Information notification method, information notification system, and server device

An information notification system for providing information from a server device to a plurality of user-registered devices connected to a network,

• the server device comprising:
• a first processor;
• and
• a first non-transitory computer-readable recording medium storing:
• first executable instructions;
• a history information table in which operation histories of the plurality of user-registered devices are stored;
• an information provider table in which setting information is registered, the setting information including at least one notification content that the information provider provides and at least one notification condition that corresponds one-to-one with the notification content, the notification condition specifying, by using a geographical area, a device usage period, and a device usage rate, a condition for a target user to whom the notification content is provided, the notification content including a notification content transmitted at a timing at which the target user awakes, a notification content transmitted at a timing at which the target user goes out of home, and a notification content transmitted at a timing at which the target user comes home;
• and
• a notification timing information table including a plurality of items each indicating a type of a notification timing in correspondence with an event specifying arrival of a notification timing, an event type, and a target device, the events each specifying arrival of a notification timing including an event specifying arrival of the timing at which the target user awakes, an event specifying arrival of the timing at which the target user goes out of home, and an event specifying arrival of the timing at which the target user comes home, each of the notification contents created by the information provider with use of the notification timing, the event type, and the target device, wherein
• the first executable instructions, when executed by the first processor, cause the server device to:
• acquire operation histories from the user-registered devices and update the history information table each day through adding the acquired operation histories to the history information table;
• read the setting information from the information provider table;
• specify at least one target user from among a plurality of registered users whose user information meets the geographical area, the device usage period, and the device usage rate included in the read setting information;
• collect operation histories of devices, among the user-registered devices, that are owned by the target user within a classification period of N days from an ith day to an (i+N)th day according to date, specify, for each day, periods during which the devices owned by the target user are operating and not operating, and extract a no-operation period which is a period between 0:00 and 24:00 in which none of the devices owned by the target user is operated on any of N days from the ith day to the (i+N)th day;
• and
• transmit, when a new operation history is added to the history information table and the devices owned by the target user are not operated within a period continuing until the current time, corresponding to the no-operation period, the notification content indicated by the read setting information to one of the devices owned by the target user upon occurrence of the event specifying arrival of the timing at which the target user awakes, the event specifying arrival of the timing at which the target user goes out of home, or the event specifying arrival of the timing at which the target user comes home as indicated in the notification timing information table, wherein
• (i) the event specifying arrival of the timing at which the target user awakes is a timing after an elapse of the no-operation period since a user operation of turning off a light in a bedroom before the elapse of the no-operation period,
• (ii) the event specifying arrival of the timing at which the target user goes out of home is a timing of a user operation of turning off all the devices except for the devices that are turned on all day, and
• (iii) the event specifying arrival of the timing at which the target user comes home is a timing of a user operation of any device within the home after all the devices except for the devices that are turned on all day are turned off.

A server device for providing information to a plurality of user-registered devices connected to a network, comprising:

• a processor;
• and
• a non-transitory computer-readable recording medium storing:
• executable instructions;
• a history information table in which operation histories of the plurality of user-registered devices are stored;
• an information provider table in which setting information is registered, the setting information including at least one notification content that the information provider provides and at least one notification condition that corresponds one-to-one with the notification content, the notification condition specifying, by using a geographical area, a device usage period, and a device usage rate, a condition for a target user to whom the notification content is provided, the notification content including a notification content transmitted at a timing at which the target user awakes, a notification content transmitted at a timing at which the target user goes out of home, and a notification content transmitted at a timing at which the target user comes home;
• and
• a notification timing information table including a plurality of items each indicating a type of a notification timing in correspondence with an event specifying arrival of a notification timing, an event type, and a target device, the events each specifying arrival of a notification timing including an event specifying arrival of the timing at which the target user awakes, an event specifying arrival of the timing at which the target user goes out of home, and an event specifying arrival of the timing at which the target user comes home, each of the notification contents created by the information provider with use of the notification timing, the event type, and the target device, wherein
• when executed by the processor, cause the server device to:
• acquire operation histories from the user-registered devices and update the history information table each day through adding the acquired operation histories to the history information table;
• read the setting information from the information provider table;
• specify at least one target user from among a plurality of registered users whose user information meets the geographical area, the device usage period, and the device usage rate included in the read setting information;
• collect operation histories of devices, among the user-registered devices, that are owned by the target user within a classification period of N days from an ith day to an (i+N)th day according to date, specify, for each day, periods during which the devices owned by the target user are operating and not operating, and extract a no-operation period which is a period between 0:00 and 24:00 in which none of the devices owned by the target user is operated on any of N days from the ith day to the (i+N)th day;
• and
• transmit, when a new operation history is added to the history information table and the devices owned by the target user are not operated within a period continuing until the current time, corresponding to the no-operation period, the notification content indicated by the read setting information to one of the devices owned by the target user upon occurrence of the event specifying arrival of the timing at which the target user awakes, the event specifying arrival of the timing at which the target user goes out of home, or the event specifying arrival of the timing at which the target user comes home as indicated in the notification timing information table, wherein
• (i) the event specifying arrival of the timing at which the target user awakes is a timing after an elapse of the no-operation period since a user operation of turning off a light in a bedroom before the elapse of the no-operation period,
• (ii) the event specifying arrival of the timing at which the target user goes out of home is a timing of a user operation of turning off all the devices except for the devices that are turned on all day, and
• (iii) the event specifying arrival of the timing at which the target user comes home is a timing of a user operation of any device within the home after all the devices except for the devices that are turned on all day are turned off.