ANSWERING SYSTEM AND METHOD

To provide an answering system and a method in which individual information of a service target is promptly specified in order to respond according to the individual information, without causing troubles to the service target in an environment with many people around an answering device.SOLUTION: In an answering system, communication is conducted between a portable information terminal carried by a service target and an answering device, and the answering device identifies a service target in order to provide services. The portable information terminal includes setting means for setting external appearance identification information for identifying the external appearance of a service target and individual information of the service target in association with each other. The answering device includes: external appearance information input means for obtaining external appearance information of its periphery; and answering means for providing services. Based on the external appearance information of its periphery and the external appearance identification information from the portable information terminal, the answering system specifies a service target who should be given service, and provides services using the answering means, in accordance with the individual information of the service target associated with the external appearance identification information.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1 【課題】応対装置近傍に複数の人がいる環境でサービス対象の手間なしに、サービス対象の個別情報を迅速に特定して個別情報に応じた応対が可能な応対システム及び方法を提供する。【解決手段】サービス対象が携帯する携帯情報端末と、応対装置との間で通信を行い、応対装置がサービス対象を識別してサービスを実施するための応対システムであって、携帯情報端末は、サービス対象の外観を識別するための外観識別情報と、サービス対象の個別情報とを紐づけて設定する設定手段を備え、応対装置は、その周囲の外観情報を得る外観情報入力手段と、サービスを実施するための応対手段とを備え、その周囲の外観情報と携帯情報端末からの外観識別情報とから、サービスを実施すべきサービス対象を特定し、外観識別情報に紐づけられたサービス対象の個別情報に応じて、応対手段によりサービスを実施することを特徴とする応対システム。【選択図】図１