CN118203303A - Health score computing system - Google Patents

Abstract

The present disclosure provides a health score calculating system for calculating a health score for excretion of a user according to a toilet usage history and a degree of holding strength at the time of excretion. The system of the present disclosure is provided with: an acquisition unit that acquires information on the excretory posture of the user; a measurement unit that measures a type of fluctuation in the excretion posture based on the information acquired by the acquisition unit; and a calculation unit that calculates a health score related to excretion of the user based on the output information of the measurement unit.

Description

Health score computing system

Technical Field

The present invention relates to a system for calculating a health score for excretion of a user based on a toilet usage history and excretion content.

Background

Since defecation is considered to reflect the intestinal environment, there have been many proposals in the past for a system for calculating a health state by inputting a defecation condition in a questionnaire, for example.

In recent years, the very advanced society has a large proportion of people who complain about subjective symptoms of constipation. This is because, as the age increases, the bowel movement declines, and thus constipation tends to occur, but on the other hand, individuals who tend to self-feel constipation have a large difference, and in a state where no self-feel occurs, the constipation continues for a long period of time, and the situation of serious hospitalization increases.

If the situation of defecation such as constipation can be objectively grasped, not only the person but also the person who is nursing such as the family can be given a feeling of ease.

Patent document 1 discloses the following technique: the subject estimates the health state by handwriting the food content into a paper questionnaire and comparing it with past cases accumulated in the database to find the same pattern. Patent document 2 discloses a technique for improving convenience by an input method of inputting a questionnaire using a tablet computer or a personal computer.

In recent years, in an ultra-advanced society, hospitalization of elderly people due to severe constipation has become a serious social problem. In the medical community, a scheme of calculating a bowel movement state as a health score using a questionnaire has been proposed (for example, refer to non-patent document 1, table 2 (diagnosis standard of chronic constipation), and table 3 (Constipation Scoring System: constipation scoring system)) described later.

Prior art literature

Patent literature

Patent document 1: japanese patent laid-open No. 2022-157474

Patent document 2: japanese patent application laid-open No. 3239803 of the present utility model

Non-patent document 1: weicunjun "diagnosis and treatment of chronic Constipation

Disclosure of Invention

In the techniques of patent document 1 and patent document 2, the subject has difficulty in recording the excretion status in a questionnaire, that is, answering the excretion depending on the subject's subjective. However, subjective individuals who easily feel constipation often have a large difference and lack objectivity, and depending on the elderly, the number of times and time of defecation may not be felt due to dementia. In addition, in the "1 term" diagnosis criterion (item a) "of table 2, the subject has to determine the strength of the chest distress at the time of defecation, that is, the strength of the behavior of inhaling and expanding the abdomen at the time of defecation, by himself/herself, and not only is troublesome but also the subjective determination deviation of the chest distress degree is large. As a result, it is difficult to grasp the defecation.

The health score calculation system according to the present invention for solving the above problems includes: an acquisition unit that acquires information on the excretory posture of the user; a measurement unit that measures a type of fluctuation in the excretion posture based on the information acquired by the acquisition unit; and a calculation unit that calculates a health score related to excretion of the user based on the output information of the measurement unit.

According to the health score calculation system of the present invention, the user does not need to input a questionnaire, a process of performing a predetermined operation on the toilet device in order to measure the health state is not required, convenience is improved, and the health score for excretion can be calculated by performing a series of excretions using the toilet device. That is, by objectively grasping the defecation condition, not only is the person concerned provided with a feeling of ease but also the person who is nursing his or her family.

Drawings

Fig. 1 is a diagram showing an application example of the embodiment.

Fig. 2 is a diagram showing an application example of the embodiment.

Fig. 3 is a block diagram of a health score calculation system in an embodiment.

Fig. 4 is a schematic diagram showing a relationship between faecal fall information and faecal time in the embodiment.

Fig. 5 is a schematic diagram showing a relationship between the discharge posture and the distance measurement sensor in the embodiment.

Fig. 6 is a schematic diagram showing a relationship between the discharge posture and the distance measurement sensor in the embodiment.

Fig. 7 is a schematic diagram showing a relationship between the strength of the holding force and the distance measuring sensor in the embodiment.

Fig. 8 is a schematic diagram showing a relationship between the discharge posture and the distance measurement sensor in the embodiment.

Fig. 9 is a schematic diagram showing a relationship between the strength of the holding force and the distance measuring sensor in the embodiment.

Description of the reference numerals

1: A toilet device; 2: a toilet bowl; 3: a toilet seat; 4: a toilet cover; 5: a toilet seat box; 6: a sensor head; 7: a sensor cartridge; 10: a health score computing system; 11: a control unit; 12: an acquisition unit; 13: a seating measurement unit; 14: a falling detection unit; 15: a stool character detecting unit; 16: a measurement unit; 17: a grade determination unit; 18: a calculation unit; 19: a storage unit; 20: a display unit; p: and (3) a user.

Detailed Description

Next, a health score calculation system according to an embodiment will be described with reference to the drawings.

(Embodiment: structure)

As shown in fig. 1, the toilet apparatus 1 includes, for example, a toilet bowl 2, a toilet seat 3, a toilet lid 4, a sensor head 6, a sensor cartridge 7, a control unit 11, and an acquisition unit 12.

The sensor head 6 and the sensor cartridge 7 are connected by a wired cable. The control unit 11 is housed inside the sensor case 7, for example.

The acquisition unit 12 is a plurality of measurement units (i.e., sensor modules) described later. As shown, the acquisition unit 12 is housed inside the sensor head 6.

The sensor heads 6a, 6b are independent of the toilet device 1. The acquisition unit 12 is attached to the toilet bowl 2 so that the sensor head 6 can easily acquire information on the inside of the toilet bowl 2.

As shown in fig. 2, the type of the toilet apparatus to be mounted later is such that the toilet seat 3, which is rotatable when the user discharges after the sensor head 6c is mounted on the toilet bowl 2, is placed in a seating position (for example, in an upper portion of the toilet bowl 2). In this state, the sensors of the acquisition unit 12 of the sensor head 6c are not affected by the toilet seat 3, and can detect, for example, information that the user sits on the toilet seat, information that feces are excreted into the toilet, and the like.

As shown in fig. 3, the health score calculation system 10 is generally composed of a control unit 11 and an acquisition unit 12.

The acquisition unit 12 includes at least one measurement unit that detects the use condition of the toilet, the defecation condition, and the like of the user.

The sitting measurement unit 13, which is one of the acquisition units 12, is a sensor that detects that the user is sitting on the toilet seat. In fig. 1, the following sensors are used: the power-on detection is performed by a mechanical switch by performing a mechanical operation through a part of the toilet seat and a part to which the weight of the user is applied. In fig. 2, the human sensor is accommodated as a sensor in the sensor head 6c. The presence of a person is detected by receiving reflected light from a human body by radiating infrared rays from a person sensor to, for example, anus, buttocks, or the like.

The stool drop detection unit 14 is a sensor module that detects dropping of stool into the stool at the time of defecation. Examples of the falling stool detection means 14 include a sensor module that detects falling stool from a change in an image of the inside of the toilet stool sequentially captured by a camera, a sensor module that irradiates falling stool with infrared rays or radio waves based on the same principle as the above-described human sensor, and receives reflected light or reflected waves of falling stool to detect falling stool, and the like.

The feces quality detection unit 15 captures a feces image in the toilet. Examples of the stool shape detecting means 15 include a sensor that photographs stool images using a general visible light camera, a sensor that uses an infrared camera that facilitates dark photographing, and the like. In addition, a device common to the drop-in detection unit 14 may also be used.

The control unit 11 performs measurement processing and determination processing based on the input information detected by the acquisition unit 12.

The measurement unit 16, which is one of the control units 11, measures the stool characteristics (shape, color, and amount) based on the information obtained from the acquisition unit 12, using the image of the strength of the chest, the number of times of defecation, the defecation time, the defecation frequency, the number and time of toilet use, and the condition in the stool.

The level determination unit 17 determines the ratio of the number of times of excretion, which is the type of fluctuation of the specific excretion posture, i.e., the level of occurrence frequency, based on the number of times of excretion and the type of fluctuation of the excretion posture (for example, the strength of the chest) measured by the measurement unit 16.

The calculating unit 18 calculates a health score for the excretion of the user based on the information of the defecation frequency level of the type of fluctuation (e.g., strong holding force) that generates the specific excretion posture determined by the level determining unit 17.

The storage unit 19 stores the sensor data acquired by the acquisition unit 12, an image obtained by capturing a camera image of the inside of the toilet bowl, the strength of the chest, the number of times of defecation, the frequency of defecation, the stool shape, the grade value determined by the grade determination unit 17, and the health score value calculated by the calculation unit 18, which are measured by the measurement unit 16.

The display unit 20 is a unit that displays information grasped by the control unit 11. Examples of the display unit 20 are a liquid crystal display mounted on the surface of the toilet seat case 5 or the sensor case 7, a liquid crystal display mounted on the surface of a remote controller in the case where the toilet apparatus 1 has a function accompanying a remote controller operation, or a screen of a smart phone wirelessly connected to the control unit 11. The display unit 20 is not limited as long as the user can easily confirm the displayed information.

(Embodiment: action/action)

The operation and effect of the health score calculation system 10 will be described below.

When a user uses the toilet device 1 to perform defecation, as shown in the positional relationship shown in fig. 2, the user opens the toilet cover 4 and sits on the toilet seat 3 located on the toilet 2.

As shown in fig. 4, after the user sits down, the control means 11 detects the first timing, which is the timing when sitting down is measured by the sitting down measurement means 13, and the control means 11 sequentially starts detecting the condition inside the toilet bowl 2 as an image by the feces quality detection means 15 (for example, a visible light camera). Here, as a general tendency, the user starts to feel a strong force from this timing to promote defecation.

After that, when the first time of defecation starts, the control unit 11 detects a second timing as a timing when the feces falls down to the inside of the toilet bowl 2 (i.e., the bedpan) by the feces falling down detection unit 14.

Then, the user repeatedly performs the holding down and defecation for several times. The user ends the last defecation and leaves the toilet seat 3, and the sitting position measuring unit 13 detects the user's departure. At the same time, the control unit 11 detects a third timing, which is the timing when the last feces falls down to the inside of the toilet bowl 2 (i.e., the bedpan), by the feces falling detection unit 14. The control unit 11 stops the image detection of the inside of the toilet bowl 2 by the feces property detection unit 15. The control unit 11 stores the time information detected by the acquisition unit 12 and the information of the stool image in the storage unit 19. The time information and the faeces image information include time information of year, month and day.

The measurement unit 16 detects the defecation time, the defecation frequency, the defecation property, and the strength of the chest by the following method.

First, a method for detecting the defecation time will be described.

The defecation time includes 3 defecation times using the first to third times detected by the acquisition unit 12. These 3 kinds of defecation times are output as detection values by the measurement unit 16.

The first defecation time is a detection time from the first time to the second time. That is, the first defecation time is a time required to start defecation from the timing when the user sits on the toilet device 1.

The second defecation time is a detection time from the second time to the third time. That is, the time required from the time when the user starts defecation to the time when the last defecation ends.

The third defecation time is a detection time from the first time to the third time. That is, the time required from the time when the user sits on the toilet device 1 to the time when the last defecation ends is obtained.

Here, the measurement unit 16 determines an optimal defecation time by calculating a health score in consideration of reliability for each of the detected first to third defecation times.

In many cases, the third defecation time (i.e., the time required from the time when the user sits in the toilet device 1 to the time when the last defecation ends) is used. This is because the third defecation time is significantly longer than the first to second defecation times, and the present invention is premised on that the defecation time is approximately proportional to the difficulty in defecation accompanied by pain such as a user's holding force to promote defecation. For example, if the threshold value of the time for which it is determined that the constipation state is already present is "30 minutes or more", the threshold value of the time for which it is determined that the constipation state is slightly present is "20 minutes or more and less than 30 minutes", and the magnitude of the threshold value is set to a relatively large value (for example, 10 minute intervals), the influence on the determination accuracy is small even if there is a small deviation in the defecation time each time, which is advantageous.

In order to confirm the reliability of the third bowel movement time detected this time, the measurement unit 16 compares the third bowel movement time detected last time stored in the storage unit 19 with the third bowel movement time detected this time. For example, when the difference between them is 10 minutes or less, the measurement unit 16 is sure to be a stable value that does not significantly differ from the third bowel movement time detected recently, and determines the third bowel movement time as the bowel movement time used this time.

On the other hand, in recent years, due to the diversification of the use methods of the toilet space by users, for example, there are many cases in which users bring smart phones into the toilet and are interested in activities other than reading or browsing WEB etc. In this case, the third defecation time is not a stable value such as 30 minutes on a certain day but 15 minutes on other days, and the second defecation time is not a stable value in conjunction with the third defecation time, and thus, when the third defecation time is unstable and it is determined that the reliability is low, the first defecation time (that is, the time required from the time when the user sits in the toilet device 1 to the time when defecation starts) is determined as the defecation time of this use. Many users tend to concentrate on the holding action in order to urge defecation from the start of use of the toilet device 1 to the start of defecation, that is, the users are less likely to be affected by the use of the smartphone. However, since the first defecation time is extremely shorter than the third defecation time, the time obtained by multiplying the first defecation time by a predetermined multiple value (for example, 3 times) can be outputted as the present defecation time.

Next, a method for measuring the number of times of defecation and the frequency of defecation will be described, and a series of defecation actions after a user sits on the toilet seat 3 of the toilet device 1 and performs defecation and leaves the toilet seat 3 (i.e., leaves the toilet) will be counted as 1 time of defecation. The measurement unit 16 outputs three kinds of defecation frequencies, i.e., the number of times of defecation per day, the number of times of defecation per week, and the number of times of defecation per month, as detection values.

Next, a method for detecting the feces properties will be described.

The feces quality detecting means 15 (for example, a visible light camera) always photographs the inside of the toilet bowl 2. The feces quality detection means 15 always captures an image of the falling feces discharged from the anus and an image of the submerged feces (hereinafter referred to as "submerged feces image") after falling into the water accumulated at the bottom of the toilet.

In recent years, AI technology has been developed, and it has been proposed to use the evaluation tool bristo stool classification method widely used in the medical field to measure the stool by classifying the stool image into 7 types. However, there are many cases where the accumulated water at the bottom of the actual toilet becomes dark yellow due to the urine color of the subject or becomes dark blue when the subject uses the toilet cleaning agent, and it is difficult to determine the shape of the submerged feces. When the initially falling stool image is used, the likelihood that the image that falls while flying in the air is a stool containing a large amount of moisture (i.e., diarrhea stool) is high. Therefore, at least whether or not diarrhea is the stool is output as a measurement value, and then, based on the submerged stool image, as a measurement value of class 7 using the bristol stool classification method.

Here, the feces properties indicate the state of feces such as the shape, color, amount, etc. of feces, although there is no deep contact. The measurement unit 16 recognizes the color from the stool image of the stool shape detection unit 15, outputs blood stool as a detection value, and outputs the amount of stool as a detection value by grasping the size of the stool in advance and comparing the size of the stool with the size of the stool in the stool image.

Next, a method for measuring the strength of the holding force will be described.

Fig. 5 shows the positional relationship between the shoulders P1, buttocks P2, thighs P3, and knees P4, the sensor head 6b, and the seating measurement unit 13 of the user P when the user P sits on the toilet seat 3 located on the toilet 2, that is, when the user is not holding his or her strength. In fig. 5, a part of the bottom of the thigh P3 is slightly submerged inward and downward than the seat surface of the toilet seat 3.

The seating measurement unit 13 irradiates the bottom of the thigh P3 with ultrasonic waves to receive reflected waves from the human body, thereby always grasping the distance to the bottom of the thigh P3. In FIG. 5, the distance measurement value is about 10 cm.

To promote excretion, the user alternately repeats a state of being suppressed (i.e., a state in which the abdomen is opened by inhaling) and a state in which the abdomen is not suppressed. In the state of holding down force, the physical change from the thigh to the hip (i.e., the fluctuation pattern) is roughly classified into two types.

As shown in fig. 6, the first mode is a type in which the bottom of the thigh P3 is lifted upward during the duration of the suppressed state as compared with the position of the unbuckled state, and is a breathing method in which the muscles around the abdomen are contracted by tensioning the buttocks P2, the thigh P3, and the abdominal muscles.

In this case, as shown in fig. 7, the ranging value up to the bottom of the thigh P3 based on the seating measurement unit 13 (for example, ranging sensor) has the following tendency: the distance measurement value varies during the duration of the holding state, and the time varying according to the intensity (i.e., the size) of the breath is also long. In fig. 7, the strong holding time a is 7 seconds, and the weak holding time b is 3 seconds. The change in the distance measurement value that occurs a plurality of times is individually determined as strong or weak, and the respective changes are counted. The times of generation of strong suffocating force and weak suffocating force are compared at the stage of ending excretion, and the times of generation of strong suffocating force and weak suffocating force can be output as the intensity of the current suffocating force.

The second mode is a type in which the lower part of the thigh P3 is depressed downward during the duration of the suppressed state as shown in fig. 8, compared with the position in the unbuckled state, and is a breathing mode in which the abdomen is pressed by taking a forward tilting posture by breath-hold in the absence of force from the muscles around the abdomen, and the thigh P3 is depressed downward toward the inside of the toilet seat.

In this case, as shown in fig. 9, the ranging value up to the bottom of the thigh P3 based on the seating measurement unit 13 (for example, ranging sensor) has the following tendency: the distance measurement value varies during the duration of the holding state, and the time varying according to the strength (i.e., the magnitude) of the holding state is also long. In fig. 9, the strong holding time c is 7 seconds, and the weak holding time d is 3 seconds. The change in the distance measurement value that occurs a plurality of times is individually determined as strong or weak, and the respective changes are counted. The times of generation of strong and weak holding force are compared at the stage of ending excretion, and the frequency can be output as the strength of the holding force.

The replenishment is performed in such a manner that the holding period is very short compared to the period without holding. That is, the measurement unit 16 continuously detects the distance measurement value up to the bottom of the thigh P3, and measures the period in which there is a short time variation as the holding time. Whether the direction of variation is positive or negative.

In the method of measuring the fluctuation type of the excretion posture according to the embodiment, the physical change from the thigh to the hip will be described by taking an example of fluctuation of the distance measurement value using the distance measurement sensor. But is not limited to use with a ranging sensor. For example, the pressure sensor may be an adhesive sheet type pressure sensor attached to the surface of the toilet seat 3, and may output the strength of the pressure retention according to the change in the contact state between the toilet seat 3 and the thigh P3 (i.e., an example of skin).

Not only the fluctuation of the excretion posture, but also biological information such as a change in the pulse cycle of the heart beat and pulse wave, a change in blood pressure (particularly, a change in the rise of blood pressure), a change in the respiratory cycle (for example, stopping breathing) and the like significantly change during the period of continuous holding. These changes can also be used to output a strong or weak force.

As described above, the measurement unit 16 can output the defecation time, the defecation frequency, the defecation property, and the strength of the chest as the detection values.

The level determination unit 17 determines the level of the occurrence frequency from the threshold value shown in table 1 based on the ratio of the number of times of the specific fluctuation type (e.g., strong or weak) of the discharge posture among the number of times of the discharge and the information of the fluctuation type (e.g., strong or weak) of the discharge posture, and can output the occurrence frequency level value (e.g., 0 to 4 minutes).

TABLE 1

The level of excretion frequency associated with strong holding

TABLE 2

The level determination unit 17 may determine the level of the time and the level of the frequency based on the values of the defecation time and the defecation frequency measured by the measurement unit 16, based on the threshold values shown in table 3.

TABLE 3

Constipation scoring system

The total score of 0 points without constipation to 30 points with the most severe constipation is called CLEVELAND CLINIC Constipation Score.

In the case of comparing constipation symptoms with time, evaluation was performed at 0 to 26 minutes except for a disease period that does not change due to treatment, and used as modifie constimation scoring system for convenience.

( From AGACHAN FETAL: dis Colon Rectm 39: 681-68556 translation reference )

For example, when the defecation time level is determined using the defecation time, a defecation time level value (for example, 0 minutes to 4 minutes) corresponding to the length of the defecation time is output using table 3 (item: time related to defecation), and a defecation frequency level value (for example, 0 minutes to 4 minutes) corresponding to the height of the defecation frequency is output using table 3 (item: defecation frequency) based on the number of times of defecation (for example, the number of times of defecation per week, the number of times of defecation per month), that is, the value of the defecation frequency.

The calculating unit 18 calculates a health score for the excretion of the user using the excretion frequency level (0 minutes to 4 minutes), the defecation time level value (0 minutes to 4 minutes), and the defecation frequency level value (0 minutes to 4 minutes) with strong holding force determined by the level determining unit 17.

The health score is calculated in a score of 1 day and stored in the storage unit 19, whereby the excretion tendency of the user can be grasped in a unit of weekly, monthly, and yearly. For example, the characteristics of each person can be grasped, such as a tendency to become difficult to excrete (e.g., with painful constipation or diarrhea) at a change in season, a tendency to reduce the excretion burden by taking part in the area, regular activities of facilities (e.g., gymnastics or dining), or the like.

These health scores and trends are displayed on a liquid crystal display mounted on the surface of a remote controller (not shown) of the toilet apparatus 1 as an example of the display unit 20. Thus, even when the user himself/herself does not easily feel constipation, the opportunity of consulting with a doctor or the like can be obtained. Further, by displaying on a smartphone screen connected to the control unit 11 as an example of the display unit 20 via the internet, not only the user himself, but also a nursing person such as a family, a nursing person of an old person facility, and a medical practitioner can objectively grasp the defecation condition of the user. Therefore, for example, by changing the care content such as menu change and exercise course change in facilities, it is possible to prevent the severity of digestive system diseases caused by constipation. Thus, it can be expected to be applied to constipation type determination and IBS (irritable bowel syndrome) diagnosis in every other week visit diagnosis of elderly facilities.

Industrial applicability

As described above, the health score calculation system of the present invention can easily grasp the defecation condition by detecting the number of times of defecation and the strength of the chest with high accuracy, and can be applied to a health management system based on vital data of not only human but also livestock or pets.

In the health score calculation system according to the present invention, for example, the type of fluctuation in the excretion posture is measured based on the information on the excretion posture of the user, and the characteristics of the defecation condition are grasped based on the type of fluctuation in the excretion posture, whereby the health score for the excretion of the user can be calculated comprehensively and with high accuracy.

Claims (7)

1. A health score computing system, wherein the health score computing system comprises:

an acquisition unit that acquires information on the excretory posture of the user;

A measurement unit that measures a type of fluctuation in the excretion posture based on the information acquired by the acquisition unit; and

And a calculating unit that calculates a health score related to excretion of the user based on the output information of the measuring unit.

2. The health score computing system of claim 1, wherein,

The acquisition unit acquires information related to the use of the toilet device by the user in addition to information related to the excretory posture of the user,

The measuring means measures the number of times of excretion in addition to the type of fluctuation in the excretion posture,

The health score calculation system further includes:

a level determination unit that classifies a proportion of the number of times of the specific discharge posture fluctuation type among the discharge times measured by the measurement unit into a plurality of levels; and

And a calculating unit that calculates a health score related to excretion of the user based on the grade value determined by the grade determining unit.

3. The health score calculation system of claim 1 or 2, wherein,

The information related to the use of the toilet device by the user is information related to sitting on and off the toilet seat,

The information on the type of fluctuation of the excretion posture is at least one selected from the group consisting of information on a physical change from the thigh to the hip and information on a contact change between the toilet seat and the skin.

4. The health score calculation system of claim 1 or 2, wherein,

The health score related to excretion calculated by the calculation unit is a score indicating a tendency of defecation and a score indicating a tendency of urination.

5. The health score calculation system of claim 1 or 2, wherein,

The calculation means calculates a health score for the user's excretion by combining at least one piece of information including (i) the excretion time, (ii) the excretion frequency, (iii) the number of times and time of toilet use, (iv) an image obtained by capturing the image of the inside of the toilet, and (v) the result of determining the behavior of the feces using the captured image of the inside of the toilet, in addition to the type of fluctuation in the excretion times and the excretion postures of the user.

6. The health score calculation system of claim 1 or 2, wherein,

The health score calculation system further includes a storage unit that stores at least one of the number of times of excretion and a type of fluctuation of the excretion posture,

The calculation unit calculates a health score for excretion of the user based on the information stored in the storage unit.

7. The health score calculation system of claim 1 or 2, wherein,

The health score computing system is further provided with a display unit,

And the display unit displays the calculation result of the calculation unit and the information stored in the storage unit.