JP7541908B2 - Server and information processing method - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to technology for a Q&A service that utilizes a communication network such as the Internet.

Technology for making and answering various inquiries using a communication network such as the Internet has been known for some time as a Q&A service. For example, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2003-44487 (Patent Document 1) discloses a question/answer system and a server device compatible with the question/answer system. According to Patent Document 1, as one of the product support methods, a website is established where questioners (PDA users) and advisors can exchange questions and answers via a server device. Here, the Q&A data obtained so far is made public on the Internet, and a top ten list, which is a list of these question/answer information, and a question list page by category are also created and made public on the communication network. Then, when creating the list of question/answer information, the list order is determined according to the occurrence rate of the URL entered in the answer information. This makes it possible to always make public the list of question/answer information in a list order that changes dynamically according to the trend of user questions.

JP 2003-44487 A

The object of the present invention is to provide technology to improve the convenience of Q&A services.

According to one aspect of the present invention, a server for providing a Q&A service is provided. The server includes a communication interface and a processor that receives a question from a user via the communication interface, transmits an answer to the user, and then notifies the user when a new answer to the question is registered or updated.

As described above, this invention can improve the convenience of the Q&A service.

FIG. 1 is a conceptual diagram showing an overall configuration and an outline of an operation of a network system 1 according to a first embodiment. FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing a configuration of a server according to the first embodiment; FIG. 4 is an image diagram showing request data according to the first embodiment; FIG. 11 is a conceptual diagram showing first response data according to the first embodiment; FIG. 13 is an image diagram showing questionnaire data according to the first embodiment. FIG. 4 is a conceptual diagram showing contact information data according to the first embodiment; FIG. 2 is a conceptual diagram showing answer history data according to the first embodiment; FIG. 11 is a conceptual diagram showing second response data according to the first embodiment; FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing a configuration of a respondent's communication terminal according to the first embodiment; 2 is a block diagram showing a configuration of a user's communication terminal according to the first embodiment; FIG. 1 is a first flowchart showing information processing in the network system according to the first embodiment; 11 is a second flowchart showing information processing in the network system according to the first embodiment; FIG. 13 is an image diagram showing a first example of a screen displayed on a user's side in the Q&A service according to the first embodiment; FIG. 13 is an image diagram showing a second example of a screen displayed on a user's side in the Q&A service according to the first embodiment. FIG. 13 is an image diagram showing a third example of a screen on the user side of the Q&A service according to the first embodiment. FIG. 13 is an image diagram showing a fourth example of a screen on the user side of the Q&A service according to the first embodiment. FIG. 13 is an image diagram showing a fifth example of a screen on the user side of the Q&A service according to the first embodiment.

Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. In the following description, the same components are denoted by the same reference numerals. Their names and functions are also the same. Therefore, detailed description thereof will not be repeated.
First Embodiment
<Overall configuration of network system 1>

First, the overall configuration of the network system 1 according to the present embodiment will be described with reference to FIG. 1. The network system 1 according to the present embodiment mainly includes a server 100 for providing a Q&A service, a communication terminal 200 of a user as a questioner who uses the Q&A service, and a communication terminal 300 of a person who creates answers to the Q&A service.

The server 100 is realized by multiple devices on the cloud. For example, the server 100 is a concept that includes a server that operates a website that initially accepts Q&A inquiries and responds to users using a chatbot, and a server that manages the communication terminals 300 of respondents.

The communication terminals 200 and 300 are realized by a smartphone, a tablet, a personal computer, a speaker, or the like, and are capable of communicating with the server 100 via the Internet or a carrier network.
<Overview of Operation of Network System 1>

Next, referring to FIG. 1, we will explain the outline of the operation of the network system 1 according to this embodiment.

First, the person answering the Q&A service registers FAQ data containing multiple combinations of questions about products, services, etc. and their answers in the server 100.

When a question is received from the user's communication terminal 200, the server 100 realizes a chatbot for the Q&A service. Here, the user may manually input the text of the question or may input it by voice.

By using natural language processing, AI learning, etc., the server 100 automatically refers to the FAQ data to extract an answer corresponding to the question and provides it to the user. The server 100 accumulates questions received from users, answers to the users, data indicating whether the answer was answered, and an evaluation from the user of whether the answer was satisfactory.

In particular, in this embodiment, if the user's rating is poor or no rating has been entered, and the server determines that a more appropriate answer to the previous question has been entered, the server notifies the user that a new appropriate answer has been prepared. In other words, the network system 1 according to this embodiment has a mechanism for the server 100 to check whether a new appropriate answer has been stored. This allows the user to view more appropriate answers from the Q&A service.

A specific configuration of the network system 1 for realizing such functions will be described in detail below.
<Server configuration>

First, one aspect of the configuration of the server 100 constituting the network system 1 according to the present embodiment will be described. Referring to FIG. 2, the server 100 includes, as main components, a CPU (Central Processing Unit) 110, a memory 120, an operation unit 140, and a communication interface 160.

The CPU 110 controls each part of the server 100 by executing the programs stored in the memory 120. For example, the CPU 110 executes the programs stored in the memory 120 and performs various processes described below by referring to various data.

Memory 120 is realized by various types of RAM, various types of ROM, etc., and may be included in server 100, may be detachable from various interfaces of server 100, or may be a recording medium of another device accessible from server 100. Memory 120 stores programs executed by CPU 110, data generated by execution of programs by CPU 110, input data, FAQ data, and other databases used for the service according to this embodiment. FAQ data includes a combination of the content of the question, the content of the answer, a management number, etc. for each answer entered by a respondent, etc.

For example, the memory 120 stores FAQ search request data (1) as shown in FIG. 3. The FAQ search request data (1) is generated each time a question is received from a user, and stores, for each question, the category, the user input text, the type of question text search, etc.

The memory 120 stores FAQ search response data (2) as shown in FIG. 4. The FAQ search response data (2) is sequentially accumulated and updated by the answer creator. The FAQ search response data includes a FAQ management number, a question from a user, an answer, and a score indicating the degree of matching of the answer to the question.

Memory 120 stores survey data such as that shown in FIG. 5. Survey data (3) stores the user's evaluation of the answers.

The memory 120 stores contact data (4) as shown in FIG. 6. The contact data (4) stores, for each user who has asked a question, a user ID, a login ID, a login password, an email address, a phone number, etc.

The memory 120 stores answer history data (5) as shown in FIG. 7. The answer history data (5) is created each time an answer is given to a user. For each answer, the answer history data (5) stores the ID of the questioner, i.e., the user to whom the answer is given, the question category, the FAQ management number, the text entered by the user, the date, and the status of whether the question was resolved or not.

When a new question and answer combination is registered by a respondent, the memory 120 stores FAQ search response data (2) as shown in FIG. 8. The FAQ search response data (2) includes a FAQ management number, the question and answer from the user, and a score indicating the degree of matching of the answer to the question.

Returning to FIG. 2, the operation unit 140 accepts commands from a service administrator or the like and inputs the commands to the CPU 110.

The communication interface 160 transmits data from the CPU 110 to the user's communication terminal 200, the respondent's communication terminal 300, and other devices such as electrical equipment via the Internet, a carrier network, a router, etc. Conversely, the communication interface 160 receives data from these other devices via the Internet, a carrier network, a router, etc., and passes it to the CPU 110.
<Configuration of communication terminal 300>

With reference to FIG. 9, one aspect of the configuration of the user's communication terminal 200 and the answer creator's communication terminal 300 that constitute the network system 1 will be described. For example, the user's communication terminal 200 includes, as main components, a CPU 210, a memory 220, a display 230, an operation unit 240, a communication interface 260, a speaker 270, and a microphone 280.

The CPU 210 controls each part of the communication terminal 200 by executing the programs stored in the memory 220.

The memory 220 is realized by various RAMs, various ROMs, etc. The memory 220 stores application programs for various services, application programs for the Q&A service, data generated by execution of programs by the CPU 210, data received from the server 100, data input via the operation unit 240, information for identifying the user of the communication terminal 200, etc.

The display 230 displays images and text based on data from the CPU 210. The operation unit 240 is composed of a pointing device, switches, etc., and inputs various commands from the user to the CPU 210. The communication terminal 200 may also have a touch panel 250 that includes the display 230 and the operation unit 240.

The communication interface 260 transmits and receives data to and from other devices such as the server 100 via the Internet, a carrier network, a router, etc. For example, the CPU 210 transmits and receives various types of information, such as text data and audio data including questions and answers, to and from the server 100 via the communication interface 260 in accordance with a web browser application program or a dedicated Q&A service application program.

For example, in the case of the user's communication terminal 200, the CPU 210 accepts text data of a question via the operation unit 240 in accordance with the application program in the memory 220, and transmits the question to the server 100 via the communication interface 260. The CPU 210 then accepts text data of an answer by a chatbot or an answerer from the server 100, and displays it on the display 230.

The CPU 310 of the respondent's communication terminal 300 accepts answer text data via the operation unit 340 in accordance with the application program in the memory 320, and transmits the answer to the server 100 via the communication interface 360.

The speaker 270 outputs various sounds based on signals from the CPU 210. The CPU 210 may output answers received from the server 100 as audio, not limited to the display 230.

Microphone 280 receives voice and inputs the voice data to CPU 210. CPU 210 may receive a voice message from a user, not limited to operation unit 240, and transmit the voice message to server 100. For example, CPU 310 receives answer voice data via microphone 380 according to an application program for a Q&A service.
<Configuration of communication terminal 300>

The configuration of communication terminal 300 used by the respondent has the same configuration as communication terminal 200 used by the user, as shown in FIG. 10, and therefore the description will not be repeated here.
<Information Processing in Network System 1>

Next, with reference to Figures 11 and 12, information processing in the server 100, the user's communication terminal 200, and the respondent's communication terminal 300 of the network system 1 according to this embodiment will be described. The CPU 110 of the server 100 executes the following processing according to the program in the memory 120. The CPU 210 of the user's communication terminal 200 executes the following processing according to the program in the memory 220. The CPU 310 of the respondent's communication terminal 300 executes the following processing according to the program in the memory 320.

For example, as shown in FIG. 13, the CPU 210 of the user's communication terminal 200 accepts input of a question text from the user via the operation unit 240 while displaying a web page of the Q&A chat service on the display 230 (step S102). The CPU 210 transmits the question text data to the server 100 via the communication interface 260 in the format of FAQ search request data (1) shown in FIG. 3.

The CPU 110 of the server 100 receives the FAQ search request data (1) via the communication interface 160 and stores it in the memory 120 (step S104).

The CPU 110 performs an FAQ search by referring to the FAQ search request data (1) in the memory 120 and stores the FAQ search response data (2) shown in FIG. 4 in the memory 120 (step S106).

The CPU 110 transmits the FAQ search response data (2) stored in the memory 120, i.e., the search results and the web page data including the data for the evaluation questionnaire, to the user's communication terminal 200 via the communication interface 160 (step S108).

As shown in FIG. 14, the CPU 210 of the user's communication terminal 200 displays the answer on the display 230 based on the data from the server 100, as shown in FIG. 15, and also displays an input screen for a questionnaire to evaluate the answer to this Q&A.

The CPU 210 accepts the input of the survey results via the operation unit 240, and transmits the survey response (3) shown in FIG. 5 as the survey result to the server 100 via the communication interface 260 (step S110).

The CPU 110 of the server 100 determines whether the answer was highly rated, i.e., whether the problem was solved, based on the survey results (step S112). If the answer was highly rated, i.e., the problem was solved (YES in step S112), the process proceeds from step S120.

If the answer is rated low, i.e., the problem is not resolved (NO in step S112), the CPU 110 requests contact information from the user's communication terminal 200 via the communication interface 160 in response to the survey answer (step S114).

As a result, as shown in FIG. 15, the CPU 210 of the user's communication terminal 200 displays a screen for entering contact information on the display 230 based on the data from the server 100 (step S116).

As shown in FIG. 15, when the CPU 210 accepts the user's contact information via the operation unit 240, it transmits the user's contact information to the server 100 via the communication interface 260 in the form of contact data (4) and answer history data (5), as shown in FIGS. 6 and 7, respectively (step S118).

The CPU 110 of the server 100 registers the contact data (4), answer history data (5), etc. in the memory 120 (step S120).

Then, the respondent logs into the management tool via the respondent's communication terminal 300 (step S122). The CPU 310 of the communication terminal 300 accepts the respondent's ID and password via the operation unit 340, and transmits the data to the server 100 via the communication interface 360.

The CPU 110 of the server 100 performs user authentication of the respondent based on the data from the respondent's communication terminal 300 (step S124). When the server 100 approves the user (step S126), the management tool screen is displayed on the respondent's communication terminal 300 (step S128).

The CPU 310 of the respondent's communication terminal 300 accepts FAQ data for new registration of a new combination of question and answer via the operation unit 340. Alternatively, the CPU 310 accepts FAQ data for updating an existing combination of question and new answer. The FAQ data for new registration or the FAQ data for update is sent to the server 100 via the communication interface 360 (step S130).

The CPU 110 of the server 100 receives the FAQ data for new registration or the FAQ data for update (step S132).

Based on the data, the CPU 110 stores the FAQ search response data (2) for new registration or the FAQ search response data (2) for update shown in FIG. 8 in the memory 120 (step S134).

The CPU 110 reads out the history of answers that have been poorly rated up until now, and executes a search again to determine whether the currently received FAQ data for new registration or FAQ data for update is extracted as an answer to those questions (step S136). In other words, the CPU 110 determines whether a different FAQ management number from the previous time has been hit for each of those questions, or whether updated data with the same FAQ management number as the previous time has been hit.

If the currently received FAQ data for new registration or FAQ data for update is extracted as an answer to any question (YES in step S136), the CPU 110 retrieves from the memory 120 the user who asked the question from the user ID in the answer history (5) shown in FIG. 7, and further retrieves the contact information (4) shown in FIG. 6, creates and adds a URL for displaying a screen showing the answer to the question, creates the body of the email, and notifies the user by sending the email shown in FIG. 16 to the user's contact information via the communication interface 160 (step S138).

When the CPU 210 of the user's communication terminal 200 receives the email and, in response to the user performing an operation such as clicking on a URL described in the body of the email, displays on the display 230, based on the data from the server 100, a message indicating that an answer to the previous question has been registered or updated, as shown in Fig. 16. As shown in Fig. 17, the CPU 210 accesses the page of the newly registered answer or the page of the updated answer based on the user's operation, and displays the new answer on the display 230 (step S140).
Second Embodiment

In the above embodiment, as shown in FIG. 16, the user accessed a page of new answers or updated answers, but in step S138, the CPU 110 of the server 100 may provide the data of the new answers or updated answers themselves to the user's communication terminal 300.
Third Embodiment

In the above embodiment, if the previous answer received a low rating, a new answer or an updated answer was provided to the user, but the present invention is not limited to this embodiment.

For example, in step S136, the CPU 110 may also read answer history for which no evaluation was given and determine whether new or updated FAQ data is extracted as an answer to those questions.

Alternatively, in step S136, the CPU 110 may determine whether new or updated FAQ data is to be extracted as an answer to a previously asked question, regardless of the user's evaluation.

Alternatively, in step S136, CPU 110 may determine whether or not new FAQ data is to be extracted for a previously asked question for which no answer was returned due to a lack of search results.
<Fourth embodiment>

Furthermore, in step S136, the CPU 110 may extract only FAQ search responses that have a higher score than the FAQ search response of the previous answer.

Alternatively, in step S136, the CPU 110 may extract only FAQ search responses that have a score higher than the FAQ search response of the previous answer by a predetermined value or more.

Furthermore, in step S136, the CPU 110 preferably sets the predetermined value higher the longer the elapsed time based on the time elapsed since the previous answer. For questions about which a considerable amount of time has passed, it is preferable to provide only answers that have significantly increased the score to the user.

Furthermore, in step S136, it is preferable that CPU 110 sets the above-mentioned predetermined value higher for a previous answer with a worse evaluation.
Fifth embodiment

In the above embodiment, the user's contact information is requested when the answer is poorly evaluated, but the present invention is not limited to this. For example, the Q&A service may be started after the user has logged in, or after the user's contact information has been acquired.
Sixth embodiment

Some or all of the roles of the devices in the network system 1 of the above embodiment may be performed by other devices. For example, some or all of the roles of the server 100 and the communication terminals 200 and 300 may be performed by other devices, or some or all of the roles of each of these devices may be shared by multiple devices. For example, the role of the server 100 may be realized by multiple devices on a cloud, some of the roles of the application programs of the communication terminals 200 and 300 may be realized by the server 100, or some or all of the roles of the server 100 may be realized by the application programs of the communication terminals 200 and 300.
<Summary>

In the above embodiment, a server for providing a Q&A service is provided. The server includes a communication interface and a processor that receives a question from a user via the communication interface, transmits an answer to the user, and then notifies the user when a new answer to the question is registered or updated.

Preferably, the processor notifies the user when a new answer is registered or updated if the answer given to the user receives a poor rating or does not receive the rating.

Preferably, if the processor is unable to provide the user with a search result, it notifies the user when a new answer is registered.

Preferably, the processor retrieves the user's contact details after sending the response.

Preferably, when a new answer to a question is registered or updated, the server notifies the user if the suitability of the new answer to the question has increased by a predetermined value or more.

Preferably, the longer the time that has passed since the previous response, the larger the predetermined value is set.

Preferably, the lower the user's rating in their previous response, the larger the predetermined value is set.

In the above embodiment, an information processing method for providing a Q&A service is provided. The information processing method includes a first step in which a server receives a question from a user, a second step in which the server transmits an answer to the user, and a third step in which, after the second step, the server notifies the user when a new answer to the question is registered or updated.

The embodiments disclosed herein should be considered to be illustrative and not restrictive in all respects. The scope of the present invention is indicated by the claims, not by the above description, and is intended to include all modifications within the meaning and scope of the claims.

1: Network system 100: Server 110: CPU
120: Memory 140: Operation unit 160: Communication interface 200: Communication terminal 210: CPU
220: memory 230: display 240: operation unit 250: touch panel 260: communication interface 270: speaker 280: microphone 300: communication terminal 310: CPU
320: memory 330: display 340: operation unit 360: communication interface

Claims (7)

A server for providing a Q&A service,
A communication interface;
a processor for receiving a question from a user via the communication interface, transmitting an answer to the user, and subsequently notifying the user when a new answer to the question is registered or updated ;
The processor notifies the user that the new answer will be registered or updated if the answer given to the user receives a poor rating or does not receive the rating . The server according to claim 1 , wherein the processor notifies the user when the new answer is registered if the processor is unable to answer a question from the user. The server of claim 1 or 2 , wherein the processor obtains contact information for the user after sending the answer. The server according to any one of claims 1 to 3 , wherein when a new answer to a question is registered or updated, the server notifies the user if the suitability of the new answer to the question has improved by a predetermined value or more. 5. The server according to claim 4 , wherein the predetermined value is set to be larger the longer the period that has elapsed since the previous response. 6. The server according to claim 4, wherein the predetermined value is set to be larger as the user's evaluation at the time of the previous reply is worse. An information processing method for providing a Q&A service, comprising:
A first step of a server receiving a query from a user;
a second step in which the server sends a response to the user;
The information processing method includes a third step in which, after the second step, the server notifies the user when a new answer to the question is registered or updated if the answer given to the user receives a poor evaluation or does not receive any evaluation .

Images