Patent Publication Number: US-2015088621-A1

Title: Input device, signage server, and input method

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The present disclosure relates to an input device, a signage server, and an input method for updating advertising information displayed on a signage display device. 
     2. Description of the Related Art 
     The use of digital signage is increasing not only in large-scale facilities, but also in small-scale facilities such as stores. In the digital signage of the store, a plurality of screens are often sequentially changed like a slide show so as to introduce recommended products continuously to present information to a customer. 
     PTL 1 discloses a method in which a portable terminal transmits a photographed image of a content displayed on a display device and a requesting message including position and time at a photographing time point to a content distribution server, and the content distribution server searches for a display device existing at the received position, searches for a content similar to the received image at the received time, and specifies the display device displaying the content. 
     CITATION LIST 
     Patent Literature 
     PTL 1: Unexamined Japanese Patent Publication No. 2011-76336 
     In the small-scale facilities, the updating of the advertising information of the digital signage is not carried out by a professional operator, but is often carried out by employees of the store. 
     The advertising information often needs to be updated during the open hours of the store, for example, at the time of product change due to time sale, sold-out stock, and the like. 
     Thus, it is desirable to easily update the advertising information during the open hours of the store without going through trouble of having the employee of the store specify which portion of which advertising information to update. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The present disclosure provides an information updating device for easily changing display-content information while checking content information of a content displayed on a display device. 
     An input device according to the present disclosure is an input device that changes the content in conjunction with a display of the content of a signage terminal, and includes a change instructing unit configured to input a change instruction with respect to the content displayed on the signage terminal, and a transmitting unit configured to transmit a device ID, which specifies the signage terminal, and the change instruction. 
     The input device according to the present disclosure can easily change advertising information in conjunction with advertising information displayed on the signage terminal. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a block diagram of a signage system according to a first exemplary embodiment; 
         FIG. 2  is a view showing one example of a display of advertising information in a signage terminal according to the first exemplary embodiment; 
         FIG. 3  is a view describing a data structure of the advertising information of  FIG. 2 ; 
         FIG. 4  is a view showing one example of a template DB according to the first exemplary embodiment; 
         FIG. 5  is a view showing one example of a business category DB according to the first exemplary embodiment; 
         FIG. 6  is a view showing one example of a content DB according to the first exemplary embodiment; 
         FIG. 7  is a view showing one example of a device management DB according to the first exemplary embodiment; 
         FIG. 8  is a flowchart of a displaying process of the advertising information in the signage terminal according to the first exemplary embodiment; 
         FIG. 9  is a view describing update of the content of the advertising information according to the first exemplary embodiment; 
         FIG. 10  is a view briefly describing a process of update of the content of the advertising information according to the first exemplary embodiment; 
         FIG. 11  is a flowchart showing a process of a content specifying unit according to the first exemplary embodiment; 
         FIG. 12  is a flowchart showing a process of an updating area specifying unit according to the first exemplary embodiment; 
         FIG. 13  is a view showing one example of a keyword table according to the first exemplary embodiment; 
         FIG. 14  is a flowchart showing a process of an updating unit according to the first exemplary embodiment; 
         FIG. 15  is a view describing update of the content of the advertising information according to a second exemplary embodiment; 
         FIG. 16  is a view briefly describing a process of update of the content of the advertising information according to the second exemplary embodiment; 
         FIG. 17  is a view describing the update of the content of the advertising information according to a third exemplary embodiment; 
         FIG. 18  is a view briefly describing a process of update of the content of the advertising information according to the third exemplary embodiment; and 
         FIG. 19  is a view describing the update of the content of the advertising information according to a fourth exemplary embodiment. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     Hereinafter, exemplary embodiments will be described in detail with reference to the drawings as appropriate. Description in more detail than necessary will be omitted. For example, the detailed description of the already well-known matter and the redundant description on substantially the same configuration may be omitted. This is to prevent the following description from becoming unnecessarily redundant and to facilitate the understanding of those skilled in the art. 
     The applicant provides the accompanying drawings and the following description to enable those skilled in the art to fully understand the present disclosure, and do not intend to limit the subject matter described in the claims with the drawings and the description. 
     Hereinafter, the exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure will be described with reference to the drawings. 
     First Exemplary Embodiment 
     A signage system according to the present exemplary embodiment will be described below. 
     [1-1. Configuration of Signage System] 
       FIG. 1  is a block diagram of a signage system according to the present exemplary embodiment. 
     Signage system  100  is configured by input device  101 , with which an employee of a store issues a change instruction of advertising information, signage server  102  that accepts change in the advertising information and reflects the change information on the content of the signage, and signage terminal  103  that receives and displays the content of the signage. Input device  101  is a portable device such as a smartphone. 
     Input device  101  includes change instructing unit  104  and transmitting unit  105 . Change instructing unit  104  has a function of change instruction by speech from a microphone, change instruction by character input from a touch panel, and the like. Transmitting unit  105  transmits the change instruction to signage server  102 . 
     Change instructing unit  104  is realized, for example, by a display device such as a liquid crystal display, and a processor that executes a predetermined process. Transmitting unit  105  is realized, for example, by a wireless or wired communication device and a processor that executes a predetermined process. 
     Signage server  102  is configured by receiving unit  106  that accepts the change instruction of the advertising information from input device  101 , content specifying unit  107  that specifies which content the change instruction of the advertising information is, recognition processing unit  108  that converts to text and extracts a keyword from the text if the content information of the change instruction of the advertising information is speech, extracts a keyword from the text if the content information of the change instruction of the advertising information is text; updating area specifying unit  109  that specifies an updating area from the content specified by content specifying unit  107  and the keyword extracted by recognition processing unit  108 ; updating unit  110  that updates the specified updating area; distributing unit  111  that distributes the content to signage terminal  103 ; schedule managing unit  112  that manages a distribution schedule of the content, which is the advertising information, to signage terminal  103 ; template DB  113  that manages a template defining a display format of the content for each type of advertising information; business category DB  114  that manages a text item that can be used in the template for each type of advertising information; content DB  115  that manages a playlist defining a reproduction order of the content; device management DB  116  that manages device information for specifying signage terminal  103  displaying the advertising information; and keyword table  117  in which the text item that can be used in the template for each type of advertising information is associated with the keyword used in the advertising information by business category. 
     Receiving unit  106  and distributing unit  111  are realized, for example, by a wireless or wired communication device, and a processor that executes a predetermined process. Content specifying unit  107 , recognition processing unit  108 , updating area specifying unit  109 , updating unit  110 , and schedule managing unit  112  are realized by a processor that executes a predetermined process. Such functions may be realized with one processor, or may be assigned to and realized with a plurality of processors. Template DB  113 , business category DB  114 , content DB  115 , device management DB  116 , and keyword table  117  are, for example, realized by an optically-readable or a magnetically-readable recording medium. 
     Signage terminal  103  includes display unit  118  that receives a content from signage server  102 , and displays the received content. 
     Display unit  118  is realized, for example, by a wireless or wired communication device, a display device such as a liquid crystal display, and a processor that executes a predetermined process. 
     [1-2. Structure of Advertising Information] 
       FIG. 2  is a view showing one example of a display of the advertising information in signage terminal  103 . The advertising information is an advertisement for an electrical appliance store, and contents, which are the advertising information, are displayed in order. In content C 1 , the text “Pana Store” and “Thank you for using our services” which indicate that content C 1  is an advertisement for the electrical appliance store are displayed, and a “salesperson” and an “appearance of store” are displayed with images. Content C 1  is displayed for 20 seconds, for example. Content C 2  is displayed after content C 1 . Content C 2  is an advertisement for a digital camera, which is a product of the electrical appliance store. In content C 2 , the text “Highly Recommended Product”, “Popular Model!” “Digital Camera LunaX”, “Special Price ¥22,300” are displayed, and the “digital camera” is displayed with a picture. Content C 2  is displayed for 10 seconds, for example. Content C 3  is displayed after content C 2 . Content C 3  is an advertisement for a dry cell battery, which is a product of the electrical appliance store. In content C 3 , the text “Highly Recommended Product”, “New Limited Color!”, “ECOVOLT”, “¥1,800 for Pack of Eight AA Size Batteries” are displayed, and a “dry cell battery” is displayed with an image. Content C 3  is displayed for 10 seconds, for example. Content C 4  is displayed after content C 3 . Content C 4  has the same display-content information as content C 2 . Content C 4  is displayed for 10 seconds, for example. Content C 5  is displayed after content C 4 . Content C 5  has the same display-content information as content C 3 . Content C 5  is displayed for 10 seconds, for example. 
     The data structure of the content, which is the advertising information, will be described below using one example of the content of  FIG. 2 .  FIG. 3  is a view describing the data structure of the content, which is the advertising information, of  FIG. 2 . Contents C 1 , C 2 , C 3 , C 4 , and C 5  are configured using a template managed by template DB  113 . Content C 1  uses the template in which the template_id is “te 11 ”, and contents C 2 , C 3 , C 4 , and C 5  use a template in which the template_id is “te 12 ”. Each of the templates is configured by a rectangle indicating an arrangement region, and a text item and an image item in the rectangle. Template “te 11 ” includes arrangement regions for the “title”, the “greeting”, the “person”, and the “store view”. Template “te 12 ” includes arrangement regions for the “title”, the “product description”, the “product name”, the “price”, and the “product”. Among the types shown in the rectangles of the templates “te 11 ”, “te 12 ”, the text items are managed by business category DB  114 . For the text item that can be used in the “advertisement of electrical appliance store”, the title, the greeting, the product name, the product description, and the price are managed as the text items. Therefore, in template “te 11 ”, the rectangles where the “title” and the “greeting” are shown are for text, and the rectangles where the “person” and the “store view” are shown are for images other than the text. In template “te 12 ”, the rectangles where the “title”, the “product description”, the “product name”, and the “price” are shown are for text, and the rectangle where the “product” is shown is for image other than the text. 
       FIG. 4  is a view showing one example of template DB  113  according to the present exemplary embodiment. Template DB  113  manages the template defining the display format of the content for every type of advertising information. Template DB  113  manages template  401  for “advertisement of electrical appliance store”, template  402  for “office bulletin board”, and template  403  for “conference room guide”. The templates are configured by a rectangle indicating the arrangement region, and the text item and the image item in the rectangle. Template  401  for “advertisement of electrical appliance store” defines template_id “te 11 ”, “te 12 ” described in  FIG. 3 . Template  402  for “office bulletin board” defines template_id “te 21 ”, “te 22 ”. Template “te 21 ” includes the arrangement regions for the “title”, the “publication date”, and the “informative matter”. Template “te 22 ” includes the arrangement regions for the “title”, the “publication date”, the “informative matter”, and the “picture”. Template  403  for “conference room guide” defines template_id “te 31 ”, “te 32 ”. Template “te 31 ” includes the arrangement regions for the “title”, the “date and time”, the “place”, and the “name of conference”. Template “te 32 ” includes the arrangement regions for the “title”, the “name of conference”, the “date and time”, the “place”, and the “subject”. 
       FIG. 5  is a view showing one example of business category DB  114  according to the present exemplary embodiment. Business category DB  114  manages the text item that can be used in the template for every type of advertising information managed in template DB  113 . Business category DB  114  manages item  501  for text that can be used in the “advertisement of electrical appliance store”, item  502  for text that can be used in the “office bulletin board”, and item  503  for text that can be used in the “conference room guide”. For item  501  for text that can be used in the “advertisement of electrical appliance store”, the title, the greeting, the product name, the product description, and the price are managed. For item  502  for text that can be used in the “office bulletin board”, the title, the informative matter, and the publication date are managed. For item  503  for text that can be used in the “conference room guide”, the title, the date and time, the place, the name of conference, and the subject are managed. 
       FIG. 6  is a view showing one example of content DB  115  according to the present exemplary embodiment. Content DB  115  of  FIG. 6  will be described as one example with respect to the content of the advertising information of  FIG. 2 . Content DB  115  manages, as a set, device ID  601  which specifies signage terminal  103 , and playlist  602  which defines the reproduction order of the content. Device ID  601  is an ID that specifies signage terminal  103  managed by device management DB  116 , and device ID  601  is “AABB”. Playlist  602  is one example of the content of the advertising information of  FIG. 2 , and is defined in the order of the contents C 1 , C 2 , C 3 , C 4 , and C 5  as the reproduction order. Each content is defined with Start_time which indicates the starting time of the display of the content, Duration which indicates the duration of the display of the content, and Content_id which specifies the content. The Content_id is hereinafter sometimes referred to as content ID. 
     In content C 1 , Start_time is defined as “8:30” past the hour, that is, 8 minutes 30 seconds past the hour, Duration is defined as “20” seconds, and Content_id is defined as “100”. In Content_id “100”, the template_id of template DB  113  uses “te 11 ”, and the text “Pana Store” is associated with the item “title” shown in the rectangle of template “te 11 ”, the text “Thank you for using our services” is associated with the item “greeting”, the image “ID1234.jpg” is associated with the item “person”, and the image “Pana1.jpg” is associated with the item “store view”. In content C 2 , Start_time is defined as “8:50”, that is, 8 minutes 50 seconds past the hour, Duration is defined as “10” seconds, and Content_id is defined as “ 101 ”. In Content_id “ 101 ”, the template_id of template DB  113  uses “te 12 ”, and the text “Highly Recommended Product” is associated with the item “title” shown in the rectangle of template “te 12 ”, the text “Popular Model!” is associated with the item “product description”, the text “Digital Camera LunaX” is associated with the item “product name”, the text “Special Price ¥22,300” is associated with the item “price”, and the image “LunaX.jpg” is associated with the item “product”. In content C 3 , Start_time is defined as “9:00”, that is, 9 minutes 00 seconds past the hour, Duration is defined as “10” seconds, and Content_id is defined as “ 102 ”. In content_id “ 102 ”, the template_id of template DB  113  uses “te 12 ”, and the text “Highly Recommended Product” is associated with the item “title” shown in the rectangle of template “te 12 ”, the text “New Limited Color!” is associated with the item “product description”, the text “ECOVOLT” is associated with the item “product name”, the text “¥1,800 for Pack of Eight AA Size Batteries” is associated with the item “price”, and the image “Ecovolt.jpg” is associated with the item “product”. In content C 4 , Start_time is defined as “9:10”, that is, 9 minutes 10 seconds past the hour, Duration is defined as “10” seconds, and Content_id is defined as “ 101 ”. Content_id “ 101 ” is defined as described above. In content C 5 , Start_time is defined as “9:20”, that is, 9 minutes 20 seconds past the hour, Duration is defined as “10” seconds, and Content_id is defined as “ 102 ”. Content_id “ 102 ” is defined as described above. 
       FIG. 7  is a view showing one example of device management DB  116  according to the present exemplary embodiment. Device management DB  116  manages an IP address for specifying a logical address of signage terminal  103 , and an MAC address for specifying a physical address of signage terminal  103  in association with device ID to specify signage terminal  103 . By way of example, definition is made such that the device ID “AABB” is associated with the IP address “190.140.0.2” and the MAC address “03-AA-45-4G-32-12”, and the device ID “YYZZ” is associated with the IP address “190.132.1.3” and the MAC address “44-AF-32-45-12-00”. 
     [1-3. Display of Advertising Information] 
     Next, the operation of distributing the content, which is the advertising information, from signage server  102  to signage terminal  103 , and displaying such content in signage terminal  103  will be described. 
     Signage terminal  103  displays the content distributed from distributing unit  111  of signage server  102  on display unit  118 . 
     Schedule managing unit  112  transmits an instruction to distribute the content necessary for the display to distributing unit  111  periodically or as needed. For example, once a day, the content to be displayed on the distributing date may be collectively distributed to signage terminal  103  through distributing unit  111 . 
     The specification of signage terminal  103  uses device ID  601  of content DB  115 . When carrying out the distribution, distributing unit  111  specifies signage terminal  103  of a distributing destination using the IP address and the MAC address corresponding to the device ID of device management DB  116 . 
       FIG. 8  is a flowchart of the displaying process of the advertising information in signage terminal  103  according to the present exemplary embodiment. The process of receiving the content distributed from distributing unit  111  in signage terminal  103  and displaying the content on display unit  118  will be described with reference to  FIG. 8 . 
     (S 801 ) Display unit  118  receives playlist  602  of content DB  115  as the content, which is the advertising information, from distributing unit  111 , and caches the content in a cache memory (not shown) of signage terminal  103 . 
     (S 802 ) Display unit  118  compares the current time and Start_time indicating the starting time of the display of the content of the playlist, and specifies the content ID of the content to be displayed. For example, if playlist  602  is the content of the advertising information of  FIG. 2  and the current time is 10:00:00, the display target is content C 1 , that is, the content ID “ 100 ”. 
     (S 803 ) Display unit  118  loads the content corresponding to the specified content ID “ 100 ” from the cache memory of signage terminal  103  by 10:08:30, which is the starting time of the display of the content, and starts the display at 10:08:30, which is the starting time of the display of the content. 
     (S 804 ) Display unit  118  checks if the time of the next distribution of distributing unit  111  is reached, and if the next distribution time is reached (if Yes), the process is terminated, and if the next distribution time is not reached (if No), the process proceeds to S 805 . 
     (S 805 ) Display unit  118  compares the current time with the time T in which the duration time Duration of the display of the content is added to the starting time of the display of the currently displayed content ID. If the time T has passed the current time (if Yes), the process returns to S 802 , and if the time T has not reached the current time (if No), the display is continued and the process again returns to S 805 . If the time T has passed the current time (if Yes), the process returns to S 802  to display content C 2 , which is the next content. 
     The content of the advertising information is displayed on signage terminal  103  in the above manner. 
     [1-4. Update of Advertising Information] 
     Next, the process of updating the content of the advertising information displayed on signage terminal  103  using input device  101  will be described. 
       FIG. 9  is a view describing the update of the content of the advertising information according to the present exemplary embodiment.  FIG. 9  describes a case of updating the display-content information of content C 2  or content C 4  when the content of the advertising information described in  FIG. 2  is displayed on signage terminal  103 . While content C 2  or content C 4  is displayed, the change instruction by speech is given from a microphone of change instructing unit  104  of input device  101 . Specifically, the display of the “Highly Recommended Product” of content C 2  or content C 4  is changed to “Recommended Product of the Day”. 
       FIG. 10  is a view briefly describing the process of update of the content of the advertising information according to the present exemplary embodiment. While content C 2  or content C 4  is displayed, the change instruction “Recommended Product of the Day” is input by speech from the microphone of change instructing unit  104  of input device  101 . Transmitting unit  105  transmits the input change instruction “Recommended Product of the Day” to signage server  102 . Signage server  102  specifies the content ID corresponding to the change instruction, and specifies the template used by the specified content ID. Further, the change instruction by speech is converted to text. A keyword that matches the change instruction converted to text is searched using a keyword table, to be described later, in which the text item used by the template is associated with the keyword, and the text item with respect to the matching keyword is specified. With respect to the content ID to change, the specified text item is updated to the content information of the change instruction converted to text. Specifically, the content ID of corresponding content C 2  or content C 4  is “ 101 ”, and the template used is template “te 12 ”. The keyword that matches the keyword table is “recommended”, and the corresponding text item is the “title”. The text “Highly Recommended Product” corresponding to the text item “title” of content ID “ 101 ” is updated to “Recommended Product of the Day”. 
     In order for input device  101  to transmit the change instruction to signage server  102  and update the content of the advertising information of signage terminal  103 , input device  101  needs to notify, to signage server  102 , which display of signage terminal  103  is to be updated. Thus, input device  101  needs to transmit the device ID for identifying signage terminal  103  to signage server  102  before or simultaneously with the change instruction. Input device  101  needs to acquire the device ID of signage terminal  103  beforehand. 
     The acquiring method of the device ID of signage terminal  103  in input device  101  includes acquiring, from signage terminal  103 , the device ID of signage terminal  103  using Wi-Fi Direct (registered trademark) in which the devices directly communicate one-to-one, which is one of the functions of the wireless LAN, using infrared communication, and using other wireless functions. The acquiring method of the device ID may be arbitrary, and the present disclosure is not limited thereto. 
     While content C 2  or content C 4  is displayed, the change instruction “Recommended Product of the Day” by speech is input from the microphone of change instructing unit  104  of input device  101 . 
     Transmitting unit  105  of input device  101  transmits, to signage server  102 , input information of “Recommended Product of the Day”, which is the change instruction by speech, the device ID for specifying signage terminal  103 , and the input time. The input time is a set of an input start time and an input end time. 
     The device ID may not be transmitted simultaneously with the change instruction, and may be transmitted before the change instruction. 
     Receiving unit  106  of signage server  102  receives the input information of “Recommended Product of the Day”, which is the change instruction by speech, the input time, and the device ID. Receiving unit  106  transmits the input time and the device ID to content specifying unit  107 , and transmits the input information of “Recommended Product of the Day”, which is the change instruction by speech, to recognition processing unit  108 . 
       FIG. 11  is a flowchart showing the process of content specifying unit  107  according to the present exemplary embodiment. 
     (S 1101 ) Content specifying unit  107  specifies matching device ID  601  of the contents managed in content DB  115  from the transmitted device ID and input time. 
     (S 1102 ) Content specifying unit  107  specifies corresponding playlist  602  from specified device ID  601  and the input time. 
     (S 1103 ) Content specifying unit  107  acquires the starting time and the duration time of the content of specified playlist  602 . 
     (S 1104 ) Content specifying unit  107  compares the starting time and the duration time of the content and the transmitted input time, and if the input time is within the display time of the content (if Yes), the process proceeds to S 1105 . If the input time is outside the display time of the content (if No), the process returns to S 1103  and the process on the next content is performed. 
     (S 1105 ) Content specifying unit  107  specifies the content ID to be updated. In  FIG. 10 , the specified content ID is “ 101 ”. Content specifying unit  107  transmits specified content ID “ 101 ” to updating area specifying unit  109 . 
     In recognition processing unit  108 , the input information “Recommended Product of the Day”, which is the transmitted change instruction by speech is recognized by speech recognition, and converted to the text information “Recommended Product of the Day”. Recognition processing unit  108  transmits the text information “Recommended Product of the Day” to updating area specifying unit  109 . 
       FIG. 12  is a flowchart showing the process of updating area specifying unit  109  according to the present exemplary embodiment. 
     (S 1201 ) Updating area specifying unit  109  specifies template “te 12 ” used by content ID “ 101 ” from content ID “ 101 ” specified by content specifying unit  107 . It can be seen that specified template “te 12 ” is template  401  for “advertisement of electrical appliance store” of template DB  113 . 
       FIG. 13  is a view showing keyword table  117  according to the present exemplary embodiment. Keyword table  117  is a table in which the keyword used in the advertising information by business category is associated with the text item that can be used in the template for every type of advertising information of business category DB  114 . The type of advertising information corresponds to the type of the advertising information defined in business category DB  114 . Thus, keyword table  117  includes table  1301  for “advertisement of electrical appliance store”, table  1302  for “office bulletin board”, and table  1303  for “conference room guide”. In table  1301  for “advertisement of electrical appliance store”, keywords “product”, “recommended”, “highly recommended”, and “the day” correspond to the text item “title”, and the keywords “yen”, “price”, and “inquiry” correspond to the text item “price”, the keywords “ECOVOLT” and “LunaX” correspond to the text item “product name”, and the keywords “new”, “popular”, “model”, “product”, and “limited” correspond to the text item “product description”. In table  1302  for “office bulletin board”, the keywords “important”, “case”, and “notification” correspond to the text item “title”, the keyword “day” corresponds to the text item “publication date”, and the keywords “you”, “end of document”, and “note” correspond to the text item “informative matter”. In table  1303  for “conference room guide”, the keywords “notice” and “guide” correspond to the text item “title”, the keyword “date” corresponds to the text item “date and time”, the keywords “conference room”, “reception office”, and “large hall” correspond to the text item “place”, and the keywords “presentation” and “decision” correspond to the text item “subject”. 
     In updating area specifying unit  109 , specified template “te 12 ” is template  401  for “advertisement of electrical appliance store” of template DB  113 , and thus the table corresponding to the template is template  401  of “advertisement of electrical appliance store”. 
     (S 1202 ) Updating area specifying unit  109  searches in which keyword of template  401  of “advertisement of electrical appliance store” the text information for “advertisement of electrical appliance store”, i.e., “Recommended Product of the Day” is included. Template  401  of “advertisement of electrical appliance store” includes the keywords “recommended”, “the day”, and “product”. 
     (S 1203 ) In template  401  of “advertisement of electrical appliance store”, the text item of the keywords “recommended” and “the day” is “title”, and the text item of the keyword “product” is “product description”. Among the extracted keywords, the text item is “title” in two keywords and is “product description” in one keyword. Updating area specifying unit  109  adopts the text item that matches the keyword of a greater number, and specifies the area to be changed as the text item “title”. Updating area specifying unit  109  transmits specified content ID “ 101 ”, text information “Recommended Product of the Day”, and the text item “title” to updating unit  110 . 
     The specification of the text item in updating area specifying unit  109  is determined by the number of text items with respect to the keyword included in the text information, but the present disclosure is not limited thereto. For example, weighting may be given on the text item in view of the frequency of changing. Specifically, the weighting is determined such that “product description”&gt;“price”&gt;“title”&gt;“product name”, and with respect to the text information “Recommended Product of the Day”, the text item of the keywords “recommended” and “the day” is “title”, and the text item of the keyword “product” is the “product description” in template  401  of “advertisement of electrical appliance store”. In the text items “title” and “product description”, higher weighting given to the “product description” and thus it is specified as the text item “product description”. 
       FIG. 14  is a flowchart showing the process of updating unit  110  according to the present exemplary embodiment. 
     (S 1401 ) Updating unit  110  specifies content ID “ 101 ” to update from playlist  602  included in content DB  115  from content ID “ 101 ” acquired from updating area specifying unit  109 . 
     (S 1402 ) With respect to specified content ID “ 101 ”, updating area specifying unit  109  changes the “Highly Recommended Product” of the text item “title” of content ID “ 101 ” to “Recommended Product of the Day”, from the text information “Recommended Product of the Day” and the text item “title” acquired from updating area specifying unit  109 . 
     (S 1403 ) Updating unit  110  registers updated content ID “ 101 ” to content DB  115 , updates content DB  115 , and notifies schedule managing unit  112  that content ID “ 101 ” is updated. 
     When the notification that content ID “ 101 ” is updated is received from updating unit  110 , schedule managing unit  112  transmits the instruction to distribute the updated content to distributing unit  111 . Device ID  601  corresponding to the content to be updated of content DB  115  is used for the specification of signage terminal  103 . In distributing the content, distributing unit  111  specifies signage terminal  103  of the distributing destination using the IP address and the MAC address corresponding to the device ID of device management DB  116 . 
     The process of receiving the content distributed from distributing unit  111  in signage terminal  103  and displaying the content on display unit  118  is as described in  FIG. 8 . In the present exemplary embodiment, recognition processing unit  108  has been described as the configuration of signage server  102 , but it may be the function of input device  101 , and after speech information is converted to text information in input device  101 , transmitting unit  105  may transmit the text information to receiving unit  106  of signage server  102 . 
     [1-5. Effect] 
     Accordingly, input device  101  of the present disclosure is input device  101  that performs change of the content in conjunction with the display of the content of signage terminal  103 , and includes change instructing unit  104  configured to input the change instruction with respect to the content displayed on signage terminal  103 , and transmitting unit  105  configured to transmit the device ID that specifies signage terminal  103  and the change instruction. Signage server  102  of the present disclosure is signage server  102  that controls the change instruction with respect to the content displayed on signage terminal  103  of input device  101  in conjunction with the display of the content of signage terminal  103 , and includes receiving unit  106  configured to receive the device ID that specifies signage terminal  103  and the change instruction from input device  101 , content specifying unit  107  configured to specify the content to be changed based on the device ID and the change instruction, updating area specifying unit  109  configured to specify the changing area with respect to the content specified by content specifying unit  107  based on the change instruction, updating unit  110  configured to change the content based on the changing area, and distributing unit  111  configured to transmit the changed content. Furthermore, signage server  102  of the present disclosure further includes keyword table  117  in which the item is associated with the keyword. The content is configured by a template defined by the arrangement region and the item arranged in the arrangement region, and updating area specifying unit  109  specifies the keyword that matches the changing instruction from the keywords of keyword table  117 , and determines an item corresponding to the specified keyword for specifying the changing area with respect to the content specified by content specifying unit  107 . 
     Thus, when the employee of the store desires to change the displayed content of signage terminal  103 , the employee can update the advertising information without going through trouble of specifying which content information of which content to update, by simply activating input device  101  and inputting the content information to update in change instructing unit  104 . 
     Furthermore, signage server  102  of the present disclosure further includes recognition processing unit  108  configured to convert the change instruction, which is speech, to text information. 
     The employee of the store can update the advertising information without going through trouble of specifying which content information of which content to update, by inputting the change instruction from change instructing unit  104  with a microphone. 
     Second Exemplary Embodiment 
     A second exemplary embodiment with respect to the change of the advertising information in signage system  100  according to the present disclosure will be described below. 
     [2-1. Update of Advertising Information] 
       FIG. 15  is a view describing the update of the content of the advertising information according to the present exemplary embodiment. The present exemplary embodiment differs from the first exemplary embodiment in the data structure of the advertising information. The difference also lies in that change instructing unit  104  of input device  101  transmits the change instruction with the image data photographed by the camera function of input device  101  added to the change instruction. 
       FIG. 15  describes a case of updating the display-content information of content C 6 , for example, when the content of the advertising information is displayed on signage terminal  103 . While content C 6  is displayed, the change instruction by speech is given from the microphone of change instructing unit  104  of input device  101 . The image data is transmitted with the change instruction. Specifically, the change instruction of changing the display of content C 6  “Digital Camera LunaX” to “LunaX2”, and changing the image of the digital camera is given. 
       FIG. 16  is a view briefly describing the process of update of the content of the advertising information according to the present exemplary embodiment. While content C 6  is displayed, the change instruction “LunaX2” is input by speech from the microphone of change instructing unit  104  of input device  101 , and saved as the image data “LunaX2.jpg” of the digital camera photographed using the camera function. Transmitting unit  105  transmits the input change instruction “LunaX2” and the image data “LunaX2.jpg” to signage server  102 . 
     The data structure of content C 6  will now be described. As shown in the lower left of  FIG. 16 , content C 6  uses a template in which the content ID is “ 103 ” and the template_id is “te 13 ”. The template is configured by a rectangle showing the arrangement region, and the text item and the image item in the rectangle. Template “te 13 ” includes the arrangement regions for the “title”, the “product description”, the “price”, the “product”, and the “product name”. Among the types shown in the rectangle of template “te 13 ”, the text item is managed by business category DB  114 . For the text item that can be used in the “advertisement of electrical appliance store”, the title, the greeting, the product name, the product description, and the price are managed as the text items. In template “te 13 ”, the rectangles where the “title”, the “product description”, the “product name”, and the “price” are shown are for text, and the other “product” is for image other than the text. The second exemplary embodiment is different from the first exemplary embodiment in that the “product”, which is the image item, and the “product name” managed as the text item are associated and managed as a set. 
     Content ID “ 103 ” is defined with the text “Highly Recommended Product” associated with the item “title” shown in the rectangle of template “te 13 ”, the text “Popular Model!” associated with the item “product description”, the text “Digital Camera LunaX” associated with the item “product name”, the text “Special Price ¥22,300” associated with the item “price”, and the image “LunaX.jpg” associated with respect to the item “product”. 
     Signage server  102  specifies the content ID corresponding to the change instruction, and specifies the template used by the specified content ID. The change instruction by speech is converted to text. The keyword that matches the change instruction converted to text is searched using the keyword table in which the text item used by the template is associated with the keyword, and the text item with respect to the matching keyword is specified. The specified text item is updated to the content information of the change instruction converted to text with respect to the content ID to change. If the image item is managed as a set with the text item, the image item is also updated to the content information of the change instruction. Specifically, the content ID of content C 6  is “ 103 ”, and the template used is template “te 13 ”. The keyword that matches the keyword table is “LunaX” and the corresponding text item is the “product name”. The text item “product name” is managed as a set with the image item “product”. The text “Digital Camera LunaX” corresponding to the text item “product name” of content ID “ 103 ” is updated to “LunaX2”, and the image data “LunaX.jpg” corresponding to the image item “product” is updated to “LunaX2.jpg”. 
     [2-2. Effect] 
     Therefore, in signage server  102  of the present disclosure, the change instruction is speech and image data, and signage server  102  further includes recognition processing unit  108  configured to convert the speech of the change instruction to text information, and the template is configured by a set of a first arrangement region and an text item arranged in the first arrangement region, and a second arrangement region and an image item arranged in the second arrangement region, updating area specifying unit  109  specifies a keyword that matches the text converted in recognition processing unit  108  from the keywords of keyword table  117 , determines a text item corresponding to the specified keyword, and specifies the changing area with respect to the content specified in content specifying unit  107 . 
     Thus, the image can be updated without going through trouble of specifying which image to update in the content in which a plurality of images are displayed, by defining the template in which the image is associated with the text. 
     In the present exemplary embodiment, the change instruction has been described as being transmitted with the image data photographed by the camera function of input device  101  added thereto, but the image data stored in input device  101  may also be used. 
     Third Exemplary Embodiment 
     A third exemplary embodiment with respect to the change of the advertising information in signage system  100  according to the present disclosure will be described below. 
     [3-1. Update of Advertising Information] 
       FIG. 17  is a view describing the update of the content of the advertising information according to the present exemplary embodiment. The present exemplary embodiment differs from the first exemplary embodiment in the data structure of the advertising information. Further, the difference also lies in that change instructing unit  104  of input device  101  further has a function of change instruction using the image data photographed by the camera function. Updating area specifying unit  109  of signage server  102  differs in the specifying procedure of content ID “ 101 ” to update. 
       FIG. 17  describes a case of updating the display-content information of content C 7 , for example, when the content of the advertising information is displayed on signage terminal  103 . While content C 7  is displayed, the change instruction using the image data photographed by the camera of change instructing unit  104  of input device  101  is given. Specifically, the change instruction to change the display of the image of “president” of content C 6  to the image of a different “president” is given. The image data to change is “Staff02.jpg”, and such image data includes a tag “face”. 
       FIG. 18  is a view briefly describing the process of update of the content of the advertising information according to the present exemplary embodiment. While content C 7  is displayed, the change instruction “Staff02.jpg” is given using the image data photographed using the camera function of change instructing unit  104  of input device  101 . Transmitting unit  105  transmits input change instruction “Staff02.jpg” to signage server  102 . 
     The data structure of content C 7  will now be described. As shown in the lower left of  FIG. 18 , content C 7  uses the template in which the content ID is “ 104 ” and the template_id is “te 14 ”. The template is configured by a rectangle showing the arrangement region, and a text item and an image item in the rectangle. Template “te 14 ” includes the arrangement regions for the “title”, the “staff picture”, the “staff name”, the “product description”, and the “product picture”. Among the types shown in the rectangle of template “te 14 ”, the image item is managed by business category DB  114 . For the image item used in the “advertisement of electrical appliance store”, the staff picture and the product description are managed as the image items. In template “te 14 ”, the rectangles where the “staff picture” and the “product picture” are shown are for image, and the rectangles where the “title”, the “staff name” and the “product description” are shown are for text other than the image. The third exemplary embodiment is different from the first exemplary embodiment in that the item managed by business category DB  114  is the image item. 
     Content ID “ 104 ” is defined with the text “recommended product by staff of Pana Store” associated with the item “title” shown in the rectangle of template “te 14 ”, the text “Good Value Television!” associated with the item “product description”, the image “Staff02.jpg” associated with the item “staff picture”, the text “President” associated with the item “staff name”, and the image “TV.jpg” associated with the item “product picture”. 
     The keyword table is a table in which the keyword used in the advertising information by business category is associated with the image item that can be used in the template for each type of advertising information. The keyword table used in  FIG. 18  is the table for the “advertisement of electrical appliance store”. In the table for the “advertisement of electrical appliance store”, the keywords “person” and “face” correspond to the image item “staff picture”, and the keywords “television” and “camera” correspond to the image item “product picture”. 
     Signage server  102  specifies the content ID corresponding to the change instruction, and specifies the template used by the specified content ID. The keyword that matches a tag included in the image data, which is the change instruction, is searched using the keyword table in which the image item used by the template is associated with the keyword, and the image item with respect to the matched keyword is specified. The specified image item is updated to the image data of the change instruction with respect to the content ID to change. Specifically, the content ID of content C 7  is “ 104 ”, and the template used is template “te 14 ”. The keyword that matches the keyword table is the “face”, and the corresponding image item is the “staff picture”. The image data “Staff01.jpg” corresponding to the image item “staff picture” of content ID “ 104 ” is updated to “Staff02.jpg”. 
     [3-2. Effect] 
     As described above, in signage server  102  of the present disclosure, the change instruction is the image data, the image data includes a tag, updating area specifying unit  109  specifies the keyword that matches the tag from the keywords of keyword table  117  and determines an item corresponding to the specified keyword for specifying the changing area with respect to the content specified by content specifying unit  107 . 
     Thus, the employee of the store can update the advertising information without going through trouble of specifying which content information of which content to update, by simply activating input device  101  and photographing the image data to update with change instructing unit  104  such as the camera. 
     The image data for change instruction is the image data photographed by the camera, but may be the image data accumulated in a storage region of input device  101 . 
     Fourth Exemplary Embodiment 
     A fourth exemplary embodiment with respect to the change of the advertising information in signage system  100  according to the present disclosure will be described below. 
     [4-1. Update of Advertising Information] 
     In the first exemplary embodiment, the specification of the text item in updating area specifying unit  109  has been determined with the number of text items with respect to the keyword included in the text information, but in the present exemplary embodiment, the specification is not merely determined with the number of text items and the employee of the store may select whether to determine by performing weighting on the text item in view of the frequency of change. 
       FIG. 19  is a view describing the update of the content of the advertising information according to the present exemplary embodiment. 
       FIG. 19  describes a case of updating the display-content information of content C 2  or content C 4 , for example, when the content of the advertising information is displayed on signage terminal  103 . While content C 2  or content C 4  is displayed, the change instruction by speech is given from the microphone of change instructing unit  104  of input device  101 . Signage server  102  enables the employee of the store to select whether to change the display of “Highly Recommended Product” of content C 2  or content C 4  to “Recommended Product of the Day”, or to change the display of “Popular Model!” of content C 2  or content C 4  to “Recommended Product of the Day”. 
     [4-2. Effect] 
     As described above, in signage server  102  of the present disclosure, updating area specifying unit  109  extracts candidates of a plurality of changing areas with respect to the content specified by content specifying unit  107 , and carries out a check for specifying one of the candidates of the plurality of changing areas on input device  101 . 
     Thus, since the updating area is not specified to one and the candidates are displayed to the employee of the store to enable the employee to select one of the candidates, erroneous determination can be reduced.