiment includes a “community management function providing unit” (0101).

  The “community management function providing unit” (0101) has a function of providing a community management function to a server on the network, and is realized by, for example, a CPU, a main memory, a network communication mechanism, a community management function providing program, or the like. be able to. In addition, the “community management function” is a function for managing a connection between user identification data that is data for identifying a user. For example, in association with approval-type user identification data provided by a conventional SNS or the like. The management function of the formed community is mentioned. Alternatively, as will be described later in Example 2 or the like, there is a community management function formed by associating user identification data of users who have taken the same action (purchased the same product) in different web services.

  FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating an example of a database used in the community management function. As shown in this figure, “user ID: aa”, “user ID: bb”, and “user ID: cc” are associated and managed as users who participate in the community related to the topic A of the web service α. Here, the “user ID: dd” of the user who wants to speak about the topic A in the blog service β is also managed in association with this community across the board.

  In this embodiment, a community management function formed by associating such user identification data is provided across a server that operates various web services. Thereby, for example, each web service can manage users other than its own service as members of the community, and can take actions such as transmission of recommendation information to such users.

  The community management function providing unit further refers to a user database on the network that holds the user identification data and the user profile in association with each other, and uses the user identification data to link the user identification data. You may comprise so that it may manage. By referring to such a user database, the user's profile, such as his / her hometown, current address, age, sex, occupation, hobby preference, behavior history, etc. as shown in FIG. Community functions such as association of identification data can be managed.

<Process flow>
FIG. 4 is a flowchart illustrating an example of a process flow in the community management platform device according to the present exemplary embodiment. The steps shown below may be steps executed by each hardware configuration of the computer as described above, or may be processing steps that constitute a program for controlling the computer recorded on a medium. I do not care.

  As shown in FIG. 4, first, for example, user identification data is associated by application and approval between users in a certain web service, and a database for the community management function is generated (step S0401).

  Thereafter, when a request for using the community management function including the user identification data is received from a server that operates another web service (step S0402), the predetermined community managed in the generated database is User identification data is added (step S0403), and this community management function is provided across various web service servers. In addition, the database updated in this way is used as a database for a new community management function.

<Simple explanation of effect>
As described above, the community management platform device according to the present embodiment can provide a community management function across various web services on the Internet.

<< Example 2 >>
<Overview>
The present embodiment is based on the above embodiment, and further acquires user behavior information and attribute information together with user identification data, thereby associating user identification data based on the behavior information and attribute information, and managing the community. It is a community management platform device characterized by realizing a function.

  Specifically, for example, the identification data of the user A who made a statement regarding the news of the new product X at a certain news site is acquired. Moreover, the identification data of the user B who purchased the new product X at another shopping site are acquired. Then, in the community management platform device of the present embodiment, both user identification data are associated with each other using the user behavior information in the different web services as a key, and managed as a new community.

<Functional configuration>
FIG. 5 is a diagram illustrating an example of functional blocks in the community management platform device according to the present embodiment. As shown in this figure, the “community management platform device” (0500) of this embodiment has a “community management function providing unit” (0501) based on the first embodiment.

  The feature of the community management platform device of the present embodiment is that the community management function providing unit further includes “user identification data acquisition means” (0511), “user information acquisition means” (0512), and “grouping means”. "(0513)" and "Membership management means" (0514).

  The “user identification data acquisition unit” (0511) has a function of acquiring user identification data, and can be realized by, for example, a communication mechanism or a user identification data acquisition program.

  The “user information acquisition unit” (0512) has a function of acquiring user information that is user attribute information or / and behavior information, and can be realized by, for example, a communication mechanism or a user information acquisition program. “Attribute information” refers to information indicating a user's attribute, and includes, for example, information indicating a place of birth, current address, age, sex, occupation, and hobby preference. Moreover, the acquisition of this user attribute information includes the method of acquiring using the information registered at the time of use registration of web service, for example.

  The “behavior information” refers to service behavior information that is information related to the behavior performed by the user for the web service provided by the server. For example, in the case of a news site, news distribution request behavior, auction / shopping, etc. If it is a site, listing, bidding, purchasing behavior, SNS, blog, and bulletin board site may include writing behavior. As the action information, the action time and action contents, or the target product is shown if it is a bid, the written contents or the identification information of the written topic is shown if it is written.

  The “grouping means” (0513) has a function of associating the acquired user identification data based on the acquired user information, and can be realized by, for example, a CPU, a main memory, a grouping program, or the like. Specifically, user attribute information is referred to and grouped by associating, for example, user identification data of a person from the same region or a user with the same or similar hobby preference. Alternatively, user behavior information is referenced and grouped by associating user identification data indicating the same behavior content, such as bidding on the same product or writing on the same topic, even on different web services , And so on. In addition, users who take the same action during the same time period may be associated with the action time.

  "Membership management means" (0514) has a function of storing a membership ID, which is information for identifying the group, in association with the group of the associated user identification ID, and stores the CPU and main memory It can be realized by a storage device such as an HDD, a membership management program, or the like.

  Specifically, as shown in FIG. 6, an ID “Member001” or the like for identifying the community is assigned to the community associated with the user identification data based on the user information as described above. . Then, referring to this membership ID, it is possible to manage a community that connects users across different web services and use the information. Moreover, since a community is automatically formed by a user's attribute and action, a community can be formed without making the user aware of special operations.

  In the present embodiment, predetermined classification information may be extracted and acquired from the service behavior information, and grouping may be performed based on the extracted and acquired classification information. By doing in this way, for example, only action content etc. can be extracted as classification information excluding action time from service action information, and user identification data can be grouped regardless of action time. Or, conversely, the action time and the action content may be combined and extracted as classification information to group users with the same action at the same time, or users who act in the same time zone with only action time as classification information may be grouped together Also good.

<Hardware configuration>
FIG. 9 is a schematic diagram illustrating an example of a configuration in the community management platform device when the above functional components are realized as hardware. The operation of the hardware configuration unit related to the community management function will be described using this figure.
As shown in this figure, the community management platform device is a grouping means and a membership management means, and “CPU (central processing unit)” (0901) and “main memory” for executing various other arithmetic processes. (0902). Also, an “HDD” (0903) for storing various data and an “Internet communication circuit” (0904) which is a user identification data acquisition unit and a user information acquisition unit are provided. They are connected to each other via a data communication path such as a “system bus” to transmit / receive information and process information.

  A program is read out to the “main memory”, and the “CPU” refers to the read out program and executes various arithmetic processes according to the procedure indicated by the program. In addition, a plurality of addresses are assigned to each of the “main memory” and “HDD”, and in the arithmetic processing of the “CPU”, the address is specified and the stored data is accessed to access the data. It is possible to perform the arithmetic processing used.

  Here, for example, when a certain user α writes about the product x on the bulletin board site A, the community management platform device of the present embodiment associates the identification data of the user α with the action “writing about the product x”. User information indicating the information is acquired via the “Internet communication circuit”. The acquired user identification data and user information are stored in addresses 1 and 2 of the “main memory”, respectively.

  Then, the “CPU” interprets the grouping program, and generates an inquiry request for a topic related to the product x using the product x stored in the address 2 of the “main memory” according to the interpretation result. Then, for example, an inquiry about a topic related to the product x is made to a database of a web server device that manages an external SNS or a web server device that manages a shopping site.

The user identification data of the users β and γ participating in the thread related to the product x at the SNS and the user σ who made a successful bid for the product x at the shopping site are returned in response to the inquiry as “Internet communication circuit”. Get through. Then, the acquired user identification data is stored in addresses 3, 4 and 5 of the “main memory”, respectively.
Subsequently, the “CPU” interprets the membership management program, associates the user identification data stored in the addresses 1, 3, 4, and 5 of the “main memory” and associates them according to the interpretation result. Then, a membership ID indicating the topic of “product x” is added to the associated user identification data group and recorded in a predetermined management database of “HDD”.

<Process flow>
FIG. 7 is a flowchart illustrating an example of a process flow in the community management platform device according to the present exemplary embodiment. The steps shown below may be steps executed by each hardware configuration of the computer as described above, or may be processing steps that constitute a program for controlling the computer recorded on a medium. I do not care.

  As shown in FIG. 7, first, user identification data is acquired (step S0701), and user information that is user attribute information and / or behavior information is acquired together with the user identification data (step S0702). Then, the acquired user identification data is associated based on the acquired user information (step S0703), and a membership ID which is information for identifying the group is associated with the group of the associated user identification ID. Then, it accumulates (step S0704).

  Moreover, in step S0702, you may comprise so that the service action information which is the information regarding the action which the user performed with respect to the web service provided by the said server as user information may be acquired. In this case, the classification information determined in advance is acquired from the acquired service behavior information, and the user identification data acquired in step S0703 is grouped based on the extracted and acquired classification information. You may do it.

<Simple explanation of effect>
As described above, the community management platform device of this embodiment automatically associates user identification data according to user attributes and actions, and manages the formed community. Therefore, a community can be formed and managed without making the user conscious of forcing a special operation.

Example 3
<Overview>
This embodiment is a community management system that uses a community management function similar to that provided by the community management platform device, and further includes user identification data grouped so as to be usable across various web services. Further, the present invention is characterized by having a customization function that can be used in accordance with the usage form of the web service.

<Functional configuration>
FIG. 8 is a diagram illustrating an example of functional blocks in the community management system of the present embodiment. As shown in this figure, the community management system according to the present embodiment includes a “net communication device” (0800), a “customized input / output device” (0810), and a “community management platform device” (0820). .

(Internet communication equipment)
First, the “net communication device” (0800) is a plurality of web server devices existing on the Internet for providing a web service, and includes a “user identification data acquisition unit” (0801) and “provided service related information”. Holding part "(0802).

  The “user identification data acquisition unit” (0801) has a function of acquiring a user ID of a user who receives a web service, and can be realized by, for example, a CPU, a main memory, a user identification data acquisition program, or the like. Specifically, for example, user identification data input as login information for using a web service or user identification data included in cookie information is acquired. In this case, profile information such as user attributes held by the web service as separately registered information may be acquired in association with user identification data.

  The “provided service related information holding unit” (0802) has a function of holding the provided service related information in association with the acquired user ID, for example, various recording media such as a CPU, a main memory, an HDD, a flash memory, and the like. It can be realized by a provided service related information recording program or the like. “Provided service related information” refers to information related to a service provided to a user by the network communication device. For example, if the service is a service such as SNS, bulletin board, news provision, etc., the information indicating the topic referred to by the user in writing or viewing, the information indicating the content written for the topic, the reference time thereof, and the like can be mentioned. Further, in the case of a shopping / auction service, the identification information of the product purchased / bidding / listed or referred to by the user, the category / genre information of the product, the purchase price, the purchase time, and the like can be given. In the case of a video / music distribution service, information such as identification information of the video / music requested for distribution, category / genre information, producer / artist information, distribution time, and the like can be given.

  In the present embodiment, information that differs in content for each service as described above is shared by users across various services by the functions of “customized input / output device” and “community management platform device” described below. It is characterized in that identification data can be grouped (communified).

(Customized input / output device)
A “customized input / output device” (0810) is provided for each network communication device in order to exchange community management information indicating the association of user identification data with the community management platform device in accordance with the function of each network communication device. A customized device, which can be realized by, for example, an API (Application Program Interface). The “customized output device” includes a “classification information acquisition unit” (0811) and a “classification information output unit” (0812).

  The “classification information acquisition unit” (0811) has a function of extracting and acquiring user identification data from the network communication device and the classification information from the provided service related information in association with the user identification data. It can be realized by a communication mechanism, a classification information acquisition program, and the like. Specifically, the classification information acquisition unit extracts only the topic ID written by the user on the bulletin board site or the like and information indicating the content according to, for example, a predetermined rule determined by the classification information acquisition program, and the writing time For example, the grouping can be processed so as not to include information that is not used. Of course, if “grouping users who have written to the same topic at the same time” in the grouping of user identification data, conversely, it is preferable to extract and acquire classification information including the writing time.

  In this way, necessary information is provided so that grouping processing of user identification data can be performed in common across the provided service related information including various information according to various services provided by the web service. Can be extracted as classification information.

  The “classification information output unit” (0812) has a function of outputting user identification data and classification information associated therewith to the grouping information platform device in a common format, and includes a CPU, a main memory, and classification information. This can be realized by an output program.

(Community management platform device)
The “community management platform device” (0820) is a device for exchanging community management information shared with a network communication device that provides various web services. The “community management platform device” (0821) , “Classification information transfer unit” (0822) and “Community management information storage unit” (0823).

  The “classification information collection unit” (0821) has a function of collecting user identification data output from each customized input / output device and classification information output in association with the user identification data. For example, a CPU or a main memory It can be realized by a communication mechanism, a classification information collection program, and the like. The “classification information transfer unit” (0822) has a function of transferring the collected classification information to the classification information storage device, and can be realized by, for example, a CPU, a main memory, a communication mechanism, a classification information transfer program, or the like.

  The “community management information storage unit” (0823) has a function of associating user identification data based on the classification information and storing it as community management information. For example, a recording medium such as a CPU, main memory, HDD, flash memory, or community This can be realized by a management information recording program.

  As described above, the community management platform device can collect and store the classification information output by extracting only the information necessary for grouping from various web services by the customizing input / output device in order to process the user IDs across. it can.

<Simple explanation of effect>
As described above, according to the community management system of the present embodiment, only the information necessary for grouping is extracted from various web services, and the classification information that is output can be collected and stored in order to process the user IDs transversely. it can. Then, using the community management information accumulated in this way, users other than their own services can be managed as members of the community, and actions such as sending recommendation information to such users can be performed. Can take.

0100 Community management platform device 0101 Community management function providing unit 0511 User identification data acquisition unit 0512 User information acquisition unit 0513 Grouping unit 0514 Membership management unit

Claims (2)

A plurality of network communication devices providing web services;
A customized input / output device which is a device customized for each network communication device in order to exchange community management information indicating the association of user identification data with the community management platform device in accordance with the function of each network communication device. ,
A community management platform device, which is a device for exchanging community management information shared with network communication devices that provide various web services,
  The network communication device
    A user identification data acquisition unit for acquiring user identification data of a user who is provided with a web service;
    A providing service related information holding unit for holding providing service related information that is information indicating an action related to a service provided to the user in association with the acquired user identification data;
  Customized I / O device
    A classification information acquisition unit that extracts classification information from provided service-related information acquired from a network communication device and acquires the classification information in association with user identification data;
    A classification information output unit that outputs user identification data and classification information associated therewith in a common format to the community management platform device;
  Community management platform equipment
    A classification information collection unit that collects user identification data output from each customized input / output device and classification information output in association with the user identification data;
    A community management information storage unit that associates user identification data based on the classification information and stores the user identification data as community management information.
Community management system The community management information storage unit
User identification data acquisition means for acquiring user identification data;
User information acquisition means for acquiring user information which is user attribute information or / and behavior information;
Grouping means for associating the acquired user identification data based on the acquired user information;
Membership management means for associating a membership ID, which is information for identifying the group, with the associated user identification data group, and storing it as the community management information ;
The community management system according to claim 1.

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