Abstract:
According to one aspect of the present invention, provided is a method for providing face-based services, comprising the steps of: (a) collecting, for at least one user, face-related data including face data; (b) determining a service provider matching the face-related data of a first user who wants to receive the service, by using a service provider introduction algorithm; (c) transmitting the face-related data of the first user to a server of the service provider; and (d) receiving, from the server of the service provider, the face-related data which is changed or newly generated by the service provided to the first user from the service provider, wherein information related to data processed in at least one step of steps (a), (b), (c) and (d) or information related to operations performed in at least one step of steps (a), (b), (c) and (d) is provided to a terminal device of the first user.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
       [0001]    The present invention relates to a method, system, and non-transitory computer-readable recording medium for providing face-based services. 
       BACKGROUND 
       [0002]    Growing interest in appearances is increasing interest in services and products that assist in decorating appearances, such as cosmetic surgery, dermatologic treatment, cosmetics, and accessories. Traditionally, such services and products have been offered individually through small business entities. The small business entities have been forced to perform reactive marketing rather than proactive marketing, and to provide the services and products according to circumstances. In recent years, as demand for the services and products that assist in decorating appearances has increased explosively, problems and limitations are being revealed in providing the services and products in conventional manners. 
         [0003]    Particularly, as for medical services such as cosmetic surgery, although the size of domestic cosmetic surgery market amounts to about 5 trillion won, the manners of providing services related to cosmetic surgery are still traditional and causing many problems. For example, there are frequent cases where a patient undergoes cosmetic surgery only depending on promotion or explanation from a hospital and fails to get a satisfactory surgical result, or where a broker who mediates cosmetic surgery between a patient and a hospital conducts improper mediation solely for his/her economic benefit, so that the patient suffers economic or mental damage. 
         [0004]    Since cosmetic surgery is basically medical practice, patients receive services in a state where they do not have enough information compared to hospitals (or brokers as mentioned above), and such information imbalance causes a lot of problems. Particularly, there are cases where foreigners visiting Korea for cosmetic surgery suffer significant damage due to linguistic barriers and ignorance about domestic circumstances. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0005]    One object of the present invention is to solve all the above-described problems in the prior art. 
         [0006]    Another object of the invention is to allow a user to receive face-based services suitable for face-related data of the user, and to transparently receive related information while receiving the services, by collecting face-related data including face data generated by a face data generation device, with respect to at least one user; determining a service provider matched with the face-related data of a first user desiring to receive services, using a service provider commission algorithm; transmitting the face-related data of the first user to a server of the determined service provider; receiving, from the server of the service provider, the face-related data changed or newly generated by the services provided from the service provider to the first user; and providing information on data processed or operations performed in the above procedures to a terminal device of the first user. 
         [0007]    The representative configurations of the invention to achieve the above objects are described below. 
         [0008]    According to one aspect of the invention, there is provided a method for providing face-based services, comprising the steps of: (a) collecting face-related data including face data with respect to at least one user; (b) determining a service provider matched with the face-related data of a first user desiring to receive services, using a service provider commission algorithm; (c) transmitting the face-related data of the first user to a server of the determined service provider; and (d) receiving, from the server of the determined service provider, the face-related data changed or newly generated by the services provided from the service provider to the first user, wherein information on data processed in at least one of steps (a), (b), (c) and (d), or information on operations performed in at least one of steps (a), (b), (c) and (d), is provided to a terminal device of the first user. 
         [0009]    According to another aspect of the invention, there is provided a system for providing face-based services, comprising: a face data collection unit configured to collect face-related data including face data with respect to at least one user; a service provider management unit configured to determine a service provider matched with the face-related data of a first user desiring to receive services, using a service provider commission algorithm, to transmit the face-related data of the first user to a server of the determined service provider, and to receive, from the server of the determined service provider, the face-related data changed or newly generated by the services provided from the service provider to the first user; and an application management unit configured to provide information on data processed by the face data collection unit and the service provider management unit, or information on operations performed by the face data collection unit and the service provider management unit, to a terminal device of the first user. 
         [0010]    In addition, there are further provided other methods and systems to implement the invention, as well as non-transitory computer-readable recording media having stored thereon computer programs for executing the methods. 
         [0011]    According to the invention, a user desiring to receive services may receive services suitable for face-related data of the user, and may transparently receive related information while receiving the services. 
         [0012]    According to the invention, a service provider providing face-based services may accurately recognize conditions or needs of users. 
         [0013]    According to the invention, communication (i.e., information exchange) may be smoothly performed between users and service providers. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0014]      FIG. 1  schematically shows the configuration of an entire system for providing face-based services according to one embodiment of the invention. 
           [0015]      FIG. 2  specifically shows the internal configuration of a main system according to one embodiment of the invention. 
           [0016]      FIG. 3  illustratively shows pictures in which information on face-based services is provided through an application (called “Previewty”) according to one embodiment of the invention. 
           [0017]      FIG. 4  illustratively shows pictures in which a variety of additional information is provided through an application (called “Previewty”) according to one embodiment of the invention. 
           [0018]      FIG. 5  illustratively shows how push information is transferred according to one embodiment of the invention. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0019]    In the following detailed description of the present invention, references are made to the accompanying drawings that show, by way of illustration, specific embodiments in which the invention may be practiced. These embodiments are described in sufficient detail to enable those skilled in the art to practice the invention. It is to be understood that the various embodiments of the invention, although different from each other, are not necessarily mutually exclusive. For example, specific shapes, structures and characteristics described herein may be implemented as modified from one embodiment to another without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. Furthermore, it shall be understood that the locations or arrangements of individual elements within each of the embodiments may also be modified without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. Therefore, the following detailed description is not to be taken in a limiting sense, and the scope of the invention is to be taken as encompassing the scope of the appended claims and all equivalents thereof. In the drawings, like reference numerals refer to the same or similar elements throughout the several views. 
         [0020]    Hereinafter, various preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings to enable those skilled in the art to easily implement the invention. 
         [0021]    Configuration of an Entire System 
         [0022]      FIG. 1  schematically shows the configuration of an entire system for providing face-based services according to one embodiment of the invention. 
         [0023]    As shown in  FIG. 1 , the entire system according to one embodiment of the invention may comprise a communication network  100 , a main system  200 , a user terminal device  300 , a service provider server  400 , and a face data generation device  500 . 
         [0024]    First, the communication network  100  according to one embodiment of the invention may be implemented regardless of communication modality such as wired and wireless communications, and may be constructed from a variety of communication networks such as local area networks (LANs), metropolitan area networks (MANs), and wide area networks (WANs). Preferably, the communication network  100  described herein may be the Internet or the World Wide Web (WWW). However, the communication network  100  is not necessarily limited thereto, and may at least partially include known wired/wireless data communication networks, known telephone networks, or known wired/wireless television communication networks. 
         [0025]    Next, the main system  200  according to one embodiment of the invention may function to, in cooperation with the user terminal device  300 , the service provider server  400 , or the face data generation device  500  over the communication network  100 , collect face-related data including face data generated by the face data generation device  500 , with respect to at least one user; determine a service provider matched with the face-related data of a first user, using a service provider commission algorithm; transmit the face-related data of the first user to the server  400  of the determined service provider; receive, from the server  400  of the service provider, the face-related data changed or newly generated by the services provided from the service provider to the first user; and provide information on data processed or operations performed in the above procedures to the terminal device  300  of the first user, thereby allowing a user to receive face-based services suitable for face-related data of the user, and to transparently receive related information while receiving the services. 
         [0026]    The configuration and function of the main system  200  according to the invention will be discussed in more detail below. 
         [0027]    Next, the user terminal device  300  according to one embodiment of the invention is digital equipment that may function to allow a user to connect to and then communicate with the main system  200 , the service provider server  400 , or the face data generation device  500 , and any type of digital equipment having a memory means and a microprocessor for computing capabilities, such as a smart phone, a tablet, and a personal (desktop or laptop) computer may be adopted as the user terminal device  300  according to the invention. 
         [0028]    Meanwhile, according to one embodiment of the invention, an application for assisting a user to receive services according to the invention may be installed in the user terminal device  300 . The configuration and function of the application installed in the user terminal device  300  will be discussed in more detail below. 
         [0029]    Next, the service provider server  400  according to one embodiment of the invention is digital equipment that may function to allow a service provider to connect to and then communicate with the main system  200 , the user terminal device  300 , or the face data generation device  500 , and any type of digital equipment having a memory means and a microprocessor for computing capabilities, such as a smart phone, a tablet, a personal (desktop or laptop) computer, and a workstation may be adopted as the service provider server  400  according to the invention. For example, the service provider server  400  according to one embodiment of the invention may be a server operated by a hospital, a dealer in cosmetics, or a dealer in accessories such as eyeglasses. 
         [0030]    Next, the face data generation device  500  according to one embodiment of the invention is digital equipment that may function to connect to and then communicate with the main system  200 , the user terminal device  300 , or the service provider server  400 , and may function to generate face data of a user by directly scanning or photographing the user&#39;s face. According to one embodiment of the invention, the face data generation device  500  may include a facial bone scanning device, a facial image photographing device, or the like. According to one embodiment of the invention, the face data generation device  500  may be disposed at a place where users may easily visit (e.g., a concierge center), and also at a facility or store (e.g. a hospital, a cosmetics store, etc.) operated by a service provider. 
         [0031]    Configuration of the Main System 
         [0032]    Hereinafter, the internal configuration of the main system  200  according to the invention and the functions of the respective components thereof will be discussed. 
         [0033]      FIG. 2  specifically shows the internal configuration of the main system  200  according to one embodiment of the invention. 
         [0034]    As shown in  FIG. 2 , the main system  200  may comprise a face data collection unit  210 , a service provider management unit  220 , an application management unit  230 , a communication unit  240 , and a control unit  250 . According to one embodiment of the invention, at least some of the face data collection unit  210 , the service provider management unit  220 , the application management unit  230 , the communication unit  240 , and the control unit  250  may be program modules to communicate with the user terminal device  300 , the service provider server  400 , or the face data generation device  500 . The program modules may be included in the main system  200  in the form of operating systems, application program modules or other program modules, while they may be physically stored on a variety of commonly known storage devices. Further, the program modules may also be stored in a remote storage device that may communicate with the main system  200 . Meanwhile, such program modules may include, but not limited to, routines, subroutines, programs, objects, components, data structures and the like for performing specific tasks or executing specific abstract data types as will be described below in accordance with the invention. 
         [0035]    First, according to one embodiment of the invention, the face data collection unit  210  may function to collect face-related data including face data generated by the face data generation device  500 , with respect to at least one user. Specifically, according to one embodiment of the invention, the face data may be generated by a facial bone scanning device or a facial image photographing device installed in a predetermined place. For example, the face data may include data on the size, proportion, position and the like of the entire face or each part thereof of the user, and an image of the entire face or each part thereof. Here, the image included in the face data may be a photographed actual image or a scanned and rendered virtual image, and may be two or three-dimensional. 
         [0036]    Further, according to one embodiment of the invention, the face-related data may further include consultation data generated in association with the face data. Specifically, according to one embodiment of the invention, the consultation data may be automatically generated on the basis of the associated face data, or manually generated by an administrator (e.g., an expert such as a physician and a professional consultant). 
         [0037]    Next, according to one embodiment of the invention, the service provider management unit  220  may function to determine a service provider matched with the face-related data of the user desiring to receive services, using a predetermined service provider commission algorithm. 
         [0038]    Specifically, according to one embodiment of the invention, the service provider management unit  220  may search for the service provider matched with the face-related data of the user from among at least one service provider registered in a predetermined service provider pool. Further, according to one embodiment of the invention, the service provider pool may include providers of medical services (such as cosmetic surgery and dermatologic treatment), products (such as cosmetics and eyeglasses) and the like, and the providers may be stored in the service provider pool by categories. Meanwhile, according to one embodiment of the invention, the service provider pool may be organized at a request of a service provider or with an approval of an administrator of the main system  200 . 
         [0039]    Further, according to one embodiment of the invention, the service provider management unit  220  may function to transmit the face-related data of the user desiring to receive services to the server  400  of the service provider determined to be matched with the face-related data of the corresponding user. The transmitted face-related data may be utilized when the service provider provides face-based services to the corresponding user. 
         [0040]    Furthermore, according to one embodiment of the invention, the service provider management unit  220  may function to receive, from the server  400  of the service provider, the face-related data changed or newly generated by the services provided from the service provider to the user. For example, it may be assumed that a user undergoes cosmetic surgery in a hospital, which is a service provider. In this case, the face data of the user may be changed or newly generated as the face of the user is changed due to the cosmetic surgery. The service provider management unit  200  according to one embodiment of the invention may receive the face-related data changed or newly generated as above from the server  400  of the corresponding service provider. 
         [0041]    Next, according to one embodiment of the invention, the application management unit  230  may function to manage an application for assisting a user to receive information on data processed or operations performed by the face data collection unit  210  and the service provider management unit  220  as mentioned above (i.e., information on the face-based services) through the terminal device  300  of the user. 
         [0042]    Specifically, according to one embodiment of the invention, the user may receive, through the application installed in the user terminal device  300 , information on the face-related data of the user, information on the service provider determined to be matched with the face-related data of the user, information on the face-related data of the user changed or newly generated by the service provider, and the like. 
         [0043]      FIG. 3  illustratively shows pictures in which information on face-based services is provided through an application (called “Previewty”) according to one embodiment of the invention. 
         [0044]    Further, according to one embodiment of the invention, the application management unit  230  may function to manage an application for assisting a user to receive additional information relevant to the face-related data of the user, or relevant to the service provider determined to be matched with the face-related data of the user. For example, the additional information may include advertisement information for promoting services or products relevant to the face-related data of the user, wayfinding information necessary for traveling from a current location of the user to a store location of the service provider, and the like. 
         [0045]      FIG. 4  illustratively shows pictures in which a variety of additional information is provided through an application (called “Previewty”) according to one embodiment of the invention. 
         [0046]    Meanwhile,  FIG. 5  illustratively shows how push information is transferred according to one embodiment of the invention. 
         [0047]    Referring to  FIG. 5 , according to one embodiment of the invention, the main system  200  may function to transfer push information received from a user terminal device  300 A to a server  400 A of a corresponding service provider (S 510 , S 520 ), and conversely, to transfer push information received from a server  400 C of a service provider to a user terminal device  300 C of a corresponding user (S 530 , S 540 ). Here, the transfer of push information may be performed by an application managed by the main system  200 . 
         [0048]    Further, according to one embodiment of the invention, the main system  200  may store (i.e., back up) the push information transferred between the user terminal device  300  and the service provider server  400  in a predetermined database (not shown), so that the push information may be normally transferred even when one of the user terminal device  300  and the service provider server  400  is not connected to the main system  200 . 
         [0049]    For example, according to one embodiment of the invention, the push information transferred between the user terminal device  300  and the service provider server  400  may include information on face-related data inputted from a diagnosis or treatment device (not shown) of a hospital connected to the service provider server  400 , or information such as notification inputted from an administrator terminal device (not shown) connected to the service provider server  400 . 
         [0050]    Next, the communication unit  240  according to one embodiment of the invention may function to enable data transmission/reception from/to the main system  200 . 
         [0051]    Lastly, the control unit  250  according to one embodiment of the invention may function to control data flow among the face data collection unit  210 , the service provider management unit  220 , the application management unit  230 , and the communication unit  240 . That is, the control unit  250  according to the invention may control data flow into/out of the main system  200  or data flow among the respective components of the main system  200 , such that the face data collection unit  210 , the service provider management unit  220 , the application management unit  230 , and the communication unit  240  may carry out their particular functions, respectively. 
         [0052]    The embodiments according to the invention as described above may be implemented in the form of program instructions that can be executed by various computer components, and may be stored on a non-transitory computer-readable recording medium. The computer-readable recording medium may include program instructions, data files, data structures and the like, separately or in combination. The program instructions stored on the computer-readable recording medium may be specially designed and configured for the present invention, or may also be known and available to those skilled in the computer software field. Examples of the computer-readable recording medium include the following: magnetic media such as hard disks, floppy disks and magnetic tapes; optical media such as compact disk-read only memory (CD-ROM) and digital versatile disks (DVDs); magneto-optical media such as floptical disks; and hardware devices such as read-only memory (ROM), random access memory (RAM) and flash memory, which are specially configured to store and execute program instructions. Examples of the program instructions include not only machine language codes created by a compiler or the like, but also high-level language codes that can be executed by a computer using an interpreter or the like. The above hardware devices may be changed to one or more software modules to perform the processes of the present invention, and vice versa. 
         [0053]    Although the present invention has been described in terms of specific items such as detailed elements as well as the limited embodiments and the drawings, they are only provided to help more general understanding of the invention, and the present invention is not limited to the above embodiments. It will be appreciated by those skilled in the art to which the present invention pertains that various modifications and changes may be made from the above description. 
         [0054]    Therefore, the spirit of the present invention shall not be limited to the above-described embodiments, and the entire scope of the appended claims and their equivalents will fall within the scope and spirit of the invention.