Device, method, and program for commercial product reliability evaluation based on image comparison

A product evaluation device includes a receiving means for receiving product specifying information for specifying a product attribute, an acquisition means for acquiring designation in formation corresponding to a product attribute specified by the product specifying information from a storage means storing, for each product attribute, a genuine image showing a characteristic part for evaluating whether a product is a genuine product and designation information designating the characteristic part in association with each other, a request means for requesting a user to take a photograph by designating a characteristic part of the product based on the designation information acquired from the storage means and requesting a photographed image obtained by the photographing, and an output means for outputting an evaluation result obtained based on the photographed image provided in response to the request and the genuine image stored in the storage means.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is a National Stage of International Application No. PCT/JP2014/059511 filed Mar. 31, 2014, the contents of all of which are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety.

TECHNICAL FIELD

One aspect of the present invention relates to a commercial product evaluation device, method, and program.

BACKGROUND ART

Auctions on the Internet are widespread today (for example, see Patent Literature 1). In Internet auctions, a seller uploads product information including a photographed image or the like to an auction site. Then, a person who wishes to purchase the product refers to the uploaded product information and considers whether or not to make a bid.

CITATION LIST

Patent Literature

SUMMARY OF INVENTION

Technical Problem

Various products are traded on Internet auction sites. Products for trade include products from brands (brand-name products). In the trade of brand-name products, there is a possibility that fake items are placed on an auction market or sold through it. It is difficult for a person who wishes to purchase a product to determine whether the product is genuine or fake from the image of the product. This problem is not limited to Internet auctions but is a general issue in Internet commerce (electronic commerce). Further, an administrator of an electronic commerce site desires to prevent the trade of false products. Furthermore, there is a case where false products are sold in real stores. In some cases, a person who wishes to purchase a product is difficult to determine whether the product is genuine or fake even when he/she sees the real product.

In light of the above, an object of one aspect of the present invention is to reduce the cases where a fake product is registered as a product for trade.

Solution to Problem

To solve the above problem, a product evaluation device according to one aspect of the present invention includes a receiving means for receiving product specifying information for specifying product attribute, an acquisition means for acquiring designation information corresponding to a product attribute specified by the product specifying information from a storage means storing, for each product attribute, a genuine image showing a characteristic part for evaluating whether a product is a genuine product and designation information designating the characteristic part in association with each other, a request means for requesting a user to take a photograph by designating a characteristic part of the product based on the designation information acquired from the storage means and requesting a photographed image obtained by the photographing, and an output means for outputting an evaluation result obtained based on the photographed image provided in response to the request and the genuine image stored in the storage means.

A product evaluation method according, to one aspect of the present invention is a product evaluation method to be executed by a computer, the method including a receiving step of receiving product specifying information for specifying a product attribute, an acquisition step of acquiring designation information corresponding to a product attribute specified by the product specifying information from a storage means storing, for each product attribute, a genuine image showing a characteristic part for evaluating whether a product is a genuine product and designation information designating the characteristic part in association with each other, a request step of requesting a user to take a photograph by designating a characteristic part of the product based on the designation information acquired from the storage means and requesting a photographed image obtained by the photographing, and an output step of outputting an evaluation result obtained based on the photographed image provided in response to the request and the genuine image stored in the storage means.

A product evaluation program according to one aspect of the present invention causes a computer to implement a receiving function that receives product specifying information for specifying a product attribute, an acquisition function that acquires designation information corresponding to a product attribute specified by the product specifying information from a storage means storing, for each product attribute, a genuine image showing a characteristic part for evaluating Whether a product is a genuine product and designation information designating the characteristic part in association with each other, a request function that requests a user to take a photograph by designating a characteristic part of the product based on the designation information acquired from the storage means and requests a photographed image obtained by the photographing, and an output function that outputs an evaluation result obtained based on the photographed image provided in response to the request and the genuine image stored in the storage means.

According to the above aspects, a request for taking photograph of a characteristic part of a product is made to a user, a photographed image that is taken by the user in response to the request is acquired, and an evaluation result based on the photographed image and a genuine image is output. In other words, a request for taking a photograph of a characteristic part which allows discrimination between a genuine item and a fake item is made to a user, and an evaluation result is recognized by a user, and it is thereby possible to suppress the possibility that a fake item is registered as a product for trade.

In the product evaluation device according to another aspect, the output means may display the evaluation result on a product page showing a product for trade of the product.

According to this aspect, because an evaluation result is displayed on a product page of the product, a user who views the product page can determine the probability that the product is a genuine product.

The product evaluation device according to another aspect may further include an evaluation means for calculating reliability as an evaluation result based on similarity between a genuine image showing a characteristic part of a genuine product specified by the product specifying information and the photographed image, and the output means may output an evaluation result by the evaluation means.

According to this aspect, because reliability of a photographed image determined based on similarity with a genuine image is output as an evaluation result, it is possible to determine the probability that the product is a genuine product based on the evaluation result. This prevents a fake item from being registered as a product for trade.

In the product evaluation device according to another aspect, in response to a request for presenting product information, the output means may output a plurality of product information so that product information with higher reliability is displayed preferentially.

According to this aspect, when presenting product information in response to a request for presentation, the product information of a product that is likely to be fake is less likely to be displayed.

In the product evaluation device according to another aspect, the output means may perform control so that product information corresponding to a photographed image where the reliability is less than a specified value is not registered in a product information storage means for storing product information related to a product for trade of the product.

According to this aspect, it is prevented that a product that is likely to be fake is registered as a product for trade.

In the product evaluation device according to another aspect, the evaluation means may extract, as supplementary product information, product specifying information associated with a genuine image having similarity of a specified value or more to the photographed image by referring to a storage means storing a plurality of characteristic information where the designation information and the genuine image are associated with the product specifying information, and the output means may output an evaluation result containing the supplementary product information.

According to this aspect, because information with higher likelihood is output as information that specifies a product shown in a photographed image, it is possible to determine the probability that the product is a genuine product.

In the product evaluation device according to another aspect, a plurality of photographed images may be provided for one product in response to the request, and position information indicating a place where a photograph is taken may he associated with each of the photographed images, and the evaluation means may calculate reliability based on a difference between a plurality of position information corresponding to the plurality of photographed images provided for one product.

In the case where the position information associated with each of a plurality of photographed images is different from each other, there is a possibility that at least any one of the acquired photographed images is not an image of a product for trade. According to the above aspect, the reliability of the product is calculated to be lower in such a case, and it is possible to prevent that a product that is likely to he fake is registered as a product for trade.

In the product evaluation device according to another aspect, when the photographed image is the same as a photographed image of another product acquired from the user, the evaluation means may calculate reliability to be lower than When the images are not the same.

In the case where a photographed image acquired from a user as a photographed image of a product for trade is the same as a photographed image of another product acquired from the same user, there is a possibility that the acquired photographed image is not an image of a product for trade. According to the above aspect, the reliability of the product is calculated to be lower in such a case, and it is possible to prevent that a product that is likely to be fake is registered as a product for trade.

In the product evaluation device according to another aspect, when similarity between a region where a characteristic part of a product is shown in the photographed image and a region where the characteristic part is shown in the genuine image is a specified value or higher, the evaluation means may calculate reliability based on similarity between a region other than the region where the characteristic part of the product is shown in the photographed image and a region other than the region where the characteristic part is shown in the genuine image and similarity of the region of the characteristic part.

According to this aspect, even when a photographed image of a non-genuine product to which a characteristic part having been detached from a genuine product is attached is transmitted from a user, the similarity other than the characteristic part is used for the evaluation, and the reliability can be evaluated appropriately.

In the product evaluation device according to another aspect, the designation information may be a guide image for specifying a characteristic part of a product.

According to this aspect, a characteristic part of a product is visually recognizable, which allows a user to easily take a photographed image.

The product evaluation device according to another aspect may further include a generation means for generating the guide image based on the genuine image corresponding to a product attribute specified by the product specifying information.

According to this aspect, it is possible to easily prepare a guide image to be output to a user.

Advantageous Effects of Invention

According to one aspect of the present invention, it is possible to reduce the cases where a fake product is registered as a product for trade.

DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS

An embodiment of the present invention is described hereinafter in detail with reference to the appended drawings. Note that, in the description of the drawings, the same or equivalent elements are denoted by the same reference symbols, and the redundant explanation thereof is omitted.

FIG.1is a view showing a system that includes a product evaluation device according to this embodiment. A product evaluation device1is implemented in an electronic commerce server that runs an electronic commerce site, for example. The product evaluation device1can communicate with a user's terminal, device T through a network. A user of the terminal device T is a store that sells products on the electronic commerce site, for example.

Further, the product evaluation device1may be implemented in a server that runs an auction site. In this case, a user of the terminal device T is a seller on an auction, for example.

Furthermore, the product evaluation device1may be implemented in a server different from a server that runs an electronic commerce site or an auction site.

FIG.2is a block diagram showing a functional configuration of the product evaluation device1according to this embodiment. The product evaluation device1according to this embodiment is implemented in an electronic commerce server. The electronic commerce server receives registration of product information about a product for trade from a store and presents the product information in response to a request for presenting the product information from a user who wishes to purchase the product. Further, the electronic commerce server can perform payment processing or the like related to the trade of a product.

As shown, inFIG.2, the product evaluation device1according to this embodiment functionally includes a receiving unit11(receiving means), a request unit12(acquisition means, request means), an image acquisition unit13, an evaluation unit14(evaluation means), and an output unit115(output means). The product evaluation device1may further include a generation unit16(generation means). Further, the product evaluation device1may include a product registration receiving unit21, a product information request receiving unit22, and a product information output unit23(output means) as functions of an electronic commerce site. The functional units of the product evaluation device1can access storage means such as a characteristic information storage unit31(characteristic information storage means) and a product information storage unit32(product information storage means). Note that, although the characteristic information storage unit31and the product information storage unit32are placed in another device that is connected to the product evaluation device1via a network, they may be included in the product evaluation device1.

FIG.3is a view showing a hardware configuration of the product evaluation device1. As shown inFIG.3, the product evaluation device1is physically configured as a computer system that includes a CPU101, a main storage device102such, as memory like RAM and ROM, an auxiliary storage device103such as a hard disk, a communication control device104such as a network card, an input device105such as a keyboard and a mouse, an output device106such as a display and the like.

The functions shown inFIG.2are implemented by loading given computer software (product evaluation program) onto hardware such as the CPU101or the main storage device102shown inFIG.3, making the communication control device104, the input device105and the output device106operate under control of the CPU101, and performing reading and writing of data in the main storage device102or the auxiliary storage device103. Data and database required for the processing is stored in the main storage device102or the auxiliary storage device103.

The functional units of the product evaluation device1are described hereinafter. Prior to describing the functional units11to16, the functional units21to23and the product information storage unit32for constructing an electronic commerce site are described. The product registration receiving unit21is a part that receives registration of product information of a product for trade from the terminal device T of a user (store). The product information contains information such as a product name, a product attribute, a price, a product image and the like. The product registration receiving unit21stores the received product information into the product information storage unit32. The product information storage unit32is a storage means for storing product information of products for trade.

The product information request receiving unit22is a part that receives a request for presenting product information from the terminal device of a user who is thinking about purchasing a product. Specifically, the product information request receiving unit22can receive a request containing designation of a product name. Further, the product information request receiving unit22may receive a search request containing designation of a product attribute.

The product information output unit23is a part that, in response to a request for presenting product information received by the product information request receiving unit22, outputs the product information to the terminal device that has made the request. For example, when a request containing designation of a product name is received, the product information output unit23extracts the product information of the designated product name from the product information storage unit32and transmits the extracted product information to the terminal device that has made the request. Further, when a search request containing designation of a product attribute or a character string being a part of a product name as search criteria is received, the product information output unit23extracts the product information that matches the search criteria from the product information storage unit32and transmits the extracted product information to the terminal device that has made the request.

The functional units11to16of the product evaluation device1are described hereinafter. The receiving unit11is a part that receives product specifying information that can specify a product attribute. Specifically, for example, the receiving unit11receives the product specifying information of a product to be registered as a product for trade from the terminal device of a user (store). In this embodiment, the product attribute is information for specifying the corresponding designation information (which is described later), and it is information such as a product itself, a genre name, a brand name or a brand series name. Note that, as the information indicating a product itself, a product name or a product ID may be used. The product specifying information is a product name, a product ID, a genre name, a brand name, a name of a product series, an era, a product image and the like, for example. Note that in this embodiment, when registration of the product information is received by the product registration receiving unit21, the receiving unit11may receive the product specifying information in link with the registration.

The request unit12is a part that acquires designation information corresponding to a product attribute specified by the product specifying information from the characteristic information storage unit31that stores a genuine image showing a characteristic part for evaluating whether it is a genuine product for each product attribute and designation information that designates the characteristic part in association with each, other. Further, the request unit12is a part that designates a characteristic part of a product based on the designation information acquired from the characteristic information storage unit31and requests a user to take a photograph and requests a photographed image obtained by the photographing. The characteristic part of a product is a part by which the product can be distinguished from another product, and there may be a plurality of characteristic parts for one product. Specificaly, for example, the request unit12extracts the designation information corresponding to the product specifying information received by the receiving unit11by referring to the characteristic information storage unit31. Then, the request unit12transmits the extracted designation information to the terminal device T of the user and thereby requests the user to take a photograph (photographed image) showing the characteristic part designated by the designation information.

To be more specific, the request unit12specifies a product attribute corresponding to the product specifying information received by the receiving unit11. For example, when a product name is received as the product specifying information, the request unit12specifies the same product name, or a corresponding genre name, brand name or a series name, from a plurality of product attributes stored in the characteristic information storage unit31. To specify the corresponding genre name or the like, data in which product names and genre names are associated, which is separately prepared, is used.

The characteristic information storage unit31is a storage means for storing designation information, and a genuine image in association with product specifying information.FIG.4is a view schematically showing a configuration of the characteristic information storage unit31and an example of data stored therein. As shown inFIG.4, the characteristic information storage unit31stores designation information I1and a genuine image F1in association with product specifying information A1.

The designation information may be text information indicating a characteristic part of a product or an image showing a characteristic part, for example. The image showing a characteristic part may be the same as the genuine image. Further, the designation information may be a guide image that can specify a characteristic part. The guide image is an image schematically showing the shape or the position of a characteristic part, and it may be an image showing the outline of a characteristic part, for example. Further, the guide image may contain text which is a message that prompts a user to take a photograph of a characteristic part. By sending such a guide image to a user, the user can visually recognize a characteristic part of a product, which allows the user to easily take a photographed image.

FIG.5is a view showing examples of a guide image. The guide image Shown inFIG.5(a)schematically shows a label and a part in which the label is placed, where the shape of the label is represented by the dotted line. The guide image may be an image showing the corner positions of the label shape. Note that the guide image may be prestored in the characteristic information storage unit31or generated from a genuine image as described later. The guide image shown inFIG.5(b)schematically shows a button and a part in which the button is placed, where the shape of the button is represented by the dotted line. Further, the guide image shown inFIG.5(c)schematically shows a pocket and a part in which the pocket is placed, where the shape of the pocket is represented by the dotted line.

The genuine image is an image that shows a characteristic part of a genuine product of a product specified by the product specifying information. The genuine image is an image that is referred to for calculating the reliability of a photographed image that is acquired from the terminal T of a user who has responded to a request, as described later, and it is used for the calculation of the similarity to the photographed image. For example, in a product such as jeans, parts such as a pocket, a label and a stitch are characteristic for each brand, and it serves as a key to distinguish whether it is a genuine product or not. Thus, those parts can be used as characteristic parts.

FIG.6is a view schematically showing examples of a genuine image. The genuine images shown inFIGS.6(a) to6(c)correspond to the guide images shown inFIGS.5(a) to5(c), respectively. Specifically, the genuine image shown inFIG.6(a)is an image of a label and a part in which the label is placed on a genuine product of a product specified by the product specifying information associated in the characteristic information storage unit31(FIG.4). Further, the genuine image shown inFIG.6(b)is an image of a button and a part in which the button is placed on a genuine product of a product specified by the product specifying information associated in the characteristic information storage unit31. The genuine image shown inFIG.6(c)is an image of a pocket and a part in which the pocket is placed on a genuine product of a product specified by the product specifying information associated in the characteristic information storage unit31. Note that the genuine images are prestored in the characteristic information storage unit31, and they may be provided from the manufacturer of the product or the like, for example.

The image acquisition unit13is a part that acquires a photographed image taken by a user in response to a request from the request unit12. Specifically, a user takes a photographed image, which is an image of a characteristic part of a product to be registered as a product for trade, based on designation information by using the terminal device T. Relating to this photographing, the terminal device T may have a configuration that displays a guide image superimposed on an image in a viewfinder indicating a position to be photographed. This allows a user to take a photographed image easily. Then, when the photographed image taken in the terminal device T is transmitted to the product evaluation device1, the image acquisition unit13acquires the photographed image transmitted from the terminal device T. Thus, the photographed image is an image obtained by a user by taking an image of a characteristic part designated by the designation information and transmitted to the product evaluation device1.

The evaluation unit14is a part that calculates the reliability based on the similarity between a genuine image showing a characteristic part of a genuine product of a product specified by the product specifying information and a photographed image acquired by the image acquisition unit13. The reliability is higher as the similarity of the photographed image to the genuine image is higher, and it is a value indicating the likelihood that the product shown in the photographed image is a genuine product. The evaluation unit14can evaluate the similarity between a photographed image and a genuine image by known image processing technology.

Note that, when the similarity between a region in which a characteristic part of a product is shown in a photographed image and a region in which the characteristic part is shown in a genuine image is a specified value or higher, the evaluation unit14may calculate the reliability based on the similarity between a region other than the region in which the characteristic part of the product is shown in the photographed image and a region other than the region in which the characteristic part is shown in the genuine image and the similarity of the region of the characteristic part. Thus, even when a photographed image of a non-genuine product to which a characteristic part such as a label or a button having been detached from a genuine product is attached is transmitted from a user, the similarity other than the characteristic part (for example, cloth) is used for the evaluation, and the reliability can be evaluated appropriately.

The output unit15is a part that outputs an evaluation result evaluated by the evaluation unit14. In this embodiment, the reliability is output as one example of the evaluation result.FIG.7is a view showing one example of an evaluation result output from the output unit15. As shown inFIG.7, the evaluation result contains information such as the reliability “90%” associated with the product ID “M1”. The product ID is information that is added when a request for registration of a product from the terminal device T of a user is received by the product registration receiving unit21, for example, to identify the product. It is thereby possible to determine the probability that the product is a genuine product based on the evaluation result. This reduces the cases where a fake product is registered as a product for trade. The output of an evaluation result is specifically described below.

The output unit15can notify a user of an evaluation result. Specifically, the output unit15transmits an evaluation result containing the reliability to the terminal device T of a user. This enables the user to determine the probability that a product shown in a photographed image is a genuine product. Further, the output unit15may display an evaluation result on a display means (one example of an output device106) included in the product evaluation device1.

Further, the output unit15may display an evaluation result on a product page in which a product is displayed for trading of the product. To be specific, the output unit15displays the reliability contained in an evaluation result on a product page that is output from the product information output unit23in response to a request from the user terminal of a user who is thinking about purchasing a product so as to present information about the product to the user, for example.FIG.8is a view showing one example of a product page on which the reliability is displayed. The product page shown inFIG.8is a page for presenting information about a product (jeans) with the product ID “M1” to a user and contains display such as “reliability 90%” indicating the reliability.

Further, the output unit15may store an evaluation result in association with the corresponding product in the product information storage unit32.FIG.9is a view schematically showing a configuration of the product information storage unit32and an example of data stored therein. The product information storage unit32is a storage means for storing product information of products for trade as described earlier, and it stores a product ID that identifies a product in association with a price and other attribute information. Then, as shown inFIG.9, the output unit15can store the reliability evaluated by the evaluation unit14in association with each product ID. For example, data indicating the reliability “90%” is associated with the product ID “M1”, and data indicating the reliability “95%” is associated with the product ID “M2”. In this manner, by associating the reliability with product information, when the product information output unit23outputs the product information in response to a request from a user who is thinking about purchasing a product, it is possible to reflect the reliability on the way of presenting the product information.

For example, the product information output unit23may output the product information of a product where the reliability is a specified value or more. Specifically, the product information output unit23may extract, from the product information storage unit32, the product information corresponding to a request for presenting product information from a terminal device and transmits, to the terminal device that has made the request, the product information with which the reliability of a specified value or more is associated among the extracted product information. This prevents the presentation of the product information of a product that is likely to be fake.

Further, when presenting a plurality of product information, the product information output unit23may output them so that product information with higher reliability is displayed preferentially. Specifically, when a search request that specifies search criteria is received from a terminal device, the product information output unit23extracts the product information that matches the search criteria from the product information storage unit32, and sorts the extracted plurality of product information in descending order of reliability and transmits them to the terminal device that has made the request. This allows the product information of a product that is likely to be fake to be less likely to be displayed.

Further, the output unit15may perform control so that the product information corresponding to a photographed image where the reliability is less than a specified value is not stored in the product information storage unit32. Specifically, even when the product registration receiving unit21receives registration of product information to register a certain product as a product for trade from the terminal device T of a user, if the reliability evaluated by the evaluation unit14for the photographed image of this product is less than a specified value, the output unit15performs control so that the product information of this product is not registered and stored in the product information storage unit32. This prevents the registration of the product information of a product that is likely to be fake in the product information storage unit32, and it is thereby possible to avoid that a product likely to be fake is registered as a product for trade.

Further, the output unit15can output supplementary product information to be associated as attribute information with a product for which registration of product information is received by the product registration receiving unit21so as to be registered as a product for trade. Specifically, the evaluation unit14first extracts, as supplementary product information, the product specifying information associated with a genuine image having the similarity of a specified value or more to the photographed image acquired by the image acquisition unit13by referring to the characteristic information storage unit31. Then, the output unit15outputs the extracted supplementary product information.

The output of the supplementary product information is specifically described with reference toFIG.4. When it is assumed that product specifying information A2that specifies a product to be registered as a product for trade is received by the receiving unit11, for example, the request unit12transmits designation information I2that is associated with the product specifying information A2to the terminal device T and requests a user to take a photographed image. When the image acquisition unit13acquires a photographed image B that is transmitted from the terminal device T in response to the request, the evaluation unit14evaluates the similarity between a genuine image F2that is associated with the product specifying information A2and the photographed image B. Further, the evaluation unit14evaluates the similarity between another genuine image stored in the characteristic information storage unit31and the photographed image B. For example, when the similarity between the photographed image B and a genuine image F3is higher than the similarity between the photographed image B and the genuine image F2and is equal to or more than a specified value, the evaluation unit14extracts product specifying information A3that is associated with, the genuine image F3. Then, the output unit15outputs the attribute information contained in the product specifying information A3as the supplementary product information. An example of the output of the supplementary product information may be transmission to the terminal device T for presentation to a user or registration as the attribute information of the product in the product information storage unit32. As a result, information with higher likelihood is output as the information that specifies the product shown in the photographed image, and it is possible to determine the probability that the product is a genuine product.

Referring back toFIG.2, the generation unit16is a part that generates a guide image based on a genuine image showing a characteristic part of a genuine product. The generation of a guide image is described with reference toFIG.10.FIG.10(a)is a genuine image FXshowing a label and its vicinity attached to a genuine product of a certain product. The generation unit16generates a guide image IXas shown inFIG.10(b)based on the genuine image FX. The generation of a guide image can be achieved by known image processing technology, and the guide image IXcan be generated by extracting the outline of the label by detection of the edges or the corners of the genuine image FX. It is thereby possible to easily prepare a guide image as the designation information to be output to a user.

Another example of the evaluation of the reliability by the evaluation unit14is described hereinafter. The evaluation unit14may calculate the reliability based on a difference between a plurality of position information corresponding to the plurality of photographed images provided for one product. In this case, the request unit12requests a user to take, for one product, a plurality of photographed images with which position information indicating a place where a characteristic part is photographed. By requesting a user to take a plurality of photographed images, the more strict evaluation of the reliability is achieved. When making this request, the request unit12may present a plurality of designation information to a user. The image acquisition unit13acquires a plurality of photographed images transmitted from the user in response to the request.FIG.11is a view showing an example of a plurality of photographed images transmitted from the terminal device T for the evaluation of the reliability on one product. Each of those photographed images shows a characteristic part of a product and contains position information indicating a place where the characteristic part is photographed.

FIG.11(a)shows a photographed image B61showing a label. The photographed image B61has position information G61.FIG.11(b)shows a photographed image B62showing a buckle. The photographed image B62has position information G62.FIG.11(c)shows a photographed image B63showing a cloth. The photographed image B63has position information G63.

In the case where there is a difference of a specified magnitude or more between the position information associated with the respective photographed images, the evaluation unit14evaluates the reliability to be lower than the case where a difference between the plurality of position information is less than a specified magnitude. In the case where the position information associated with each of a plurality of photographed images is different from each other, there is a possibility that at least any one of the acquired photographed images is not an image of a product for trade. In such a case, by evaluating the reliability of the product to be lower, it is possible to prevent that a product that is likely to be fake is registered as a product for trade.

Specifically, the evaluation unit14first calculates temporary reliability based on the similarly between the photographed images B61, B62and B63and the corresponding genuine images. The evaluation unit14compares the positions indicated by the photographed images B61, B62and B63, and when there is a difference of a specified magnitude or more, outputs a value lower than the temporary reliability as the reliability of the product. The calculation of the reliability in this case may be made by subtracting a specified value from the temporary reliability or by multiplying the temporary reliability by a specified coefficient.

Another example of the evaluation of the reliability by the evaluation unit14is described hereinafter with reference toFIG.12. In this example, in the case where the photographed image acquired by the image acquisition unit13is the same as the photographed image of another product acquired from the same user, the evaluation unit14evaluates the reliability to be lower than the case where they are not the same. Another product is a product of the same type as and is a different product from the product shown in the photographed image. When the photographed image acquired from a user as the photographed image of a product for trade is the same as the photographed image of another product acquired from the same user, there is a possibility that the photographed image is not an image of a product for trade. In such a case, the reliability of the product is evaluated to be lower, and it is thus possible to prevent that a product that is likely to be fake is registered as a product for trade.

Specifically, for those evaluations, photographed images that are acquired for the evaluation of the reliability by the evaluation unit14are stored in association with the product ID of each product in the product information storage unit32.FIG.12is a view showing the configuration of the product information storage unit32storing photographed images and an example of data stored therein. As shown inFIG.12, the product information storage unit32stores a price, a user ID, other attribute information, evaluated reliability and a photographed image in association with a product ID. When it is assumed that the image acquisition unit13acquires a photographed image B5of a certain product (which is different from the products M1to M4) from a user with the user ID “U04” for registration as a product for trade, the evaluation unit14first calculates temporary reliability based on the similarity between the photographed image B5and the corresponding genuine image. The evaluation unit14compares the photographed image B5with the photographed image B4acquired in the past from the user with the user ID “U04”, and when they are the same, outputs a value lower than the temporary reliability as the reliability of the product. The calculation of the reliability in this case may be made by subtracting a specified value from the temporary reliability or by multiplying the temporary reliability by a specified coefficient.

A product evaluation method according to this embodiment is described hereinafter with reference toFIG.13.FIG.13is a flowchart showing an example of a process of a product evaluation method in the product evaluation device1shown inFIG.2.

First, the receiving unit11receives the product specifying information of a product to be registered as a product for trade from the terminal device T of a user (S1). After receiving the product specifying information, the request unit12acquires the designation information that designates a characteristic part of the product specified by the product specifying information from the characteristic information storage unit31(S2). The request unit12then transmits the designation information acquired in Step S2to the terminal device T of the user (S3). A request for taking a photographed image showing a characteristic part is thereby made to a user.

Then, the image acquisition unit13acquires the photographed image taken and transmitted from the terminal device T of the user in response to the request from the request unit12(S4). After acquiring the photographed image, the evaluation unit14calculates the reliability based on the similarity between a genuine image showing a characteristic part of a genuine product of the product specified by the product specifying information and the photographed image.

After that, the output unit15outputs an evaluation result containing the reliability evaluated in Step S5(S6).

A product evaluation program that causes a computer to function as the product evaluation device1is described hereinafter with reference toFIG.14. A product evaluation program1pincludes a main module m10, a receiving module m11, a request module m12, an image acquisition module m13, an evaluation module m14, and an output module m15. The product evaluation program1pmay further include a generation module m16.

The main module m10is a part that exercises control over the product evaluation processing. The functions implemented by executing the receiving module m11, the request module m12, the image acquisition module m13, the evaluation module m14, the output module m15and the generation module m16are respectively the same as the functions of the receiving unit11, the request unit12, the image acquisition unit13, the evaluation unit14, the output unit15and the generation unit16of the product evaluation device1shown inFIG.2.

The product evaluation program1pis provided through a storage medium1dsuch as CD-ROM or DVD-ROM or semiconductor memory, for example. Further, the product evaluation program1pmay be provided as a computer data signal superimposed onto a carrier wave over a communication network.

According to the product evaluation device1, the product evaluation method and the product evaluation program1pof this embodiment described above, a request for taking a photograph of a characteristic part of a product is made to a user, and a photographed image that is taken by the user in response to the request is acquired. In other words, a request for acquiring an image of a characteristic part which allows discrimination between a genuine item and a fake item is made to a user. It is thereby possible to suppress the possibility that a fake item is registered as a product for trade.

An embodiment of the present invention is described in detail above. However, the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment. Various changes and modifications may be made to the present invention without departing from the scope of the invention.

Although a user of the terminal device T is a store on an electronic commerce site or a seller on an auction site in the above-described embodiment, it may be a user who has purchased a product on an electronic commerce site, an auction site or the like. In this case, the user can recognize the probability that the purchased product is a genuine product. To be specific, the following aspect can be implemented. The product evaluation device1displays a verify button to verify that a purchased product is a genuine product on a user's product purchase history screen. When the verify button is pressed, the product specifying information that specifies the corresponding product is received by the receiving unit11, and the request unit12transmits and displays a guide image corresponding to the product specifying information on the terminal device of the user. The user takes a photograph of a characteristic part of the purchased product by using the terminal device on which the guide image is displayed and transmits the photographed image showing the characteristic part to the product evaluation device1, the evaluation unit14calculates the reliability based on the similarity between a genuine image registered for the product by a seller and the photographed image. Then, the output unit15outputs an evaluation result containing the reliability to the terminal device of the user. The user can thereby obtain the reliability of the product which has been delivered to the user.

Further, the above-described aspect may be applied as a system for a user who is thinking about purchasing a product in a real store to obtain an evaluation result of the product. Specifically, a user who is thinking about purchasing a product sends a photographed image of a characteristic part of the product to the product evaluation device1in a store and can thereby obtain an evaluation result containing the reliability whether the product is a genuine product or not.

Further, although the product evaluation device1is included in an electronic commerce server that runs an electronic commerce site in the above-described embodiment, the product evaluation device1may be included in a terminal device that is used by a user. In this case, some or all of the functional units11to16shown inFIG.2are implemented in the terminal device. For example, all of the functional units11to15may be included in the terminal device, or the functional units11to13and15may be included in the terminal device and the evaluation unit14may be included in the server. In such a terminal device, when a user who is thinking about purchasing a product in a real store inputs the product specifying information of that product to the terminal device, the product specifying information is received by the receiving unit11. Then, the request unit12presents the designation information corresponding to the input product specifying information and requests the user to take a photograph of a characteristic part of the product. When the user takes a photograph of the characteristic part of the product in response to the request, the image acquisition unit113acquires the photographed image showing the characteristic part. The evaluation unit14calculates the reliability based on the similarity between the acquired photographed image and a corresponding genuine image. Then, the output unit15presents the reliability to the user. Because the reliability is presented to the user in this manner, the user can recognize the probability that the product is a genuine product.

Further, the evaluation of the similarity between a photographed image and a genuine image may be done by a person. In this case, the evaluation unit14may display a photographed image and a genuine image next to each other on a display means to receive the input of an evaluation by a person.

Further, according to the above-described terminal device that includes some or all of the functional units11to16, a user who has purchased a product transmits the product specifying information of the purchased product and transmits a. photographed image in response to a request from the request unit12, the evaluation of the reliability of the photographed image is made and then the reliability is output to the user, and the user can thereby recognize the probability that the purchased product is a genuine product.

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