SoftBank Group has filed a patent for an information processing apparatus that evaluates an operator’s performance. The apparatus accepts processing results from multiple targets and calculates an evaluation value based on a comparison between the accepted results and ground truth processing results. GlobalData’s report on SoftBank Group gives a 360-degree view of the company including its patenting strategy. Buy the report here.
Smarter leaders trust GlobalData
According to GlobalData’s company profile on SoftBank Group, Track and trace supply chains was a key innovation area identified from patents. SoftBank Group's grant share as of September 2023 was 54%. Grant share is based on the ratio of number of grants to total number of patents.
The patent filed is for an information processing apparatus
The patent (Publication Number: US20230316723A1) describes an information processing apparatus and method for evaluating the performance of an operator in processing a plurality of targets. The apparatus includes an acceptance unit that accepts the processing results of multiple targets, including a ground truth target, each time an operator completes processing on a part of the targets. A calculation unit then calculates an evaluation value indicating the operator's performance based on a comparison between the accepted processing result and the ground truth result.
In addition to the acceptance and calculation units, the apparatus may also include a determination unit that determines the order in which the operator processes the ground truth targets among the plurality of targets. The acceptance unit accepts the processing results of the targets, including the ground truth target, in the determined order, and the calculation unit calculates the evaluation value when the accepted processing result is for the ground truth target.
The determination unit can dynamically determine the order for processing the ground truth targets based on statistical information of the evaluation values calculated by the calculation unit. The determination unit may also determine the number of ground truth targets to be included based on the evaluation value calculated by the calculation unit. The apparatus further includes a decision unit that decides whether the quality of the processing results has deteriorated based on the evaluation value, and a notification unit that notifies an administrator when the quality has deteriorated.
The apparatus also includes a providing unit that provides a management screen to an administrator apparatus, displaying the processing status of each operator. The calculation unit calculates the rate of processing targets processed by each operator, and the providing unit displays this rate on the management screen. The calculation unit can also calculate a skill score indicating the processing skill of each operator, which is also displayed on the management screen.
The apparatus can be used in various applications, such as image recognition, where the processing targets are training images used for learning a machine learning model. The operator performs selection processing to select an area where an object is captured in the image, and the evaluation value is calculated based on a comparison between the selected area and the ground truth selection area.
Overall, the information processing apparatus and method described in the patent aim to evaluate the performance of operators and provide feedback to improve the quality of processing results.
To know more about GlobalData’s detailed insights on SoftBank Group, buy the report here.
Premium Insights
From
The gold standard of business intelligence.
Blending expert knowledge with cutting-edge technology, GlobalData’s unrivalled proprietary data will enable you to decode what’s happening in your market. You can make better informed decisions and gain a future-proof advantage over your competitors.
GlobalData, the leading provider of industry intelligence, provided the underlying data, research, and analysis used to produce this article.
GlobalData Patent Analytics tracks bibliographic data, legal events data, point in time patent ownerships, and backward and forward citations from global patenting offices. Textual analysis and official patent classifications are used to group patents into key thematic areas and link them to specific companies across the world’s largest industries.
