CN113616427A

CN113616427A - Information processing apparatus, information processing method, and computer-readable storage medium

Info

Publication number: CN113616427A
Application number: CN202110491677.XA
Authority: CN
Inventors: 户田温树
Original assignee: Unicharm Corp
Current assignee: Unicharm Corp
Priority date: 2020-05-08
Filing date: 2021-05-06
Publication date: 2021-11-09
Also published as: JP7394015B2; JP2021177349A

Abstract

The invention provides an information processing apparatus, an information processing method, and a computer-readable storage medium, which effectively assist to reduce the burden on a caregiver. The information processing apparatus according to the present application is characterized by comprising: an acquisition unit that individually acquires defecation information and urination information, the defecation information being information relating to defecation of a user and the urination information being information relating to urination of the user; and a service providing unit that provides a service according to a condition satisfied by a combination of the urination information and the defecation information.

Description

Information processing apparatus, information processing method, and computer-readable storage medium

Technical Field

The invention relates to an information processing apparatus, an information processing method, and a computer-readable storage medium.

Background

Conventionally, a technique for providing a user with various information about an absorbent article is known. As an example of such a technique, the following technique is known: the wearing mode of the absorbent article is proposed based on the measurement result of the sensor attached to the absorbent article according to the posture when urine leakage occurs. In addition, the following technique is known: an appropriate absorbent article and replacement timing are proposed based on the urine absorption amount of the absorbent article.

Documents of the prior art

Patent document

Patent document 1: japanese patent laid-open publication No. 2018-202154

Patent document 2: japanese patent laid-open publication No. 2018-206381

Disclosure of Invention

Problems to be solved by the invention

However, in the above-described conventional technique, it is not always possible to effectively assist the caregiver to reduce the burden.

For example, although the absorbent article has an absorbent capacity capable of withstanding a plurality of urination, in the above-described conventional art, there is a possibility that a reminder is output to a caregiver every time urination occurs, and therefore, the caregiver may be annoyed.

In addition, in the above-described conventional technique, it is not possible to cope with defecation which requires more rapid replacement than urination, and therefore, even if defecation occurs, a reminder is not output to a caregiver. In such a case, it is considered that the caretaker often cannot notice defecation, and as a result, excrement leakage from the absorbent article and cleaning work accompanied with the excrement leakage occur, which increases the burden on the caretaker.

Accordingly, in the above-described conventional technique, it is not always possible to effectively assist the caregiver so as to reduce the burden on the caregiver.

The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and an object thereof is to effectively assist a caregiver so as to reduce the burden on the caregiver.

Means for solving the problems

The information processing apparatus according to the present application is characterized by comprising: an acquisition unit that individually acquires defecation information and urination information, the defecation information being information relating to defecation of a user and the urination information being information relating to urination of the user; and a service providing unit that provides a service according to a condition satisfied by a combination of the defecation information and the urination information.

ADVANTAGEOUS EFFECTS OF INVENTION

According to one embodiment, assistance can be efficiently performed so that the burden on the caregiver can be reduced.

Drawings

Fig. 1 is a diagram showing the overall information processing according to the embodiment.

Fig. 2 is a diagram showing an example of the structure of the absorbent pad according to the embodiment and an estimation mechanism using the absorbent pad.

Fig. 3 is a diagram showing a configuration example of an information processing device according to an embodiment.

Fig. 4 is a diagram showing an example of the user information storage unit according to the embodiment.

Fig. 5 is a diagram showing an example of the sensed information storage unit according to the embodiment.

Fig. 6 is a diagram showing an example of a facility information storage unit according to the embodiment.

Fig. 7 is a diagram showing an example of the condition table storage unit 124 according to the embodiment.

Fig. 8 is a flowchart showing an information processing procedure according to the embodiment.

Fig. 9 is a flowchart showing a detailed procedure of the estimation process of estimating whether or not the excretion behavior is performed.

Fig. 10 is a diagram showing an example of a hardware configuration.

Description of the reference numerals

1: an information processing system; 10: a personal device; 30: a facility device; 100: an information processing device; 120: a storage unit; 121: a user information storage unit; 122: a sensed information storage section; 123: a facility information storage unit; 124: a condition table storage unit; 130: a control unit; 131: a receiving section; 132: an estimation unit; 133: an acquisition unit; 134: a service providing unit; 135: a determination unit; 136: a learning unit; 137: an information control unit; 138: an evaluation unit; 139: a determination unit; DVx: a device.

Detailed Description

At least the following matters will become apparent from the description of the present specification and the accompanying drawings.

The information processing apparatus is characterized by comprising: an acquisition unit that individually acquires defecation information and urination information, the defecation information being information relating to defecation of a user and the urination information being information relating to urination of the user; and a service providing unit that provides a service according to a condition satisfied by a combination of the defecation information and the urination information.

It is considered that, according to such an information processing device, it is possible to effectively assist the caregiver so as to reduce the burden on the caregiver. In addition, the reduction of the burden on the caregiver can create a more comfortable working environment, and thus if a harsh working environment is improved, the enthusiasm of the caregiver for the business can be increased. Therefore, according to such an information processing device, the caregivers can be given high-quality care by increasing the enthusiasm of the caregivers for the business. That is, according to such an information processing device, advantages can be provided to both the caregiver and the person to be cared.

Further, the information processing device outputs a prompt prompting to replace the absorbent article worn by the user regardless of whether the user urinates, when it is estimated that the user has performed defecation based on the defecation information and the urination information.

According to such an information processing device, when it is estimated that the user has performed defecation based on the defecation information and the urination information, a prompt prompting the user to replace the absorbent article worn by the user is output regardless of whether or not the user has urinated, so that the caregiver can be immediately notified that the defecation has been performed, and the defecation leakage and the cleaning operation associated with the defecation leakage can be prevented in advance.

Further, the information processing device outputs a prompt prompting to change the absorbent article based on whether the state of the absorbent article worn by the user is a predetermined state due to urination, when it is estimated that the user urinates without urinating based on the urination information and the urination information.

According to such an information processing device, when it is estimated that the user urinates without urinating based on the urination information and the urination information, the reminder for prompting the absorbent article replacement is output based on whether or not the state of the absorbent article worn by the user is a predetermined state due to urination, and therefore, the situation in which the caregiver has to perform unnecessary care can be reduced.

Further, the information processing device outputs a prompt prompting to replace the absorbent article worn by the user when it is estimated that the absorbable amount of the absorbent article has reached the absorption limit due to urination.

According to such an information processing device, when it is estimated that the absorbent capacity of the absorbent article has reached the absorption limit due to urination, a reminder is output to prompt replacement of the absorbent article worn by the user, so that the information processing device can notify the caregiver of replacement of the absorbent article only when replacement is actually necessary, and as a result, it is possible to effectively reduce the situation in which the caregiver has to perform unnecessary care.

Further, the information processing device outputs a prompt prompting to replace the absorbent article worn by the user when it is estimated that urine is excreted after defecation based on the defecation information and the urination information.

According to such an information processing device, when it is estimated that urine is discharged after defecation based on the defecation information and the urination information, a reminder to prompt replacement of the absorbent article worn by the user is output. For example, according to such an information processing device, it is possible to communicate a situation in which the risk of leakage is high due to the excretion of urine after the excretion of feces, and therefore, it is possible to prevent leakage of feces and a cleaning operation associated with leakage of feces in advance.

In addition, the information processing apparatus provides a prescribed service based on a defecation history obtained from the defecation information and the urination information.

According to such an information processing device, since a predetermined service is provided based on the excretion history obtained from the excretion information and the urination information, it is possible to support a caregiver to perform appropriate care.

Further, the information processing device causes an alert to be output indicating that the excretion status of the user is in a predetermined status when it is determined that the excretion status of the user is in the predetermined status based on the excretion history.

According to such an information processing device, when it is determined that the excretion status of the user is a predetermined status based on the excretion history, a reminder indicating that the excretion status of the user is the predetermined status is output, so that the caregiver can be made aware of the health status of the user, and thus the QOL (Quality of Life) of the user can be improved.

Further, the information processing apparatus causes information relating to excretion timing at which the user excretes, predicted based on the excretion history record, to be output.

According to such an information processing device, since the information on the excretion timing at which the user excretes, which is predicted based on the excretion history, is output, the caregiver can perform the nursing work according to the schedule in consideration of the period during which the user is likely to excrete, and therefore, the absorbent article can be quickly and efficiently replaced when the user excretes.

Further, the information processing apparatus proposes, as a recommended product to be recommended for use by the user, an absorbent article of a specification corresponding to a situation of the excretion amount indicated by the excretion history record, among the absorbent articles.

According to such an information processing device, the absorbent article of the specification corresponding to the situation of the excretion amount indicated by the excretion history is proposed as a recommended product recommended for the user, and therefore the caregiver can easily grasp the optimal absorbent article to be used by the user.

The information processing apparatus proposes a replacement timing determined based on the state of the excretion amount indicated by the excretion history record, the replacement timing being a replacement timing corresponding to the number of times of excretion that the absorbent article should be replaced when the number of times of excretion has been performed.

According to such an information processing device, since a replacement timing determined based on the state of the excretion amount indicated by the excretion history is proposed, the replacement timing being a replacement timing corresponding to the number of times of excretion should be performed to replace the absorbent article when the excretion has been performed for a certain number of times, it is possible to perform replacement at a point in time when the absorbable amount of the absorbent article has approximately reached the absorption limit, and as a result, it is possible to reduce unnecessary work by a caregiver or prevent the absorbent article from being wasted.

In addition, the information processing apparatus provides a predetermined service based on a defecation history obtained from the defecation information and the urination information, and user information related to the user.

According to such an information processing device, since a predetermined service is provided based on the excretion history obtained from the excretion information and the urination information and the user information on the user, the information processing device can support the caregiver to perform appropriate care.

The information processing device provides a predetermined service based on the excretion history and diet information on the food or drink ingested by the user.

According to such an information processing device, since a predetermined service is provided based on the excretion history and the diet information on the food or drink ingested by the user, it is possible to provide information more suitable for each user from the viewpoint of excretion and eating.

When a predetermined correlation is obtained between the excretion status indicated by the excretion history record and the diet status indicated by the diet information, the information processing apparatus makes an offer corresponding to the correlation.

According to such an information processing device, when a predetermined correlation is obtained between the excretion status indicated by the excretion history record and the diet status indicated by the diet information, an offer corresponding to the correlation is made, so that it is possible to perform high-precision timing control and dining control with respect to excretion of the user for each user, and as a result, it is possible to realize a high-quality nursing service.

The information processing apparatus provides a predetermined service based on the excretion history and medication information related to medication for the user.

According to such an information processing apparatus, since a predetermined service is provided based on the excretion history and the medication information related to medication for the user, it is possible to provide information more suitable for each user from the viewpoint of excretion and medication.

When a predetermined correlation is obtained between the excretion status indicated by the excretion history record and the medication status indicated by the medication information, the information processing apparatus makes an offer corresponding to the correlation.

According to such an information processing device, when a predetermined correlation is obtained between the excretion status indicated by the excretion history record and the medication status indicated by the medication information, an offer corresponding to the correlation is made, so that it is possible to perform control of the timing with high accuracy regarding excretion of the user and control regarding laxation for each user, and it is possible to realize a high-quality care service.

The information processing device also provides a predetermined service based on sensor information detected by a predetermined sensor corresponding to the user and a excretion history obtained from the excretion information and the urination information.

According to such an information processing device, since the predetermined service is provided based on the sensor information detected by the predetermined sensor corresponding to the user and the excretion history obtained from the defecation information and the urination information, it is possible to support the caregiver to perform appropriate care.

The information processing apparatus further includes an evaluation unit that evaluates a state of the user based on the excretion history and the motion information indicating the amount of motion of the user as the sensor information.

According to such an information processing device, since the state of the user is evaluated based on the excretion history and the exercise information indicating the amount of exercise of the user, the caregiver can easily recognize the amount of exercise required by the user and the current health state of the user.

The information processing device calculates a score representing how much the excretion status of the user improves in accordance with the change in the amount of exercise represented by the exercise information, and evaluates the necessity of exercising the user or the health status of the user based on the calculated score.

According to such an information processing device, the score representing how much the excretion status of the user improves according to the change in the exercise amount indicated by the exercise information is calculated, and the necessity of exercising the user or the health status of the user is evaluated based on the calculated score.

The information processing apparatus provides the evaluation result of the evaluation unit to a requester who requests the user for care.

According to such an information processing apparatus, since the evaluation result is provided to the client who has requested the care of the user, the client can grasp how the health status of the user has changed (for example, how the health status has deteriorated or improved) by the care received in the facility, and as a result, the client can effectively study the hosting method in the facility.

Further, the information processing apparatus outputs a timing for guiding the user to go to a toilet, the timing being determined based on the excretion history and a sleep condition of the user estimated based on posture information indicating a posture of the user as the sensor information.

According to such an information processing apparatus, since the timing for guiding the user to go to the toilet is output, the timing being determined based on the excretion history and the user's sleep state estimated based on the posture information indicating the posture of the user, the excretion cycle of the user can be improved to the excretion cycle in which better sleep can be obtained.

An example of a mode (hereinafter, referred to as an "embodiment") for implementing the information processing apparatus, the information processing method, and the computer-readable storage medium will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. In addition, the information processing apparatus, the information processing method, and the computer-readable storage medium are not limited by the embodiments. In the following embodiments, the same portions are denoted by the same reference numerals, and redundant description thereof is omitted.

[ 1 ] overview of information processing according to the embodiment ]

Taking a nursing facility as an example, since a resident caretaker (a caretaker) is elderly and has some physical inconvenience, it is often the case that an adult wears a diaper (an example of an absorbent article). Therefore, there are techniques as follows: when urination with a diaper is detected in the case where an adult excretes urine with a diaper, a reminder or the like notifies a caregiver that urination has been detected so that the adult can efficiently replace the diaper. According to such a technique, although the large diaper has an absorption capacity capable of withstanding a plurality of urination, there is a possibility that a reminder is output to a caregiver every time urination is performed, and therefore, a caregiver having a busy business may feel bored. Further, when the absorbent article is removed and confirmed by the reminder and it is determined that a plurality of urination can be performed as a result of the confirmation, the series of operations hinders efficient operations and causes a burden on the caregiver.

On the other hand, when stools are left in the diaper for adults for a long time, various problems occur, such as leakage of stools, contamination of other articles (clothes, bedding) due to the leakage of stools, skin inflammation, and burden on caregivers due to cleaning. However, in the above-described conventional technique, since the defecation requiring a more rapid change than the urination is not dealt with, the reminder is not output to the caregiver even when the defecation is performed. This may cause the defecation to be skipped, and as a result, various problems as described above may occur, thereby causing a burden on the caregiver.

In view of the above-described premise (problem point), it is thought that the burden on the caregiver can be reduced by providing an optimal service determined from both the state of defecation and urination. Thus, the present embodiment is completed based on the following concept: such service provision is realized by effectively utilizing digital technology, thereby assisting caregivers (e.g., nursing staff, nurses, relatives of persons to be cared, etc.) who work at a caretaking site (e.g., a nursing facility, a living space in which home care is performed).

Specifically, in the information processing according to the present embodiment, the caregiver is provided with the best service based on the combination of the defecation and urination information related to the defecation of the user and the urination information related to the urination of the user, which are acquired separately. More specifically, the information processing according to the embodiment provides a service according to a condition satisfied by a combination of defecation information and urination information, which is information on defecation of a user who is a caretaker, and urination information on urination of the user, by separately acquiring the defecation information and the urination information.

Furthermore, it is considered that the information processing according to the embodiment can efficiently assist the caregiver to reduce the burden. In addition, relieving the caregiver's burden can create a more comfortable working environment, and thus if a harsh working environment is improved, the caregiver's enthusiasm for business is increased. Also, if the caretaker's enthusiasm for the business is increased, the caretaker can be cared for with high quality. Accordingly, according to the information processing according to the embodiment, advantages can be provided to both the caregiver and the person to be cared.

[ 2 ] information processing System according to embodiment ]

Next, an information processing system according to an embodiment will be described with reference to fig. 1. Fig. 1 is a diagram showing the overall information processing according to the embodiment. As shown in fig. 1, an information processing system 1 according to the embodiment includes a personal device 10, a facility device 30, and an information processing device 100. The personal device 10, the facility device 30, and the information processing device 100 can be connected via a network N (not shown) so as to be capable of wired or wireless communication. The information processing system 1 shown in fig. 1 may include a plurality of personal devices 10, a plurality of facility devices 30, and a plurality of information processing devices 100.

[ 3. relating to devices ]

Next, each device included in the information processing system 1 according to the embodiment will be described. The personal device 10 is an information processing terminal used by a caregiver who cares a user (a caregiver). Examples of the Personal device 10 include a smart phone, a tablet terminal, a notebook PC (Personal Computer), a desktop PC, a mobile phone, and a PDA (Personal Digital Assistant). The caretaker here is, for example, a caretaker in a nursing facility, a nurse, a caretaker who cares at home, a relative (family) of a person to be cared, or the like.

The facility device 30 is an information processing terminal used in a care facility in which a user (a caregiver) is present. The facility device 30 is, for example, a smart phone, a tablet terminal, a notebook PC, a desktop PC, a mobile phone, a PDA, or the like. The facility device 30 may be an information processing terminal having a function of calling a bell for a nurse.

It is also assumed that a predetermined application is introduced in advance into the personal device 10 and the facility device 30 so that the service provided by the information processing device 100 can be output under the control of the information processing device 100.

The information processing apparatus 100 is an information processing apparatus that executes information processing according to the above-described embodiment, and is realized by a server apparatus, a cloud system, and the like. In the present embodiment, the information processing apparatus 100 is a server apparatus.

[ 4 ] an example of information processing according to the embodiment ]

Now, an example of information processing according to the embodiment will be described with reference to fig. 1. Fig. 1 illustrates a case where a care facility is taken as an example of a care site, and a caregiver performing a care operation at the care facility is provided with a service associated with information processing according to the embodiment. Specifically, fig. 1 illustrates a nursing facility FA1 as a nursing facility. Fig. 1 shows an example of a room R01 in which a user U11 who is a caretaker enters a caregiving facility FA1, and a room R02 in which users U12 and U13 who are caregivers enter a caregiving facility FA 1. Fig. 1 shows an example in which a nurse NA11 as a caregiver stands by at a nurse center ST1 of a nursing facility FA1, and a nurse NA12 as another caregiver stands by in a room R02.

Users U11, U12, and U13 each wear a diaper for adults of the type that is regularly purchased at a nursing facility FA1 and used together with an absorbent pad. In the present embodiment, the absorbent pad used for an adult diaper as an external product and an absorbent pad used together with an external product are both understood as absorbent articles. In the following embodiments, the description will be given with particular attention paid to the absorbent pad. The adult diaper and the absorbent pad are both products manufactured by an operator who manages the information processing device 100 according to the embodiment (hereinafter, sometimes referred to as "operator T"). Therefore, adult diapers, manufactured by this manager T, were purchased periodically by caregiving facilities FA 1.

Further, based on the example of fig. 1, the users U11, U12, and U13 wear an absorbent pad PD1 which is an absorbent pad manufactured by the operator T. Further, in the example shown in fig. 1, a device DVx having both a detection function and a communication function is mounted on the absorbent pad PD1, for example, the device detects an internal electrical characteristic value and transmits a detection result to the information processing apparatus 100. More specifically, fig. 1 shows an example in which device DV11 is mounted on absorbent pad PD1 of user U11, device DV12 is mounted on absorbent pad PD1 of user U12, and device DV13 is mounted on absorbent pad PD1 of user U13. Hereinafter, the devices DV11, DV12, and DV13 will be collectively referred to as a device DVx without distinguishing them.

In addition, the absorbent pad PD1 is configured to have a structure having a feature that the device DVx can detect an electrical characteristic value inside the product. Specifically, the absorbent pad PD1 is configured to be able to individually detect an electrical characteristic value that changes with defecation in the product and an electrical characteristic value that changes with urination in the product. In other words, the absorbent pad PD1 has a structure that can separately detect defecation and urination.

Therefore, when an example of information processing according to the embodiment is described with reference to fig. 1, the structure of the absorbent pad PD1 and an estimation mechanism using the structure will be described with reference to fig. 2. Fig. 2 is a diagram showing an example of the structure of the absorbent pad PD1 and an estimation mechanism using the absorbent pad PD1 according to the embodiment.

First, as shown in fig. 2, the absorbent pad has two faces. One surface is a surface directly contacting the skin side of the user when worn, and is referred to as a "skin surface". The other surface is a surface on the back side of the skin surface and is referred to as a "back surface". The back surface does not directly contact the skin of the user when worn. Since the absorbent pad PD1 is worn with the skin surface facing up and the back surface facing down, the layer closer to the skin surface (the layer closer to the skin surface) in the cross-sectional structure of the absorbent pad PD1 is determined as the "upper layer" and the layer closer to the back surface (the layer closer to the back surface) is determined as the "lower layer". This point will be described later using a cross-sectional view.

The absorbent pad PD1 includes a predetermined set of carbon electrodes, and a pair of carbon electrodes is a set. Specifically, when the absorbent pad PD1 is cut, the absorbent pad PD1 includes one pair of carbon electrodes in the "upper layer" that is the layer close to the skin surface, and includes another pair of carbon electrodes in the "lower layer" that is the layer close to the back surface. As such, the absorbent pad PD1 includes two sets of carbon electrodes, one set of a pair of carbon electrodes. Here, a pair of carbon electrodes included in an upper layer among the two pairs of carbon electrodes is shown in fig. 2 (a) in an enlarged manner.

In fig. 2 (a), the carbon electrodes ER11 and ER12 are shown as a pair of carbon electrodes existing in the "upper layer". The peripheries of the carbon electrode ER11 and the carbon electrode ER12 are surrounded by a predetermined film, and as shown in fig. 2 (a), a part of the carbon electrode ER11 and a part of the carbon electrode ER12 are exposed from the film. Although not shown in fig. 2 (a), the "lower layer" includes the carbon electrodes ER11 and ER12, and the carbon electrodes ER11 and ER12 are partially exposed from the film, as in the example of fig. 2 (a). In this way, the size of the area where the carbon electrode is exposed can be adjusted by the film, whereby the size of the capacitance or resistance to be detected can be adjusted. The exposed surface of the exposed carbon electrode is the skin surface side (the same applies to the carbon electrodes ER21 and ER 22), that is, the contact portions of all the carbon electrodes with respect to the device DVx are arranged on the same surface, and thus the user can easily attach the device DVx.

As shown in fig. 2 (a), the carbon electrodes are arranged in pairs in the absorbent pad PD1, and thereby the carbon electrodes have the effect of a capacitor. Accordingly, electric charge is accumulated between the carbon electrodes ER11 and ER12, and thus the capacitor has electrostatic capacitance. In addition, electrical resistance is also created between the carbon electrodes ER11 and ER 12. The same applies to the carbon electrodes ER21 and ER 22.

When any drainage is not performed in the absorbent pad PD1, the capacitance and the resistance are kept at substantially constant values regardless of other factors. However, when excretion is performed here, electric charge is likely to be accumulated or electric current is likely to be generated due to the influence of excrement (feces and urine), and thus the capacitance and the resistance change, and the change exhibits characteristic behavior. Therefore, in the present embodiment, excretion is detected by capturing a change in capacitance or resistance, or capturing a behavior such as how the capacitance or resistance changes.

Next, a cross-sectional view of the absorbent pad PD1 will be described with reference to fig. 2 (b). As shown in fig. 2 (b), the absorbent pad PD1 has a multilayer shape in the interior between the skin surface and the back surface. When the description is made in order from the skin surface to the back surface, the carbon electrodes ER11 and ER12, which are paired as described with reference to fig. 2 (a), are present under the topsheet TS corresponding to the skin surface. The carbon electrode ER11 and the carbon electrode ER12 were held on a PET substrate (liquid-impermeable sheet), respectively. Thus, the carbon electrode ER11 and the carbon electrode ER12 can be prevented from being affected by the backflow (rewet) of urine by using the PET substrate. By holding the carbon electrode on the PET substrate in this manner, it is possible to limit the reading to the capacitance or resistance on only one side (specifically, the skin side).

In addition, an absorber for absorbing moisture exists under the carbon electrodes ER11 and ER 12. Since the absorber is an absorber close to the skin surface, the absorber is referred to as an upper absorber UAB when the skin surface is set to be upper. In addition, there are further absorbers below the upper absorber UAB. Since the other absorbent body is an absorbent body close to the back surface far from the skin surface, the other absorbent body is referred to as a lower absorbent body LAB when the skin surface is facing upward.

In addition, pairs of carbon electrodes ER21 and ER22, which were explained by (a) of fig. 2, exist under the lower absorber LAB. The carbon electrode ER21 and the carbon electrode ER22 were held on a PET substrate (liquid-impermeable sheet), respectively. As shown in fig. 2 (b), the distance between the carbon electrode ER21 and the carbon electrode ER22 is narrower than the distance between the carbon electrode ER11 and the carbon electrode ER 12. By holding the carbon electrode on the PET substrate in this manner, it is possible to limit the reading to the capacitance or resistance on only one side (specifically, the skin side).

Further, a primary coating BF corresponding to the back surface was present in a state of being superimposed under the carbon electrodes ER21 and ER 22. The layer including the carbon electrodes ER11 and ER12 in the layer closer to the skin surface corresponds to the "upper layer" described above, and the layer including the carbon electrodes ER21 and ER22 in the layer closer to the back surface corresponds to the "lower layer" described above.

In addition, as shown in fig. 2 b, in the absorbent pad PD1, since a pair of electrodes (upper electrode ER1112) including the carbon electrodes ER11 and ER12 and another pair of electrodes (lower electrode ER2122) including the carbon electrodes ER21 and ER22 exist in different layers, it is possible to individually detect electrical characteristic values (capacitance, resistance) between the carbon electrodes ER11 and ER12 and electrical characteristic values (capacitance, resistance) between the carbon electrodes ER21 and ER 22. As a result, the behavior of the change in the electrical characteristic value and the behavior of the change in the electrical characteristic value corresponding to urination and the behavior of the change in the electrical characteristic value corresponding to urination can be individually detected.

Next, a sensor in which the device DVx is combined with the absorbent pad PD1 will be described. As shown in fig. 2, the device DVx is mounted so as to sandwich one end of the absorbent pad PD1, so as to be able to individually detect the electrical characteristic values of the upper electrodes ER11, 12 and the electrical characteristic value of the lower electrode ER2122, respectively. At this time, the device DVx was mounted so as to be in contact with the upper electrodes ER11 and 12 and the lower electrode ER2122, respectively, via the film on the surface of the absorbent pad PD 1.

Here, a sensor configured by the device DVx and the upper electrodes ER11 and 12 by mounting the device DVx is referred to as "upper sensor SNx", and a sensor configured by the device DVx and the lower electrode ER2122 by mounting the device DVx is referred to as "lower sensor SNy". Further, by combining the detection result of the upper sensor SNx and the detection result of the lower sensor SNy, whether urination has been performed or not can be effectively estimated. In view of this point, the estimation logic according to the embodiment will be described with reference to fig. 2 (c).

Fig. 2 (c) illustrates an estimation logic for estimating whether or not excretion is performed. In the present embodiment, whether or not the excretion is performed is estimated based on the behavior of the change in the electrical characteristic value (capacitance, resistance) when there is a change in the electrical characteristic value (capacitance, resistance). Specifically, in the present embodiment, whether or not the excretion is performed is estimated by estimating whether or not at least either of the excretion and the urination is performed.

For example, when the excrement is feces, the feces has higher viscosity than urine, and therefore the feces is less likely to permeate into the absorbent pad PD1 and stay near the upper layer and do not permeate into the lower layer. Therefore, when defecation is performed, it is considered that the capacitance and resistance between the carbon electrodes ER11 and ER12 change due to the effect of stool reaching the upper layer, while the capacitance and resistance between the carbon electrodes ER21 and ER22 do not change because the stool does not reach the lower layer. Accordingly, when the capacitance and the resistance detected by the upper sensor SNx change and the capacitance and the resistance detected by the lower sensor SNy do not change, it can be estimated that defecation has occurred.

On the other hand, when the excrement is urine, since the urine has lower viscosity than the feces, the urine easily penetrates into the absorbent pad PD1, and may possibly penetrate into the lower layer without staying near the upper layer. Therefore, when urination is performed, it is considered that the capacitance and resistance between the carbon electrodes ER11 and ER12 temporarily change due to the influence of urine passing through the upper layer, and then the capacitance and resistance between the carbon electrodes ER21 and ER22 change due to the influence of urine reaching the lower layer. Accordingly, when the capacitance and the resistance detected by the lower sensor SNy have changed after the capacitance and the resistance detected by the upper sensor SNx have changed, it can be estimated that urination has occurred.

As described above, the capacitance and the resistance detected by the upper sensor SNx are mainly used to estimate whether or not defecation has occurred, and therefore the electrical characteristic value detected by the upper sensor SNx can be said to be an example of defecation information that is information relating to defecation of a user. Since the capacitance and the resistance detected by the lower sensor SNy are mainly used to estimate whether urination has been performed, the electrical characteristic value detected by the lower sensor SNy can be said to be an example of urination information that is information on urination of the user.

These electrical characteristic values are transmitted to the information processing apparatus 100 via the device DVx, and by arranging the carbon electrodes in the manner described with reference to fig. 2, the electrical characteristic values mainly used for defecation detection and the electrical characteristic values mainly used for urination detection are individually detected, and these electrical characteristic values are individually transmitted to the information processing apparatus 100. Therefore, it can be said that the information processing apparatus 100 individually acquires the defecation information relating to the defecation of the user and the urination information relating to the urination of the user.

Returning to the explanation of the estimation logic, in the present embodiment, not only the change in the electrical characteristic value is captured, but also the behavior of the change indicating how the electrical characteristic value changes with time is combined, thereby improving the estimation accuracy. This point will be described by taking, as an example, a behavior of a change in the electrical characteristic value detected by the upper sensor SNx.

For example, when the excrement is urine, since the urine has lower viscosity than the feces as described above, the urine easily penetrates into the absorbent pad PD1, and may possibly penetrate into the lower layer without staying near the upper layer. Accordingly, when the excrement is urine, the change with time in the electrostatic capacitance between the carbon electrodes ER11 and ER12 shows the following behavior: in a state of a constant low value up to this point, the value is temporarily increased sharply in accordance with the passage of urine, and then the value is restored to the original low value and maintained. Therefore, when the change with time in the capacitance detected by the upper sensor SNx indicates such a behavior, it can be estimated that urination has occurred.

In addition, when the excrement is urine, the change with time in the electrical resistance between the carbon electrodes ER11 and ER12 shows the following behavior: in a state of a constant high value up to this point, the value is temporarily rapidly decreased in accordance with the passage of urine, and thereafter, the value is returned to the constant value and maintained. Therefore, when the change with time in the resistance detected by the upper sensor SNx indicates such a behavior, it can be estimated that urination has occurred. For example, even a slight amount of water tends to lower the resistance. Therefore, even when a trace amount of urine contacts the carbon electrodes ER11 and ER12, the resistance detected therefrom is difficult to return completely to the original value, and returns only to a fixed value.

On the other hand, when the excrement is feces, since the feces has higher viscosity than urine as described above, the feces is less likely to permeate into the absorbent pad PD1 and will stay near the upper layer without permeating into the lower layer. Accordingly, when the excrement is feces, the change with time in the electrostatic capacitance between the carbon electrodes ER11 and ER12 shows the following behavior: in a state of a constant low value, the value is temporarily rapidly increased in accordance with appearance of stool, and the value is maintained after the increase in accordance with retention of stool. Therefore, when the change with time of the electrostatic capacitance detected by the upper sensor SNx indicates such a behavior, it can be estimated that defecation has occurred.

When the excrement is feces, the change in the electrical resistance between the carbon electrodes ER11 and ER12 with the passage of time shows the following behavior: in the state of a constant low value, the value decreases in accordance with the appearance of stool, and the value continues to maintain the decreased value in accordance with the stay of stool. Therefore, when the change with time in the resistance detected by the upper sensor SNx indicates such a behavior, it can be estimated that defecation has occurred.

Heretofore, before the description of fig. 1, the structure of the absorbent pad PD1 and the estimation logic corresponding to the structure have been described using fig. 2. Based on this point, the explanation will be continued with reference to fig. 1, as an example of information processing according to the embodiment.

For example, the upper sensor of the device DV11 continuously detects the electrostatic capacitance and resistance between the carbon electrodes ER11 and ER 12. Thus, the device DV11 transmits "sensor ID (Identifier: identification code)" for identifying the upper sensor, the "detection date and time", and the detected "electrostatic capacitance, resistance" to the information processing apparatus 100 in correspondence each time detection is performed by the upper sensor.

In addition, the lower sensor of the device DV11 continuously detects the electrostatic capacitance and resistance between the carbon electrodes ER21 and ER 22. Thus, the device DV11 transmits "sensor id (identifier)", a "detection date and time", and the detected "electrostatic capacitance, resistance" for identifying the lower sensor to the information processing apparatus 100 in association with each other every time detection is performed by the lower sensor.

Since the device DV12 is the same as the device DV11, detailed description of the device DV12 is omitted, and the device DV12 transmits "sensor ID", "detection date and time" for identifying the upper sensor and the detected "electrostatic capacitance and resistance" to the information processing apparatus 100 in association with each other every time detection is performed by the upper sensor of the present apparatus. In addition, each time detection is performed by the lower sensor of the present apparatus, the device DV12 transmits "sensor ID", "detection date and time" for identifying the upper sensor, and the detected "electrostatic capacitance, resistance" to the information processing apparatus 100 in association with each other.

Similarly, the device DV13 transmits "sensor ID" for identifying the upper sensor, the "detection date and time", and the "capacitance and resistance" detected to the information processing apparatus 100 in association with each other every time the detection is performed by the upper sensor of the present apparatus. In addition, each time detection is performed by the lower sensor of the present apparatus, the device DV13 transmits "sensor ID", "detection date and time" for identifying the upper sensor, and the detected "electrostatic capacitance, resistance" to the information processing apparatus 100 in association with each other.

In this way, the information processing apparatus 100 receives (acquires) the electrical characteristic value (sensing result) in the absorbent pad from the device DVx at any time (step S11). Specifically, the information processing apparatus 100 acquires the electrical characteristic value (an example of the urination information) detected by the upper sensor SNx and the electrical characteristic value (an example of the urination information) detected by the lower sensor SNy individually for each of the users U11, U12, and U13 by transmitting the information through each device DVx as described above. In addition, by acquiring the electrical characteristic value in this manner, the information processing apparatus 100 can store a history of the electrical characteristic value for each user. For example, the information processing apparatus 100 stores a history of capacitance and a history of resistance in the sensed information storage unit 122 for each user.

Then, the information processing apparatus 100 estimates, for each user, whether or not the excretion is performed in the absorbent pad PD1, based on the history of the electrical characteristic values (step S12). For example, the information processing apparatus 100 estimates whether or not at least either of defecation and urination is performed for each user based on the history of the electrical characteristic values, thereby estimating whether or not the defecation is performed. Specifically, the information processing apparatus 100 performs the estimation process by applying the estimation logic described with reference to fig. 2 to the history of the electrical characteristic values.

That is, the information processing apparatus 100 detects, for example, the following three elements: whether there is a change in electrostatic capacitance and resistance detected by the upper sensor SNx; whether there is a change in electrostatic capacitance and resistance detected by the lower sensor SNy; and there is a behavior of how the changed electrical characteristic value shows with the passage of time. Then, the information processing apparatus 100 comprehensively estimates whether or not excretion is performed based on the detection result.

In addition, when it is estimated that the excretion is performed (that is, when excretion is detected), the information processing apparatus 100 stores details of the excretion (when and how much of the stool and urine is excreted, and how much the stool quality is included in the case of excretion) in the user information storage unit 121 as the excretion history. In addition, the information processing apparatus 100 can automatically record the drainage history by transmitting the drainage history to the personal apparatus 10 or the facility apparatus 30. The information processing apparatus 100 also stores, as the excretion history, the content of the caregiver's feedback (whether excretion was actually performed) regarding excretion detection performed by the estimation process to which the estimation logic (fig. 2) according to the embodiment is applied.

Next, when it is estimated that the excretion is performed by the estimation process in step S12, the information processing apparatus 100 acquires the actual estimation result of the defecation, urination, and the like (step S13). Specifically, the information processing apparatus 100 separately acquires information indicating whether or not defecation is performed and information indicating whether or not urination is performed as the estimation result in step S12. The information indicating whether or not defecation has occurred can be understood as an example of defecation information, and the information indicating whether or not urination has occurred can be understood as an example of urination information.

Next, the information processing apparatus 100 determines a service corresponding to a condition satisfied by a combination of the defecation information (defecation detection result) and the urination information (urination detection result) acquired in step S13 as a service to be provided (step S14). For example, when it is determined with reference to the condition table storage unit 124 that there is a condition that is satisfied by a combination of the acquired defecation information and urination information, the information processing apparatus 100 specifies a service corresponding to the condition as a service to be provided.

For example, the information processing apparatus 100 is assumed to estimate that defecation (presence of defecation) is performed but urination (absence of urination) is not performed (estimation result mode 1) for the user U11 by the estimation processing in step S12. In this case, in step S13, the information processing apparatus 100 acquires information indicating that urination has been performed (an example of defecation information) and information indicating that urination has not been performed (an example of urination information) separately. In step S14, the information processing device 100 refers to the condition table storage unit 124 (fig. 7) and specifies the condition 1 (condition number 1) as a condition satisfied by the combination of "defecation present" and "urination absent". Then, the information processing apparatus 100 determines the service "replacement reminder" corresponding to the condition 1 as the service to be provided.

Further, the information processing apparatus 100 determines that the service "replacement reminder" is the service to be provided, and provides a service for notifying a reminder prompting replacement of the absorbent article (absorbent pad PD1) of the user U11 to the caregiver standing by at the caregiving facility FA1 (step S15). For example, the information processing device 100 controls the facility device 30 or the personal device 10 to output a warning prompting replacement of the absorbent pad PD1 of the user U11.

In the example of the estimation result mode 1, the information processing apparatus 100 estimates that the user U11 has performed defecation based on the defecation information and the urination information corresponding to the user U11, regardless of whether the user U11 has urinated. Then, the information processing apparatus 100 outputs a prompt prompting to replace the absorbent pad PD1 worn by the user U11, based on the estimation result. According to the information processing apparatus 100, when defecation is performed, the caregiver can be immediately notified of the defecation, and therefore, the defecation leakage and the cleaning operation accompanying the defecation leakage can be prevented in advance. As a result, the information processing apparatus 100 can efficiently assist the caregiver to reduce the burden on the caregiver.

Other estimation result modes are also explained. For example, the information processing apparatus 100 estimates that urination is not performed (no defecation) but urination is performed (urination is performed) by the estimation processing in step S12 for the user U11 (estimation result mode 2). In this case, in step S13, the information processing apparatus 100 acquires information indicating that urination has not been performed (an example of defecation information) and information indicating that urination has been performed (an example of urination information) separately. In addition, when it is estimated that there is no defecation but there is urination at this time, the information processing apparatus 100 estimates whether or not the amount of absorption of the absorbent pad PD1 has reached the absorption limit due to the urination. Here, the information processing apparatus 100 is assumed to estimate that the absorption limit is reached.

In step S14, the information processing device 100 refers to the condition table storage unit 124 (fig. 7) and specifies the condition 2 (condition number 2) as a condition satisfied by a combination of "no defecation", "urination", and "absorption limit reached by urination". Then, the information processing apparatus 100 determines the service "replacement reminder" corresponding to the condition 2 as the service to be provided.

In the example of the estimation result mode 2, the information processing apparatus 100 estimates that the user U11 urinates without urinating based on the urination information and the defecation information corresponding to the user U11. Further, the information processing apparatus 100 estimates that the absorbable amount of the absorbent pad PD1 reaches the absorption limit due to the current urination based on the estimation result, and outputs a reminder to prompt replacement of the absorbent pad PD1 worn by the user U11. According to the information processing device 100, in a state where defecation is not performed, the notification of replacement of the absorbent article is started at a point in time when the absorption limit is reached by performing urination a plurality of times, and therefore, the caregiver can be notified of replacement of the absorbent article only when replacement is actually necessary. As a result, since the caregiver does not need to perform unnecessary nursing work, the information processing apparatus 100 can efficiently assist and reduce the burden on the caregiver.

In addition, in order to estimate whether or not the absorbable amount has reached the absorption limit, it is necessary to detect the amount of discharged urine (urine amount), and the information processing apparatus 100 can detect the urine amount based on the electrical characteristic value (particularly, electrostatic capacitance) detected by the lower sensor SNy. When it is determined that the detected current urine volume exceeds the current absorbable volume (remaining absorbable volume) of the absorbent pad PD1, the information processing device 100 estimates that the absorbable volume has reached the absorption limit.

For example, the current absorbable amount (remaining absorbable amount) of the absorbent pad PD1 is assumed to be "150 ml", and the amount of urine discharged this time is assumed to be "200 ml". In this example, since the current urine volume exceeds the current absorbable volume, the information processing device 100 estimates that the absorbable volume has reached the absorption limit.

Further, the information processing apparatus 100 may determine that the absorbable amount has reached the absorption limit when determining that the detected current urine amount has reached a predetermined ratio (for example, 8 times) of the current absorbable amount (remaining absorbable amount) of the absorbent pad PD 1. Thus, the information processing device 100 can output the replacement notice at a timing before the urine leaks from the absorbent pad PD 1.

Next, an example of the replacement reminder output from the personal device 10 and the facility device 30 by the output control in step S15 will be described. Here, the case where the replacement reminder is given by the facility device 30 is described as an example, but the same output may be given by the personal device 10.

For example, the facility device 30 of the care facility FA1 outputs information indicating which user the user to be replaced is in for each user's room on a status screen in which user information (for example, the current status) of the users living in the room is listed. For example, in the example of the estimation result mode 1, the facility device 30 displays the replacement reminder on the status screen so that the nurse NA11 as the caregiver can easily recognize that the user to be replaced is the user U11 and needs to be replaced urgently due to defecation.

In the example of the estimation result mode 2, for example, the facility device 30 displays the replacement reminder on the status screen so that the nurse NA11 as the caregiver can easily recognize that the user to be replaced is the user U11 and that replacement is soon necessary due to a plurality of urination. By the output, the nurse NA11 goes to the room R01 where the user U11 lives to replace the absorbent pad PD 1.

In the example of fig. 1, the facility device 30 acquires, from the information processing device 100, a excretion history indicating what excretion the user U11 has performed. The facility device 30 automatically records the acquired excretion records in a predetermined storage unit in the device. Thus, the caretaker at the caregiving facility FA1 can check the excretion history of each user who has got in the caregiving facility FA1 at an arbitrary timing, and it is not necessary to manually input the excretion history as, for example, a caretaker record, which is convenient.

Further, the information processing apparatus 100 may notify a replacement reminder to a caregiver who is closest to the user to be replaced. For example, the information processing apparatus 100 specifies a caregiver closest to the user to be replaced based on the position information of the user to be replaced and the position information of each caregiver. Then, the information processing apparatus 100 notifies the identified caregiver of the replacement reminder. This point will be described with reference to the example of fig. 1.

In the example of fig. 1, the information processing apparatus 100 specifies a caregiver closest to the user U11 to be replaced based on the position information of the user U11 and the position information of the caregiver in the care facility FA1 in which the user U11 is located, based on the fact that it is estimated that the user U11 performs the excretion. For example, the information processing apparatus 100 specifies the nurse NA12 as the caregiver closest to the user U11 to be replaced. In this case, the information processing apparatus 100 controls the personal apparatus 10 of the nurse NA12 to output a prompt prompting replacement of the absorbent pad PD1 of the user U11.

According to the information processing apparatus 100, since the replacement notice is notified to the caregiver who is closest to the user who performed the excretion, the absorbent article can be replaced more quickly and efficiently.

[ 5. Structure of information processing apparatus ]

Next, the information processing apparatus 100 according to the embodiment will be described with reference to fig. 3. Fig. 3 is a diagram showing a configuration example of the information processing apparatus 100 according to the embodiment. As shown in fig. 3, the information processing apparatus 100 includes a communication unit 110, a storage unit 120, and a control unit 130.

(communication section 110)

The communication unit 110 is implemented by, for example, an NIC (Network Interface Card) or the like. The communication unit 110 is connected to the network N by wire or wirelessly, and transmits and receives information to and from the device DVx, the personal device 10, and the facility device 30, for example.

(with respect to the storage section 120)

The storage unit 120 is implemented by, for example, a semiconductor Memory element such as a RAM (Random Access Memory) or a flash Memory, or a storage device such as a hard disk or an optical disk. The storage unit 120 includes a user information storage unit 121, a sensed information storage unit 122, a facility information storage unit 123, and a condition table storage unit 124.

(user information storage section 121)

The user information storage unit 121 stores various information on a user who wears the absorbent article from the standpoint of being a caretaker. Fig. 4 shows an example of the user information storage unit 121 according to the embodiment. In the example of fig. 4, the user information storage unit 121 has items such as "facility id (identifier)", "article information", "user id (identifier)", "excretion history", "meal history", "medication history", "exercise amount history", "posture history", "replacement timing", and "excretion timing".

The "facility ID" is identification information for identifying a facility (e.g., a nursing facility) where the user identified by the "user ID" is present. The "user ID" is identification information for identifying a user who is present in the facility (for example, a care facility) identified by the "facility ID" and who is present in the position of a person to be cared.

The "excretion history" is information indicating the history of excretion behavior of the user, and includes, for example, "when and how much excrement or urine is excreted, and in the case of defecation, how much excrement quality is included". The "excretion history" may be an excretion history obtained from the defecation information and urination information described with reference to fig. 1 and 2, or may be an excretion history fed back from a caregiver who confirmed excretion.

Further, the excretion history obtained from the defecation information and the urination information is an estimation result obtained by an estimation process to which the estimation logic according to the embodiment is applied. For example, when it is estimated that defecation has occurred, the information processing apparatus 100 can estimate the defecation amount based on the change in the electrical characteristic value and also estimate the stool quality. For example, when it is estimated that urination has been performed, the information processing device 100 can estimate the urination amount based on the change in the electrical characteristic value.

In addition, in the example of fig. 4, the user ID "U11" corresponds to the drainage history "drainage history # 11". This example shows an example in which the user (user U11) identified by the user ID "U11" has so far been excreted with the content indicated by "excretion history # 11".

The "meal history" is food and drink information relating to food and drink ingested by the user, and is an example of "user information" relating to the user.

The "meal history" is information indicating the history of the diet performed by the user, and is, for example, what the user "identified by the" user ID "is when (or what) the user" has eaten by how much. The "meal history" may be registered by a caregiver, or may be a captured image obtained by capturing an image of a food or drink provided to a user. In addition, when a predetermined sensor (such as a camera) is attached to a container or the like in which the food or drink is placed, for example, the information processing device 100 may acquire information (such as a captured image) detected by the sensor and store the acquired information as a meal history in the user information storage unit 121. In the example of fig. 4, the user ID "U11" corresponds to the meal history "meal history # 11". This example shows an example in which the wearer (user U11) identified by the user ID "U11" has been eating with the contents shown in "dining history # 11" up to now.

The "medication history" is medication information related to medication for the user, and is an example of "user information" related to the user.

The "medication history" is information indicating a history of administration of the user with the laxative, and is, for example, what amount of laxative is given when the user identified by the "user ID" is given. The "medication history" may be registered by a caregiver, and when a situation in which the administration to the user is detected by a predetermined sensor (such as a camera), the information processing apparatus 100 may acquire information (for example, a captured image) detected by the sensor and store the acquired information as a medication history in the user information storage unit 121. In the example of fig. 4, the user ID "U11" corresponds to the medication history "medication history # 11". This example shows an example in which the user (user U11) identified by the user ID "U11" is administered a laxative with the content indicated by "medication history # 11".

The "exercise amount history" is exercise information indicating the amount of exercise of the user, and is an example of sensor information detected by a predetermined sensor corresponding to the user.

The "exercise amount history" is information indicating the history of the exercise amount of the user, and is, for example, information indicating when the user identified by the "user ID" performed an action at what exercise amount. In the example of fig. 4, the user ID "U11" corresponds to the movement amount history "movement amount history # 11". This example shows an example in which the user (user U11) identified by the user ID "U11" has acted so far with the exercise amount indicated by the "exercise amount history # 11".

The "posture history" is posture information indicating the posture of the user, and is an example of sensor information detected by a predetermined sensor corresponding to the user.

The "posture history" is information indicating a history of the posture of the user, and is, for example, what posture the user identified by the "user ID" is. In the example of fig. 4, the user ID "U11" corresponds to the posture history "posture history # 11". This example shows an example in which the user (user U11) identified by the user ID "U11" shows the posture indicated by "posture history # 11" with the passage of time.

The "excretion timing" is excretion timing predicted for the wearer identified by the "wearer ID", and is information on excretion timing predicted based on the "excretion history", for example. In the example of fig. 4, the user ID "U11" corresponds to the excretion timing "excretion timing # 11". This example shows that the user (user U11) identified by the user ID "U11" is predicted to excrete at the timing (for example, the period) indicated by "excretion timing # 11".

The "replacement timing" is information indicating a replacement timing according to the number of times of urination determined for the user identified by the "user ID", for example, a replacement timing at which the absorbent article should be replaced when the number of times of urination has been performed. In the example of fig. 4, the user ID "U11" corresponds to the replacement timing "replacement timing # 11". This example shows that the absorbent article should be replaced when the user identified by the user ID "U11" (user U11) decides that urination has been performed the number of times indicated by "replacement timing # 11".

In the example of fig. 4, conceptual marks are used as in the drainage history #11 and the like, but in actuality, appropriate numerical values, texts, images (moving images), and the like representing these contents are registered.

(about the sensed information storage part 122)

The sensed information storage portion 122 records information on the detection result (electrical characteristic value) of the device DVx. Fig. 5 shows an example of the sensed information storage unit 122 according to the embodiment. In the example of fig. 5, the sensed information storage unit 122 has items such as "facility id (identifier)", "user id (identifier)", "device id (identifier)", "sensor id (identifier)", "capacitance history record", and "resistance history record".

The "facility ID" is identification information for identifying a facility (e.g., a nursing facility) where a user identified by the "user ID" is present. The "user ID" is identification information for identifying a user who is present in the facility (for example, a care facility) identified by the "facility ID" and who is present in the position of a person to be cared.

The "device ID" is identification information for identifying the device DVx mounted on the absorbent pad PD 1. The "sensor ID" is identification information for identifying the sensor (upper sensor SNx) constituted by the device DVx and the upper electrode ER1112 by mounting the device DVx as described with reference to fig. 2. In addition, "sensor ID" is identification information for identifying the sensor (lower sensor SNy) constituted by the device DVx and the lower electrode ER2122 by mounting the device DVx.

In the example of fig. 5, the user ID "U11" is layered above the device ID "DV 11", sensor ID "; SN111 ', sensor ID'; SN112 "corresponds. This example shows an example in which a device (device DV11) identified by the device ID "DV 11" is mounted on the absorbent pad PD1 worn by the wearer (user U11) identified by the user ID "U11". In addition, this example shows that the upper sensor SNx composed of the device DV11 and the upper electrode ER1112 is identified by "SN 111" (upper sensor SN111), and the lower sensor SNy composed of the device DV11 and the lower electrode ER2122 is identified by "SN 112" (lower sensor SN 112).

The "electrostatic capacitance history" is information relating to a history of electrostatic capacitances detected by sensors identified by corresponding "sensor IDs". In the example of fig. 5, sensor ID "upper layer; SN111 "corresponds to the electrostatic capacitance history" electrostatic capacitance history #111 ". This example shows the upper layer by sensor ID "; the upper sensor SNx (upper sensor SN111) identified by SN111 "detects an example of electrostatic capacitance as indicated by" electrostatic capacitance history #111 ".

The "resistance history" is information on the history of the resistance detected by the sensor identified by the corresponding "sensor ID". In the example of fig. 5, sensor ID "upper layer; SN111 "corresponds to resistance history" resistance history #111 ". This example shows the upper layer by sensor ID "; the upper sensor SNx (upper sensor SN111) identified by SN111 "detects an example of resistance as indicated by" resistance history #111 ".

In the example of fig. 5, conceptual marks are used as in the capacitance history #111 and the like, but appropriate numerical values, texts, and the like indicating the contents are actually registered.

(about facility information storage 123)

The facility information storage unit 123 stores information related to facilities. Fig. 6 shows an example of the facility information storage unit 123 according to the embodiment. In the example of fig. 6, the facility information storage unit 123 has items such as "facility id (identifier)", "facility device id (identifier)", "caregiver id (identifier)", "personal device id (identifier)", and "caregiver information".

The "facility ID" is identification information for identifying a facility (e.g., a nursing facility) where a user is present. The "facility device ID" is identification information for identifying the facility device 30 used in the facility identified by the "facility ID". The "caregiver ID" is identification information for identifying a caregiver who is affiliated with the facility identified by the "facility ID". The "personal device ID" is identification information for identifying the personal device 10 utilized by the caregiver identified by the "caregiver ID". "caregiver information" indicates information on a caregiver identified by "caregiver ID". The "caregiver information" is, for example, attribute information (name, age, position, etc.) of the caregiver identified by the "caregiver ID", work history, work schedule, and the like.

In the example of fig. 6, the facility ID "FA 1" corresponds to the facility device ID "30-11" or the like. This example shows an example in which the facility apparatus 30 (facility apparatus 30-11) identified by the facility apparatus ID "30-11" is used in the facility (nursing facility FA1) identified by the facility ID "FA 1". In the example of fig. 6, the caregiver ID "NA 11" corresponds to the personal device IDs "10 to 11" and the caregiver information "caregiver information # 11". This example shows that the caregiver (nurse NA11) identified by the caregiver ID "NA 11" utilizes the personal device 10 (personal device 10-11) identified by the personal device ID "10-11", and that the caregiver is the attribute and the operation state shown by the "caregiver information # 11".

Note that, in the example of fig. 6, a conceptual flag is used as in the caregiver information #11 and the like, but in reality, appropriate numerical values, texts, and the like indicating the contents are registered.

(concerning the condition table storage part 124)

The condition table storage unit 124 stores a table for specifying conditions of the combination, and for example, what service is provided when the combination of the urination information and the defecation information is what combination. Fig. 7 is a diagram showing an example of the condition table storage unit 124 according to the embodiment.

In the example of fig. 7, the condition obtained by combining the "defecation information" and the "urination information" is identified by the condition number "1", the defecation information "defecation presence", the urination information "urination absence or presence of urination", and the service content "replacement reminder" are defined in correspondence with each other. This example shows the following example: it is defined that, when a combination of the urination information "defecation is present", and the urination information "urination is absent or urination is present" (regardless of whether or not the user urinates, it is estimated that the user has performed urination), "a warning prompting the user to replace the absorbent article worn by the user" is output.

In the example of fig. 7, as the condition obtained by combining the "defecation information" and the "urination information" identified by the condition number "2", the condition of "no defecation" and "urination" is defined, and the condition of "the state of the absorbent article reaches the absorption limit due to urination" is added. Further, there is a service content "replacement reminder". This example shows the following example: it is defined that, when the combination of the defecation information "no defecation", and the urination information "urination is present" and the state of the absorbent article "the absorption limit due to urination" is satisfied (when it is estimated that the user urinates without defecation and the absorbable amount of the absorbent article due to urination reaches the absorption limit), "a reminder to prompt the user to change the absorbent article worn by the user" is output.

In the example of fig. 7, as the condition obtained by combining the "defecation information" and the "urination information" identified by the condition number "3", the condition of the defecation information "defecation presence", the urination information "urination", and the correlation between defecation and urination "urination after defecation" are added. Further, there is a service content "replacement reminder". This example shows the following example: it is defined that, when the combination of the defecation information "defecation with stool" and the urination information "urination with urine" satisfies the correlation between defecation and urination "urination after defecation" and "prompt to change the absorbent article worn by the user" is output.

For example, the information processing apparatus 100 estimates that defecation (presence of defecation) and urination (presence of urination) are performed by the estimation processing in step S12 of fig. 1 for the user U11 (estimation result mode 3). In this case, the information processing apparatus 100 separately acquires information indicating that urination has been performed (an example of defecation information) and information indicating that urination has been performed (an example of urination information) in step S13. In addition, when it is estimated that there is both defecation and urination this time, the information processing apparatus 100 estimates whether or not urine is excreted after defecation. Here, the information processing apparatus 100 estimates that urine is excreted after defecation.

In step S14, the information processing device 100 refers to the condition table storage unit 124 (fig. 7) and specifies the condition 3 (condition number 3) as a condition satisfied by the combination of "defecation, urination", and "urination after defecation". Then, the information processing apparatus 100 determines the service "replacement reminder" corresponding to the condition 3 as the service to be provided.

As described above, in the example of the estimation result mode 3, the information processing apparatus 100 estimates that the user has performed both defecation and urination based on the defecation information and urination information corresponding to the user U11. Further, the information processing apparatus 100 estimates that urine is excreted after defecation from the estimation result, and thereby prompts an alert to prompt replacement of the absorbent pad PD1 worn by the user U11 to be output.

For example, assume a situation where the absorbent pad PD1 is not (cannot be) replaced after defecation has occurred. For example, when urination is performed after defecation, the information processing device 100 can respond to such a situation by outputting a prompt prompting to replace the absorbent pad PD 1. Further, according to the information processing apparatus 100, since it is possible to communicate a situation in which the risk of leakage is high due to excretion of urine after excretion of feces, it is possible to prevent leakage of feces and a cleaning operation associated with leakage of feces in advance.

(control section 130)

Returning to fig. 3, the control Unit 130 is realized by a CPU (Central Processing Unit), an MPU (Micro Processing Unit), or the like, executing various programs stored in a storage device inside the information Processing apparatus 100 with a RAM as a work area. The control unit 130 may be implemented by an Integrated Circuit such as an ASIC (Application Specific Integrated Circuit) or an FPGA (Field Programmable Gate Array).

As shown in fig. 3, the control unit 130 includes a receiving unit 131, an estimating unit 132, an acquiring unit 133, a service providing unit 134, a determining unit 135, a learning unit 136, an information control unit 137, an evaluating unit 138, and a determining unit 139, and realizes or executes the functions and functions of information processing described below. The internal configuration of the control unit 130 is not limited to the configuration shown in fig. 3, and may be another configuration as long as information processing described later can be performed. The connection relationship of the processing units included in the control unit 130 is not limited to the connection relationship shown in fig. 3, and may be another connection relationship.

(with respect to the receiving section 131)

The receiving unit 131 individually acquires defecation information relating to defecation of the user and urination information relating to urination of the user.

As illustrated in fig. 1, the upper sensor SNx of the device DVx continuously detects the electrostatic capacitance and resistance between the carbon electrodes ER11 and ER12, and transmits the detection result to the information processing apparatus 100. In addition, the lower sensor SNy of the device DVx continuously detects the electrostatic capacitance and resistance between the carbon electrodes ER21 and ER22, and transmits the detection result to the information processing apparatus 100.

By transmitting the detection results individually by the sensors in this manner, the receiving unit 131 individually acquires (receives) the electrical characteristic value (an example of urination information) detected by the upper sensor SNx and the electrical characteristic value (an example of urination information) detected by the lower sensor SNy. The receiving unit 131 associates the "user ID", the "device ID", the "sensor ID", the "capacitance" acquired this time, and the "resistance" acquired this time, and stores them in the sensed information storage unit 122 as one history.

(concerning the estimating section 132)

The estimation unit 132 estimates whether or not the absorbent pad PD1 performs excretion for each user based on the history of the electrical characteristic values (capacitance history, resistance history). For example, the estimation unit 132 estimates whether or not at least one of defecation and urination is performed for each user based on the history of the electrical characteristic values, and thereby estimates whether or not the defecation is performed. Specifically, the estimation unit 132 performs the estimation process by applying the estimation logic described with reference to fig. 2 to the history of the electrical characteristic values.

More specifically, the estimation unit 132 detects three elements: whether there is a change in electrostatic capacitance and resistance detected by the upper sensor SNx; whether there is a change in electrostatic capacitance and resistance detected by the lower sensor SNy; and what behavior over time shows in the presence of changes. Then, the estimation unit 132 comprehensively estimates whether or not excretion is performed based on the detection result. Further, details of the estimation process performed by the estimation unit 132 will be described with reference to fig. 9.

In addition, when it is estimated that the excretion is performed (that is, when excretion is detected), the estimation unit 132 stores details of the excretion (when and how much stool or urine is excreted, and also how much stool quality is included in the case of excretion) as the excretion history in the user information storage unit 121. In addition, the estimation unit 132 can automatically record the drainage history by transmitting the drainage history to the personal device 10 or the facility device 30. The estimation unit 132 may store, as the excretion history, the content of the feedback of the caregiver to the estimation result obtained by the estimation process (whether excretion has actually been performed).

(concerning the acquisition section 133)

The acquisition unit 133 individually acquires defecation information relating to defecation of the user and urination information relating to urination of the user. For example, when it is estimated that the excretion is performed by the estimation process performed by the estimation unit 132, the acquisition unit 133 acquires an actual estimation result of which one of defecation and urination is performed. Specifically, the acquisition unit 133 acquires information indicating whether or not urination is performed (i.e., defecation information that is information on defecation of the user) and information indicating whether or not urination is performed (i.e., urination information that is information on urination of the user) separately.

(concerning the service providing section 134(1))

The service providing unit 134 provides a service according to a condition satisfied by a combination of the defecation information and the urination information acquired by the acquisition unit 133.

For example, in a case where it is estimated that the user has performed defecation based on the defecation information and the urination information (in a case where condition 1 of fig. 7 is satisfied), the service providing unit 134 outputs a reminder prompting replacement of the absorbent article worn by the user as the estimation target regardless of whether or not the user has urinated.

When it is estimated that the user has urinated without urinating based on the urination information and the urination information, the service providing unit 134 outputs a prompt prompting the absorbent article to be replaced based on whether the state of the absorbent article is changed to a predetermined state by urination. Specifically, when it is estimated that the user has urinated without defecation and the amount of absorbency of the absorbent article has reached the absorbency limit due to the current urination (when condition 2 of fig. 7 is satisfied), the service providing unit 134 outputs a prompt prompting replacement of the absorbent article worn by the user to be estimated.

Further, when it is estimated that urine and feces are discharged in a predetermined order based on the urination information and the urination information, the service providing unit 134 outputs a prompt prompting the absorbent article to be replaced. Specifically, the service providing unit 134 outputs a prompt prompting to prompt replacement of the absorbent article worn by the user as the estimation target when it is estimated that urine is excreted after defecation.

Further, as control for causing a reminder to prompt replacement of the absorbent article to be output, the service providing unit 134 performs control so that a reminder to prompt replacement of the absorbent article of the user to be estimated is output to the facility device 30 or the personal device 10 corresponding to the user to be estimated.

The service providing unit 134 also provides a predetermined service based on the excretion history obtained from the defecation information and the urination information. The service providing unit 134 also provides a predetermined service based on the excretion history obtained from the defecation information and the urination information, and the user information on the user. The service providing unit 134 also provides a predetermined service based on sensor information detected by a predetermined sensor corresponding to the user and a excretion history obtained from the defecation information and the urination information. Here, the excretion history obtained from the excretion information and the urination information is an estimation result obtained by an estimation process (an estimation process by the estimation unit 132) to which the estimation logic according to the embodiment is applied, or a feedback from a caregiver who has received a notification of the estimation result (whether or not excretion has actually been performed).

Here, as the user information on the user, there can be mentioned diet information (meal history) on food or drink ingested by the user and medication information (medication history) on medication for the user. Although not shown in fig. 4, the user information may be skin information indicating a change in the skin state of the user. The skin information includes, for example, a history of skin problems such as what skin problems exist.

The predetermined sensors corresponding to the user include a gyro sensor, a GPS sensor, and a temperature/humidity sensor. For example, the device DVx may have at least one of these sensors. On the other hand, a user may wear a terminal device (e.g., a wearable terminal) having these sensors.

The amount of exercise, posture, and body movement of the user can be estimated from the information detected by the gyro sensor. Therefore, the "movement amount history" and the "posture history" stored in the user information storage unit 121 are estimated based on the information detected by the gyro sensor. Further, the position information of the user can be estimated from the information detected by the GPS sensor.

When excretion is performed in the absorbent article, the temperature and humidity in the absorbent article change. Therefore, by combining the information detected by the temperature/humidity sensor in the estimation process performed by the estimation unit 132, more accurate excretion detection can be achieved.

The service providing unit 134 cooperates with each processing unit described below to provide the predetermined service described above. Next, each processing unit that causes the service providing unit 134 to provide a predetermined service in cooperation with the service providing unit 134 will be described.

(with respect to the determination section 135)

The determination unit 135 determines whether or not the excretion status of the user is a predetermined status based on the excretion history obtained from the excretion information and the urination information. For example, the determination unit 135 determines whether or not the user is in a situation of "not excreting for a predetermined period or longer" based on the excretion history for each user. Taking the user U11 as an example, the determination unit 135 extracts "excretion history" corresponding to the user ID "U11" from the user information storage unit 121. The determination unit 135 determines whether or not the user U11 is in a state of "not having defecation (or urination) for a predetermined period or longer" based on the extracted "defecation history".

For example, the determination unit 135 determines that the user U11 is in a situation of "not having defecation for a predetermined period or more". In this case, the service providing unit 134 outputs a warning indicating that the user U11 is "not defecating for a predetermined period or longer". For example, the service providing unit 134 outputs a reminder indicating that the user U11 is "not defecation for a predetermined period or more" to the facility device 30, and also notifies offer information to offer an offer to perform laxative delivery.

According to the information processing apparatus 100, since the caregiver can be notified of the health status of the user, the QOL of the user can be improved.

For example, the determination unit 135 determines that the user U11 is "not urinating for a predetermined period or more". In this case, the service providing unit 134 outputs a reminder indicating that the user U11 is "not urinating for a predetermined period or longer" to the facility device 30, and notifies that "there is a possibility of ureter blockage".

The determination unit 135 may determine whether or not the excretion status of the user is a predetermined status based on the excretion history and the meal history obtained from the excretion information and the urination information. Taking the user U11 as an example, the determination unit 135 determines whether or not the excretion state of the user U11 is a predetermined state based on the moisture amount of the moisture taken by the user U11 and the excretion history of the user U11 after taking the moisture. For example, the determination unit 135 determines whether or not the user U11 is in an over-urination state or under-urination based on the moisture amount of the moisture taken by the user U11 and the urination history of the user U11 after taking the moisture.

For example, the determination unit 135 determines that the user U11 is in the "urination excessive state". In this case, the service providing unit 134 outputs a reminder indicating that the user U11 is in the "urination excessive state".

(about learning part 136)

The learning unit 136 learns the tendency of each user to excrete the user. For example, the learning unit 136 learns the correlation between the excretion state of the user and the diet state of the user based on the excretion history of the user (excretion history obtained from the excretion information and the urination information) and the diet information (meal history) related to the food or drink ingested by the user. According to such learning, there is a case where a predetermined correlation is obtained between the excretion status indicated by the excretion history record and the dietary status indicated by the dietary information. As an example, there is a case where a correlation between an eating condition and an excretion condition is obtained, such as "when a large amount of food is eaten (or drunk), a tendency that a large amount of excrement is excreted at a long interval after ingestion".

For example, the learning unit 136 learns the correlation between the excretion status of the user and the laxative status of the user based on the excretion history of the user (excretion history obtained from the excretion information and the urination information) and the medication information (medication history) related to medication for the user. According to such learning, a predetermined correlation may be obtained between the excretion status indicated by the excretion history and the medication status indicated by the medication information. As an example, there is a case where the correlation between the excretion status and the excretion status is obtained, such as "when and how much laxative is administered at what timing, how long an interval is after the administration, and how much stool quality and stool tendency is excreted.

For example, the learning unit 136 learns the correlation between the excretion status of the user and the posture status of the user based on the excretion history of the user (excretion history obtained from the excretion information and the urination information) and the posture information (posture history) indicating the posture of the user. According to such learning, there are cases where the posture status, such as "a tendency of how much excrement is excreted in what posture (or a tendency of what excretion frequency is), is correlated with the excretion status. For example, the number of times of excretion is large or the amount of excretion is large in a specific posture.

In addition, the learning portion 136 can learn the correlation between the excretion status of the user and the period based on the excretion history (excretion history obtained from the excretion information and the urination information) of the user and the period. According to such learning, there are cases where the correlation between the excretion status and the time period such as "the tendency of excretion to be large or small (or the tendency of excretion frequency to be large) in what time period" is obtained. For example, the number of excretions in a specific period (for example, at night) tends to be large, or the amount of excretions tends to be large.

For example, the learning unit 136 learns the correlation between the excretion status of the user and the physical action status of the user based on the excretion history of the user (excretion history obtained from the excretion information and the urination information) and the physical action information (physical action history) indicating the physical action of the user. According to such learning, there are cases where the correlation between the bodily action state and the excretion state is obtained, such as "a tendency to perform excretion behavior at the time of what bodily action is performed". As an example, there is a tendency that "excretion is easy after a small-amplitude exercise" is obtained.

For example, the learning unit 136 learns the correlation between the excretion status of the user and the skin status of the user based on the excretion history of the user (excretion history obtained from the excretion information and the urination information) and the skin information indicating the change in the skin status of the user. For example, the learning unit 136 learns the correlation between the excretion amount and the skin problem. In addition, for example, the learning unit 136 learns the correlation between the excretion frequency and the skin problem.

(information control section 137)

The information control unit 137 performs various controls related to the absorbent article. For example, the information control unit 137 performs control related to the excretion timing at which the user excretes, based on the excretion history obtained from the defecation information and the urination information. For example, the information control unit 137 performs control related to excretion timing based on the excretion history and user information (meal history, medication history, skin information). Further, for example, the information control unit 137 performs control related to the excretion timing based on the excretion history and the sensor information (movement amount history, posture history, and body movement history). In this case, the information control unit 137 performs control related to the excretion timing based on the learning result of the learning unit 136, for example.

For example, the information control unit 137 controls various proposals and suggestions related to dining, laxatives, absorbent articles, and the like based on the excretion history obtained from the defecation information and the urination information. For example, the information control unit 137 combines the excretion history with the learning result of the learning unit 136 to control various proposals and suggestions related to meals, laxatives, absorbent articles, and the like.

(control relating to excretion timing)

First, control related to the excretion timing performed by the information control unit 137 will be described. For example, the information control unit 137 predicts the excretion timing at which the user excretes based on the correlation (learning result) obtained by the learning unit 136, that is, the correlation between the excretion status indicated by the excretion history of the user to be treated and the diet status indicated by the diet information of the user.

The information control unit 137 may predict the excretion timing at which the user excretes based on the correlation (learning result) obtained by the learning unit 136, that is, the correlation between the excretion status indicated by the excretion history of the user to be treated and the medication status indicated by the medication information of the user.

Further, the information control unit 137 can realize more detailed excretion timing prediction by combining the correlation between the excretion status indicated by the excretion history record and the dietary status indicated by the dietary information and the correlation between the excretion status indicated by the excretion history record and the medication status indicated by the medication information. For example, the information control unit 137 can predict the excretion timing based on the correlation between the excretion status, the dietary status, and the excretion status, such as "when and how much laxative is administered at what timing, how much stool quality and stool tendency to be excreted at how much amount and how much amount after administration" and the like.

The information control unit 137 outputs information indicating the excretion timing to the service providing unit 134 so as to notify the caregiver corresponding to the user of the excretion timing predicted for the user to be treated.

The information control unit 137 may determine a replacement timing at which the absorbent article of the user to be treated should be replaced, based on the excretion status indicated by the excretion history. For example, the information control unit 137 determines the replacement timing of the absorbent article to be replaced with the user based on the correlation (learning result) obtained by the learning unit 136, that is, the correlation between the excretion status of the user to be treated and the posture status of the user.

For example, when a tendency of "easily excreted after a small exercise" is obtained for a user to be processed, the information control unit 137 determines a timing indicating a body motion such as a small exercise as a replacement timing of the user. For example, when a tendency such as "a large number of excretions or a large amount of excretions in a specific time period (for example, at night") is obtained with respect to a user to be treated, the information control unit 137 determines the specific time period as the replacement timing of the user.

For example, the information control unit 137 may determine the replacement timing of the absorbent article to be replaced with the user based on the correlation (learning result) learned by the learning unit 136, that is, the correlation between the excretion status of the user to be treated and the skin status of the user. For example, when a tendency such as "a skin problem is likely to occur when excretion is performed at a specific excretion amount" is obtained for a user to be treated, the information control unit 137 determines a timing at which excretion is performed at a specific excretion amount as a replacement timing of the user.

When the replacement timing determined for the user to be processed is reached, the information control unit 137 controls the service providing unit 134 to notify the caretaker corresponding to the user of the prompt to prompt the absorbent article replacement.

The information control unit 137 may determine a replacement timing according to the number of urination times based on the urination history, and for example, may replace the absorbent article when the urination is performed for a certain number of times. For example, the information control unit 137 determines the replacement timing according to the number of urination times, for example, how many times the absorbent article should be replaced when urination has been performed, based on the state of the urination amount indicated by the excretion history. This point will be described by taking the user U11 as an example.

For example, the information control unit 137 calculates the average urine volume per urination performed by the user U11 based on the urination history of the user U11. The information control unit 137 compares the calculated average urine volume with the absorbable volume of the absorbent article (for example, the absorbent pad PD1) worn by the user U11, and determines the replacement timing according to the number of urination times, for example, how many times the user U11 urinates, the absorbent article should be replaced.

For example, the average urine volume per urination behavior of the user U11 is "100 ml", and the absorbable volume in the initial state of the absorbent pad PD1 is "300 ml". In this case, the information control unit 137 determines the time point at which the "three times" urination is performed as the replacement timing of the absorbent pad PD1, based on the fact that the absorbable amount of the absorbent pad PD1 reaches the absorption limit when the "three times" urination is performed.

Further, for example, when the estimation unit 132 estimates that the user U11 urinates "three times" and recognizes that the user U11 urinates "three times", the information control unit 137 controls the service providing unit 134 to notify the caregiver corresponding to the user U11 of the reminder to prompt the replacement.

Further, the information control unit 137 may determine the replacement timing based on the wetness degree of the absorbent article, rather than performing control related to replacement of the absorbent article by determining whether or not the absorption limit is reached based on the urine volume and the absorbable amount of the absorbent article as described above. For example, the information control portion 137 calculates a wet score representing how much the absorbent article is wet, based on the moisture that the absorbent article has currently absorbed or the moisture included in the surface (e.g., topsheet) of the absorbent article. When the absorbent article is determined to be sufficiently wet from the calculated wet fraction being equal to or greater than the predetermined value, the information control unit 137 determines that the replacement timing is set at the current time. Further, the information control unit 137 controls to output a replacement reminder to the service providing unit 134.

The information control unit 137 may determine a replacement timing at which the absorbent article should be replaced, based on the excretion history and the timing at which the laxative is administered. For example, in the learning by the learning unit 136, there may be obtained a correlation between the excretion status and the excretion status, such as "when what amount of laxative is administered at what timing, how much stool with what stool quality is excreted at how much amount of time after administration". Therefore, when the correlation is obtained for the user to whom the laxative is administered, the information control unit 137 determines the replacement timing based on the correlation.

Further, although the information control unit 137 has been described as performing control relating to the excretion timing and the replacement timing, the information control unit 137 may determine the medication timing for administering the laxative to the user based on the excretion history obtained from the defecation information and the urination information. For example, the information control unit 137 determines the medication timing for administering the laxative to the user based on the correlation (learning result) obtained by the learning unit 136, that is, the correlation between the excretion status indicated by the excretion history of the user as the processing target and the medication status indicated by the medication information of the user.

For example, when a tendency that "soft feces are easily excreted when administering a laxative immediately after a meal" is obtained for a user to be treated, the information control unit 137 determines a timing at which an interval of two hours or more is provided after a meal as a medication timing at which a laxative is administered to a user to be treated. When the determined medication timing is reached, the information control unit 137 controls the service providing unit 134 to notify the caretaker corresponding to the user of the reminder to prompt medication.

The information control unit 137 may determine a guide timing for guiding the user to the toilet based on the excretion timing and the replacement timing. The information control unit 137 may also determine the guidance timing based on the unstable behavior of the user.

For example, when an unstable behavior is detected based on the posture information of the user to be processed, the information control unit 137 determines the guidance timing suitable for the user based on the detected unstable behavior and the excretion history of the user. For example, it is assumed that a user to be processed tends to "perform unstable action in a specific period". In this case, the information control unit 137 determines, as the guidance timing suitable for the user, a period other than a period in which an unstable action is likely to be taken, among periods in which the user to be treated is in a tendency to perform excretion. The information control unit 137 outputs information indicating the guidance timing to the service providing unit 134, and notifies the determined guidance timing to the caregiver corresponding to the user.

(control in connection with proposal, suggestion)

Next, various proposals and proposed controls performed by the information control unit 137 will be described. For example, the information control unit 137 determines the contents of meals suitable for the user to be treated based on the excretion history obtained from the defecation information and the urination information.

For example, the information control unit 137 determines the meal contents suitable for the user based on the correlation (learning result) obtained by the learning unit 136, that is, the correlation between the excretion status indicated by the excretion history of the user to be processed and the eating status indicated by the eating information of the user. For example, when a tendency that "natural defecation without laxation is easy in the case of a specific meal content" is obtained for a user to be processed, the information control unit 137 determines the specific meal content as a meal content suitable for the user. The information control unit 137 generates offer information for offering the determined meal contents as meal contents suitable for the user to be processed. Then, the information control section 137 controls to offer a meal by outputting the offer information to the service providing section 134.

The information control unit 137 may select an absorbent article suitable for a user to be treated based on the excretion history obtained from the excretion information and the urination information. For example, the information control unit 137 selects, as an absorbent article suitable for the user as the treatment target, an absorbent article of a specification corresponding to the situation of the excretion amount indicated by the excretion history of the user as the treatment target, among the absorbent articles as the recommendation candidates. Further, the information control unit 137 generates recommendation information for recommending the selected absorbent article as an absorbent article suitable for the user to be treated. Then, the information control section 137 performs control so that the recommended information is output to the service providing section 134 to make the best product proposal. This point will be described by taking the user U11 as an example.

For example, the information control unit 137 calculates the average urine volume per a predetermined period (for example, three hours) based on the excretion history of the user U11. Then, the information control unit 137 selects an absorbent article of a specification corresponding to the calculated average urine volume, among the absorbent articles as the recommendation candidates, as an absorbent article suitable for the user U11. For example, the information control unit 137 selects, as an absorbent article suitable for the user U11, an absorbent article having an absorbent capacity capable of sufficiently absorbing the calculated average urine volume, among the absorbent articles that are candidates for recommendation. Further, the information control unit 137 generates recommendation information for recommending the selected absorbent article as an absorbent article suitable for the user U11. Then, the information control unit 137 outputs the generated recommendation information to the service providing unit 134 to notify the care worker corresponding to the user to be processed of the recommendation information.

For example, the information control unit 137 may calculate the average urine volume per urination behavior performed by the user U11 based on the excretion history of the user U11. In this case, the information control unit 137 selects an absorbent article of a specification corresponding to the calculated average urine volume, from among the absorbent articles as the recommendation candidates, as an absorbent article suitable for the user U11. For example, when the average urine volume is larger than the predetermined value, the information control unit 137 selects an absorbent article suitable for a person with a large disposable urine volume among the absorbent articles as recommended candidates as an absorbent article suitable for the user U11. For example, when the average urine volume is larger than the predetermined value, the information control unit 137 may select an absorbent article suitable for a person with high urination force (urine pressure) among the absorbent articles as recommended candidates as an absorbent article suitable for the user U11.

Further, the information control unit 137 may select an absorbent article that is most suitable for the user to wear at a predetermined time interval. For example, the learning unit 136 is assumed to obtain a tendency that the excretion count of the user U11 is small (or the excretion amount is small) during the daytime, and the excretion count is large (or the excretion amount is large) during the nighttime. Then, the information control unit 137 selects a thin absorbent article as the absorbent article most suitable for the user U11 to wear during the daytime, with respect to the user U11. The information control unit 137 selects an absorbent article having high absorption capacity as an absorbent article most suitable for the user U11 to wear during the nighttime period, with respect to the user who tends to use the absorbent article.

The information control unit 137 generates advice information suggesting that the user U11 tries to use a thin absorbent article during daytime and advice information suggesting that the user U11 tries to use an absorbent article with high absorbency during nighttime. Then, the information control unit 137 performs control to notify the care worker corresponding to the user to be processed of the generated advice information by outputting the advice information to the service providing unit 134.

The information control unit 137 may determine the number of times of body position change suitable for the user based on the correlation (learning result) obtained by the learning unit 136, that is, the correlation between the excretion state of the user to be processed, the posture state of the user, and the skin information of the user. For example, it is assumed that a tendency such as "a user who has a predetermined number of times of posture change or less is likely to cause skin troubles due to excrement" is obtained, and that a user who is a treatment target meets the condition that "the number of times of posture change is or less than the predetermined number of times". In this case, the information control unit 137 determines a specific number of times greater than the predetermined number of times as the number of times of body position change suitable for the user to be treated. The information control unit 137 generates advice information that advises an attempt to perform posture change more than the determined number of times. Then, the information control unit 137 outputs the generated advice information to the service providing unit 134 to notify the care worker corresponding to the user to be processed of the advice information.

The information control unit 137 may determine the leaving time suitable for the user based on the leaving time of the user and the excretion history of the user. For example, the information control unit 137 determines a period in which the user is likely to leave the bed at ordinary times, in which the user is likely to excrete, as a period in which the user is left the bed in advance. Further, the information control unit 137 generates advice information that advises the user to get out of bed at the determined time. Then, the information control unit 137 outputs the generated advice information to the service providing unit 134, thereby notifying the care worker corresponding to the user of the advice information.

(concerning the service providing section 134(2))

The determination unit 135, the learning unit 136, and the information control unit 137 have been described, and the service providing unit 134 cooperates with these processing units to substantially perform the following processing.

The service providing unit 134 provides a predetermined service based on the defecation history obtained from the defecation information and the urination information.

For example, when it is determined that the excretion status of the user is a predetermined status based on the excretion history, the service providing unit 134 outputs a reminder indicating that the excretion status of the user is the predetermined status. The service provider 134 outputs information on the excretion timing at which the user excretes, which is predicted based on the excretion history.

Further, the service provider 134 outputs information on the excretion timing at which the user excretes, which is predicted based on the excretion history. Further, the service provider 134 proposes, as a recommended product to be recommended for use by a user, an absorbent article of a specification corresponding to the situation of the excretion amount indicated by the excretion history record, among the absorbent articles. The service provider 134 proposes a replacement timing determined based on the state of the urination amount indicated by the excretion history, for example, a replacement timing corresponding to the number of urination times at which the absorbent article should be replaced when urination has been performed.

The service providing unit 134 provides a predetermined service based on the excretion history obtained from the defecation information and the urination information, and the user information on the user.

For example, the service providing unit 134 provides a predetermined service based on the excretion history and diet information on foods and drinks ingested by the user. For example, when a predetermined correlation is obtained between the excretion status indicated by the excretion history and the diet status indicated by the diet information, the service providing unit 134 makes an offer corresponding to the correlation.

The service providing unit 134 provides a predetermined service based on the excretion history and medication information on medication for the user. For example, when a predetermined correlation is obtained between the excretion status indicated by the excretion history and the medication status indicated by the medication information, the service providing unit 134 makes an offer corresponding to the correlation.

Further, information proposals have been described in which sensor information (for example, a motion amount history, a posture history, and a body motion history) detected by a predetermined sensor (for example, a gyro sensor, a GPS sensor, a temperature/humidity sensor, or the like) corresponding to a user is effectively used. On the other hand, the information processing apparatus 100 according to the embodiment can provide services as described below by effectively using sensor information (for example, motion amount history, posture history, and body motion history). The details of this are described using the evaluation unit 138 and the determination unit 139.

(for evaluation unit 138)

For example, the service providing unit 134 also provides a predetermined service based on sensor information detected by a predetermined sensor corresponding to the user and a excretion history obtained from the defecation information and the urination information. Here, the evaluation unit 138 evaluates the state of the user based on the excretion history and the exercise information indicating the amount of exercise of the user as the sensor information. For example, the evaluation unit 138 calculates a score representing how much the excretion status of the user improves in accordance with the change in the exercise amount indicated by the exercise information, and evaluates the necessity of exercising the user or the health state of the user based on the calculated score. Then, the service providing unit 134 provides the evaluation result of the evaluating unit 138. This point will be described by taking the user U11 as an example.

For example, the evaluation unit 138 extracts the "excretion history" (excretion history #11) corresponding to the user ID "U11" and the "exercise amount history" (exercise amount history #11) corresponding to the user ID "U11" from the user information storage unit 121. Further, the evaluation portion 138 calculates a physical status score representing how much the excretion status of the user U11 indicated by the excretion history #11 improves according to the change in the amount of exercise indicated by the excretion history # 11.

Here, even a physically inconvenient caregiver is likely to form a good cycle with a moderate exercise completed as follows: the food can be taken with a proper fasting state and can be used for healthy solid-state and proper-amount natural defecation without laxatives. Based on such a cycle index, for example, the evaluation unit 138 calculates the physical condition score based on the correlation between the change in the exercise amount indicated by the exercise amount history #11 and the state of stool (stool quality) indicated by the excretion history # 11.

For example, the higher the degree to which the state of the stool indicated by the excretion history #11 returns from the soft state to the normal solid state, the higher the physical condition score calculated by the evaluation unit 138, in accordance with the tendency that the change in the exercise amount indicated by the exercise amount history #11 shows a further increase. For example, the more the amount of stool indicated by the excretion history #11 increases, the higher the physical condition score calculated by the evaluation unit 138, corresponding to the tendency that the change in the exercise amount indicated by the exercise amount history #11 shows a further increase. The evaluation unit 138 calculates a final physical condition score by multiplying the two physical condition scores. The score calculation example is an example, and the evaluation unit 138 may calculate the physical status score by adding elements such as the content of the meal taken, the intake amount, and the defecation interval.

The evaluation unit 138 evaluates the necessity of exercising the user U11 or the health state of the user U11 based on the calculated physical condition score. For example, the evaluation unit 138 calculates a necessity degree of how much exercise the user U11 needs to be performed based on the physical status score, and evaluates the necessity of exercising the user U11 based on the calculated necessity degree. The evaluation unit 138 calculates a health degree representing the health degree of the user U11 based on the physical condition score, and evaluates the health state of the user U11 based on the calculated health degree.

Then, the service providing unit 134 notifies the caregiver corresponding to the user U11 of the evaluation result of the evaluation unit 138. For example, the service providing unit 134 transmits the evaluation result of the evaluation unit 138 to the facility device 30 of the care facility FA 1.

According to the information processing apparatus 100, since the caregiver can easily recognize the amount of exercise required by the user and the current health condition of the user, the caregiver can effectively study what care is required. Further, according to the information processing apparatus 100, since it is possible to provide an index representing whether or not there is a possibility that the user can shift to a state in which the user can naturally take meals and defecates by increasing the amount of exercise, it is possible to support the caregiver so that the caregiver can take appropriate care.

The service providing unit 134 may provide the evaluation result of the evaluation unit 138 to the requester who has requested the care user. In the above example, the service provider 134 may provide the evaluation result of the evaluation unit 138 to a requester who requests the care facility FA1 to take care of the user U11 (for example, a person who is in the position of the guardian of the user U11 and who is associated with the relatives of the user U11). For example, when the terminal device (mobile phone terminal) of the requester is known, the service providing unit 134 transmits the evaluation result of the evaluation unit 138 to the terminal device.

According to the information processing apparatus 100, the client can grasp what change the health condition of the user has changed (for example, whether the user has deteriorated or improved) due to the care received at the facility, and therefore, the client can effectively study the hosting method at the facility.

(determination unit 139)

The determination unit 139 determines the timing for guiding the user to go to the toilet, based on the excretion history obtained from the defecation information and the urination information, and the sleep state of the user estimated from the posture information indicating the posture of the user as the sensor information. This point will be described by taking the user U11 as an example.

For example, the determination unit 139 extracts the "excretion history" (excretion history #11) corresponding to the user ID "U11" and the "posture history" (posture history #11) corresponding to the user ID "U11" from the user information storage unit 121. Then, the determination unit 139 calculates the sleep level representing the depth of sleep from the viewpoint of how adverse effects the excretion during sleep has on the depth of sleep. For example, the determination unit 139 calculates the degree of sleep based on the correlation between the posture during sleep and the state of physical action indicated by the posture history #11 and the excretion state during sleep indicated by the excretion history #11, and the lower the calculated degree of sleep is, the worse the excretion behavior and the excretion have influence on the depth of sleep.

When the calculated sleep level is lower than the predetermined reference value, the determination unit 139 determines that the excretion or excrement has an adverse effect on the depth of sleep, and determines that the necessity of excretion before sleep is high, and that the user U11 needs to excrete before sleep, for example. In addition, when it is determined that the necessity of performing the excretion before sleep is high, the determination unit 139 determines, for example, the "timing within one hour before the user enters sleep" as the timing for guiding the user U11 to go to the toilet.

The service provider 134 notifies the caregiver corresponding to the user U11 of the guidance timing determined by the determination unit 139. For example, the service provider 134 transmits the guidance timing determined by the determination unit 139 to the facility device 30 at the care facility FA 1.

According to the information processing apparatus 100, the excretion cycle of the user can be improved to an excretion cycle that provides better sleep.

[ 6. treatment Process ]

Next, the procedure of information processing according to the embodiment will be described with reference to fig. 8 and 9. Fig. 8 illustrates the overall process of information processing according to the embodiment. Fig. 9 illustrates a detailed procedure of an estimation process for estimating whether or not excretion has been performed in the information processing according to the embodiment.

In fig. 8 and 9, the absorbent article will be described as the absorbent pad PD1 described in fig. 1 and 2. In addition, in the absorbent pad PD1, pairs of carbon electrodes ER11 and ER12 (upper electrode ER1112) are present in the upper layer, and pairs of carbon electrodes ER21 and ER22 (lower electrode ER2122) are present in the lower layer.

In addition, as shown in fig. 2, a device DVx is attached to the absorbent pad PD 1. Thus, the device DVx and the upper electrode ER1112 constitute "an upper sensor SNx" by mounting the device DVx. Further, the upper sensor SNx detects (senses) electrical characteristic values (electrostatic capacitance, resistance) between the carbon electrodes ER11 and ER 12.

In addition, the device DVx and the lower electrode ER2122 constitute "a lower sensor SNy" by mounting the device DVx. Further, the lower layer sensor SNy detects (senses) electrical characteristic values (electrostatic capacitance, resistance) between the carbon electrodes ER21 and ER 22.

[ 6-1. processing (1) ]

First, the overall process of information processing according to the embodiment will be described with reference to fig. 8. Fig. 8 is a flowchart showing an information processing procedure according to the embodiment.

The receiving unit 131 receives (acquires) the electrical characteristic value (sensing result) in the absorbent pad PD1 from the device DVx at any time, and stores the received electrical characteristic value as a history in the sensed information storage unit 122 (step S101). Specifically, the receiving section 131 separately acquires the electrostatic capacitance and resistance detected by the upper sensor SNx and the electrostatic capacitance and resistance detected by the lower sensor SNy, respectively. The receiving unit 131 also stores the capacitance of each user received from the upper sensor SNx and the lower sensor SNy in the sensed information storage unit 122 as a history of the capacitance. The receiving unit 131 also stores the resistances of the users received from the upper sensor SNx and the lower sensor SNy in the sensed information storage unit 122 as a history of the resistances.

Then, each time the electrical characteristic value is acquired by the receiving unit 131, the estimating unit 132 estimates whether or not at least either of defecation and urination is performed for each user based on the history of the electrical characteristic value of each user stored so far (step S102). Specifically, the estimation unit 132 detects three elements: whether there is a change in electrostatic capacitance and resistance detected by the upper sensor SNx; whether there is a change in electrostatic capacitance and resistance detected by the lower sensor SNy; and there is a behavior of how the changed electrical characteristic value shows with the passage of time. The estimating unit 132 comprehensively estimates whether or not at least one of defecation and urination is performed based on the detection result. Details of this estimation processing will be described with reference to fig. 9.

In such a state, the acquisition unit 133 determines whether or not the excretion has been performed, based on the estimation result obtained by the estimation unit 132 performing the estimation process (step S103). While the acquisition unit 133 determines that the excretion is not performed (step S103; n), the information processing layer 100 repeats the processing from step S101 to step S102.

On the other hand, when determining that the excretion has been performed (step S103; y), the acquisition unit 133 individually acquires the defecation information and the urination information according to the estimation result (step S104). Specifically, the acquiring unit 133 acquires an actual estimation result of whether or not at least one of defecation and urination is performed. For example, the acquisition unit 133 acquires the defecation information indicating whether defecation is performed and the urination information indicating whether urination is performed separately.

Next, the service providing unit 134 specifies a service corresponding to a condition satisfied by a combination of the defecation information (defecation detection result) and the urination information (urination detection result) acquired by the acquisition unit 133 (step S105). For example, when it is determined by referring to the condition table storage unit 124 that there is a condition that is satisfied by the combination of the acquired defecation information and urination information, the service providing unit 134 specifies a service corresponding to the condition as a service to be provided.

Then, the service providing unit 134 provides the identified service to the caregiver corresponding to the user estimated to perform the excretion act (step S106). For example, when the service "replacement reminder" is determined, the service providing unit 134 provides a service for notifying a reminder for prompting replacement of the absorbent article (absorbent pad PD1) of a user who is estimated to perform excretion to a caregiver corresponding to the user. For example, the service provider 134 controls the facility device 30 or the personal device 10 corresponding to the user who is estimated to perform the excretion act to output a prompt prompting to replace the absorbent pad PD1 of the user.

[ 6-2. procedure (2) ]

Next, a detailed procedure of the estimation process according to the embodiment will be described with reference to fig. 9. Fig. 9 is a flowchart showing a detailed procedure of the estimation process of estimating whether or not the excretion behavior is performed. The estimation process shown in fig. 9 is performed based on the estimation logic described in fig. 2 (c). In fig. 9, an example of estimating whether or not the user U11 performs excretion is shown.

In the example of fig. 9, the electrical characteristic values in the absorbent pad PD1, that is, the electrical characteristic values detected by the upper sensor SNx and the lower sensor SNy, respectively, are acquired at any time by the receiving unit 131. The receiving unit 131 also stores the acquired electrical characteristic values as a history in the sensed information storage unit 122.

In such a state, the estimation unit 132 determines whether or not the capacitance detected by the lower sensor SNy has changed, based on the history of the capacitance detected by the lower sensor SNy (step S201). If it is determined that the capacitance detected by the lower sensor SNy has not changed (step S201; n), the estimation unit 132 determines whether or not the capacitance detected by the upper sensor SNx shows a behavior of rising from an initial low value to a high value (for example, a sharp rise) with the passage of time, based on the history of the capacitance detected by the upper sensor SNx (step S202).

When it is determined that the capacitance detected by the upper sensor SNx does not show a behavior of increasing from the initial low value to the high value with the passage of time (step S202; n), the estimation unit 132 estimates that the user U11 is not performing the excretion behavior (step S301), and returns to step S201.

On the other hand, when it is determined that the capacitance detected by the upper sensor SNx shows a behavior of increasing from the initial low value to the high value (for example, rapidly increasing) with the passage of time (step S202; y), the estimation unit 132 determines whether or not a behavior of returning to the initial low value and maintaining the value with the passage of time after the increase is shown (step S302).

If it is determined that the capacitance detected by the upper sensor SNx does not indicate a behavior of returning to the initial low value and maintaining the same value with the passage of time after rising (step S302; n), the estimation unit 132 estimates that the user U11 has performed defecation (step S303). In other words, when it is determined that the capacitance detected by the upper sensor SNx indicates a behavior of maintaining the value after the increase, the estimation unit 132 estimates that the user U11 has performed defecation.

When it is estimated by the estimating unit 132 that the user U11 has performed defecation in this manner, the acquiring unit 133 acquires defecation information indicating that the user U11 has performed defecation and urination information indicating that the user U11 has not urinated separately (step S304). In this case, the service providing unit 134 refers to the condition table storage unit 124, determines whether or not a condition satisfied by a combination of "defecation present" and "urination absent" is present, and if it is determined that the condition is present, identifies the service corresponding to the combination as the service to be provided (step S305).

Then, the service providing unit 134 provides the identified service to the caregiver corresponding to the user U11 (step S501).

On the other hand, if it is determined that the capacitance detected by the upper sensor SNx indicates a behavior of returning to the initial low value and maintaining the same value with the passage of time after rising (step S302; yes), the estimation unit 132 estimates that the user U11 has urinated (step S306). On the other hand, as described below, the estimating unit 132 can estimate with high accuracy whether urination has been performed or not by combining the change in the resistance detected by the lower sensor SNy and the behavior of the change.

Specifically, returning to step S201, when it is determined that the capacitance detected by the lower sensor SNy has changed (step S201; y), the estimating unit 132 determines whether or not the capacitance detected by the upper sensor SNx shows a behavior of increasing from an initial low value to a high value (for example, a sharp increase) with the passage of time, based on the history of the capacitance detected by the upper sensor SNx (step S203).

When it is determined that the capacitance detected by the upper sensor SNx does not show a behavior of increasing from the initial low value to the high value with the passage of time (step S203; n), the estimation unit 132 estimates that urination is performed by the user U11 (step S306). In this example, although the electrostatic capacitance detected by the upper sensor SNx does not change, the electrostatic capacitance detected by the lower sensor SNy changes.

For example, when the amount of urine is very small even though urination is performed, there is a case where such a correlation between the capacitance detected by the upper sensor SNx and the capacitance detected by the lower sensor SNy occurs. Therefore, when the process proceeds from step S203 to step S306, the estimation unit 132 can estimate that ultra-low amount of urine has been discharged in step S306.

On the other hand, when it is determined that the capacitance detected by the upper sensor SNx shows a behavior of increasing from an initial low value to a high value with the passage of time (step S203; yes), the estimating unit 132 determines whether or not the resistance detected by the lower sensor SNy shows the following behavior with the passage of time: a step of starting a fall (e.g., a sharp fall) from a state indicating an initial high value, and after the fall, rising (returning) to a fixed value with the passage of time and maintaining the value (step S204).

When it is determined that the resistance detected by the lower sensor SNy does not show a behavior of decreasing (for example, suddenly decreasing) from a state showing an initial high value with the passage of time, and increasing (returning) to a fixed value with the passage of time after the decrease, and maintaining the value (step S204; No), the estimation unit 132 can also estimate whether or not the excretion behavior is performed by combining information on the body movement of the user U11 (step S401).

On the other hand, when it is determined that the resistance detected by the lower sensor SNy shows a behavior of decreasing (for example, rapidly decreasing) from the state indicating the initial high value with the passage of time, and after the decrease, increasing (returning) to a fixed value with the passage of time and maintaining the value (step S204; Yes), the estimation unit 132 estimates that the user U11 urinates (step S205).

Next, the estimation unit 132 estimates the amount of discharged urine (urine amount) from the fact that it is estimated that the user U11 urinates, and estimates whether the absorbable amount of the absorbent pad PD1 has reached the absorption limit due to the current urination based on the estimated urine amount (step S206). For example, the estimation unit 132 can estimate the urine volume based on the degree of increase (degree of recovery) when the resistance increases to a fixed value with the passage of time or the capacitance at the present time point detected by the lower sensor SNy.

If it is estimated that the absorbable amount of the absorbent pad PD1 has not reached the absorption limit (step S206; n), the estimation unit 132 repeats the processing from step S204 until it can be estimated that the absorbable amount of the absorbent pad PD1 has reached the absorption limit.

On the other hand, when the estimation unit 132 estimates that the absorbable amount of the absorbent pad PD1 reaches the absorption limit (step S206; y), the acquisition unit 133 acquires the urination information indicating that the user U11 has not urinated and the urination information indicating that the user U11 has urinated separately (step S207). The acquisition unit 133 also acquires information indicating that the absorbable amount of the absorbent pad PD1 reaches the absorption limit.

In this case, the service providing unit 134 refers to the condition table storage unit 124 to determine whether or not there is a condition that is satisfied by a combination of "no defecation", "urination", and "reaching the absorption limit due to urination", and if there is any, identifies a service corresponding to the combination as a service to be provided (step S208).

[ 7 ] other embodiments ]

The information processing apparatus 100 according to the above-described embodiment can be implemented in various different ways in addition to the above-described embodiment. For example, the following examples are shown in the above embodiments: the information control unit 137 determines the excretion timing and the replacement timing based on the detection results obtained from the upper sensor SNx and the lower sensor SNy, based on the history of excretion detection estimated by the estimation unit 132 (i.e., the excretion history obtained from the defecation information and the urination information). Further, an example is shown in which the information control unit 137 determines a guidance timing for guiding the user to the toilet based on the excretion timing and the replacement timing.

However, the information control unit 137 may select (determine) a guidance target to be actually guided to the toilet from the users based on the excretion history obtained from the defecation information and the urination information. For example, the information control unit 137 estimates, for each user, the ability related to the excretion control of the user based on the excretion history obtained from the excretion information and the urination information. Then, the information control unit 137 determines whether or not the user has a certain or more excretion control capability based on the estimation result. The information control unit 137 determines that the user having the excretion ability of a certain level or more is a toilet excretable person who can perform self-standing excretion in the toilet if the user is guided to the toilet. Further, the information control unit 137 selects a user who is determined to be a toilet excretable user among the users as a guidance target to be guided to the toilet.

For example, the information control unit 137 estimates the urine storage capacity of the user (an example of the capacity related to the excretion control) based on the excretion history. For example, the information control unit 137 evaluates the bladder function of the user by a score based on the excretion history, and determines that the user who shows a score equal to or greater than a predetermined value is a user who has the excretion control ability, thereby determining that the user is a toilet excretable person.

For example, the information control unit 137 determines whether or not the excretion control capability is available based on whether or not the number of urination per day (urination frequency) is less than a predetermined number. For example, the information control unit 137 determines that a user who has a number of urination times per day (urination frequency) less than a predetermined number of times (for example, 7 times) has the ability to control urination (the bladder functions normally and has the ability to store urine) from the viewpoint of the bladder functioning normally (the ability to control urination according to the user's intention), and thereby determines that user as a toilet excretable person.

Then, the information control unit 137 selects the user who is determined to be a toilet excretable person as a guidance target person to be guided to the toilet.

Further, according to the above example, since the information control unit 137 determines the guidance timing for guiding the user to the toilet, for example, only the guidance timing determined for the user selected as the guidance target can be presented to the caregiver.

As described above, the information control unit 137 determines the guidance timing based on the discharge history, and determines whether or not the user is meaningful to be guided to the toilet to perform self-supporting discharge, and the possibility of self-supporting discharge, from the viewpoint of the urine storage capacity of the bladder. According to the information processing device 100, since the caregiver can guide the user who has a possibility of self-standing excretion to the toilet, it is possible to reduce the burden that the user who is thought to be more suitable for excretion in the absorbent article than self-standing excretion must guide the user to the toilet.

[ 8, other ]

Among the above-described processes, all or a part of the processes described as automatically performed processes may be manually performed. All or a part of the processes described as the processes performed manually may be automatically performed by a known method. In addition, with respect to the above-described documents, the processing procedures shown in the drawings, specific names, information including various data, parameters, and the like, unless otherwise specified, can be arbitrarily changed. For example, the various information shown in the figures is not limited to the information shown in the figures.

The components of each illustrated device are functionally conceptual, and are not necessarily physically configured as illustrated in the drawings. That is, the specific form of the dispersion/combination of the devices is not limited to the form shown in the drawings. Further, each of the components may be functionally or physically distributed or combined in arbitrary units in accordance with various loads, use conditions, and the like. The above-described processes can be performed in appropriate combinations within a range not inconsistent with each other.

[ 9. hardware construction ]

The information providing apparatus 10 according to the above-described embodiment is realized by a computer 1000 having a configuration shown in fig. 10, for example. Fig. 10 is a diagram showing an example of a hardware configuration. The computer 1000 is connected to an output device 1010 and an input device 1020, and a computing device 1030, a buffer 1040, a memory 1050, an output IF (Interface) 1060, an input IF 1070, and a network IF 1080 are connected via a bus 1090.

The arithmetic unit 1030 operates based on programs stored in the cache 1040 and the memory 1050, programs read from the input unit 1020, and the like, and executes various processes. The buffer 1040 is a buffer such as a RAM for temporarily storing data used when the arithmetic device 1030 performs various arithmetic operations. The Memory 1050 is a storage device for registering data used when the arithmetic unit 1030 performs various arithmetic operations and various databases, and is a Memory implemented by a ROM (Read Only Memory), an HDD (Hard Disk Drive), a flash Memory, or the like.

The output IF 1060 is an Interface for transmitting information to be output to an output device 1010 such as a monitor or a printer for outputting various information, and may be realized by a standard connector such as a USB (Universal Serial Bus), a DVI (Digital Visual Interface), or an HDMI (High Definition Multimedia Interface). On the other hand, the input IF 1070 is an interface for receiving information from various input devices 1020 such as a mouse, a keyboard, and a scanner, and is implemented by, for example, USB.

For example, the input device 1020 can be implemented as a device for reading information from an Optical recording medium such as a CD (Compact Disc), a DVD (Digital Versatile Disc), or a PD (Phase change rewritable Disc), a Magneto-Optical recording medium such as an MO (Magneto-Optical Disc), a tape medium, a magnetic recording medium, or a semiconductor memory. The input device 1020 may be implemented by an external storage medium such as a USB memory.

The network IF 1080 has the following functions: receives data from another device via the network N and transmits the data to the arithmetic device 1030, and transmits data generated by the arithmetic device 1030 to another device via the network N

Here, the computing unit 1030 controls the output device 1010 and the input device 1020 via the output IF 1060 and the input IF 1070. For example, the computing device 1030 loads the program from the input device 1020 and the memory 1050 into the cache 1040, and executes the loaded program. For example, when the computer 1000 functions as the information processing apparatus 100, the arithmetic device 1030 of the computer 1000 executes the program loaded in the cache 1040, thereby realizing the function of the control unit 130.

Claims

1. An information processing apparatus, comprising:

an acquisition unit that individually acquires defecation information and urination information, the defecation information being information relating to defecation of a user and the urination information being information relating to urination of the user; and

and a service providing unit that provides a service according to a condition satisfied by a combination of the defecation information and the urination information.

2. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1,

when it is estimated that the user has performed urination based on the urination information and the defecation information, the service providing unit outputs a prompt prompting the user to replace the absorbent article worn by the user regardless of whether the user has urinated.

3. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1 or 2,

when it is estimated that the user has urinated without urinating based on the urination information and the urination information, the service providing unit outputs a prompt prompting to replace the absorbent article based on whether the state of the absorbent article worn by the user is a predetermined state due to urination.

4. The information processing apparatus according to claim 3,

when it is estimated that the absorbable amount of the absorbent article has reached the absorption limit due to urination, the service providing unit outputs a reminder prompting replacement of the absorbent article worn by the user.

5. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1 or 2,

the service providing unit outputs a prompt prompting the user to replace the absorbent article worn by the user when it is estimated that urine is discharged after defecation based on the defecation information and the urination information.

6. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1 or 2,

the service providing unit further provides a predetermined service based on a defecation history obtained from the defecation information and the urination information.

7. The information processing apparatus according to claim 6,

when it is determined that the excretion status of the user is a predetermined status based on the excretion history, the service providing unit outputs a reminder indicating that the excretion status of the user is the predetermined status.

8. The information processing apparatus according to claim 6,

the service providing unit outputs information on excretion timing at which the user excretes, predicted based on the excretion history.

9. The information processing apparatus according to claim 6,

the service provider proposes, as a recommended product to be recommended for use by the user, an absorbent article of a specification corresponding to a situation of the excretion amount indicated by the excretion history record, among the absorbent articles.

10. The information processing apparatus according to claim 6,

the service providing unit proposes a replacement timing determined based on a situation of the excretion amount indicated by the excretion history record, the replacement timing being a replacement timing corresponding to the number of times of excretion that the absorbent article should be replaced when the excretion is performed for how many times.

11. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1 or 2,

the service providing unit further provides a predetermined service based on a defecation history obtained from the defecation information and the urination information, and user information related to the user.

12. The information processing apparatus according to claim 11,

the service providing unit provides a predetermined service based on the excretion history and diet information on the food or drink ingested by the user.

13. The information processing apparatus according to claim 12,

when a predetermined correlation is obtained between the excretion status indicated by the excretion history record and the diet status indicated by the diet information, the service providing unit makes an offer corresponding to the correlation.

14. The information processing apparatus according to claim 11,

the service providing unit provides a predetermined service based on the excretion history and medication information on medication for the user.

15. The information processing apparatus according to claim 14,

when a predetermined correlation is obtained between the excretion status indicated by the excretion history record and the medication status indicated by the medication information, the service providing unit makes an offer corresponding to the correlation.

16. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1 or 2,

the service providing unit further provides a predetermined service based on sensor information detected by a predetermined sensor corresponding to the user and a excretion history obtained from the excretion information and the urination information.

17. The information processing apparatus according to claim 16,

further comprising an evaluation unit that evaluates the state of the user based on the excretion history and exercise information indicating the amount of exercise of the user as the sensor information,

the service providing unit provides the evaluation result of the evaluation unit.

18. The information processing apparatus according to claim 17,

the evaluation unit calculates a score representing how much the excretion status of the user improves in accordance with a change in the amount of exercise indicated by the exercise information, and evaluates the necessity of exercising the user or the health state of the user based on the calculated score.

19. The information processing apparatus according to claim 17 or 18,

the service providing unit provides the evaluation result of the evaluation unit to a requester who requests the user.

20. The information processing apparatus according to claim 16,

the service providing unit outputs a timing for guiding the user to go to a toilet, the timing being determined based on the excretion history and a sleep condition of the user estimated based on posture information indicating a posture of the user as the sensor information.

21. An information processing method executed by an information processing apparatus, the information processing method comprising:

an acquisition step of individually acquiring defecation information and urination information, wherein the defecation information is information relating to defecation of a user and the urination information is information relating to urination of the user; and

and a service providing step of providing a service according to a condition satisfied by a combination of the defecation information and the urination information.

22. A computer-readable storage medium storing an information processing program for causing a computer to execute:

an acquisition step of individually acquiring defecation information and urination information, the defecation information being information relating to defecation of a user and the urination information being information relating to urination of the user; and

a service providing process of providing a service corresponding to a condition satisfied by a combination of the defecation information and the urination information.