KR20210106773A - Defecation device, server and system including the same - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention relates to an excretion treating device, a server, and a system including the same. The excretion treating device according to an embodiment of the present invention comprises: an excretion plate which includes an outlet; a main body which forms an accommodating space for accommodating excretion moving through the outlet; an excretion inspecting device which collects the excretion moving through the outlet; a camera which is arranged in a position corresponding to the excretion inspecting device; and a controlling unit. The controlling unit obtains an image for a kit included in the excretion inspecting device through the camera; and determines a health state of a pet based on a result for treating the image for the kit. Various embodiments are possible.

Description

Sewage disposal device, server, and system including the same

The present invention relates to an excrement treatment device, a server, and a system including the same, and more particularly, to a excrement treatment device capable of automatically processing the excrement of a companion animal, a server, and a system including the same.

Recently, the number of people raising companion animals is increasing, and the affection and interest in companion animals is increasing day by day. In addition, as the demand and demand for equipment for companion animals increases, various apparatuses such as a fecal treatment device for treating the excrement of companion animals and a water dispenser that always provides clean water to companion animals are being developed.

As an example of an appliance for companion animals, as in Prior Art 1 (Korean Patent No. 10-1039199), excrement including a body placed on an installation surface, a bowel movement plate that tilts when a pet dog comes up and feces, etc. There is a processing unit.

However, the conventional excreta treatment device, only possible only the defecation treatment of the dog, it is not possible to determine the health status from the defecation state of the dog. In addition, even if the kit for identifying the health condition is separate from the excrement treatment device, there is a hassle in that a person has to use the kit after collecting the excrement of a pet dog from the excrement treatment device.

KR 10-1039199 B

The technical problem to be solved by the present invention will be described as follows.

First, an object of the present invention is to provide an excrement processing device, a server, and a system including the same that can automatically check the health status of a companion animal from the defecation state of the companion animal.

Second, the present invention includes a fecal treatment device, a server, and the same capable of determining whether to perform a health condition examination of companion animals according to whether a diagnostic kit for health condition examination of companion animals provided in the excrement treatment apparatus is available to provide a system that

The problems of the present invention are not limited to the problems mentioned above, and other problems not mentioned will be clearly understood by those skilled in the art from the following description.

Excrement treatment apparatus according to various embodiments of the present invention for solving the above problems may include a feces inspection device capable of collecting feces, and a camera disposed at a position corresponding to the feces inspection device, and the camera By processing the image acquired through the

Specifically, the excrement treatment device may include a body and a control unit forming an accommodation space for receiving excrement moving through the excretion plate including the discharge port, the control unit, and the kit ( kit) can be acquired and processed.

The discharge port of the excretion plate is formed to move urine in the excrement, and the kit may include a urine test stick having a plurality of diagnostic sheets that change color depending on the material contained in the urine.

The excrement treatment device may further include a kit detection sensor for detecting whether the kit is mounted on the main body, and the control unit determines that the kit is mounted again after being separated from the body based on the sensing value of the kit detection sensor. If so, the state for the kit may be set to the first state.

The control unit of the excrement processing device, based on the result of processing the image for the kit, determines whether the urine test stick is available, and if the urine test stick is available, sets the state for the kit to the second state, , if the urinalysis stick is unavailable, the status for the kit can be set to a third status.

The excrement treatment device may further include a piezoelectric sensor for detecting the weight of the excretion plate and the excretion plate, and tilting the excretion plate, or the excretion plate operating unit for returning the excretory plate in parallel, and the control unit is a piezoelectric sensor. Based on the change in the sensed value of , it is possible to detect the bowel movement of the companion animal.

The control unit of the excrement treatment device, when the defecation activity of the companion animal is detected and the state for the kit is the second state, after controlling the operation of the excretory plate operation unit, obtains an image for the kit, and processes the image for the kit After determining the health state of the companion animal based on the result, the state of the kit may be set as the third state.

The control unit of the excrement treatment device, when the defecation activity of the companion animal is detected and the state for the kit is the third state, controls the operation of the excreta operation unit, and may not acquire an image for the kit.

The control unit of the excrement processing device detects an object corresponding to a plurality of diagnostic sheets from the image for the kit, determines the center point of each detected object, and based on the determined distance between the center points, corresponds to each of the plurality of diagnostic sheets A plurality of regions may be determined, and a color corresponding to each of the plurality of regions may be determined as a color of each of the plurality of diagnostic sheets.

The control unit of the excrement treatment apparatus determines a representative color of each of a plurality of regions by using a K-means clustering algorithm, and sets the representative color of each of the determined regions to each of the plurality of regions. It can be determined by color.

When the state for the kit is the first state, the control unit of the excrement treatment device determines whether each color of each of the plurality of diagnostic sheets corresponds to a preset reference color for each of the plurality of diagnostic sheets, and the urine test stick It is determined whether this is usable, and when the state of the kit is the second state, the health state of the companion animal may be determined based on the degree of change in the color of each of the plurality of diagnostic sheets.

The control unit of the excrement treatment device may further include a communication unit communicating with the server, the control unit, through the communication unit, transmits an image for the kit to the server, and receives the result of processing the image for the kit from the server can

The server according to various embodiments of the present invention includes a communication unit and a control unit for communicating with the excrement treatment device, the control unit receives an image for the kit from the excrement treatment device through the communication unit, and processes the image for the received kit Thus, the color of each of the plurality of diagnostic sheets included in the kit is determined, and a result of image processing for the kit is generated based on the color of each of the plurality of diagnostic sheets, and the result of processing the image of the generated kit is obtained. It can be transmitted to the excrement disposal device through the communication unit.

The system according to various embodiments of the present invention, the excretion plate including the outlet, the body forming a receiving space for accommodating the excrement moving through the outlet, the excreta testing device and excreta testing device for collecting the excrement moving through the outlet In communication with the excrement treatment device and the excrement treatment device including a camera disposed at a position corresponding to, and a server for transmitting and receiving data between each other, the excrement treatment device, the kit (kit) included in the excrement testing device through the camera ), transmit the image for the kit to the server, and receive the result of processing the image for the kit from the server.

The server of the system receives the image for the kit from the excrement processing device, processes the image for the received kit, and determines the color of each of the plurality of diagnostic sheets included in the kit, and the color of each of the plurality of diagnostic sheets On the basis of, it is possible to generate a result of processing the image for the kit, and transmit the result of processing the image for the generated kit to the excrement treatment device.

The details of other embodiments are included in the detailed description and drawings.

According to various embodiments of the present invention, without the need for the user to separately collect the excrement, it is possible to automatically inspect the defecation state and health condition of the companion animal through the excrement test device disposed on the movement path of the excrement, which is hygienic. In addition, ease of use can be improved.

In addition, according to various embodiments of the present invention, by first determining the state of the diagnostic kit provided in the excrement treatment device prior to the health condition examination of the companion animal, and performing the health condition examination of the companion animal only when the diagnostic kit is available. , it can improve the accuracy and reliability of inspection results.

In addition, according to various embodiments of the present invention, it is possible to more accurately examine the health status of a companion animal despite errors in the manufacturing process of the diagnostic sheets included in the diagnostic kit.

Effects of the present invention are not limited to the effects mentioned above, and other effects not mentioned will be clearly understood by those skilled in the art from the description of the claims.

1 is a perspective view of an excrement treatment apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention.
Figure 2 is an exploded perspective view of the excretion plate included in the excrement treatment device.
3 is a perspective view of the main body included in the excrement treatment device.
4A and 4B are a front perspective view and a rear perspective view of the excrement treatment apparatus when the excretion plate is inclined.
5 is a plan view of the main body included in the excrement treatment device.
6 is an enlarged view showing only the outline of the excretory plate of FIG. 4a, and the excretion inspection device portion.
FIG. 7 is an enlarged view of the excrement test device in FIG. 5 .
8 is an enlarged view showing only the outline of the upper plate in FIG.
9 is a schematic diagram of a system including a feces treatment device and a server, according to an embodiment of the present invention.
10 is a block diagram of the excrement treatment apparatus of FIG.
11 is a diagram referenced in the description of deep learning, according to an embodiment of the present invention.
12A to 14B are diagrams referred to in the description of the operation of the excrement treatment apparatus.
Figures 15a and 15b, according to an embodiment of the present invention, a flow chart showing an operating method of the excrement treatment apparatus.
16 and 17 are diagrams referred to in the description of the operation method of the excrement treatment apparatus.
Fig. 18 is a block diagram of the server of Fig. 9;
19 is a flowchart illustrating a method of operating a server according to an embodiment of the present invention.
20 and 21 are, according to an embodiment of the present invention, a flow chart showing a method of operation of a system including a feces treatment apparatus and a server.

Advantages and features of the present invention and methods of achieving them will become apparent with reference to the embodiments described below in detail in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. However, the present invention is not limited to the embodiments disclosed below, but may be implemented in various different forms, and only these embodiments allow the disclosure of the present invention to be complete, and common knowledge in the art to which the present invention pertains It is provided to fully inform those who have the scope of the invention, and the present invention is only defined by the scope of the claims. Like reference numerals refer to like elements throughout.

Spatially relative terms "below", "beneath", "lower", "above", "upper", etc. It can be used to easily describe the correlation between a component of , and another component. Spatially relative terms should be understood as terms including different orientations of components in use or operation in addition to the orientation shown in the drawings. For example, when a component shown in the drawing is turned over, a component described as “beneath” or “beneath” of another component may be placed “above” of the other component. can Accordingly, the exemplary term “below” may include both directions below and above. Components may also be oriented in other orientations, and thus spatially relative terms may be interpreted according to orientation.

The terminology used herein is for the purpose of describing the embodiments and is not intended to limit the present invention. As used herein, the singular also includes the plural unless specifically stated otherwise in the phrase. As used herein, "comprises" and/or "comprising" means that a referenced component, step and/or action excludes the presence or addition of one or more other components, steps and/or actions. I never do that.

Unless otherwise defined, all terms (including technical and scientific terms) used herein may be used with the meaning commonly understood by those of ordinary skill in the art to which the present invention belongs. In addition, terms defined in a commonly used dictionary are not to be interpreted ideally or excessively unless clearly specifically defined.

In the drawings, the thickness or size of each component is exaggerated, omitted, or schematically illustrated for convenience and clarity of description. In addition, the size and area of each component do not fully reflect the actual size or area.

The suffixes "~ module" and "~ part" for the components used in the following description are given or mixed in consideration of only the ease of writing the specification, and do not have distinct meanings or roles by themselves.

At this time, it will be understood that each block of the flowchart diagrams and combinations of the flowchart diagrams may be performed by computer program instructions. These computer program instructions may be embodied in a processor of a general purpose computer, special purpose computer, or other programmable data processing equipment, such that the instructions performed by the processor of the computer or other programmable data processing equipment are not described in the flowchart block(s). It creates a means to perform functions. These computer program instructions may also be stored in a computer-usable or computer-readable memory that may direct a computer or other programmable data processing equipment to implement a function in a particular manner, and thus the computer-usable or computer-readable memory. It is also possible that the instructions stored in the flow chart block(s) produce an article of manufacture containing instruction means for performing the function described in the flowchart block(s). The computer program instructions may also be mounted on a computer or other programmable data processing equipment, such that a series of operational steps are performed on the computer or other programmable data processing equipment to create a computer-executed process to create a computer or other programmable data processing equipment. It is also possible that instructions for performing the processing equipment provide steps for performing the functions described in the flowchart block(s).

Additionally, each block may represent a module, segment, or portion of code that includes one or more executable instructions for executing specified logical function(s). It should also be noted that in some alternative implementations it is also possible for the functions recited in blocks to occur out of order. For example, two blocks shown one after another may in fact be performed substantially simultaneously, or it is possible that the blocks are sometimes performed in the reverse order according to the corresponding function.

Also, in this specification, terms such as first and second may be used to describe various elements, but these elements are not limited by these terms. These terms are only used to distinguish one element from another.

1 to 8 are diagrams showing examples of the configuration included in the excrement treatment device (10).

Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2 , the excrement treatment apparatus 10 may include a main body 100 and an excretion plate 200 disposed on the main body 100 .

The excretory board 200 may include an upper excretory plate 210 and a lower excretory plate 220 . The upper excretory plate 210 and the lower excretory plate 220 may be coupled to each other to form a space therebetween. The shape of the upper excretory plate 210 and the lower excretory plate 220 may be formed in a plate shape.

The upper excretory plate 210 may include a plurality of holes 211 , and the lower excretory plate 220 may include an outlet 221 formed in one lower corner. The location of the outlet 221 is not limited to the contents posted in the description and drawings, and may include a structure that can be easily designed and changed by a person skilled in the art.

The excretion plate 200 may correspond to the excretion place of the companion animal in the excrement treatment device 10 . For example, the companion animal may pass stool and/or urine on the upper excretory plate 210 .

At this time, stool and urine may be separated by the upper excretory plate 210 and the lower excretory plate 220 . For example, since the feces is larger than the hole 211, it is located on the upper excretory plate 210, and liquid urine passes through the hole 211, the upper excretory plate 210 and the lower excretory plate 220. It may be located in the interstitial space.

Referring to FIG. 3 , the main body 100 includes a bottom plate 111 , a top plate 112 spaced upward from the bottom plate 111 , and an edge wall 113 connecting the bottom plate 111 and the top plate 112 . ), and/or may include a side treatment opening 114 formed on one side of the body 100 . The body 100 may be referred to as a housing.

The excrement treatment apparatus 10 may further include an excretion plate operation unit 130 and/or an excrement collecting container 140 for operating the excretion plate 200 of the excretion plate 200 .

The feces collection container 140 may form a feces storage space in a cylindrical shape with an open upper side corresponding to the fecal treatment opening 114 .

The excrement treatment device 10 may include at least one sensor for detecting a change in the weight of the excretion plate 200 . For example, the at least one sensor may include a load cell LC that generates an electrical signal according to applied pressure.

The excrement treatment device 10 may detect the bowel movement of the companion animal through a change in the weight of the excretory plate 200 . For example, when the companion animal urinates and feces on the upper excretory plate 210, in the space between the feces located on the upper excretory plate 210 and the upper excretory plate 210 and the lower excretory plate 220 Due to the located urine, the weight of the excretory plate 200 may change, and through this, the defecation activity of the companion animal may be detected.

Referring to Figures 4a and 4b, the excretory plate operation unit 130, the insertion coupling body 131 coupled to the bottom surface of the excretory board 200, and a link device 132 for moving and tilting the insertion coupling body 131. can The excrement treatment device 10 may move and tilt the excretory plate 200 coupled to the insertion assembly 131 to a required position through the operation of the link device 132 of the excretory plate operation unit 130 .

The excrement treatment apparatus 10 may move and tilt the excretion plate 200 through the excretory plate operation unit 130 when the bowel movement of the companion animal is detected. At this time, the excrement located in the excretory plate 200, roll down or flow down by gravity, can move to the main body (100). For example, urine located in the space between the upper excretory plate 210 and the lower excretory plate 220 passes through the outlet 221 of the lower excretory plate 220 corresponding to the fecal treatment opening 114 to the main body 100 ) can be moved to In addition, the excrement moved to the body 100 may be accommodated in the excrement collection container 140 through the fecal treatment opening 114 .

On the other hand, the excrement treatment device 10, after processing the excrement, through the operation of the excretion plate operation unit 130, may return the excretion plate 200 to its previous position.

Referring to FIG. 5 , the edge treatment opening 114 is formed between one edge of the upper plate 112 and the edge of the edge wall 113 facing the one edge of the top plate 112 , the top plate 112 and the edge wall. (113) may be formed spaced apart. That is, all the edges of the top plate 112 are connected to the edge wall 113 to form a closed accommodation space in the body 100, but a portion spaced apart from each other between the top plate 112 and the edge wall 113 is changed. It exists as a treatment opening 114 to accommodate excrement into the body 100 .

Meanwhile, one edge of the top plate 112 forming the side processing opening 114 may include a first portion 112a and a second portion 112b. The first part 112a and the second part 112b may be formed to be connected to each other.

The first portion 112a may have a first separation distance D1 from the edge of the edge wall 113 facing the first portion 112a. The second portion 112b is a portion other than the first portion 112a from one edge of the upper plate 112, and a second separation distance from the edge of the edge wall 113 facing the second portion 112b ( D2) may have. In this case, the first separation distance D1 may be smaller than the second separation distance D2.

The shape of the edge treatment opening 114 is not limited to the structure shown in the above description and drawings, and it will be said that it includes a structure or shape that can be easily designed and changed by a person skilled in the art.

The fecal treatment opening 114 according to an embodiment of the present invention includes portions having different widths, so that the feces rolling down from the excretory plate 200 and the urine flowing down are separated from each other and accommodated in the main body 100 . have. For example, the stool treatment opening 114 may include a urine treatment area 114a corresponding to the outlet 221 and a stool treatment area 114b other than the urine treatment area 114a.

The stool processing area 114b may be formed with a first separation distance D1 between one edge of the top plate 112 and an edge of the edge wall 113 facing the edge of the top plate 112 . That is, the stool processing region 114b is an imaginary line extending from the first portion 112a and the first portion 112a to an imaginary line extending from the first portion 112a and the first portion 112a. It may be a spaced region up to the edge of the edge wall 113 facing the .

The feces processing area 114b may be formed to correspond to one lower edge of the excretion plate 200 when the excretion plate 200 is tilted according to the operation of the excretion plate operation unit 130 . In the present specification, that the feces treatment area 114b corresponds to one lower edge of the excretory plate 200 means that when one lower edge of the excretory plate 200 is orthogonally projected, the orthographically projected line segment is located in the fecal treatment area 114b. will do Therefore, when the excretory plate 200 is inclined, the feces located on the excretory plate 200 may roll off and be stored in the excrement collection container 140 through the feces treatment area 114b.

The specific shape and structure of the feces processing area 114b is not limited to the contents of the above-described specification and published in the drawings, and a person skilled in the art can easily do it in a range corresponding to the shape and degree of inclination of the edge of the excretory plate 200 . It will be said that the design includes structures and shapes that can be changed.

The urine treatment area 114a, between the second part 112b and the stool treatment area 114b, may be formed with a separation distance equal to the second separation distance D2 minus the first separation distance D1. have. That is, the urine treatment area 114a may be a spaced area up to an imaginary line extending from the second portion 112b and the first portion 112a.

The urine treatment area 114a may be formed to correspond to the outlet 221 of the excretory plate 200 . Therefore, urine falling through the outlet 221 may be accommodated in the excrement collection container 140 through the urine treatment area 114a.

The urine treatment area 114a may be formed to correspond not only when the excretory plate 200 is inclined, but also when it is in equilibrium with the floor. Since the outlet 221 of the excretory plate 200 is formed at one corner of the lower excretory plate 220, it has no choice but to be formed relatively inside the one edge of the excretory plate 200, and the urine treatment area 114a ) may be formed on the inside relative to the feces processing region 114b.

The specific shape and structure of the urine treatment area 114a is not limited to the contents posted in the above-described specification and drawings, and a person skilled in the art can easily design and change the design in a range corresponding to the shape and inclination degree of the outlet 221 . It will be said that it includes possible structures and shapes.

6 to 8 , the excrement treatment device 10 may include the excrement testing device 120 .

The excrement test device 120 may include a urine test kit 121 . The urine test kit 121 may include a urine test stick having at least one diagnostic sheet. Here, the diagnostic sheet may have a different color depending on the substance contained in the urine.

For example, when the urinalysis stick includes a plurality of diagnostic sheets, the plurality of diagnostic sheets may include different antibodies. At this time, an antigen-antibody reaction may occur on a diagnostic sheet corresponding to an antigen contained in urine among a plurality of diagnostic sheets, and the color of the diagnostic sheet on which the antigen-antibody reaction has occurred may be different from the color before the antigen-antibody reaction occurs. have.

Accordingly, the type of antigen contained in the urine of the companion animal may be identified according to the change in the color of the diagnostic sheet, and the health status and the type of disease of the companion animal may be determined according to the type of antigen contained in the urine. For example, the presence of diseases such as diabetes, nephritis, urolithiasis, cystitis, etc. may be confirmed through the urinalysis kit 121 . However, the type of disease that can be determined through the urine test kit 121 is not limited to the above description, and it will be said that it includes a range that can be easily designed and changed by a person skilled in the art.

The excrement test device 120 is disposed on the movement path of excrement in the receiving space of the main body 100 , and may collect excrement falling through the outlet 221 and inspect it.

At least a portion of the excrement test device 120 may be disposed in the urine treatment area 114a, and may be exposed to the outside of the body 100 . For example, at least a portion of the excrement testing device 120 may be disposed in the urine treatment area 114a and exposed to the stool treatment opening 114 , and the other part of the excretion testing device 120 is the upper plate 112 . can be shielded by

The urine test kit 121 included in the excrement test device 120 may be provided toward the upper plate 112 so that the diagnostic sheet is directly exposed to the urine treatment area 114a. At this time, the urine falling through the outlet 221 may come into contact with the excretion test device 120 , in particular, the diagnostic sheet of the urine test kit 121 exposed to the urine treatment area 114a.

The urine test kit 121 may be formed to be detachable from the main body 100 . For example, the user may separate the urine test kit 121 from the main body 100 , and then mount it back to the main body 100 after replacing the urine test stick.

On the other hand, the excrement of the companion animal may be stored in the excrement container 140 of the excrement treatment device 10 for a certain period of time. At this time, as the excretion plate 200 is disposed on the top plate 112 to cover the upper plate 112 and the fecal treatment opening 114, it is possible to prevent odors from being generated outside the excrement treatment apparatus 100 due to excrement. It can also prevent insects from penetrating into the excrement from the outside.

The edge wall 113 may include an edge sidewall 113a and a locking protrusion 113b extending from the upper edge of the edge sidewall 113a to an inner lower portion of the edge sidewall 113a. In this case, the locking protrusion 113b may be formed on both of the upper edges of the edge wall 113a.

The excretory board 200 is disposed on the locking step 113b included in the edge wall 113 that passes through the side treatment opening 114 and forms the edge of the side treatment opening 114, may not be exposed to the outside.

A portion of the edge of the stopping protrusion 113b may be connected to the upper plate 112 , and another portion of the edge of the stopping protrusion 113b may be spaced apart from the top plate 112 to form the side processing opening 114 . For example, the side processing opening 114 may be formed between one edge of the upper plate 112 and a portion of the edge of the upper plate 112 and the upper plate 112 between the engaging jaws 113 facing one edge of the upper plate 112 . ) may be formed with one edge spaced apart. That is, the excretory board 200 passes through the stool treatment opening 114 and is disposed on the clasp 113b adjacent to the stool treatment opening 114, thereby completely blocking and covering the stool treatment opening 114 from the outside. have.

Meanwhile, the excretory plate 200 may further include a packing (not shown) disposed on the edge of the bottom surface of the lower excretory plate 220 . For example, the excretory board 200 may be provided with a rubber packing, etc., and as the rubber packing is disposed on the bottom surface of the lower excretory board 220, the space between the excretory board 200 and the engaging protrusion 113b is reduced. It can be effectively removed to prevent the occurrence of odors and the penetration of insects.

The locking protrusion 13b forming the edge of the side processing opening 114 may form an inclined surface inclined in the inner downward direction. When the excretory plate 200 is lifted and tilted by the excretory plate operation unit 130, the locking jaw 13b is formed by the fecal treatment opening 114 even if the excrement rolling down or flowing down from the excretory plate 200 is partially splashed around. ) to be guided to, it is possible to induce the feces splashing to the engaging jaw (13b). However, the shape and structure of the locking protrusion 13b is not limited to the contents posted in the above description and drawings, and a person skilled in the art can easily change the design.

9 is a schematic diagram of a system including a feces treatment device and a server, according to an embodiment of the present invention. A detailed description of the content overlapping with the content described with reference to FIGS. 1 to 8 will be omitted.

Referring to FIG. 9 , the system 1 may include a feces disposal device 10 , a mobile device 20 and/or a server 30 .

The excrement treatment apparatus 10 may include a body 100 and an excretion plate 200 . The excrement treatment device 10 may accommodate the excrement that rolls down or flows down according to the movement of the excretion plate 200 in the excrement collection container 140 .

The excrement treatment device 10 may include a excrement testing device 120 having a urine test kit 121 . The urine test kit 121 may include a urine test stick having at least one diagnostic sheet, and the excrement processing device 10 determines the defecation state and health state of the companion animal based on the color change of the diagnostic sheet. can do. For example, the excrement processing device 10 may acquire an image of the urine test kit 121 through a camera (not shown), and determine the defecation state and health state of the companion animal based on the acquired image. can do.

The excrement treatment device 10 may communicate with the mobile device 20 through a wired/wireless communication method. The excrement treatment device 10 may receive a command from the mobile device 20 , and may control the operation of each component provided in the excrement treatment device 10 according to the received command. For example, the excrement treatment device 10 may receive a command for on/off of the power from the mobile device 20 , a command for the operation of the excretion board 200 , and the like. The excrement treatment device 10 may transmit and receive data between the mobile device 20 and each other. For example, the excrement processing device 10 may transmit data on the defecation state and health state of the companion animal to the mobile device 20 .

The excrement treatment device 10 may be connected to the network 40 through a wired/wireless communication method, and may communicate with the server 30 through the network 40 . The excrement treatment device 10 may transmit and receive data to and from the server 30 through the network 40 . For example, the excrement processing device 10 may transmit data on the defecation state and health state of the companion animal to the server 30 . For example, the excrement processing device 10 may transmit an image for the urine test kit 121 obtained through the camera to the server 30, and from the server 30 to the defecation state and health state of the companion animal. data can be received.

The server 30 may be connected to the network 40 through a wired/wireless communication method, and may communicate with the excrement treatment device 10 , the mobile device 20 and the like through the network 40 . For example, the server 30 may receive an image for the urine test kit 121 from the excrement processing device 10 through the network 40, and process the received image to the defecation state of the companion animal. and health status. In this case, the server 30 may transmit, through the network 40 , data on the defecation state and health state of the companion animal to the excrement processing device 10 and/or the mobile device 20 .

The server 30 may store data related to the excrement treatment device 10 . For example, the server 30 may store data on the defecation state and health state of the companion animal determined based on the data received from the excrement processing device 10 .

10 is a block diagram of the excrement treatment apparatus of FIG.

Referring to Figure 10, the excrement treatment device 10, the excretion plate driving unit 1010, the camera unit 1020, the sensor unit 1030, the communication unit 1040, the storage unit 1050, the input unit 1060, the output It may include a unit 1070 and/or a control unit 1080 .

The excretory board driving unit 1010 may operate the excretory board 200 . The excretory board driving unit 1010 may include an excretory board operation unit 130 including an insertion assembly 131 and a link device 132 . The excretory board driving unit 1010 may further include at least one motor (not shown) for controlling the operation of the link device 132 .

The camera unit 1020 may include at least one camera (not shown). At least one camera included in the camera unit 1020 may be a digital camera. Here, the digital camera includes at least one optical lens and an image sensor (eg, CMOS image sensor) including a plurality of photodiodes (eg, pixels) on which an image is formed by light passing through the optical lens. ) and a digital signal processor (DSP) that configures an image based on signals output from the photodiodes. For example, the camera unit 1020 may acquire an image of the urine test kit 121 through at least one camera.

The sensor unit 1030 may include at least one sensor, and may transmit data on a sensing value sensed through the at least one sensor to the control unit 1080 . For example, the sensor unit 1030 includes a temperature sensor (not shown) that detects an indoor temperature, an illuminance sensor (not shown) that detects the brightness of the surrounding environment, and a piezoelectric sensor that generates an electrical signal according to applied pressure. (not shown), and the like, may include various sensors.

The sensor unit 1030 may include a sensor (hereinafter, a kit detection sensor) (not shown) for detecting whether the urine test kit 121 is mounted on the body 100 . For example, the kit detection sensor may be a proximity sensor that detects whether the urine test kit 121 is in proximity, or a sensor that transmits an electrical signal according to whether the urine test kit 121 is in contact.

The communication unit 1040 may include at least one communication module. For example, the communication unit 1040, Wi-Fi (Wireless Fidelity), Bluetooth (Bluetooth), Bluetooth low energy (BLE), Zigbee (Zigbee), a communication module for short-range communication such as NFC (Near Field Communication), LTE Communication module for cellular communication such as (long-term evolution), LTE Advance (LTE-A), code division multiple access (CDMA), wideband CDMA (WCDMA), universal mobile telecommunications system (UMTS), and Wireless Broadband (WiBro) and the like.

For example, the communication unit 1040 may transmit/receive data to and from the mobile device 20 using Bluetooth communication. For example, the communication unit 1040 may be connected to the network 40 using Wi-Fi communication and may communicate with the server 30 through the network 40 .

The storage unit 1050 may store a program for each signal processing and control in the control unit 1080, or may store a signal-processed image, audio, or data signal. For example, the storage unit 1050 stores application programs designed for the purpose of performing various tasks that can be processed by the control unit 1080, and upon request of the control unit 1080, selects some of the stored application programs. can be provided as The program stored in the storage unit 1050 is not particularly limited as long as it can be executed by the control unit 1080 .

Although the embodiment in which the storage unit 1050 of FIG. 10 is provided separately from the control unit 1080 is illustrated, the scope of the present invention is not limited thereto, and the storage unit 1050 may be included in the control unit 1080 .

The storage unit 1050 may include a volatile memory (eg, DRAM, SRAM, SDRAM, etc.), a non-volatile memory (eg, a flash memory), a hard disk drive (HDD), or a solid state drive (Solid). -state drive (SSD), etc.) may be included.

The storage unit 1050 may store pre-learned data, models, algorithms, etc. through machine learning such as deep learning. For example, the storage unit 1050 may store data about a result of pre-learning images stored in a database through machine learning. Hereinafter, with reference to FIG. 11, deep learning will be described in detail.

11 is a diagram referenced in the description of deep learning, according to an embodiment of the present invention.

Machine learning means that a computer learns from data without a human instructing the computer directly to logic, and allows the computer to solve a problem through this.

Deep learning is a method of teaching a human way of thinking to a computer based on Artificial Neural Networks (ANN). The artificial neural network (ANN) may be implemented in the form of software or in the form of hardware such as a chip. For example, an artificial neural network (ANN), a deep neural network (DNN), a convolutional neural network (CNN), a recurrent neural network (RNN), a deep belief network; DBN), etc., may include various types of algorithms.

Referring to FIG. 11 , an artificial neural network (ANN) may include an input layer, a hidden layer, and an output layer. Each layer includes a plurality of nodes, each layer may be connected to a next layer, and nodes between adjacent layers may be connected to each other with a weight.

The computer, for example, can form a feature map by discovering a certain pattern from data, and extracts from low-level features, middle-level features, and high-level features to recognize objects and output the results. can

Also, each node may operate based on an activation model, and an output value corresponding to an input value may be determined according to the activation model.

An output value of an arbitrary node, for example, a low-level feature, may be input to a next layer connected to the corresponding node, for example, a node of a middle-level feature. A node of a next layer, for example, a node of an intermediate-level feature may receive values output from a plurality of nodes of a lower-level feature.

In this case, the input value of each node may be a value in which a weight is applied to the output value of the node of the previous layer. A weight may mean a connection strength between nodes. In addition, the deep learning process can be viewed as a process of finding appropriate weights and biases.

Meanwhile, an output value of an arbitrary node, for example, an intermediate-level feature, may be input to a next layer connected to the corresponding node, for example, a node of a higher-level feature. A node of a next layer, for example, a node of a higher-level feature, may receive values output from a plurality of nodes of an intermediate-level feature.

An artificial neural network (ANN) may extract feature information corresponding to each level by using a learned layer corresponding to each level. An artificial neural network (ANN) may recognize a predetermined target by sequentially abstracting and utilizing feature information of the highest level.

On the other hand, learning of the artificial neural network (ANN) can be made by adjusting the weight of the connection line between nodes so that a desired output is obtained with respect to input data, and a bias value can also be adjusted if necessary. In addition, the artificial neural network (ANN) may continuously update the weight value by learning. In addition, a method such as back-propagation may be used for learning of an artificial neural network (ANN).

The storage unit 1050 may store data on the state of the urine test kit 121 , data on the defecation state and health state of the companion animal, and the like.

The input unit 1060 may be provided on one side of the main body 100 of the excrement treatment apparatus 10 . For example, the input unit 1060 may include a touch pad, a physical button, and the like.

The input unit 1060 may receive various user commands related to the operation of the excrement processing device 10 , and may transmit a control signal corresponding to the input command to the control unit 1080 .

The output unit 1070 may include a display device such as a display (not shown) and a light emitting diode (LED) (not shown). For example, the output unit 1070 may display a message about the state of the urine test kit 121, the defecation state, the health state of the companion animal, etc. through the display device.

The output unit 1070 may include an audio device such as a speaker and a buzzer, and may output various sound effects or warning sounds through the audio device. For example, when it is impossible to use the urine test stick provided in the urine test kit 121 , the output unit 1070 may output a warning sound regarding replacement of the urine test stick through the audio device.

The control unit 1080 may be connected to each component provided in the excrement treatment device 10, and may control the overall operation of each component. The control unit 1080 may transmit/receive data to and from each component provided in the excrement treatment device 10 .

The controller 1080 may include at least one processor. Here, the processor may be a general processor such as a central processing unit (CPU). Of course, the processor may be a dedicated device such as an ASIC or other hardware-based processor.

The control unit 1080 may control the excretory plate driving unit 1010 . For example, the controller 1080 may control the operation of the link device 132 through at least one motor provided in the excretory board driving unit 1010 so that the excretory board 200 is moved to a required position and tilted. can

The controller 1080 may acquire an image by controlling the camera unit 1020 . For example, the controller 1080 may acquire an image of the urine test kit 121 through at least one camera provided in the camera unit 1020 .

The controller 1080 may process the image. The controller 1080 may detect at least one diagnostic sheet included in the urine test stick from the image of the urine test kit 121 acquired through the camera unit 1020, and display the color of the detected diagnostic sheet. can judge In this regard, it will be described with reference to FIGS. 12A to 13B.

Referring to FIG. 12A , the controller 1080 may acquire an image of the urine test kit 121 through the camera unit 1020 . In this case, the urine test stick 122 included in the urine test kit 121 may include a plurality of diagnostic sheets 123a to 123k.

Referring to FIG. 12B , the controller 1080 may detect at least one object corresponding to the diagnostic sheet included in the urine test stick 122 from the image of the urine test kit 121 . For example, the controller 1080 may detect the square objects 1210, 1220, and 1230 whose shape corresponds to the shape of the diagnostic sheet among the objects included in the image for the urine test kit 121, , the detected objects 1210 , 1220 , and 1230 may be determined as objects corresponding to the diagnostic sheet. In this case, the controller 1080 may detect an object corresponding to the diagnostic sheet included in the urine test stick 122 using a preset figure detection algorithm.

Meanwhile, in this drawing, the shape of the diagnostic sheet is described as a square, but the present invention is not limited thereto, and the diagnostic sheet may be formed in various shapes such as a circle or a triangle.

Meanwhile, the controller 1080 may determine the center points 1215 , 1225 , and 1235 of the objects 1210 , 1220 , and 1230 detected as corresponding to the diagnostic sheet, respectively.

Referring to FIG. 12C , the controller 1080 may calculate distances L1 and L2 between center points 1215 , 1225 , and 1235 of each object 1210 , 1220 , 1230 , and based on the calculated distance , a distance and a center point between the plurality of diagnostic sheets 123a to 123k provided on the urine test stick 122 may be determined. For example, the controller 1080 may calculate the average distance L3 of the distances L1 and L2 between the center points 1215 , 1225 , and 1235 , and use the calculated average distance L3 with the remaining diagnostic sheet 123a. , 123b, 123f to 123k) may be determined as the distance between the respective center points 1241 to 1248 .

Meanwhile, in this figure, based on the distance between the center points 1215, 1225, 1235 of the diagnostic sheets 1215, 1225, 1235 adjacent to each other, the center points 1241 to 1248 of the remaining diagnostic sheets 123a, 123b, 123f to 123k. ) has been described to determine the distance between them, but the present invention is not limited thereto.

For example, if the distance between the center points of two objects detected as corresponding to the diagnostic sheet is greater than twice the horizontal length of the diagnostic sheet, it is determined that at least one center point of the diagnostic sheet exists between the center points of the two objects. can do. In this case, the number and distance of the center points of the diagnostic sheet existing between the center points of the two objects detected as corresponding to the diagnostic sheets may be determined according to the distance between the center points of the two objects.

Referring to FIG. 12D , the controller 1080 may determine a plurality of areas 1251 to 1261 respectively corresponding to central points of a plurality of diagnostic sheets 123a to 123k provided on the urine test stick 122 . Here, the size of each of the plurality of areas 1251 to 1261 may be smaller than the size of the diagnostic sheet.

The controller 1080 may determine the colors of the plurality of diagnostic sheets 123a to 123k based on the colors of the plurality of areas 1251 to 1261 respectively corresponding to the center points of the plurality of diagnostic sheets 123a to 123k. have.

On the other hand, referring to FIGS. 13A and 13B , when the distance between the diagnostic sheets is not constant due to an error in the manufacturing process of the urine test stick 122, the remaining diagnostic sheets 123a, 123b, 123f to 123k, respectively. A difference may occur between the determined center points 1341 to 1348 and the actual centers of the remaining diagnostic sheets 123a, 123b, 123f to 123k. In this case, other portions of the urine test stick 122 other than the diagnostic sheet may be included in the plurality of areas corresponding to the center points of the plurality of diagnostic sheets 123a to 123k, respectively.

When there are two or more colors included in the plurality of one regions 1251 to 1261 , the controller 1080 may determine a representative color for each of the plurality of one regions 1251 to 1261 .

Referring to FIG. 13B , the controller 1080 may determine a representative color from among a plurality of colors included in an area 1361 corresponding to a center point 1348 determined for a specific diagnostic sheet 123k. For example, the controller 1080 may divide one region 1361 into a plurality of detailed regions 1371 to 1374 using a K-means clustering algorithm. Here, the K-means clustering algorithm is an algorithm that groups given data into k clusters, and may refer to an algorithm that operates in a manner that minimizes the variance of the distance difference between each cluster.

In this case, the color of the region 1374 occupying the largest portion of the one region 1361 among the plurality of detailed regions 1371 to 1374 may be determined as a representative color of the one region 1361, and the one region ( The representative color of 1361 may be determined as the color of the corresponding diagnosis sheet 123k.

The controller 1080 learns the data on the diagnostic sheet included in the urine test stick 122 through machine learning, such as deep learning, to determine the state of the urine test kit 121, defecation state, health state of companion animals, etc. It is possible to create a learning model that judges. In this case, the controller 1080 may generate a learning model for determining the state of the urine test kit 121 , a learning model for determining the defecation state, and a learning model for determining the health state of the companion animal, respectively.

14A and 14B , labeling may be performed on each of the diagnostic sheets of the urinalysis stick 122 included in the image for the urinalysis kit 121, and the controller 1080 controls the labeled diagnosis. A learning model can be created by learning the data on the sheet. In this case, labeling of each diagnostic sheet may be performed according to a user's input. For example, the user may check each color of the diagnosis sheet and perform labeling according to the type of disease corresponding to the color of the diagnosis sheet or the severity of the disease.

Meanwhile, when a learning model is generated using a small number of images, each of the plurality of pixels extracted from the area 1410 corresponding to the diagnosis sheet 123c may be labeled. For example, as shown in FIG. 14B , six pixels 1411 to 1416 may be extracted from one region 1410 , and the color of each pixel may be labeled with the color of six diagnostic sheets 123c. have.

The controller 1080 may determine the state of the urine test kit 121 based on the image of the urine test kit 121 . At this time, the control unit 1080, by processing the image for the urine test kit 121 through a learning model for determining the state of the urine test kit 121 generated through machine learning, the state of the urine test kit 121 can be judged

For example, when at least one of the plurality of diagnostic sheets has changed color, the controller 1080 may determine that the urine test stick 122 included in the urine test kit 121 is unusable. For example, when all of the plurality of diagnostic sheets do not change color, it may be determined that the urine test stick 122 included in the urine test kit 121 can be used.

Meanwhile, the controller 1080 may determine that the urine test stick 122 included in the urine test kit 121 cannot be used when at least one of the plurality of diagnostic sheets is damaged by more than a predetermined standard.

The controller 1080 may determine the health status of the companion animal based on the image of the urine test kit 121 . In this case, the controller 1080 may process the image of the urine test kit 121 through a learning model for determining the health state of the companion animal generated through machine learning to determine the health state of the companion animal.

For example, when the color of a specific diagnostic sheet among the plurality of diagnostic sheets is changed, the controller 1080 may determine the type of disease or the severity of the disease corresponding to the degree of change in the color of the specific diagnostic sheet.

The control unit 1080 may determine whether the urine test kit 121 is mounted on the body 100 through the sensor unit 1030 .

The control unit 1080, through the sensor unit 1030, may determine a change in the weight of the excretory plate 200, based on the change in the weight of the excretory plate 200, it is possible to determine whether the companion animal has a bowel movement. . At this time, when the bowel movement of the companion animal is detected, the control unit 1080 may control the excretory plate driving unit 1010 .

The controller 1080 may transmit/receive data to and from the mobile device 20 and/or the server 30 through the communication unit 1040 . For example, the controller 1080 may transmit data on the health state of the companion animal to the mobile device 20 . For example, the controller 1080 may receive data on the health state of the companion animal from the server 30 .

Figures 15a and 15b, according to an embodiment of the present invention, a flow chart showing an operating method of the excrement treatment apparatus.

Referring to FIG. 15A , the excrement treatment device 10 may determine whether the urine test kit 121 is separated from the body 100 in operation S1501 . For example, the excrement treatment device 10, based on the sensing value of the kit detection sensor included in the sensor unit 1030, to determine whether the mounting / detachment of the urine test kit 121 to the body 100 can

The excrement treatment device 10, in operation S1502, when the urine test kit 121 is separated from the main body 100, may set the state of the urine test kit 121 to 'separation'.

The excrement treatment device 10, in operation S1503, may determine whether the urine test kit 121 is mounted on the body 100.

The excrement treatment device 10, in operation S1504 and S1505, when the urine test kit 121 is not mounted on the main body 100, while the urine test kit 121 is separated from the main body 100, companion animals It is possible to process excrement by repeatedly detecting bowel movements. For example, the excrement treatment device 10 may detect the bowel movement of the companion animal according to whether the weight of the excretion plate 200 changes over a certain level.

At this time, the excrement treatment device 10, when the bowel movement of the companion animal is sensed while the urine test kit 121 is separated from the main body 100, controls the operation of the excretory plate driving unit 1010 to control the excretion plate ( By moving and tilting 200), it is possible to move the excrement located in the excretion plate 200 to the excrement collection container 140, branching to operation S1503 to determine whether the urine test kit 121 is mounted on the body 100. can continue to judge.

On the other hand, the excrement treatment device 10, in operation S1506, when the urine test kit 121 is mounted on the main body 100, it is possible to acquire an image of the urine test kit (121). In this case, the excrement treatment device 10 may set the state of the urine test kit 121 to 'mounted'.

The excrement processing device 10 may process the image for the urine test kit 121 in operation S1507. For example, the excrement processing apparatus 10 may detect an object corresponding to the diagnostic sheet among the objects included in the image for the urine test kit 121, and determine the color of each diagnostic sheet.

The excrement treatment device 10, in operation S1508, based on the image for the urine test kit 121, may determine whether the urine test stick included in the urine test kit 121 is usable. For example, the excrement treatment device 10 may determine whether the color of a plurality of diagnostic sheets has changed through a learning model for determining the state of the urine test kit 121 .

Referring to FIG. 16 , the excrement treatment apparatus 10 may assign '0' to a sheet having a different color from the existing one, and '1' to a sheet having a different color, among a plurality of diagnostic sheets.

At this time, as shown in reference numeral 1601, when '1' is assigned to all of the plurality of diagnostic sheets, the excrement treatment device 10 determines that the urine test stick 122 included in the urine test kit 121 can be used. can do. On the other hand, as shown in reference numeral 1602, when '0' is assigned to at least one of a plurality of diagnostic sheets, the excrement treatment device 10 uses the urine test stick 122 included in the urine test kit 121. can be considered impossible.

Referring back to Figure 15a, the excrement processing device 10, in operation S1509, when it is determined that the urine test stick 122 included in the urine test kit 121 can be used, the state of the urine test stick 122 You can set it to 'Enable'.

On the other hand, the excrement treatment device 10, in operation S1510, when it is determined that the urine test stick 122 included in the urine test kit 121 is unusable, the state of the urine test stick 122 is 'unusable'. can be set to

On the other hand, referring to Figure 15b, the excrement treatment device 10, in operation S1511, when the urine test kit 121 is mounted on the main body 100, it is possible to detect the bowel movement of the companion animal. At this time, the state of the urine test stick 122 may be a state set to 'usable' or 'unusable'.

The excrement processing apparatus 10, in operation S1512, when the bowel movement of the companion animal is detected, may process the excrement. For example, the excrement treatment device 10 is positioned on the excretory plate 200 by moving and tilting the excretion plate 200 through operation control of the excretory plate driving unit 1010 when the defecation activity of the companion animal is detected. It is possible to move the excrement to the excrement collection container (140).

The excrement treatment device 10, in operation S1513, may check whether the state of the urine test stick 122 is set to 'available'.

The excrement treatment device 10, in operation S1514, when the state of the urine test stick 122 is set to 'usable', it can acquire an image for the urine test kit 121.

The excrement processing device 10 may process the image for the urine test kit 121 in operation S1515. For example, the excrement processing apparatus 10 may detect an object corresponding to the diagnostic sheet among the objects included in the image for the urine test kit 121, and determine the color of each diagnostic sheet.

The excrement processing apparatus 10, in operation S1516, based on the image of the urine test kit 121, may determine the defecation state and health state of the companion animal. For example, the excrement processing apparatus 10 may determine whether the color of a plurality of diagnostic sheets and the degree of color change through a learning model for determining the health state of the companion animal, and detect diseases corresponding to the color change. The type or severity of the disease can be judged.

Referring to FIG. 17 , the excrement treatment apparatus 10 may assign a number corresponding to whether or not the color has changed and the degree of color change to each of the plurality of diagnostic sheets. In this case, the excrement treatment apparatus 10 may determine the type of disease or the severity of the disease in response to a number (eg, '00235000012') assigned to each of the plurality of diagnostic sheets.

Referring back to FIG. 15b , the excrement treatment device 10 may set the state of the urine test stick 122 to 'disabled' in operation S1517.

On the other hand, the excrement processing device 10, in operation S1518, when the diagnostic sheet included in the urinalysis stick 122 is exposed to the air for a long time, the color changes and the probability that the antigen-antibody reaction does not normally occur increases. Considering that, while the urine test kit 121 is mounted on the main body 100, if no bowel movement is detected for more than a predetermined time, it branches to operation S1517 and sets the state of the urine test stick 122 to 'unusable'. can be set.

On the other hand, the excrement processing device 10, in the case where the bowel movement of the companion animal is detected, when the state of the urine test stick 122 is set to 'disabled', the operation S1514 to operation S1517 is omitted, It is possible to omit unnecessary operation according to image processing.

Fig. 18 is a block diagram of the server of Fig. 9; Detailed description of the contents related to the configuration of the excrement treatment device 10 of FIG. 10 will be omitted.

Referring to FIG. 18 , the server 30 may include a communication unit 310 , a control unit 320 , and/or a storage unit 330 .

The communication unit 310 may include at least one communication module, and may communicate with the excrement treatment device 10 and/or the mobile terminal 20 by accessing the network 40 .

The control unit 320 may be connected to each component provided in the server 30 and may control the overall operation of each component. The control unit 320 may transmit/receive data to and from each configuration provided in the server 30 .

The controller 320 may include at least one processor. Here, the processor may be a general processor such as a CPU. Of course, the processor may be a dedicated device such as an ASIC or other hardware-based processor.

The control unit 320, through the communication unit 310, may transmit and receive data to and from the excrement processing device 10 and each other. For example, the control unit 320 may receive an image for the urine test kit 121 from the excrement treatment device 10 through the communication unit 310 . For example, the control unit 320, through the communication unit 310, may transmit data on the result of processing the image for the urine test kit 121 to the excrement processing device (10).

Meanwhile, the control unit 320 may receive data on the state of the urine test kit 121 through the communication unit 310 . For example, the controller 320 may receive data on the state of the urine test kit 121 and an image of the urine test kit 121 together.

The controller 320 may process the image. The control unit 320 may detect at least one diagnostic sheet included in the urine test stick 122 from the image of the urine test kit 121 received from the excrement treatment device 10, and the detected diagnostic sheet color can be judged.

The controller 320 learns the data on the diagnostic sheet included in the urine test stick 122 through machine learning, such as deep learning, to determine the state of the urine test kit 121, the defecation state, the health state of the companion animal, etc. It is possible to create a learning model that judges. In this case, the controller 320 may generate a learning model for determining the state of the urine test kit 121 , a learning model for determining the defecation state, and a learning model for determining the health state of the companion animal, respectively.

The controller 320 may determine the state of the urine test kit 121 based on the image of the urine test kit 121 . At this time, the control unit 320, by processing the image for the urine test kit 121 through a learning model for determining the state of the urine test kit 121 generated through machine learning, the state of the urine test kit 121 can be judged

The controller 320 may determine the health status of the companion animal based on the image of the urine test kit 121 . In this case, the controller 320 may process the image of the urine test kit 121 through a learning model for determining the health state of the companion animal generated through machine learning to determine the health state of the companion animal.

The controller 320 may store data on the state of the urine test kit 121 provided in the excrement treatment device 10 , the health state of the companion animal, and the like, in the storage unit 330 .

The storage unit 330 may store a program for processing and controlling each signal in the control unit 320 , or may store a signal-processed image, audio, or data signal. For example, the storage unit 330 stores application programs designed for the purpose of performing various tasks that can be processed by the control unit 320 , and upon request of the control unit 320 , selects some of the stored application programs can be provided as The program stored in the storage unit 330 is not particularly limited as long as it can be executed by the control unit 320 .

Although the embodiment in which the storage unit 330 of FIG. 18 is provided separately from the control unit 320 is illustrated, the scope of the present invention is not limited thereto, and the storage unit 330 may be included in the control unit 320 .

The storage unit 330 stores at least one of volatile memory (eg, DRAM, SRAM, SDRAM, etc.), non-volatile memory (eg, flash memory), hard disk drive (HDD), solid state drive (SSD), etc.) may include

The storage unit 330 may store pre-learned data, models, algorithms, etc. through machine learning such as deep learning.

19 is a flowchart illustrating a method of operating a server according to an embodiment of the present invention.

Referring to FIG. 19 , the server 30 may determine whether an image for the urine test kit 121 is received from the excrement treatment device 10 in operation S1910 .

The server 30, in operation S1920, when an image for the urine test kit 121 is received, may process the image for the urine test kit 121. For example, the server 30 may detect an object corresponding to a diagnostic sheet from among the objects included in the image of the urine test kit 121 , and determine the color of each diagnostic sheet.

The server 30, in operation S1930, may check whether the state of the urine test kit 121 of the excrement treatment device 10 is set to 'available'. For example, the server 30, based on the data on the state of the urine test kit 121 received from the excrement treatment device 10, the state of the urine test kit 121 of the excrement treatment device 10 can be checked

The server 30, in operation S1940, when the state of the urine test kit 121 of the excrement treatment device 10 is set to 'available', based on the image for the urine test kit 121, companion animal It is possible to judge the defecation status and health status of For example, the server 30 may determine whether the color of a plurality of diagnostic sheets and the degree of color change through the learning model for determining the health status of the companion animal, and the type of disease corresponding to the color change or You can judge the severity of the disease.

On the other hand, the server 30, in operation S1950, when the state of the urine test kit 121 of the excrement treatment device 10 is not set to 'available', based on the image for the urine test kit 121 Thus, it can be determined whether the urine test stick 122 included in the urine test kit 121 is usable. For example, the server 30, when the state of the urine test kit 121 of the excrement treatment device 10 is set to 'mounted', through a learning model that determines the state of the urine test kit 121 , it is possible to determine the color change of the plurality of diagnostic sheets.

The server 30, in operation S1960, may transmit data on the result of determination based on the image for the urine test kit 121 to the excrement treatment device 10 . For example, the server 30, according to the state of the urine test kit 121 of the excrement treatment device 10, the determination of whether the use of the urine test stick 122 included in the urine test kit 121 is available Data on the result or data on the judgment result on the health condition of the companion animal may be transmitted to the excrement processing device 10 .

Meanwhile, the server 30 may store, in the storage unit 330 , data on the state of the urine test kit 121 , data on the result of determination on the health state of the companion animal, and the like, after performing each operation.

20 and 21 are, according to an embodiment of the present invention, a flow chart illustrating a method of operation of a system including a feces treatment apparatus and a server.

20 is, in a case in which a urine test kit 121 including a usable urinalysis stick 122 is mounted on the body 100 of the excrement treatment device 10, the excrement treatment device 10 and the server 30 It is a flowchart showing an operation method of the system 1 including a.

Referring to FIG. 20 , the excrement treatment device 10 may detect that, in operation S2001 , the urine test kit 121 is separated from the body 100 and then mounted on the body 100 again. At this time, the state of the urine test kit 121 of the excrement treatment device 10 may be set to 'mounted'.

The excrement processing device 10, in the operations S2002 and S2003, may acquire an image for the urine test kit 121, and transmit the image for the acquired urine test kit 121 to the server 20. At this time, the excrement treatment device 10 may transmit data on the state of the urine test kit 121 to the server 30 together with an image for the urine test kit 121 .

The server 30, in operation S2004, may process the image for the urine test kit 121 received from the excrement processing device (10).

The server 30, in operation S2005, can confirm that the state of the urine test kit 121 of the excrement treatment device 10 is set to 'installed', not 'available', and the urine test kit 121 ) on the basis of the image, it is possible to determine whether the urine test stick 122 included in the urinalysis kit 121 is usable. At this time, since the urine test kit 121 mounted on the main body 100 of the excrement treatment device 10 includes a usable urine test stick 122, the server 30 is included in the urine test kit 121. It can be determined that the urine test stick 122 can be used.

The server 30, in operation S2006, may transmit data on the result of determining whether the urine test stick 122 included in the urine test kit 121 can be used to the excrement treatment device 10 .

The excrement processing device 10, in operation S2007, based on the data on the result of the determination on the availability of the urine test stick 122 received from the server 30, the state of the urine test kit 121 ' It can be set to 'Enable'.

The excrement treatment device 10, in operation S2008, may detect the defecation activity of the companion animal, and may process the excrement.

The excrement treatment device 10 may acquire an image of the urine test kit 121 after confirming whether the state of the urine test stick 122 is set to 'available' in operation S2009.

The excrement treatment device 10 may transmit an image for the urine test kit 121 to the server 20 in operation S2010. At this time, the excrement treatment device 10 may transmit data on the state of the urine test kit 121 to the server 30 together with an image for the urine test kit 121 .

The excrement treatment device 10 may process the image for the urine test kit 121 received from the S2011 excrement treatment device 10 .

The server 30, in operation S2012, can confirm that the state of the urine test kit 121 of the excrement treatment device 10 is set to 'available', and based on the image for the urine test kit 121 Thus, it is possible to determine the defecation status and health status of the companion animal.

The server 30, in operation S2013, may transmit data on the result of determination on the defecation state and health state of the companion animal to the excrement processing device 10 .

The excrement processing device 10 may output a message about the health status of the companion animal based on the data on the result of the determination on the defecation state and the health state of the companion animal received from the server 30 in operation S2014. have.

The excrement treatment device 10 may set the state of the urine test kit 121 to 'disabled' in operation S2015.

The server 30, in operation S2016, may store data on the result of judgment on the defecation state and health state of the companion animal.

On the other hand, in FIG. 21 , a urine test kit 121 including a previously used urine test stick 122 or a urine test stick 122 with a changed color of a diagnostic sheet is mounted on the body 100 of the excrement treatment device 10 . In the case of being, it is a flowchart showing the method of operation of the system (1) including the excrement treatment device (10) and the server (30).

Referring to FIG. 21 , the excrement treatment device 10 may detect that, in operation S2011 , the urine test kit 121 is separated from the body 100 and then mounted on the body 100 again. At this time, the state of the urine test kit 121 of the excrement treatment device 10 may be set to 'mounted'.

The excrement treatment device 10 may acquire an image for the urine test kit 121 in operations S2012 and S2013, and transmit the image for the acquired urine test kit 121 to the server 20 . At this time, the excrement treatment device 10 may transmit data on the state of the urine test kit 121 to the server 30 together with an image for the urine test kit 121 .

The server 30 may process the image for the urine test kit 121 received from the excrement processing device 10 in operation S2014.

The server 30, in operation S2015, can confirm that the state of the urine test kit 121 of the excrement treatment device 10 is set to 'installed', not 'available', and the urine test kit 121 ) on the basis of the image, it is possible to determine whether the urine test stick 122 included in the urinalysis kit 121 is usable. At this time, since the urine test kit 121 mounted on the main body 100 of the excrement treatment device 10 includes a urine test stick 122 that cannot be used, the server 30 is installed in the urine test kit 121 . It may be determined that the included urine test stick 122 cannot be used.

The server 30, in operation S2016, may transmit data on the result of determining whether the urine test stick 122 included in the urine test kit 121 can be used to the excrement treatment device 10 .

The excrement processing device 10, in operation S2017, based on the data on the determination result of whether the urine test stick 122 received from the server 30 can be used, the state of the urine test kit 121 is ' It can be set to 'disabled'.

The excrement processing device 10, in operation S2018, may detect the defecation activity of the companion animal, and may process the excrement. At this time, since the state of the urine test kit 121 is set to 'unusable', the excrement treatment device 10 may omit performing an operation for determining the defecation state and health state of the companion animal.

As described above, according to various embodiments of the present invention, the user does not need to separately collect excrement, but automatically checks the defecation state and health status of companion animals through the excrement test device 120 disposed on the path of excretion. Because it can be inspected, it is not only hygienic, but also improves convenience of use.

In addition, according to various embodiments of the present invention, the state of the urine test kit 121 provided in the excrement treatment device 10 is first determined prior to the health condition test of the companion animal, and the state of the urine test kit 121 is The accuracy and reliability of the test result can be improved by performing the health condition test of the companion animal only when it is 'available'.

In addition, according to various embodiments of the present invention, despite the error in the manufacturing process of the urine test stick 122 included in the urine test kit 121, it is possible to more accurately examine the health status of the companion animal.

The accompanying drawings are only for easy understanding of the embodiments disclosed in the present specification, and the technical spirit disclosed in the present specification is not limited by the accompanying drawings, and all changes and equivalents included in the spirit and scope of the present invention It should be understood to include water or substitutes.

Likewise, although acts are depicted in the drawings in a particular order, it should not be construed that such acts must be performed in that particular order or sequential order shown, or that all depicted acts must be performed in order to achieve desirable results. . In certain cases, multitasking and parallel processing may be advantageous.

In addition, although preferred embodiments of the present invention have been illustrated and described above, the present invention is not limited to the specific embodiments described above, and the technical field to which the present invention belongs without departing from the gist of the present invention as claimed in the claims In addition, various modifications may be made by those of ordinary skill in the art, and these modifications should not be individually understood from the technical spirit or perspective of the present invention.

Claims (20)

In the waste disposal device,
Excretory plate comprising an outlet;
a body for accommodating excrement moving through the outlet, forming an accommodation space;
a fecal examination device for collecting excrement moving through the outlet;
a camera disposed at a position corresponding to the excrement test device; and
including a control unit;
The control unit is
Through the camera, to obtain an image for the kit (kit) included in the excrement test device,
Based on the result of processing the image for the kit, the excrement processing device for determining the health status of the companion animal. According to claim 1,
The outlet is formed to move urine of the excrement,
The kit includes a urine test stick having a plurality of diagnostic sheets that change color depending on the material contained in the urine,
The control unit, including the plurality of diagnostic sheets, excrement treatment apparatus, characterized in that for acquiring the image for the kit. 3. The method of claim 2,
Further comprising a kit detection sensor for detecting whether the kit is mounted on the main body,
The control unit, based on the sensing value of the kit detection sensor, when it is determined that the kit is mounted again after being separated from the main body,
set the state for the kit to the first state,
acquiring an image for the kit,
Based on the result of processing the image for the kit, it is determined whether the urine test stick can be used,
if the urinalysis stick is available, set the state for the kit to a second state;
When the urine test stick is unavailable, the excrement treatment device, characterized in that the state for the kit is set to a third state. 4. The method of claim 3,
an excretory plate operation unit coupled to the excretory plate, tilting the excretory plate or returning the excretory plate in parallel; and
Further comprising a piezoelectric sensor for detecting the weight of the excretory plate,
The control unit is
Based on the change in the sensing value of the piezoelectric sensor, it detects the bowel movement of the companion animal,
If the defecation activity of the companion animal is detected and the state of the kit is the second state, the image of the kit is obtained after controlling the operation of the excretory operation unit,
Based on the result of processing the image for the kit, after determining the health status of the companion animal, the status of the kit is set as the third status,
When the defecation activity of the companion animal is detected and the state for the kit is the third state, the excrement treatment apparatus, characterized in that the operation of the excretory plate operation unit is controlled, and the image of the kit is not obtained. 5. The method of claim 4,
The control unit is
Detecting an object corresponding to the plurality of diagnostic sheets from the image of the kit,
Determining the center point of each of the detected objects,
Based on the determined distance between the center points, determining a plurality of areas corresponding to each of the plurality of diagnostic sheets,
A color corresponding to each of the plurality of areas is an excrement treatment apparatus, characterized in that the color of each of the plurality of diagnostic sheets is determined. 6. The method of claim 5,
The control unit is
Determining a representative color of each of the plurality of regions using a K-means clustering algorithm,
Excrement treatment apparatus, characterized in that the representative color of each of the determined plurality of areas is determined as a color corresponding to each of the plurality of areas. 7. The method of claim 6,
The control unit is
When the state of the kit is the first state, it is determined whether all colors of each of the plurality of diagnostic sheets correspond to a preset reference color for each of the plurality of diagnostic sheets, and the urinalysis stick is used. to determine whether it is possible,
When the state of the kit is the second state, the excrement treatment apparatus, characterized in that the health state of the companion animal is determined based on the degree of change in the color of each of the plurality of diagnostic sheets. 5. The method of claim 4,
Further comprising a communication unit for communicating with the server,
The control unit is
Transmitting the image for the kit to the server through the communication unit,
Excrement processing apparatus, characterized in that for receiving the result of processing the image for the kit from the server through the communication unit. in the server,
Communication unit for communicating with the excrement treatment device; and
including a control unit;
The control unit is
Through the communication unit, receiving an image for the kit from the excrement treatment device,
Process the image of the received kit to determine the color of each of the plurality of diagnostic sheets included in the kit,
Based on the color of each of the plurality of diagnostic sheets, a result of image processing for the kit is generated,
Through the communication unit, the server, characterized in that for transmitting the result of processing the image for the generated kit to the excrement processing device. 10. The method of claim 9,
The control unit is
Detecting an object corresponding to the plurality of diagnostic sheets from the image of the kit,
Determining the center point of each of the detected objects,
Based on the determined distance between the center points, determining a plurality of areas corresponding to each of the plurality of diagnostic sheets,
The server, characterized in that the color corresponding to each of the plurality of areas is determined as the color of each of the plurality of diagnostic sheets. 11. The method of claim 10,
The control unit is
Determining a representative color of each of the plurality of regions using a K-means clustering algorithm,
and determining the representative color of each of the determined plurality of areas as a color corresponding to each of the plurality of areas. 12. The method of claim 11,
The control unit is
Through the communication unit, receiving data about the state of the kit from the excrement treatment device,
When the state of the received kit is the first state, the health state of the companion animal is determined based on the degree of change in the color of each of the plurality of diagnostic sheets,
When the state of the received kit is not the first state, it is determined whether all colors of each of the plurality of diagnostic sheets correspond to a preset reference color for each of the plurality of diagnostic sheets, A server, characterized in that it determines whether a urine test stick having a sheet can be used. In the system,
Excretion plate including an outlet, a body forming a receiving space for receiving excrement moving through the outlet, an excreta testing device for collecting excrement moving through the outlet, and a camera disposed at a position corresponding to the excreta testing device Excrement treatment device comprising; and
and a server that communicates with the excrement processing device and transmits and receives data to and from each other,
The excrement treatment device,
Through the camera, to obtain an image for the kit (kit) included in the excrement test device,
sending an image for the kit to the server,
Receiving the image processing result for the kit from the server,
The server is
Receiving an image for the kit from the excrement treatment device,
Process the image of the received kit to determine the color of each of the plurality of diagnostic sheets included in the kit,
Based on the color of each of the plurality of diagnostic sheets, a result of image processing for the kit is generated,
System, characterized in that for transmitting the result of processing the image for the generated kit to the excrement treatment device. 14. The method of claim 13,
The excrement treatment device further comprises a kit detection sensor for detecting whether the kit is mounted on the main body,
The excrement treatment device,
When it is determined that the kit is installed again after being separated from the main body, the state for the kit is set to the first state,
acquiring an image for the kit,
Sending an image for the kit to the server along with the status for the kit set to the first status,
The server is
If the state for the kit is the first state, based on the image for the kit, it is determined whether the urinalysis stick is usable,
The system, characterized in that for transmitting the result of determining whether the urine test stick is usable to the excrement treatment device. 15. The method of claim 14,
The excrement processing device, based on the result of determining whether the urine test stick received from the server is usable,
if the urinalysis stick is available, set the state for the kit to a second state;
The system of claim 1, wherein when the urine test stick is unavailable, a state for the kit is set to a third state. 16. The method of claim 15,
The excrement treatment device further comprises a piezoelectric sensor for detecting the weight of the excretion plate and the excretion plate, and tilting the excretion plate or returning the excretion plate in parallel with the excretory plate operation unit, and
The excrement treatment device, based on the change in the value sensed by the piezoelectric sensor, when the bowel movement of the companion animal is detected,
If the state for the kit is the second state, control the operation of the excretory plate operation unit, acquire an image for the kit, and transmit it to the server together with the state for the kit set to the second state,
When the state for the kit is the third state, the system controls the operation of the excretory operation unit, and does not acquire an image for the kit. 17. The method of claim 16,
The server is
Detecting an object corresponding to the plurality of diagnostic sheets from the image of the kit,
Determining the center point of each of the detected objects,
Based on the determined distance between the center points, determining a plurality of areas corresponding to each of the plurality of diagnostic sheets,
and determining a color corresponding to each of the plurality of areas as a color of each of the plurality of diagnostic sheets. 18. The method of claim 17,
The server is
Determining a representative color of each of the plurality of regions using a K-means clustering algorithm,
and determining the representative color of each of the determined plurality of areas as a color corresponding to each of the plurality of areas. 19. The method of claim 18,
The server is
When the state of the kit is the second state, the health state of the companion animal is determined based on the degree of change in the color of each of the plurality of diagnostic sheets,
A system characterized in that the result of determining the health status of the companion animal is transmitted to the excrement treatment device. 20. The method of claim 19,
The system, characterized in that the excrement processing device, when a result of determining the health status of the companion animal is received from the server, sets the status of the kit to the third status.

Images