Searching system, searching method, and searching program
A control unit outputs, to the user terminal, a first item including a first component value in a plurality of principal components composing items, and a plurality of item candidates including component values that are different from the first component value. The control unit specifies a second item selected in the user terminal from among the plurality of item candidates. The control unit calculates, for each principal component, the positional relationship between the first component value and a second component value of the second item. The control unit calculates, for each principal component, a distribution based on the component values according to the positional relationship. The control unit newly generates, for the second item, a plurality of item candidates on the basis of the distribution based on the component values. The new item candidates are output to the user terminal.
1 . A searching system, comprising:
control circuitry that is connected to a user terminal, wherein
the control circuitry is configured to
output a first item and multiple item candidates to the user terminal based on multiple principal components representing the items, the first item having a first component value, and each of the item candidates having a component value different from the first component value,
identify a second item selected in the user terminal from the item candidates, the second item having a second component value as a component value different from the first component value,
calculate a positional relationship between the first component value and the second component value in each of the principal components,
calculate a component value distribution according to the positional relationship in each of the principal components,
newly generate multiple item candidates based on the component value distribution, and
output the newly generated item candidates to the user terminal, wherein:
the component value distribution comprises a probability distribution having a spread parameter determined based on the positional relationship, and
the multiple item candidates are randomly generated by sampling from the probability distribution.
2 . The searching system according to claim 1 , wherein the control circuitry is configured to calculate the component value distribution according to a distance between the first component value and the second component value.
3 . The searching system according to claim 2 , wherein the control circuitry is configured to
calculate a composite distribution using the component value distribution based on the first component value and the component value distribution based on the second component value, and
newly generate multiple item candidates by using the composite distribution.
4 . The searching system according to any one of claim 1 , wherein the control circuitry is configured to
identify a preferred item and a disliked item selected in the user terminal as the second items from the item candidates,
calculate the positional relationship by using the first item, the preferred item, and the disliked item, and
calculate the component value distribution such that overlap between the component value distribution and a component value of the disliked item is prevented.
5 . The searching system of claim 1 , wherein:
the spread parameter defines a boundary of a range of values of the probability distribution.
6 . The searching system of claim 1 , wherein:
the spread parameter comprises a standard deviation of the probability distribution.
7 . The searching system of claim 6 , wherein:
the standard deviation increases as the positional relationship increases.
8 . The searching system of claim 6 , wherein:
the standard deviation is calculated using a function that multiplies the positional relationship by a proportionality factor.
9 . A method for searching for an item that meets preference of a user by using a searching system, the searching system including control circuitry connected to a user terminal, the method comprising:
outputting, with the control circuitry, a first item and multiple item candidates to the user terminal based on multiple principal components representing the items, the first item having a first component value, and each of the item candidates having a component value different from the first component value;
identifying, with the control circuitry, a second item selected in the user terminal from the item candidates, the second item having a second component value as a component value different from the first component value;
calculating, with the control circuitry, a positional relationship between the first component value and the second component value in each of the principal components;
calculating, with the control circuitry, a component value distribution according to the positional relationship in each of the principal components;
newly generating, with the control circuitry, multiple item candidates for the second item based on the component value distribution; and
outputting, with the control circuitry, the newly generated item candidates to the user terminal, wherein:
the component value distribution comprises a probability distribution having a spread parameter determined based on the positional relationship, and
the multiple item candidates are randomly generated by sampling from the probability distribution.
10 . A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium that stores a searching program causing a processor to execute a searching process for searching for an item that meets preference of a user by using a searching system, the searching system including control circuitry connected to a user terminal, wherein
the control circuitry includes the processor, and the searching process includes
outputting, with the control circuitry, a first item and multiple item candidates to the user terminal based on multiple dimensionality-reduction elements of feature quantities, the dimensionality-reduction elements including multiple dimensions representing the items, the first item having a first component value, and each of the item candidates having a component value different from the first component value;
identifying, with the control circuitry, a second item selected in the user terminal from the item candidates, the second item having a second component value as a component value different from the first component value;
calculating, with the control circuitry, a positional relationship between the first component value and the second component value in each of the elements;
calculating, with the control circuitry, a component value distribution according to the positional relationship in each of the elements;
newly generating, with the control circuitry, multiple item candidates for the second item based on the component value distribution; and
outputting, with the control circuitry, the newly generated item candidates to the user terminal, wherein:
the component value distribution comprises a probability distribution having a spread parameter determined based on the positional relationship, and
the multiple item candidates are randomly generated by sampling from the probability distribution.