Fatigue estimation system, fatigue estimation method, and program

Abstract

A fatigue estimation system (100) for estimating the degree of fatigue of a user (99) is provided with: an acquisition unit (20) for acquiring the future scheduled sleep time of the user (99); a fatigue estimation unit (10) that estimates a change in the degree of fatigue of the user (99); and a presentation unit (60) for presenting the estimated change in the degree of fatigue of the user (99), the degree of fatigue estimation unit (10) having a recovery calculation unit (11) for calculating the degree of fatigue to be recovered from the sleep time, using the acquired scheduled sleep time as the sleep time, causing the recovery calculation unit (11) to calculate the degree of fatigue to be recovered, and causing the recovery calculation unit (11) to calculate the degree of fatigue to be recovered. The change in the degree of fatigue of the user (99) includes the degree of fatigue of future recovery calculated for the predetermined sleep time.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This disclosure relates to fatigue estimation systems, fatigue estimation methods, and procedures. Background Technology

[0002] There has always been a need to estimate human fatigue levels. For example, when a user is aware of their fatigue level during work, they can take a break at an appropriate time, which is useful information for managing fatigue. On the other hand, fatigue can also be defined as fatigue accumulated daily through continuous work (also known as subacute fatigue or diurnal fatigue). For this type of fatigue, estimates are made based on the degree of fatigue accumulated each day and the duration of sleep taken to recover from fatigue. Patent Document 1 discloses a fatigue monitoring and management system for handling this type of daily accumulated fatigue as an example. This system generates an assessment of the user's fatigue state in one or more processors based on data from one or more data sources, such as non-intrusive sleep sensors configured to generate objective sleep scales for the user.

[0003] Existing technical documents Patent documents Patent Document 1: International Publication No. 2015 / 054134 Summary of the Invention

[0004] The problem that the invention aims to solve However, in conventional fatigue estimation systems, the fatigue level prompts are not appropriate if the user wants to sleep appropriately while considering the balance between fatigue accumulation and recovery. Therefore, this disclosure provides a fatigue estimation system for providing more appropriate fatigue level prompts.

[0005] Methods for solving problems To address the aforementioned issues, one aspect of this disclosure relates to a fatigue estimation system for estimating a user's fatigue level. The fatigue estimation system comprises: an acquisition unit for acquiring the user's future scheduled sleep time; a fatigue estimation unit for estimating changes in the user's fatigue level; and a prompting unit for prompting the estimated changes in the user's fatigue level. The fatigue estimation unit includes a recovery calculation unit that calculates the fatigue level to be recovered based on the sleep time. The fatigue estimation unit uses the acquired scheduled sleep time as the sleep time to enable the recovery calculation unit to calculate the fatigue level to be recovered. The changes in the user's fatigue level include the future fatigue level calculated based on the scheduled sleep time.

[0006] Furthermore, one aspect of this disclosure involves a fatigue estimation method executed by a computer for estimating a user's fatigue level. The fatigue estimation method includes: an acquisition step, acquiring the user's future scheduled sleep time; an estimation step, estimating the change in the user's fatigue level; and a prompting step, prompting the estimated change in the user's fatigue level. In the estimation step, the fatigue level to be recovered is calculated based on the sleep time, using the acquired scheduled sleep time as the sleep time to calculate the fatigue level to be recovered. The change in the user's fatigue level includes the future fatigue level calculated for the scheduled sleep time.

[0007] Furthermore, this disclosure can be implemented as a program that causes a computer to perform the fatigue estimation method described above. Alternatively, it can be implemented as a computer-readable recording medium storing the program.

[0008] Invention Effects This disclosure enables more appropriate fatigue level indicators to be provided. Attached Figure Description

[0009] Figure 1 This is a block diagram illustrating the functional configuration of the fatigue estimation system according to the embodiment.

[0010] Figure 2 This is a diagram used to illustrate the fatigue estimation involved in the implementation method.

[0011] Figure 3 This is a diagram used to illustrate the fatigue estimation involved in the implementation method.

[0012] Figure 4 This is a diagram used to illustrate the fatigue estimation involved in the implementation method.

[0013] Figure 5 This is a flowchart illustrating the fatigue estimation method involved in the implementation method.

[0014] Figure 6 This is a diagram illustrating an example of the fatigue estimation results involved in the implementation method.

[0015] Figure 7 This is another example of a diagram illustrating the results of fatigue estimation involved in the implementation method. Detailed Implementation

[0016] (This disclosure yields the following insights) As shown in Patent Document 1, there has been a need to estimate human fatigue levels, particularly fatigue accumulated during intermediate periods such as subacute fatigue or diurnal fatigue, and various technological developments are underway. In such estimations, while the recovery aspect of fatigue is particularly important, it generally only provides hints about the outcome after recovery. From the user's perspective, there is often a desire to know how to obtain sleep to maintain a balance of fatigue (a balance between accumulation and recovery), but there are instances where fatigue levels are not estimated and indicated from the perspective of how future sleep should be arranged. Therefore, this disclosure describes a fatigue estimation system, etc., capable of indicating how fatigue levels will change based on the user's future sleep.

[0017] Hereinafter, embodiments of the present disclosure will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings. Furthermore, the embodiments described below are all general or specific examples of the present disclosure. Therefore, the numerical values, constituent elements, arrangement positions and connection patterns of constituent elements, as well as the steps and order of steps shown in the following embodiments are all examples, and their purpose is not to limit the present disclosure. Therefore, in the constituent elements of the following embodiments, those not described in the independent technical solutions of the present disclosure are described as arbitrary constituent elements.

[0018] Furthermore, these figures are schematic diagrams, not rigorous illustrations. Therefore, the scale and other specifications may not be consistent across different figures. In each figure, substantially identical components are labeled with the same symbols, and repetitive explanations are omitted or simplified.

[0019] (Implementation Method) [Composition of a fatigue estimation system] First, use Figure 1 The functional structure of the fatigue estimation system 100 in this embodiment is described in detail. Figure 1 This is a block diagram illustrating the functional configuration of the fatigue estimation system involved in the implementation method.

[0020] like Figure 1 As shown, the fatigue estimation system 100 in this embodiment includes a fatigue estimation unit 10, an acquisition unit 20, a reference acquisition unit 30, an information acquisition unit 40, a sleep time estimation unit 50, and a prompting unit 60. These components constituting the fatigue estimation system 100 can be housed in a single housing or the like as an integrated unit, or they can be implemented as multiple independent devices connected via communication lines. The fatigue estimation system 100 is implemented, for example, by a computer including a prompting device, such as a smartphone, personal computer, or tablet terminal, and is a computer including a processor, memory, and programs executed using them.

[0021] The fatigue estimation unit 10 includes a recovery calculation unit 11, an accumulation calculation unit 12, and an output unit 13. The fatigue estimation unit 10 is, for example, included as one of the functions in the fatigue estimation system 100.

[0022] The recovery calculation unit 11 is a functional unit that calculates the fatigue level to be recovered (hereinafter also simply referred to as recovery fatigue level) based on sleep time. For example, the recovery calculation unit 11 calculates the fatigue level to be recovered based on the input sleep time. If the user 99's future sleep schedule is input into the recovery calculation unit 11, the fatigue level to be recovered by the user 99 during future sleep can be calculated. The recovery calculation unit 11, for example, has multiple data tables, and the fatigue level to be recovered is calculated by referring to these data tables. Figure 2 This is a diagram used to illustrate the fatigue estimation involved in the implementation method. Figure 2 An example from multiple data tables is shown.

[0023] like Figure 2 As shown, the data represents the amount of fatigue recovered (fatigue recovery rate) based on the amount of sleep time per hour. The graph shows that for sleep durations longer than 5 hours and shorter than 6 hours, the fatigue recovery rate is 60 (fatigue reduction of 60). The data table can be set for each age group, or for other attributes of user 99, set for each attribute value. For example, it can be set so that even with the same sleep duration, younger age results in greater fatigue recovery, and older age results in less fatigue recovery. Alternatively, it can be set so that even with the same sleep duration, female gender results in less fatigue recovery, and male gender results in greater fatigue recovery. User 99's attributes, including age, will be explained later. Thus, the recovery calculation unit 11 also calculates the fatigue to be recovered based on information other than sleep duration, according to the sleep duration. Furthermore, the recovery calculation unit 11 can use the data table as described above, or it can use a learned model for reasoning, or it can use a prescribed formula to calculate the fatigue recovery rate based on the input sleep duration.

[0024] The cumulative calculation unit 12 is a functional unit that calculates the accumulated fatigue (hereinafter also referred to as accumulated fatigue) from the reference time until the user 99's future sleep. The cumulative calculation unit 12 calculates the user 99's fatigue based on information including at least one of the user 99's attributes, the user 99's physiological parameters, and the user 99's contextual information. The calculation period calculated by the cumulative calculation unit 12 is from the reference time until the expected end of the user 99's accumulated fatigue (e.g., the end of business hours). The reference time is, for example, the end of the user 99's sleep (e.g., a scheduled time in the morning). In this embodiment, the fatigue estimation system 100 estimates the fatigue at the reference time for each day by summing the fatigue remaining from yesterday at the reference time, the fatigue accumulated until the future sleep (the current day's bedtime, i.e., the most recent sleep), and the fatigue recovered through subsequent sleep. Therefore, the fatigue level at the baseline time can be calculated by summing the fatigue level at yesterday's (past) baseline time, the fatigue level accumulated from yesterday's baseline time to yesterday's (past) user's sleep, and the fatigue level recovered through yesterday's (past) sleep.

[0025] Since the user 99 receives prompts about changes in fatigue levels at various reference times, they can decide how to schedule future sleep, making the fatigue estimation system 100 useful. The cumulative calculation unit 12, for example, has multiple data tables and calculates the recovered fatigue level by referring to these data tables. Figure 3 This is a diagram used to illustrate the fatigue estimation involved in the implementation method. Figure 3 An example from several data tables is shown. The data in the figure represents a table that discretizes the correlation between physiological quantities and contextual information. Specifically, Figure 3 The figure illustrates the correlation between the LF / HF integrated value (a physiological quantity) and the step value (contextual information). It is known that the LF / HF value is low under low stress (fatigue is difficult to increase) and high under high stress (fatigue is easy to increase). The figure shows that when the step count is greater than 4000 steps but less than 7000 steps, if the LF / HF integrated value is greater than 30 but less than 40, the accumulated fatigue is 50 (fatigue increases by 50).

[0026] The data table can be set separately by age, or separately for each of the user 99's other attributes, with each attribute value set individually. For example, it can be set that even with the same sleep duration, the younger the age, the lower the accumulated fatigue level, and the older the age, the higher the accumulated fatigue level. Furthermore, it can be set that even with the same sleep duration, the accumulated fatigue level is higher for females and lower for males. The attributes of user 99, including age, will be explained later. Thus, the cumulative calculation unit 12 calculates the accumulated fatigue level based on information (including attributes, physiological parameters, contextual information, etc.). In addition, the cumulative calculation unit 12 can use the data table as described above, or it can use a learned model for reasoning, or it can use a prescribed formula to calculate the accumulated fatigue level based on the input information (including attributes, physiological parameters, contextual information, etc.).

[0027] Output unit 13 is a functional unit that sums the calculated recovery fatigue, the calculated cumulative fatigue, and the fatigue at the reference time, and outputs the sum as the fatigue estimation result of fatigue estimation unit 10, i.e., the change in fatigue. Here, the output change in fatigue refers to the change between the fatigue at the reference time and the total fatigue. That is, the change in fatigue shows how the fatigue at the reference time changes through fatigue accumulation and recovery to become the total fatigue.

[0028] The acquisition unit 20 is a functional unit that acquires the sleep schedule of user 99. The acquisition unit 20 can acquire the sleep schedule input by user 99 into the fatigue estimation system 100, the average sleep schedule of user 99, and multiple candidate sleep schedules for recommending to user 99. For example, the acquisition unit 20 estimates the sleep schedule by estimating the sleep schedule based on the average actual sleep time of user 99 over a past number of days (1 day, 2 days, 3 days, 5 days, 7 days, or 30 days, etc.) to estimate the sleep schedule for the near future. When estimating the sleep schedule, attributes of the day, such as days of the week or public holidays, can be considered to change the past number of days, and excluded dates can be set from dates equivalent to the past number of days. Additionally, the acquisition unit 20 can also acquire the average sleep time for the same age group as the sleep schedule.

[0029] Alternatively, the acquisition unit 20 can also use the sleep time preset and calculate a first time, a second time longer than the first time, and a third time longer than the second time. For example, the second time is the time during which the fatigue calculated for the second time is offset by the fatigue accumulated from the reference time until the user's future sleep. Furthermore, fatigue offsetting means that the fatigue reduced by recovery is consistent with the fatigue increased by accumulation. Therefore, in this case, the fatigue at the reference time of the current day (this morning) is consistent with the fatigue at the reference time of tomorrow morning.

[0030] Furthermore, for example, the third time is the time taken to offset the sum of the fatigue level calculated for that third time, the fatigue level at the reference time, and the accumulated fatigue level from the reference time until the user's future sleep. Therefore, in this case, the fatigue level at the reference time tomorrow morning becomes 0.

[0031] Furthermore, for example, the first time is the duration during which the fatigue difference reaches a predetermined threshold. This fatigue difference is obtained by subtracting the fatigue level calculated for the first time from the sum of the fatigue level at the baseline time and the accumulated fatigue level from the baseline time until the user's future sleep. This fatigue difference is a value consistent with the fatigue level at the baseline time the following morning. Moreover, the predetermined threshold is set to a level where the fatigue level reaches 99% of the user's health should be monitored. The level of health monitoring refers to the level at which, if the user engages in activities the next day in this state of accumulated fatigue, there is a high probability of some adverse condition occurring. As an example, such a level could be the accumulated fatigue level that anticipates the occurrence of opportunistic infections (such as herpesvirus infections) accompanied by a decline in immunity.

[0032] The reference acquisition unit 40 is a functional unit that acquires the fatigue level at a reference time. For example, the reference acquisition unit 40 acquires the fatigue level at the reference time by accessing a storage unit (not shown) that stores the fatigue level at reference times over the past few days.

[0033] The information acquisition unit 40 is a functional unit that acquires information including attributes, physiological quantities, and contextual information. The information acquisition unit 40 is connected to various modules corresponding to the information via a communication module. These modules include an input device and storage unit for acquiring attributes, a sensor module and a processing unit (processor, etc.) for acquiring physiological quantities, and a sensor module and a processing unit (processor, etc.) for acquiring contextual information.

[0034] Physiological quantities are results obtained through sensing and other methods, and are measured values ​​used to calculate fatigue levels. Physiological quantities include, for example, electrocardiogram (ECG), sweating volume, skin temperature, and pupil diameter. For instance, when calculating the LF / HF ratio based on the RR interval of an ECG as a physiological quantity, and obtaining the LF / HF integrated value, the information acquisition unit 40 is connected to the ECG meter and the calculation unit to calculate the LF / HF ratio based on the RR interval and obtain the LF / HF integrated value. Furthermore, contextual information is information that provides background interpretation to the results of sensing and other methods for calculating fatigue levels; it is a measured value. Contextual information includes steps, activity level, season, date and time, ambient temperature, and other information related to the user's movement, activity, and surrounding environment. For example, when obtaining step counts as contextual information, the unit is connected to an accelerometer, a GPS receiver, and the calculation unit to calculate the step count and obtain the total number of steps for the day.

[0035] In addition, the information acquisition unit 40 can also acquire, for example, sweat volume, skin temperature, and pupil diameter. Sweating volume can be measured using a moisture sensor worn by the user 99. Sweating increases under pressure. Skin temperature can be determined using a thermal image sensor that captures images of the user 99, calculating the skin temperature of the nose and forehead, and determining the pressure level based on the difference between the two temperatures. The skin temperature of the nose decreases relatively under pressure. Pupil diameter can be measured using a visible light image sensor that captures images of the user 99. It is known that pupil diameter constricts under pressure. Furthermore, the information acquisition unit 40 can also acquire activity levels, season, date and time, and ambient temperature. Similar to step count, fatigue can be quantified based on the amount of activity. Season, date and time, and ambient temperature are all important factors; for example, fatigue is less likely to occur in a comfortable environment of around 20°C, but is more likely to occur in ambient temperatures above 30°C. Therefore, using these parameters allows for more precise quantification.

[0036] The sleep time estimation unit 50 is a functional unit that acquires the charging time of the portable terminal (e.g., smartphone) held by the user 99 and estimates the user's actual sleep time based on the acquired charging time. The sleep time estimation unit 50 estimates the user 99's actual sleep time based on the start and end times of charging. Figure 4 This is a diagram used to illustrate the fatigue estimation involved in the implementation method. Figure 4 The image shows the shift in the amount of charge on user 99's portable device during a specific period of a day. For example... Figure 4 As shown, the portable terminal's charge level begins to increase at 23:00, reaching 100% several hours later. The moment this charge level begins to increase, i.e., the start of charging for the portable terminal, is close to 99% of the user's bedtime. This moment when the portable terminal's charge level begins to increase can be used as the start time for sleep.

[0037] In addition, such as Figure 4 As shown, the portable terminal's charge level begins to decrease at 6:00 AM. The moment this decrease begins, in other words, the end of the portable terminal's charging cycle, is close to the user's wake-up time. This moment when the portable terminal's charge level begins to decrease can be used as the wake-up time. By using the bedtime and wake-up time, the user's actual sleep time can be estimated. Therefore, relatively accurate sleep time can be easily estimated without the need for dedicated tracking equipment.

[0038] In addition, even if the charge starts to increase, the user may still not be asleep. Therefore, the value obtained by subtracting the time difference until actual bedtime (e.g., 30 minutes) can also be used as the actual sleep time.

[0039] This time difference can also be set based on attributes such as age and gender. Attributes include user 99's age, gender, place of residence, family structure, and occupation. For example, for young adults in their teens to twenties, the time difference until actual bedtime can be set to a longer value such as 1 hour. Additionally, the time difference can be changed based on the time when the charging starts to increase. For example, if the charging starts to increase before 8:00 PM, the time difference can be set to a longer value such as 1.5 hours. Furthermore, the aforementioned 8:00 PM threshold can also be set (changed) based on the sunset time of user 99's place of residence. Furthermore, for user 99 with the attribute of being a parent with children, the likelihood of going to bed immediately after starting to charge the portable device is high, so the time difference until actual bedtime can be set to 0. Similarly, for user 99 with the attribute of being in a physically demanding job or having long working hours, the likelihood of going to bed immediately after starting to charge the portable device is high, so the time difference until actual bedtime can also be set to 0.

[0040] The actual sleep time is used to ensure the accuracy of fatigue level at a reference time. Specifically, by inputting the acquired actual sleep time into the recovery calculation unit 11, the fatigue level recovered under that actual sleep time can be calculated. This recovered fatigue level is accurate because it is based on the actual sleep time. That is, the fatigue level at the reference time is not calculated using uncertain sleep times such as a predetermined sleep time; instead, a recovered fatigue level based on a more accurate actual sleep time is used when calculating the fatigue level at past reference times. Since changes in fatigue level since this accurate reference time can be indicated, the fatigue level can be accurately indicated in the fatigue level estimation system 100. Furthermore, the portable terminal can also be a computer incorporating the fatigue level estimation system 100.

[0041] The prompting unit 60 is, for example, a function that displays the change in fatigue level as an estimate on a portable terminal (e.g., a smartphone) held by the user 99. Specific examples of prompts provided by the prompting unit 60 will be described later.

[0042] [The operation of the fatigue estimation system] Next, refer to Figures 5 to 7 This indicates the operation of the fatigue estimation system 100. Figure 5 This is a flowchart illustrating the fatigue estimation method involved in the implementation method. For example... Figure 5 As shown, when the fatigue estimation system 100 starts operating, the reference acquisition unit 30 acquires the fatigue level at the latest reference time in the past (step S101). Then, the cumulative calculation unit 12 calculates the accumulated fatigue level based on the acquired information, etc. (step S102). On the other hand, the acquisition unit 20 acquires the sleep schedule (step S103). Then, the recovery calculation unit 11 calculates the fatigue level to be recovered from the acquired sleep schedule (step S104). Then, the output unit 13 calculates the total and outputs it, thereby outputting the change in fatigue level as the estimation result of the fatigue estimation unit 10. The prompting unit 60 prompts the user 99 about the change in fatigue level (step S105). Figure 6 This is a diagram illustrating an example of the fatigue estimation results involved in the implementation method.

[0043] exist Figure 6 The image shows an example of a prompt from the prompt unit 60. In the fatigue estimation system 100, such as... Figure 6 As shown, for each of the three time periods (Time 1 < Time 2 < Time 3) designated as sleep time, the changes in fatigue level are output and indicated (dashed arrows in the figure). As mentioned above, these three time periods include: the duration of sleep that maintains the fatigue level at the baseline of this morning (Time 2); the duration of sleep that brings the fatigue level, including the fatigue level at the baseline of this morning, to 0 (Time 3); and the duration of sleep that brings the fatigue level to a level requiring attention (Time 1). As shown in the figure, these time periods are indicated simultaneously, and users can accept the prompts, appropriately maintaining a balance between the accumulation and recovery of fatigue level while considering the time available for sleep. Furthermore, as shown in the figure, to make the degree of fatigue easier to understand, facial icons that change in tandem with fatigue level (lower fatigue level, better expression; higher fatigue level, worse expression) can also be displayed. The facial icon for Time 1 can also indicate what kind of health situation requiring attention is expected ("Herpes Warning" in the figure). Additionally, changes in past fatigue levels can also be shown simultaneously (solid arrows in the figure).

[0044] on the other hand, Figure 7 This is another example of a diagram illustrating the results of fatigue estimation involved in the implementation method. Figure 7 Another example of a prompt from the prompt section 60 is shown. In the fatigue estimation system 100, such as... Figure 7 As shown, a time (average sleep time, etc.) can be obtained as a predetermined sleep time. Thus, in the fatigue estimation system 100, as... Figure 7 As shown, the output displays and prompts a fatigue level change estimated for such a time period.

[0045] [Effects, etc.] As described above, the fatigue estimation system 100 according to the first aspect of this embodiment is a fatigue estimation system 100 for estimating the fatigue of user 99, comprising: an acquisition unit 20 for acquiring the future sleep time of user 99; a fatigue estimation unit 10 for estimating the change in the fatigue of user 99; and a prompting unit 60 for prompting the estimated change in the fatigue of user 99. The fatigue estimation unit 10 has a recovery calculation unit 11, which calculates the fatigue to be recovered based on the sleep time. The acquired sleep time is used as the sleep time, and the recovery calculation unit 11 calculates the fatigue to be recovered. The change in the fatigue of user 99 includes the fatigue to be recovered in the future calculated based on the sleep time.

[0046] This fatigue estimation system 100 can provide alerts regarding changes in the estimated fatigue level of user 99. These changes can include the fatigue level to be recovered based on the user 99's planned future sleep duration (i.e., the scheduled sleep time), assuming that the user will sleep for that scheduled time. As a result, the user can understand how their own fatigue level, including future sleep, will change, and therefore, by considering the balance between fatigue accumulation and recovery, the user 99 can more easily achieve sleep corresponding to the desired level of fatigue recovery. Thus, more appropriate fatigue level alerts can be provided.

[0047] Furthermore, in the fatigue estimation system 100 of the second aspect of this embodiment, according to the fatigue estimation system 100 described in the first aspect, the acquisition unit 20 acquires a first time, a second time longer than the first time, and a third time longer than the second time as a sleep time. The fatigue estimation unit 10 uses the acquired first time, second time, and third time as sleep time, respectively, so that the recovery calculation unit 11 calculates the fatigue level to be recovered. The prompting unit 60 simultaneously prompts the user 99 for changes in fatigue level as follows: changes in fatigue level of user 99 including the fatigue level to be recovered calculated for the first time, changes in fatigue level of user 99 including the fatigue level to be recovered calculated for the second time, and changes in fatigue level of user 99 including the fatigue level to be recovered calculated for the third time.

[0048] Accordingly, it is possible to provide feedback on the changes in fatigue level of user 99, including the fatigue level recovered from sleep at different times (time 1, time 2, and time 3) of varying lengths. By selecting a time from any one of the three times, or an intermediate time in any combination of these three times, user 99 can easily achieve a sleep level appropriate to the desired fatigue recovery while considering the balance between fatigue accumulation and recovery. Therefore, more appropriate fatigue level feedback can be provided.

[0049] Furthermore, the fatigue estimation system 100 according to the third aspect of this embodiment, based on the fatigue estimation system 100 described in the first or second aspect, further includes a reference acquisition unit 30, which acquires the fatigue level of the user 99 at a reference time. The fatigue estimation unit 100 also includes an accumulation calculation unit 12, which calculates the accumulated fatigue level from the reference time until the user 99's future sleep. The change in the user 99's fatigue level includes the user 99's fatigue level at the reference time, the accumulated fatigue level from the reference time until the user 99's future sleep, and the fatigue level calculated for the future recovery time of the sleep.

[0050] Accordingly, it is possible to indicate changes in fatigue levels, including the fatigue accumulated by user 99 at the baseline time, the fatigue accumulated from the baseline time until user 99 falls asleep, and the fatigue expected to be recovered through future sleep. The more accurate the indicated changes in fatigue levels are in terms of the accumulated fatigue at the baseline time and the accumulated fatigue from the baseline time until sleep, the more accurate the indicated changes in fatigue levels will be, thus enabling more appropriate fatigue level indications.

[0051] Furthermore, the fatigue estimation system 100 according to the fourth aspect of this embodiment, in addition to the fatigue estimation system 100 described in the third aspect, also includes a sleep time estimation unit 50. The sleep time estimation unit 50 estimates the actual sleep time of the user 99 based on the charging time of the portable terminal held by the user 99. The fatigue estimation unit 10 uses the estimated actual sleep time as the sleep time, and causes the recovery calculation unit 11 to calculate the fatigue to be recovered. The fatigue at the reference time is the sum of the fatigue at the past reference time, the fatigue accumulated from the past reference time to the past sleep of the user 99, and the fatigue that has been recovered calculated based on the actual sleep time.

[0052] Based on this, the actual value of user 99's past sleep time, i.e., actual sleep time, can be estimated. In estimating actual sleep time, the actual sleep time can be estimated by using the charging time of user 99's portable device, even if user 99 has not imported tracking devices (wearable sensors, etc.) or sleep assessment applications, through the daily charging action of the portable device. This actual sleep time can be used to calculate the level of fatigue that has actually recovered. That is, the level of fatigue that has recovered can be calculated more accurately. By using a more accurate value to calculate the fatigue level at the baseline time, the estimated changes in fatigue level afterward will be more accurate, thus enabling more appropriate fatigue level alerts.

[0053] Furthermore, the fatigue estimation system 100 according to the fifth aspect of this embodiment, according to the fatigue estimation system 100 described in the third or fourth aspect, further includes an information acquisition unit 40, which acquires information including at least one of the user's physiological parameters and contextual information, and the cumulative calculation unit 12 calculates the accumulated fatigue based on the acquired information and the sleep time.

[0054] Accordingly, the cumulative calculation unit 12 can calculate the accumulated fatigue level based on at least one of the user 99's physiological parameters and contextual information included in the acquired information. The physiological parameters are the results obtained through sensing, etc., and are measured values ​​used to calculate fatigue level. The contextual information is information that provides a background interpretation of the results of sensing, etc., for calculating fatigue level; it is also a measured value. By using such measured values ​​related to the accumulation of fatigue level, the accumulated fatigue level can be calculated more accurately. Without using such measured values, the accumulated fatigue level would need to be calculated based on elapsed time from a reference time, rules of thumb, etc., which may lack reliability. However, by using measured values ​​to obtain a more accurate accumulated fatigue level, the subsequent estimation of fatigue level changes will be more accurate, thus enabling more appropriate fatigue level alerts.

[0055] Furthermore, in the fatigue estimation system 100 of the sixth aspect of this embodiment, according to the fatigue estimation system 100 described in the third aspect of the second aspect, or the fourth or fifth aspect of the second and third aspects, the second time is the duration for which the fatigue calculated for the second time in the future is offset by the fatigue accumulated from the reference time until the user's future sleep.

[0056] Accordingly, it is possible to indicate the change in user 99's fatigue level, including the fatigue level to be recovered if they have slept for the following sleep duration: the sleep duration is the time it takes for the future fatigue level calculated for the second time to offset the accumulated fatigue level from the reference time until user 99's future sleep. Since the fatigue level to be recovered offsets the accumulated fatigue level, user 99 can effectively understand how much sleep time is needed to maintain their fatigue level at the reference time. Furthermore, by considering the balance between fatigue accumulation and recovery, it is easier to achieve sleep corresponding to the desired fatigue level. Therefore, more appropriate fatigue level prompts can be provided.

[0057] Furthermore, in the fatigue estimation system 100 of the seventh aspect of this embodiment, according to the fatigue estimation system 100 described in the third aspect of the second aspect, or in any of the fourth to sixth aspects of the second and third aspects, the third time is the duration for which the fatigue level to be recovered in the future calculated for the third time is offset by the sum of the fatigue level at the reference time and the fatigue level accumulated from the reference time until the user 99's future sleep.

[0058] Accordingly, it is possible to provide feedback on the fatigue level of user 99, including the fatigue level to be recovered if they have slept for the following duration: the duration of sleep calculated for the third time point, which is the time it takes to offset the sum of the fatigue level to be recovered in the future, the fatigue level at the reference time, and the accumulated fatigue level from the reference time to the user's future sleep. Since the fatigue level to be recovered offsets the sum of the fatigue level at the reference time and the accumulated fatigue level, user 99 can effectively determine how much sleep time is needed to bring their fatigue level to 0. Furthermore, by considering the balance between fatigue accumulation and recovery, it is easier to achieve sleep corresponding to the desired level of fatigue recovery. Therefore, more appropriate fatigue level feedback can be provided.

[0059] Furthermore, the fatigue estimation system 100 according to the eighth aspect of this embodiment, based on the third aspect of the second aspect, or the fourth to seventh aspects of the second and third aspects, wherein the first time is the duration during which the fatigue difference reaches a predetermined threshold, the fatigue difference being a value obtained by subtracting the fatigue level calculated for the first time from the sum of the fatigue level at the reference time and the fatigue level accumulated from the reference time until the user's future sleep.

[0060] Accordingly, it is possible to provide feedback on the fatigue level of user 99, including the fatigue level to be recovered after sleeping for a period of time during which the fatigue level difference reaches a predetermined threshold. This fatigue level difference is calculated by subtracting the fatigue level to be recovered for the first time period from the sum of the fatigue level at the reference time and the accumulated fatigue level from the reference time until the user's future sleep. User 99 can understand when the fatigue level difference between the reference time fatigue level and the sum of the accumulated fatigue level, even considering the fatigue level to be recovered, will reach the predetermined threshold. Furthermore, by considering the balance between fatigue accumulation and recovery, it is easier to achieve sleep corresponding to the desired fatigue level. Therefore, more appropriate fatigue level feedback can be provided.

[0061] Furthermore, the fatigue estimation system 100 according to the ninth aspect of this embodiment, the fatigue estimation system 100 according to the first aspect, further includes an information acquisition unit 40, which acquires information including at least one of the user's physiological parameters and contextual information, and the recovery calculation unit 11 calculates the fatigue level to be recovered based on the acquired information and the sleep time.

[0062] Accordingly, the recovery calculation unit 11 can calculate the fatigue level to be recovered based on at least one of the user 99's physiological parameters and contextual information included in the acquired information. The physiological parameters are the results obtained through sensing, etc., and are measured values ​​used to calculate fatigue level. The contextual information is information that provides a background interpretation of the results of sensing, etc., for calculating fatigue level; it is also a measured value. By using such measured values ​​related to the accumulation of fatigue level, the fatigue level to be recovered can be calculated more accurately. Without using such measured values, the fatigue level to be recovered would need to be calculated based on sleep time, rules of thumb, etc., which may lack reliability. However, by using measured values ​​to obtain a more accurate fatigue level to be recovered, the subsequent estimation of changes in fatigue level will be more accurate, thus enabling more appropriate fatigue level prompts.

[0063] Furthermore, the fatigue estimation method involved in the 10th aspect of this embodiment is a computer-executed method and is a method for estimating the fatigue of user 99, including: an acquisition step, acquiring the future sleep schedule of user 99 (step S103); an estimation step, estimating the change in the fatigue of user 99 (steps S102 and S104); and a prompting step, prompting the estimated change in the fatigue of user 99 (step S105). In the estimation step (steps S102 and S104), the fatigue to be recovered is calculated based on the sleep time, and the acquired sleep schedule is used as the sleep time to calculate the fatigue to be recovered (step S104). The change in the user's fatigue includes the fatigue to be recovered in the future calculated based on the sleep schedule.

[0064] Therefore, it can achieve the same effect as the fatigue estimation system 100 mentioned above.

[0065] Furthermore, the program involved in the 11th aspect of this embodiment is a program for causing a computer to execute the fatigue estimation method described in the 10th aspect.

[0066] Therefore, using a computer can achieve the same effect as the fatigue estimation system 100 described above.

[0067] (Other implementation methods) The fatigue estimation system, fatigue estimation method, and program involved in this disclosure have been described above based on the aforementioned embodiments. However, this disclosure is not limited to these embodiments. For example, forms obtained by performing various modifications to each embodiment as conceived by those skilled in the art, or forms implemented by arbitrarily combining the constituent elements and functions of each embodiment without departing from the spirit of this disclosure, are all included within this disclosure.

[0068] Furthermore, this disclosure can be implemented not only as a fatigue estimation system, but also as a program comprising processing steps of the components of the fatigue estimation system, and as a computer-readable recording medium on which the program is recorded. The program can be pre-stored on the recording medium, or it can be provided to the recording medium via a wide area communication network, including the Internet.

[0069] In other words, the above general or specific methods can be implemented by a system, device, integrated circuit, computer program or computer-readable recording medium, or by any combination of a system, device, integrated circuit, computer program and recording medium.

[0070] Explanation of reference numerals in the attached figures 10 Fatigue Estimation Department 11. Restore the computing department 12. Cumulative Calculation Department 13 Output Section 20 Acquisition Department 30. Reference Acquisition Unit 40 Information Acquisition Department 50 Sleep Time Estimation Department 60 Tips 99 users 100 Fatigue Estimation System.

Claims

1. A fatigue estimation system for estimating a user's fatigue level. The fatigue estimation system has the following features: The acquisition unit acquires the user's future sleep schedule. The fatigue estimation unit estimates the changes in the user's fatigue level; and The notification section displays the estimated change in the user's fatigue level. The fatigue estimation unit includes a recovery calculation unit, which calculates the fatigue level to be recovered based on sleep time. The fatigue estimation unit uses the acquired sleep time as the sleep time to enable the recovery calculation unit to calculate the fatigue level to be recovered. The change in the user's fatigue level includes the fatigue level calculated for the scheduled sleep time in the future.

2. The fatigue estimation system as described in claim 1, As the predetermined sleep time, the acquisition unit acquires a first time, a second time longer than the first time, and a third time longer than the second time. The fatigue estimation unit uses the first time, the second time, and the third time as the sleep time, respectively, so that the recovery calculation unit can calculate the fatigue level to be recovered. The prompting unit simultaneously provides prompts for the following changes in the user's fatigue level, which respectively refer to: changes in the user's fatigue level calculated based on the future recovery fatigue level at the first time, changes in the user's fatigue level calculated based on the future recovery fatigue level at the second time, and changes in the user's fatigue level calculated based on the future recovery fatigue level at the third time.

3. The fatigue estimation system as described in claim 1 or 2, The fatigue estimation system also includes a baseline acquisition unit, which acquires the user's fatigue level at a baseline time. The fatigue estimation unit also includes a cumulative calculation unit that calculates the accumulated fatigue level from the reference time until the user's future sleep. The changes in the user's fatigue level include the user's fatigue level at the reference time, the accumulated fatigue level from the reference time until the user's future sleep, and the fatigue level calculated for the predetermined sleep time for future recovery.

4. The fatigue estimation system as described in claim 3, The fatigue estimation system also includes a sleep time estimation unit, which estimates the user's actual sleep time based on the charging time of the portable terminal held by the user. The fatigue estimation unit uses the estimated actual sleep time as the sleep time, enabling the recovery calculation unit to calculate the fatigue level to be recovered. The fatigue level at the reference time is the sum of the fatigue level at the past reference time, the accumulated fatigue level from the past reference time to the user's past sleep, and the recovered fatigue level calculated based on the actual sleep time.

5. The fatigue estimation system as described in claim 3, The fatigue estimation system also includes an information acquisition unit, which acquires information including at least one of the user's physiological parameters and contextual information. The cumulative calculation unit also calculates the cumulative fatigue level based on the acquired information and the sleep time.

6. The fatigue estimation system as described in claim 2, The fatigue estimation system also includes a baseline acquisition unit, which acquires the user's fatigue level at a baseline time. The fatigue estimation unit also includes a cumulative calculation unit that calculates the accumulated fatigue level from the reference time until the user's future sleep. The change in the user's fatigue level includes the user's fatigue level at the reference time, the accumulated fatigue level from the reference time until the user's future sleep, and the fatigue level calculated for future recovery time with respect to the predetermined sleep duration. The second time is the time it takes for the fatigue level to recover in the future, calculated for that second time, to offset the fatigue level accumulated from the reference time until the user's future sleep.

7. The fatigue estimation system as described in claim 2, The fatigue estimation system also includes a baseline acquisition unit, which acquires the user's fatigue level at a baseline time. The fatigue estimation unit also includes a cumulative calculation unit that calculates the accumulated fatigue level from the reference time until the user's future sleep. The change in the user's fatigue level includes the user's fatigue level at the reference time, the accumulated fatigue level from the reference time until the user's future sleep, and the fatigue level calculated for future recovery time with respect to the predetermined sleep duration. The third time is the duration for which the fatigue level to be recovered in the future, calculated for that third time, is offset by the sum of the fatigue level at the reference time and the accumulated fatigue level from the reference time until the user's future sleep.

8. The fatigue estimation system as described in claim 2, The fatigue estimation system also includes a baseline acquisition unit, which acquires the user's fatigue level at a baseline time. The fatigue estimation unit also includes a cumulative calculation unit that calculates the accumulated fatigue level from the reference time until the user's future sleep. The change in the user's fatigue level includes the user's fatigue level at the reference time, the accumulated fatigue level from the reference time until the user's future sleep, and the fatigue level calculated for future recovery time with respect to the predetermined sleep duration. The first time is the duration during which the fatigue difference reaches a predetermined threshold. The fatigue difference is a value obtained by subtracting the fatigue level calculated for the first time from the sum of the fatigue level at the reference time and the accumulated fatigue level from the reference time until the user's future sleep.

9. The fatigue estimation system as described in claim 1, The fatigue estimation system also includes an information acquisition unit, which acquires information including at least one of the user's physiological parameters and contextual information. The recovery calculation unit also calculates the fatigue level to be recovered based on the acquired information and the sleep time.

10. A fatigue estimation method, executed by a computer, for estimating a user's fatigue level. The fatigue estimation method includes: The acquisition step involves acquiring the user's future sleep schedule. The estimation step estimates the change in the user's fatigue level; as well as The prompt steps indicate the estimated change in the user's fatigue level. In the estimation step, The level of fatigue to be recovered is calculated based on sleep duration. The obtained sleep schedule time is used as the sleep time to calculate the fatigue level to be recovered. The change in the user's fatigue level includes the fatigue level calculated for the scheduled sleep time in the future.

11. A program for causing a computer to perform the fatigue estimation method of claim 10.

Images