Information processing system and information processing method

Abstract

[Object] To provide an information processing system and an information processing method to enable an automatic response to be performed with higher affinity in accordance with a mental condition of a user. [Solution] An information processing system including: a database that accumulates a relationship between a user for which a virtual agent is substituted and a partner user as a communication partner on a network; and a control unit that generates a message in accordance with a mental condition of the partner user and the relationship between the user and the partner user, and sends the message from the virtual agent to the partner user.

1 . An information processing system comprising:
 circuitry configured to:
 detect an emotion or a mental condition of a first user; 
 automatically generate a message based on messages previously sent and received between a second user and the first user having the emotion or the mental condition; and 
 send the message from a virtual agent serving as a substitute user of the second user to the first user. 
   
     
     
         2 . The information processing system according to  claim 1 , wherein the circuitry is configured to:
 automatically generate the message based on a relationship, and the messages previously sent and received, between the first user and the second user.   
     
     
         3 . The information processing system according to  claim 1 , wherein the circuitry is configured to:
 automatically generate the message based on messages previously sent and received between the second user and a third user having a same relationship as a relationship between the first user and the second user.   
     
     
         4 . The information processing system according to  claim 1 , wherein the circuitry is configured to:
 send the message from the virtual agent to the first user and the second user.   
     
     
         5 . The information processing system according to  claim 1 , wherein the circuitry is configured to:
 determine whether to automatically send the message from the virtual agent to the first user in accordance with a setting input via a user interface.   
     
     
         6 . The information processing system according to  claim 1 , wherein the circuitry is configured to:
 determine whether to obtain permission from the second user before sending the message to the first user in accordance with a setting input via a user interface.   
     
     
         7 . The information processing system according to  claim 1 , wherein the message sent from the virtual agent is displayed differently from a message sent from the second user. 
     
     
         8 . The information processing system according to  claim 1 , wherein the circuitry is configured to:
 determine whether to automatically send the message to the first user from the virtual agent in accordance with a setting associated with the detected mental condition that is input via a user interface.   
     
     
         9 . The information processing system according to  claim 1 , wherein the circuitry is configured to:
 determine whether to automatically send the message to the first user from the virtual agent based on a time slot in accordance with a setting input via a user interface.   
     
     
         10 . The information processing system according to  claim 1 , wherein the circuitry is configured to:
 edit the automatically generated message in response to a request of the second user.   
     
     
         11 . An information processing method comprising:
 detecting an emotion or a mental condition of a first user;   automatically generating, by circuitry of an information processing system, a message based on messages previously sent and received between a second user and the first user having the emotion or the mental condition; and   sending, by the circuitry, the message from a virtual agent serving as a substitute user of the second user to the first user.   
     
     
         12 . The information processing method according to  claim 11 , wherein the automatically generating comprises:
 automatically generating the message based on a relationship, and the messages previously sent and received, between the first user and the second user.   
     
     
         13 . The information processing method according to  claim 11 , wherein the automatically generating comprises:
 automatically generating the message based on messages previously sent and received between the second user and a third user having a same relationship as a relationship between the first user and the second user.   
     
     
         14 . The information processing method according to  claim 11 , further comprising:
 sending the message from the virtual agent to the first user and the second user.   
     
     
         15 . The information processing method according to  claim 11 , further comprising:
 determining whether to automatically send the message from the virtual agent to the first user in accordance with a setting input via a user interface.   
     
     
         16 . The information processing method according to  claim 11 , further comprising:
 determining whether to obtain permission from the second user before sending the message to the first user in accordance with a setting input via a user interface.   
     
     
         17 . The information processing method according to  claim 11 , wherein the message sent from the virtual agent is displayed differently from a message sent from the second user. 
     
     
         18 . The information processing method according to  claim 11 , further comprising:
 determining whether to automatically send the message to the first user from the virtual agent in accordance with a setting associated with the detected mental condition that is input via a user interface.   
     
     
         19 . The information processing method according to  claim 11 , further comprising:
 determining whether to automatically send the message to the first user from the virtual agent based on a time slot in accordance with a setting input via a user interface.   
     
     
         20 . A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing instructions which when executed by a processor, cause the processor to perform a method comprising:
 detecting an emotion or a mental condition of a first user;   automatically generating a message based on messages previously sent and received between a second user and the first user having the emotion or the mental condition; and   sending the message from a virtual agent serving as a substitute user of the second user to the first user.