Abstract: A control method for an information processing apparatus including a processor includes: obtaining information about an amount of an item stored in a storage structure; determining whether the information about the amount of the item satisfies a first condition or not, the first condition indicating that the amount of the item is less than or equal to a given amount; and, when the first condition is satisfied, displaying, on a display, a screen including: information about the item; information related to the amount of the item, indicating that the amount of the item is less than or equal to the given amount; and a purchase suggestion for a product corresponding to the item.

Abstract: An information providing method for providing a user who uses a device with information via a mobile owned by the user, the method generating the information to be provided to the user, in accordance with: lifestyle information obtained by a lifestyle information obtaining unit receiving the lifestyle information from the device used by the user, the lifestyle information being information on a state of operation of the device; and location information obtained by a location information obtaining unit receiving the location information indicating a location to which the user traveled.

Abstract: An information notification method for providing information from a server device to a plurality of devices connected to a network, including: reading notification information stored in association with information indicating a particular action of a user; acquiring operation histories of the plurality of devices; estimating, based on operation histories of one or more devices owned by the user among the plurality of devices, a no-operation period during which the user is unlikely to operate the one or more devices; determining, based on current operation state of the one or more devices, whether the particular action has been performed outside the no-operation period; and transmitting, when outcome of the determining is affirmative, the notification information associated with the particular action to a destination device among the one or more devices owned by the user. The destination device provides the user with the notification information.

Abstract: A first camera robot includes: a camera that captures an image of surroundings; an image recognizer that detects one or more subjects from within a captured image; a controller that selects an operation pattern of the first camera robot based on an attribute of one or more subjects detected, and causes the robot to operate according to the selected operation pattern; a communicator that transmits, to another camera robot, instruction information for causing the other robot to operate according to the selected operation pattern; and a shutter that outputs an image obtained by capturing the one or more subjects while the first camera robot and the other robot are operating according to the selected operation pattern.

Abstract: A control method includes: receiving first information pertaining to a first contract from a first terminal used by a first user who is one of two parties who have agreed to the first contract; when consent of a party aside from the two parties is required to validate the first contract, identifying a second user as the party aside from the two parties with reference to a ledger storing information pertaining to a past contract, and transmitting the first information to a second terminal operated by the second user; obtaining second information in which a confirmation result indicating whether the second user consents to the first contract and a digital signature of the second user are added to the first information; and confirming the second information, and when the confirmation result indicates consent, setting the first contract as a valid contract and storing the second information in the ledger.

Abstract: A control method is executed by a first server among a plurality of servers in a system including the plurality of servers and a generating device that generates record information about usage records for users belonging to one group when a service provided by a business operator is used on a group basis. The method includes: obtaining, from the generating device, first record information about a first usage record of a service by a first user belonging to the one group; determining whether the first record information obtained is permitted under a rule based on contract content, stored in the first server, of a contract entered into by the first user and the business operator; and forwarding first transaction data including a determination result to a plurality of second servers and storing a first block including the first transaction data in a distributed ledger managed by the first server.

Abstract: First information including first contract information indicating contract content of a first contract and a provisional contract flag indicating that the first contract information is a provisional contract is received from a first terminal used by a first user who is one of two parties that have agreed to the first contract, and is stored into a ledger. The first contract information obtained from the ledger is transmitted to a second terminal used by an auditor who inspects the first contract information. A check result indicating approval or disapproval of the first contract information by the auditor is received from the second terminal. When the check result indicates approval of the first contract information, second information including the first contract information and a definitive contract flag indicating that the first contract information has been adopted as a definitive contract is obtained and stored into the ledger.

Abstract: The present disclosure provides a management method for software versions which prevents falsification of information under management. In the management method, a first management apparatus among management apparatuses receives transaction data from an apparatus connected through a network to the first management apparatus, the transaction data including first information on a first version of software, second information on a second version of the software subjected to version upgrade from the first version by a software developer, identification information of the software developer, and an electronic signature. The first management apparatus validates legitimacy of the transaction data using the electronic signature included in the transaction data received. When the transaction data is legitimate, the management apparatuses store the transaction data in distributed ledgers.

Abstract: The present disclosure provides a management method for software versions to improve transaction safety of software. In the management method, among management apparatuses, a first token management apparatus obtains request information indicating a requested version requested by a user, and first transaction data indicating that the user provides predetermined number of tokens to a software developer who has developed the requested version is stored in distributed ledgers through execution of a consensus algorithm by the management apparatuses.

Abstract: An information management method collects log information of one or more home electrical apparatuses corresponding to service providers. Display screen data is generated which indicates a status of the log information. The display screen data includes groups of information which each contain information on an apparatus, a service provider corresponding to the apparatus, and log information output from the apparatus. Provision of the log information of each group is individually selectable. The display screen data is provided via a network to a display terminal that performs access to a server device. Information is received from the display terminal, which indicates that selection on whether or not provision of the log information is performed. Provision of the log information is not performed on the selected group when a determination is made that refusal of provision of the log information on the selected group is performed.

Abstract: A charging station charges an electric energy storage device, and includes: a battery authenticator that performs mutual authentication with the electric energy storage device connected for charging; a communicator that obtains, from the electric energy storage device whose validity is confirmed in the mutual authentication, a degree of deterioration related to deterioration of the electric energy storage device; a recorder that stores the degree of deterioration obtained by the communicator and that is tamper-resistant; and a controller that does not charge the electric energy storage device when the degree of deterioration of the electric energy storage device indicates that the deterioration is advanced beyond a predetermined threshold value.

Abstract: The present disclosure provides a management method for software versions to improve transaction safety of software. In the management method, among management apparatuses, a first token management apparatus obtains request information indicating a requested version requested by a user, and first transaction data indicating that the user provides predetermined number of tokens to a software developer who has developed the requested version is stored in distributed ledgers through execution of a consensus algorithm by the management apparatuses.

Abstract: A control method according to the present disclosure includes: receiving, from a terminal operated by a first user who is one of parties that have concluded a first contract, first transaction data that includes a first smart contract corresponding to the first contract and a first electronic signature associated with the first user; executing a consensus algorithm with a plurality of other servers; and recording a block including the first transaction data in a distributed ledger. The first smart contract includes (i) content of the first contract which is a main contract, (ii) a variable that is provisional and used for identifying a second smart contract corresponding to a second contract which is to be newly concluded as a sub contract of the first contract, and (iii) a condition for creation of the second smart contract.

Abstract: A control method includes obtaining, from a terminal, reservation information including use start date and time of an electric-powered vehicle that a first user hopes to use; obtaining an amount of remaining battery of the electric-powered vehicle; determining, based on the amount of remaining battery, whether an amount of remaining battery of the electric-powered vehicle is no less than a predetermined value at the use start date and time; and transmitting, to the terminal, notification information indicating a result of the determining. For example, the determination includes calculating, based on a predetermined charging characteristic unique to a battery of the electric-powered vehicle, an amount of remaining battery to be held by the electric-powered vehicle at the use start date and time upon the electric-powered vehicle being charged at a charging station; and determining whether the amount of remaining battery of the electric-powered vehicle is no less than the predetermined value.

Abstract: A vehicle in a driving management system including one or more authentication servers and one or more vehicles capable of switching between a manual driving mode and an automatic driving mode is provided. The vehicle includes a communication unit that communicate with at least one authentication server of the one or more authentication servers, and a detecting unit that detects switching between the manual driving mode where manual driving is performed, and an automatic driving mode where automatic driving is performed, based on a message issued by at least one of the plurality of electronic control processors. The vehicle also includes a generating unit that generates transaction data including information indicating the detected switching, and an identifier indicating the vehicle, and transmits, to the at least one authentication server, the transaction data.

Abstract: A control method is executed by one server out of a plurality of servers, each managing one of a plurality of distributed ledgers. The control method includes receiving first transaction data from a measured-value server over a network, the measured-value server providing, for each of one or more parameters for determining a price for a variable-price service, a measured value that corresponds to the parameter, and the first transaction data including the one or more parameters, the measured value, and a location and a time where and when the measured value is obtained; and transferring the received first transaction data to other servers different from the one server out of the plurality of servers and storing a first block including the first transaction data into a first distributed ledger managed by the one server.

Abstract: A control method includes obtaining, from a first terminal of a first user, reservation information including a use start date and time of an electric-powered vehicle that the first user hopes to use at a future time and that is being used by a second user; obtaining an amount of remaining battery of the electric-powered vehicle; calculating charge start date and time based on the amount of remaining battery obtained, the charge start date and time being a date and time at which the electric-powered vehicle should start being charged so that an amount of remaining battery of the electric-powered vehicle becomes no less than a predetermined value at the use start date and time included in the reservation information obtained; and transmitting notification information including the charge start date and time calculated to the electric-powered vehicle.

Abstract: Provided is a control method for a notification system including a notification device located inside a building. The control method includes: (a) obtaining face information of a deliverer of an article from an outside server; (b) obtaining a camera image of a face of a visitor to the building, the camera image being captured by a camera disposed outside the building; (c) verifying whether the visitor is the deliverer by comparing the face information and the camera image; and (d) when the visitor is verified to be the deliverer, notifying, by the notification device, a user of delivery information indicating that the deliverer of the article has arrived at the building.

Abstract: A control method includes: receiving application information including a scheduled date and time of a transaction, from a terminal; calculating, with reference to a distributed ledger, a fee based on a transaction by a first user recorded in the distributed ledger before the scheduled date and time included in the application information; transmitting fee information including the fee, to the terminal; receiving first transaction data including a first token quantity for the transaction, transferring the first transaction data to a plurality of other servers different from a server from among a plurality of servers, and storing a first block including the first transaction data in the distributed ledger; and receiving second transaction data including a second token quantity for the fee, transferring the second transaction data to the plurality of other servers, and storing a second block including the second transaction data in the distributed ledger.

Abstract: A voice dialogue method performed by a voice dialog system includes: a voice signal generation unit; a voice dialog agent unit; a voice output unit; and a voice input control unit, the method including: a step of, by the voice signal generation unit, receiving a voice input and generating a voice signal based on the received voice input; a step of, by the voice dialog agent unit, performing voice recognition processing on the voice signal and performing processing based on a result of the voice recognition processing to generate a response signal; a step of, by the voice output unit, outputting a voice based on the response signal; and a step of, when the voice output unit outputs the voice, by the voice input control unit, keeping the voice signal generation unit, for predetermined period after output of the voice, a receivable state in which a voice input is receivable.