Detection device

Abstract

To provide a detection device capable of more precisely acquiring a vital sign of an animal.SOLUTION: A detection device 50 includes: a body 51 provided with at least one detection part for detecting a state of an animal; and a support part 52 for supporting the body 51. The body 51 and the support part 52 can change an angle between the body 51 and the support part 52 in a predetermined direction, and a change of the angle in a direction other than the predetermined direction is restricted.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 8

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present disclosure relates to a detection device for detecting the state of an animal.

Background Art

[0002] Animals such as cats and dogs have been widely kept since ancient times, but in recent years, the number of people living with animals as important family members has been increasing. Since animals cannot appropriately manage their physical condition by themselves and cannot communicate their discomfort to their keepers verbally, it is necessary for the keeper to appropriately manage the physical condition of the animals. As a technique for measuring vital signs such as the respiration of animals, Patent Document 1 discloses a non-contact type biological monitoring device for animals that provides a sensor unit composed of a transmission / reception antenna and a horn in a breeding hut and non-contact detects the respiration, heartbeat, and oxygen concentration of the animals being bred.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] By non-contact detecting the state of an animal, it is possible to more accurately calculate the vital signs of the animal while suppressing the influence on the animal. However, the inventors have recognized as a new problem that it is necessary to adjust the detection direction to the position where the animal is present.

[0005] The present disclosure has been made in view of such problems, and an object thereof is to provide a detection device capable of more accurately acquiring the vital signs of an animal.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0006] To solve the above problems, a detection device according to an aspect of the present disclosure includes a main body provided with at least one detection unit for detecting the state of an animal, and a support unit for supporting the main body. The main body and the support unit are configured such that the angle between the main body and the support unit can be changed in a predetermined direction, and the change in the angle is restricted in directions other than the predetermined direction.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0007]

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Modes for Carrying Out the Invention

[0008] As an embodiment of the present disclosure, a technique for acquiring vital signs of an animal at rest and managing the state of the animal will be described. The animal may be any animal that can be raised or managed by a person, such as a cat, dog, bird, fish, or small animal. Here, a cat will be described as an example.

[0009] FIG. 1 shows the configuration of an animal management system 10 according to an embodiment. The animal management system 10 includes a detection device 50 for detecting the state of a cat 200, which is an example of an animal, at rest, an analysis device 103 for analyzing the detection result detected by the detection device 50 to acquire the vital signs of the cat 200, a manager terminal 13 used by a manager 12 such as the owner of the cat 200, a veterinarian terminal 15 used by a veterinarian 14 who examines the cat 200, and a communication network 11 that communicably connects them.

[0010] The detection device 50 non - contactedly detects information necessary for calculating the vital signs of the cat 200. The detection device 50 may include an imaging device. In this case, the analysis device 103 may calculate the respiratory rate from the cycle of expansion and contraction of the abdomen of the cat 200. The detection device 50 may include a radar sensor. Also in this case, the analysis device 103 may calculate the respiratory rate from the cycle of expansion and contraction of the abdomen of the cat 200. The detection device 50 may include an infrared sensor, an ultrasonic sensor, a temperature sensor, etc.

[0011] The analysis device 103 extracts the detection result detected at rest of the cat 200 from the detection results by the detection device 50, and calculates vital signs such as the respiratory rate of the cat 200 based on the extracted detection result. The analysis device 103 generates provided information based on the calculated vital signs at rest, and outputs the generated provided information to the manager terminal 13 and the veterinarian terminal 15. The analysis device 103 detects an abnormality of the cat 200 based on the calculated vital signs at rest, and issues an alert when an abnormality of the cat 200 is detected. The analysis device 103 may detect an abnormality of the cat 200 by comparing the calculated vital signs at rest with the vital signs calculated in the past.

[0012] The administrator terminal 13 presents the provided information including the vital signs of the cat 200 at rest output from the analysis device 103 to the administrator 12. The administrator terminal 13 presents the alert output from the analysis device 103 to the administrator 12.

[0013] The veterinarian terminal 15 presents the provided information including the vital signs of the cat 200 at rest output from the analysis device 103 to the veterinarian 14. In order for the veterinarian to correctly grasp the state of the cat 200, it is beneficial to compare the vital signs of the cat 200 at rest before the physical condition of the cat 200 deteriorates with the vital signs of the cat 200 at rest after the physical condition of the cat 200 deteriorates. However, when the veterinarian examines the cat 200, the cat 200 is often in an excited state, so even if the vital signs of the cat 200 at that time are measured, they are not the vital signs at rest. By presenting the provided information including the vital signs of the cat 200 at rest in the environment where the cat 200 usually stays to the veterinarian 14, the veterinarian can diagnose the state of the cat 200 more accurately. Note that the animal management system 10 of the present embodiment may not include the veterinarian terminal 15.

[0014] In the animal management system 10 of the present embodiment, by using a non-contact sensor, it is possible to detect the state of the cat 200 without stressing the cat 200 even if it is a cat 200 that dislikes wearing a collar or the like, so that the state of the cat 200 at rest can be grasped more accurately.

[0015] In order to more accurately acquire the vital signs of the cat 200 at rest, the detection device 50 is preferably installed in an environment where the cat 200 can stay quietly. An example of the equipment configured in this way will be described.

[0016] Figure 2 shows the configuration of the shelf device 1 configured to allow the cat 200 to stay quietly. The shelf device 1 includes a wall panel 2, a plurality of shelf members 3A to 3D (collectively referred to as "shelf members 3" when referring to them together), a suspension bridge member 4, and a ladder member 5. The suspension bridge member 4 and the ladder member 5 are each an example of additional parts. The shelf members 3A to 3D are arranged such that their attachment positions with respect to the installation surface 2a of the wall panel 2 can be arbitrarily changed. The suspension bridge member 4 and the ladder member 5 are spanned across any two of the shelf members 3A to 3D.

[0017] The shelf device 1 of the present embodiment shows that the shelf members 3A to 3D, the suspension bridge member 4, and the ladder member 5 constitute a catwalk on which small animals such as cats (hereinafter simply referred to as "cat 200") can climb. However, for example, it may also constitute a wall-mounted shelf for placing items such as potted plants and other indoor furnishings.

[0018] The wall panel 2 is made of a plate material arranged along the vertical wall surface 100. The vertical wall surface 100 is, for example, the wall surface of the interior wall of a building. The surface of the wall panel 2 constitutes an installation surface 2a for attaching the plurality of shelf members 3A to 3D. The wall panel 2 can be formed of an appropriate material capable of attaching the plurality of shelf members 3A to 3D. The wall panel 2 of the present embodiment is made of a metal plate material to which the magnet sheet 3111 provided on the shelf members 3A to 3D described later can be magnetically adsorbed. The wall panel 2 is fixed to the vertical wall surface 100 using an appropriate fixing member such as a screw (not shown). The wall panel 2 shown in Figure 2 is formed to rise along the vertical wall surface 100 from the floor surface 101, but the wall panel 2 may be arranged at any height position on the vertical wall surface 100. The installation surface 2a may be provided with a surface material such as a decorative material to such an extent that it does not affect the attachment of the shelf members 3A to 3D.

[0019] Next, the shelf members 3A to 3D will be described respectively. First, the directions indicated by the coordinate axes in each figure are defined. The X direction indicates the longitudinal direction of the shelf members 3A to 3D. The X direction is a direction along the plane direction of the installation surface 2a. The Y direction indicates the width direction of the shelf members 3A to 3D. The Y direction is a direction perpendicular to the installation surface 2a. The Z direction indicates the height direction and the up-and-down direction of the shelf members 3A to 3D. The Z direction is a direction along the plane direction of the installation surface 2a and is a direction orthogonal to the X direction.

[0020] Figure 3 shows the configuration of the shelf member 3A. The shelf member 3A is a first shelf member that forms a step on the installation surface 2a. The shelf member 3A includes a shelf member main body 31 and a hooked portion 32.

[0021] The shelf member main body 31 is integrally formed in an L shape having a mounting plate portion 311 and a lower plate portion 312. Both the mounting plate portion 311 and the lower plate portion 312 are formed in a horizontally long rectangular plate shape. The mounting plate portion 311 forms a mounting surface for the installation surface 2a. A magnet sheet 3111 is attached to substantially the entire back surface of the mounting plate portion 311. The lower plate portion 312 is bent at a right angle with respect to the mounting plate portion 311 and protrudes in a direction away from the installation surface 2a from the lower end of the mounting plate portion 311.

[0022] The shelf member main body 31 has a laminated structure. Specifically, the shelf member main body 31 is configured by laminating a surface material 31a, a back surface material 31b, and a core material 31c. The surface material 31a constitutes the surface on the side facing the cat 200 placed on the lower plate portion 312. The back surface material 31b constitutes the surface on the side opposite to the surface material 31a with the core material 31c interposed therebetween. The surface material 31a, the back surface material 31b, and the core material 31c are integrally formed over the mounting plate portion 311 and the lower plate portion 312, respectively.

[0023] The front surface material 31a and the back surface material 31b are formed of a flexible material that is gentle to the cat 200. The front surface material 31a and the back surface material 31b of the present embodiment are formed of a relatively thick felt fabric. The front surface material 31a and the back surface material 31b may be formed of a soft resin such as a foamed urethane resin. Each corner R of the front surface material 31a and the back surface material 31b is processed into an arc shape.

[0024] The front surface material 31a and the back surface material 31b may have different thicknesses respectively. The front surface material 31a and the back surface material 31b are not limited to being formed by a single sheet of surface material. The front surface material 31a and the back surface material 31b may be formed by laminating two or more sheets of surface materials respectively. The two or more sheets of surface materials may be made of different materials respectively.

[0025] The core material 31c forms the framework of the shelf member body 31. The core material 31c is formed by bending a metal plate material such as iron or aluminum into an L shape. In the shelf member body 31, the front surface material 31a and the back surface material 31b have substantially the same size. In contrast, the core material 31c has a size smaller than that of the front surface material 31a and the back surface material 31b. The core material 31c of the present embodiment is formed of a single plate, but the core material 31c may be divided into two or more pieces and arranged between the front surface material 31a and the back surface material 31b. The dividing position when the core material 31c is divided into two or more pieces is not particularly limited.

[0026] The front surface material 31a, the back surface material 31b, and the core material 31c are adhered and laminated integrally by, for example, an elastic adhesive containing a modified silicone resin.

[0027] The engaged portion 32 is disposed on the lower plate portion 312 of the shelf member body 31 and is provided so as to protrude outward from the lower plate portion 312. The engaged portion 32 of the present embodiment protrudes downward from the lower surface 312a of the lower plate portion 312 as shown in FIGS. 3 and 5.

[0028] FIG. 4 shows the configuration of the shelf member 3B. The shelf member 3B is a second shelf member that forms a tunnel on the installation surface 2a. In the shelf member 3B shown in FIG. 4, the parts with the same reference numerals as those of the shelf member 3A indicate parts having the same configuration. The description of those parts may be omitted hereinafter by referring to the above description of the shelf member 3A.

[0029] The shelf member body 31 of the shelf member 3B integrally has a front plate portion 313 and an upper plate portion 314 in addition to the mounting plate portion 311 and the lower plate portion 312. As a result, the shelf member 3B is formed in a rectangular tube shape with both longitudinal ends open. The front plate portion 313 bends upward at a right angle from the end of the lower plate portion 312 far from the mounting plate portion 311 and is arranged parallel to the mounting plate portion 311. The upper plate portion 314 protrudes from the upper end of the mounting plate portion 311 in a direction away from the installation surface 2a and is connected to the upper end of the front plate portion 313. The upper plate portion 314 is arranged parallel to the lower plate portion 312.

[0030] The surface material 31a and the back material 31b are also each formed in a rectangular tube shape. The surface material 31a and the back material 31b of the shelf member 3B may also be formed by laminating two or more facing materials, similarly to the shelf member 3A. Although not shown in FIG. 8, a core material 31c is provided between the surface material 31a and the back material 31b. The core material 31c may be arranged by being divided into two or more pieces between the surface material 31a and the back material 31b. The dividing position in the case where the core material 31c is divided into two or more pieces is not particularly limited.

[0031] The shelf member 3B has a plurality of openings 315. Each of the plurality of openings 315 penetrates the shelf member body 31. The openings 315 of the present embodiment are respectively arranged in the front plate portion 313 and the upper plate portion 314. The opening 315 may be formed across the front plate portion 313 and the upper plate portion 314. The opening 315 constitutes a peeping window for the cat 200 placed on the lower plate portion 312 or an entrance / exit for the cat 200 of the shelf member body 31.

[0032] FIG. 5 shows the configuration of the shelf member 3C. The shelf member 3C is a third shelf member that forms a box on the installation surface 2a. In the shelf member 3C shown in FIG. 5, the parts with the same reference numerals as those of the shelf members 3A and 3B indicate parts having the same configuration. The description of those parts may be omitted below by referring to the above description of the shelf members 3A and 3B.

[0033] The shelf member main body 31 of the shelf member 3C integrally has a pair of end plate parts 316, 316 in addition to the mounting plate part 311, the lower plate part 312, and the front plate part 313. As a result, the shelf member 3C is formed in a box shape with an open upper part. The end plate parts 316, 316 are respectively arranged at both longitudinal ends of the shelf member main body 31 across the mounting plate part 311, the lower plate part 312, and the front plate part 313, and are adhered by an adhesive. The pair of end plate parts 316, 316 are arranged parallel to each other and close both longitudinal ends of the shelf member main body 31.

[0034] The surface material 31a and the back material 31b are formed across the mounting plate part 311, the lower plate part 312, and the front plate part 313. Similar to the shelf members 3A and 3B, the surface material 31a and the back material 31b of the shelf member 3C may also be formed by laminating two or more facing materials. Although not shown in FIG. 9, a core material 31c is provided between the surface material 31a and the back material 31b. The core material 31c may be arranged by being divided into two or more pieces between the surface material 31a and the back material 31b. The dividing position in the case where the core material 31c is divided into two or more pieces is not particularly limited.

[0035] An opening 315 is formed in the front plate part 313 of the shelf member main body 31. Further, a notch part 317 with an upper end cut out in an arc shape is formed in the front plate part 313.

[0036] FIG. 6 shows the configuration of the shelf member 3D. The shelf member 3D is a fourth shelf member that forms a box different from the shelf member 3C on the installation surface 2a. In the shelf member 3D shown in FIG. 6, the parts with the same reference numerals as those of the shelf members 3A to 3C indicate parts having the same configuration. The description of those parts may be omitted below by referring to the above description of the shelf members 3A to 3C.

[0037] The shelf member body 31 of the shelf member 3D of the shelf part, like the shelf member 3C, integrally has a pair of end plate parts 316, 316 in addition to the mounting plate part 311, the lower plate part 312, and the front plate part 313. As a result, the shelf member 3D is formed in a box shape with an upper opening.

[0038] An opening 315 is formed from the lower plate part 312 to the front plate part 313 of the shelf member body 31. A transparent plate 3151 such as an acrylic plate is provided in the opening 315. The transparent plate 3151 is laminated between the surface material 31a and the back material 31b. When the cat 200 is placed on the lower plate part 312, the shelf member 3D can observe the paw pads on the underside of the cat 200 through the transparent plate 3151.

[0039] The shelf members 3A to 3D are attached to an arbitrary position on the installation surface 2a by a magnet sheet 3111 provided on the mounting plate part 311. As a result, the shelf device 1 as a catwalk on which the cat 200 can jump and move is configured on the vertical wall surface 100. Although the shelf members 3A to 3D can be used independently, as shown in FIG. 2, by hanging additional parts such as the suspension bridge member 4 and the ladder member 5 across any two of the shelf members 3A to 3D, the design property of the shelf device 1 can be improved.

[0040] The cat 200 can hide itself from the eyes of people around by the shelf member 3 in order to rest, so it can stay in a calm state. Therefore, by detecting the state of the cat 200 staying in the shelf device 1, the vital signs of the cat 200 at rest can be calculated more accurately.

[0041] FIG. 7 shows an example of the detection device 50. The detection device 50 includes a main body 51 and a support portion 52 that supports the main body 51. The main body 51 includes at least one detection unit 53. The detection unit 53 detects the state of the cat 200. In the example of this figure, as the detection unit 53, an imaging device 53a and a radar sensor 53b are provided. The detection unit 53 may be an infrared sensor, an ultrasonic sensor, a temperature sensor, or the like. When a plurality of detection units 53 are provided on the main body 51, they may be provided on the same surface of the main body 51. The support portion 52 is configured to be detachably installable on the installation surface 2a of the shelf device 1. The support portion 52 may have a magnet on the back surface and may be installed on the installation surface 2a by magnetic force. The support portion 52 may have a hook on the back surface and may be locked to the installation surface 2a. The support portion 52 may have a screw hole on the back surface and may be screwed to the installation surface 2a. A buffer material 51a formed of a flexible material gentle to the cat 200 is provided around the main body 51. The buffer material 51a may be formed of felt fabric or a soft resin such as urethane foam resin.

[0042] The detection device 50 may be installed above any one or more of the shelf members 3A to 3D. A detection unit 53 may be provided on the lower surface of the detection device 50. In this case, the detection device 50 may detect the state of the cat 200 staying on the lower shelf member 3 from above the shelf member 3. Even if the upper plate portion 314 is provided on the shelf member 3B, if the detection device 50 is installed above the opening 315, the state of the cat 200 staying inside the shelf member 3B can be detected through the opening 315. When there is an opening on the side or below the shelf member 3, the detection device 50 may be installed on the side or below the shelf member 3, and the state of the cat 200 may be detected through the opening on the side or below the shelf member 3. When a radar sensor is used as the detection unit 53, since millimeter waves and microwaves can penetrate materials such as felt fabric, the shelf member 3 may be covered with a surface material 31a made of felt fabric or the like, and it is sufficient that the core material 31c made of metal or the like has an opening. The main point is that the detection device 50 may be installed at a position where the state of the cat 200 can be detected through an opening through which light, electromagnetic waves, etc. used by the detection unit 53 to detect the state of the cat 200 can penetrate. The detection device 50 may be installed at a location other than the shelf device 1, for example, on the floor, in a cage, on the ceiling, etc.

[0043] The main body 51 and the support portion 52 are configured such that the angle can be changed in the front-rear direction and the change in the angle in the left-right direction is restricted. Since the detection device 50 of the present embodiment is configured to be detachably attached to the installation surface 2a by magnetic force, the administrator 12 can arbitrarily adjust the vertical and horizontal installation positions, but the front-rear installation position cannot be adjusted. Therefore, the detection device 50 of the present embodiment is configured such that the main body 51 and the support portion 52 can adjust the angle of the main body 51 in the front-rear direction (pitch angle centered on the X-axis). Thereby, it is possible to adjust so that the detection unit 53 faces the place where the cat 200 stays. At this time, by restricting the change in the angle in the left-right direction (yaw angle centered on the Z-axis), it is possible to make it easier to adjust so that the detection unit 53 faces the cat 200. Since the shapes (shapes and positions of the openings) of the shelf members 3A to 3D are various, it is necessary to adjust the angle of the detection device 50 in the front-rear direction so that the state of the cat 200 can be detected through the opening. However, since the detection device 50 of the present embodiment can adjust the angle in the front-rear direction by the main body 51 and the support portion 52, the state of the cat 200 can be detected regardless of which shelf member 3 the cat 200 is on. The configuration may be such that the angle of the main body 51 in the left-right direction cannot be changed at all, or the range in which the angle in the left-right direction can be changed may be smaller than that in the front-rear direction, or the force required to change the angle in the left-right direction may be larger than that in the front-rear direction.

[0044] FIG. 8 shows the contact surface between the main body 51 and the support portion 52. The surface 54 of the main body 51 that contacts the support portion 52 has a substantially semi-cylindrical concave shape. The surface 55 of the support portion 52 that contacts the main body 51 has a substantially semi-cylindrical convex shape. The support portion 52 supports the main body 51 so as to be rotatable about the longitudinal direction of the main body 51 while the surfaces 54 and 55 are in contact. The surface 54 of the main body 51 may have a convex shape and the surface 55 of the support portion 52 may have a concave shape.

[0045] In the vicinity of surface 54, a bar-shaped magnet 56 parallel to the longitudinal direction of the main body 51 is provided. In the vicinity of surface 55, a bar-shaped magnet 57 parallel to the longitudinal direction of the main body 51 is provided. At least one of the magnet 56 and the magnet 57 is provided in a plurality in the rotation direction of the main body 51. In the example of this figure, both the magnet 56 and the magnet 57 are provided in a plurality in the rotation direction of the main body 51. The main body 51 is supported by the support portion 52 when any one of the magnet 56 and any one of the magnet 57 are joined by magnetic force. The angle of the main body 51 in the front-rear direction can be changed by a predetermined angle, for example, 15° at a time, depending on the combination of the joined magnets 56 and 57. The angle of the main body 51 in the front-rear direction may be configured to be continuously changeable. For example, the magnets 56 and 57 may be provided in a planar shape.

[0046] When it is detected that the cat 200 exists within the range where the detection device 50 can detect the state of the cat 200, the detection device 50 may automatically detect the state of the cat 200. For example, it may be periodically confirmed whether the cat 200 exists by the imaging device 53a or the radar sensor 53b, and when it is detected that the cat 200 exists, the detection of the state of the cat 200 may be started. The detection device 50 may detect the state of the cat 200 in response to an instruction from another device such as the administrator terminal 13. For example, when the administrator 12 instructs the measurement of vital signs in an application executed on the administrator terminal 13, the detection of the state of the cat 200 may be started when an instruction transmitted from the administrator terminal 13 is received. The detection device 50 may detect the data used to calculate the vital signs of the cat 200 over a predetermined period of time. The detection device 50 transmits the detection result of the state of the cat 200 to the analysis device 103. The detection device 50 may transmit the detection result to the analysis device 103 immediately after detecting the state of the cat 200, or may transmit the detection result to the analysis device 103 at a predetermined timing.

[0047] FIG. 9 shows the functional configuration of the analysis device 103. In the present embodiment, the analysis device 103 mainly calculates the respiratory rate of the cat 200 at rest. The analysis device 103 includes a communication device 104, a storage device 105, and a processing device 110.

[0048] The communication device 104 controls communication with other devices via the communication network 11. The communication device 104 may communicate by any wired or wireless communication method.

[0049] The storage device 105 stores programs, data, etc. used by the processing device 110. The storage device 105 may be a semiconductor memory, a hard disk, or the like.

[0050] The processing device 110 includes a detection result acquisition unit 111, a resting data extraction unit 112, a vital sign calculation unit 113, a state determination unit 114, a provided information generation unit 115, a provided information output unit 116, an abnormality detection unit 117, and an alert output unit 118. These configurations are realized by any circuit, a computer CPU, memory, other LSIs, etc. as hardware. These configurations are realized by a program loaded in the memory, etc. as software. Here, functional blocks realized by their cooperation are depicted. Therefore, it is understood by those skilled in the art that these functional blocks can be realized in various forms such as only hardware or a combination of hardware and software. The processing device 110 may be implemented by technologies such as cloud computing.

[0051] The detection result acquisition unit 111 acquires the detection result from the detection device 50 and stores the acquired detection result in the storage device 105.

[0052] The quiet-time data extraction unit 112 extracts the detection results detected by the detection device 50 when the cat 200 is quiet from among the detection results detected by the detection device 50 at a plurality of time points. The quiet-time data extraction unit 112 may extract the detection results during quiet times based on the temporal change of the detection results detected by the detection device 50. For example, the detection results when the waveform representing the body movement of the cat 200 is regular and stable may be extracted as the detection results during quiet times. The regularity of the waveform may be determined based on the amplitude of the waveform, the change rate of the amplitude, the frequency, the change rate of the frequency, the shape, and the like. The quiet-time data extraction unit 112 may extract the detection results during quiet times based on past detection results. For example, the past detection results detected when the cat 200 was quiet may be stored in the storage device 105, and the detection results similar to those detection results may be extracted. The quiet-time data extraction unit 112 may extract the detection results during quiet times using logic, algorithms, etc. learned using past detection results as learning data. The algorithm may be learned by supervised learning using past detection results and teacher data indicating whether or not the cat 200 was in a quiet state, or may be learned by unsupervised learning such as clustering. The quiet-time data extraction unit 112 may extract the detection results during quiet times based on a still image or a moving image of the cat 200 captured by the imaging device 53a. For example, the detection results when the cat 200 is sleeping or when it has been stationary for a predetermined time or more may be extracted. The posture, expression, etc. of the cat 200 when it is quiet may be stored in the storage device 105, and the detection results when the posture and expression are similar to those may be extracted. The quiet-time data extraction unit 112 may extract the detection results during quiet times based on information regarding the environment around the cat 200. For example, the temperature, humidity, brightness, volume, etc. around the cat 200 are acquired from sensors, etc., and the detection results when the acquired values satisfy predetermined conditions under which the cat 200 can spend time quietly may be extracted. The quiet-time data extraction unit 112 may extract the detection results during quiet times by combining the above-described multiple methods. For example, it may be determined whether or not it is a quiet time based on the temporal change of the detection results, and when it is confirmed that the cat 200 is quiet by checking the captured image of the cat 200 during the period determined to be a quiet time, the detection results may be extracted.When the detection device 50 is configured to determine whether the cat 200 is at rest and detect the state of the cat 200 when the cat 200 is at rest, the resting data extraction unit 112 may not be provided. Since the cat 200 is often in a resting state when staying in the shelf device 1, the detection results may be analyzed without being selected. In this case, the resting data extraction unit 112 may not be provided.

[0053] Based on the detection results at rest extracted by the resting data extraction unit 112, the vital sign calculation unit 113 calculates the vital signs of the cat 200 at rest. The vital sign calculation unit 113 may calculate, for example, the respiratory rate from the cycle of the expansion and contraction of the abdomen of the cat 200. The vital sign calculation unit 113 may remove outliers from the time series data of the calculated respiratory rate and calculate statistical values such as the average value, median value, maximum value, and minimum value as the respiratory rate at rest. The vital sign calculation unit 113 may calculate the range between the maximum value and the minimum value of the calculated respiratory rate as the range of the respiratory rate at rest. The vital sign calculation unit 113 may calculate the average value or median value of the respiratory rate at rest for a predetermined period (such as one week, one month, or one year) and use it as the respiratory rate at rest during that period. The vital sign calculation unit 113 may also calculate the pulse, body temperature, blood pressure, oxygen saturation, etc.

[0054] The state determination unit 114 determines the state of the cat 200 based on the vital signs calculated by the vital sign calculation unit 113. Even when the cat 200 is at rest, the vital signs can change depending on the physical state, mental state, environment, etc. Therefore, by analyzing the changes in the vital signs, the physical state and mental state of the cat 200 can be grasped more accurately. Also, since the influence of the environment around the cat 200 on the cat 200 can be inferred, it is possible to add, remove, or change the arrangement of the shelf members and additional parts, or control the indoor temperature, humidity, brightness, volume, etc., to create an environment in which the cat 200 can live comfortably. When it is determined that the cat 200 is at rest, identify and remember the shelf members and additional parts where the cat 200 stayed, and determine which shelf member or additional part the cat 200 is often in a resting state when staying on, and present the determined information as provided information to the administrator or the like. As a method for identifying the shelf members and additional parts, it may be identified using the captured image captured by the imaging device 53a, or the shelf members and additional parts to be detected may be registered when the administrator 12 installs the detection device 50. Also, since the physical state and mental state of the cat 200 while the administrator 12 is away can be grasped, the sense of security of the administrator 12 can be enhanced. The state determination unit 114 may determine the state of the cat 200 based on the value of the vital signs calculated by the vital sign calculation unit 113. For example, the relationship between the state of the cat 200 and the value of the vital signs may be stored in the storage device 105, and the state of the cat 200 may be determined based on the calculated value of the vital signs. The state determination unit 114 may determine the state of the cat 200 based on the tendency of changes in the vital signs over a plurality of past times or a certain period. For example, the relationship between the state of the cat 200 and the tendency of changes in the vital signs may be stored in the storage device 105, and the state of the cat 200 may be determined based on the tendency of changes in the vital signs. The state determination unit 114 may determine the state of the cat 200 using logic, algorithms, etc. learned with the past vital signs of the cat 200 as learning data.The algorithm may be learned by supervised learning using teacher data indicating past vital signs and the state of the cat 200, or may be learned by unsupervised learning such as clustering. The state determination unit 114 may further determine the state of the cat 200 based on a still image or a moving image of the cat 200 captured by the imaging device 53a. For example, the state of the cat 200 may be determined based on the posture or expression of the cat 200.

[0055] The provided information generation unit 115 generates provided information to be provided to the administrator 12 or the veterinarian 14 based on the vital signs calculated by the vital sign calculation unit 113 and the state of the cat 200 determined by the state determination unit 114. The provided information may include the vital signs of the cat 200 at rest and information indicating the state of the cat 200. The provided information may include the value, range, change amount, change rate, etc. of the vital signs of the cat 200 at rest, as well as text, graphs, diagrams, etc. representing the change trend of the vital signs.

[0056] The provided information output unit 116 outputs the provided information generated by the provided information generation unit 115 to an output destination such as the administrator terminal 13 or the veterinarian terminal 15. The provided information output unit 116 may output the provided information when the provided information is generated by the provided information generation unit 115, may output the provided information at a predetermined timing, or may output the provided information in response to a request from the output destination.

[0057] The abnormality detection unit 117 detects an abnormality of the cat 200 based on the vital signs calculated by the vital sign calculation unit 113 and the state of the cat 200 determined by the state determination unit 114. The abnormality detection unit 117 may detect an abnormality of the cat 200 based on the value of the vital signs. For example, the abnormality detection unit 117 may detect an abnormality of the cat 200 when the value of the vital signs is equal to or greater than a predetermined threshold, or when it is less than the predetermined threshold. The abnormality detection unit 117 may detect an abnormality of the cat 200 based on the change amount, change rate, change trend, etc. of the value of the vital signs. For example, the abnormality detection unit 117 may detect an abnormality of the cat 200 when the vital signs are on an upward or downward trend.

[0058] When the abnormality detection unit 117 detects an abnormality in the cat 200, the alert output unit 118 outputs an alert to the output destination. The alert may include the content of the detected abnormality, the values of vital signs, the amount of change, the rate of change, the trend of change, and the like.

[0059] When a plurality of animals are present in the same room, the detection device 50 may be able to detect the states of each of the plurality of animals. In this case, the analysis device 103 may include an individual identification unit that identifies the individual of the detection target of the detection result detected by the detection device 50. The individual identification unit may identify a plurality of animals based on the captured image captured by the imaging device 53a, the body movement information detected by the radar sensor 53b, and the like. The individual identification unit may identify an individual from the physical characteristics of the animal shown in the captured image using image recognition technology or the like. The individual identification unit may identify an individual from the characteristics of body movement and breathing detected by the radar sensor 53b. The individual identification unit may identify an individual by reading the identification information stored in the microchip embedded in the animal. The vital signs may be managed for each individual, and the provided information and alerts may be output for each individual.

[0060] FIG. 10 is a diagram for explaining a method of calculating vital signs. The upper part shows the body movement of the abdomen of the cat 200 detected by the detection device 50. The lower part shows the time change of the respiratory rate calculated based on the body movement of the abdomen of the cat 200. The vital sign calculation unit 113 removes outliers from the calculated time-series data of the respiratory rate and calculates the average value for a predetermined period as the respiratory rate at rest. The outliers may include, for example, momentary body movements associated with the movement of the body of the cat 200, coughing, sneezing, yawning, and the like.

[0061] FIG. 11 shows the functional configuration of the administrator terminal 13. The administrator terminal 13 includes a communication device 201, a display device 202, an input device 203, a speaker 204, a storage device 205, and a processing device 210. The administrator terminal 13 may be realized by an application executed on a terminal device such as a smartphone used by the administrator 12.

[0062] The communication device 201 controls communication with other devices via the communication network 11. The communication device 201 may communicate by any wired or wireless communication method. The display device 202 displays the screen generated by the processing device 210. The display device 202 may be a liquid crystal display device, an organic EL display device, or the like. The input device 203 transmits the instruction input by the administrator 12 to the processing device 210. The input device 203 may be a physical button, a touch pad, or the like. The display device 202 and the input device 203 may be implemented as a touch panel. The speaker 204 outputs sound.

[0063] The storage device 205 stores programs, data, etc. used by the processing device 210. The storage device 205 may be a semiconductor memory, a hard disk, or the like.

[0064] The processing device 210 includes a detection start instruction unit 211, a provided information acquisition unit 212, a provided information presentation unit 213, an alert acquisition unit 214, and an alert presentation unit 215. These configurations are realized by any circuit, the CPU of a computer, memory, other LSIs, etc. as hardware. These configurations are realized by a program loaded into the memory, etc. as software. Here, the functional blocks realized by their cooperation are depicted. Therefore, it is understood by those skilled in the art that these functional blocks can be realized in various forms such as only hardware or a combination of hardware and software. The processing device 210 may be implemented by technologies such as cloud computing.

[0065] The detection start instruction unit 211 instructs the detection device 50 to start detection. The administrator 12 instructs the detection device 50 to start detection by the detection start instruction unit 211 when the cat 200 is quiet on the shelf member 3.

[0066] The provision information acquisition unit 212 acquires provision information from the analysis device 103. The provision information presentation unit 213 presents the provision information acquired by the provision information acquisition unit 212 to the administrator 12 from the display device 202 and the speaker 204.

[0067] The alert acquisition unit 214 acquires an alert from the analysis device 103. The alert presentation unit 215 presents the alert acquired by the alert acquisition unit 214 to the administrator 12 from the display device 202 and the speaker 204.

[0068] FIG. 12 shows an example of provision information provided from the analysis device 103 to the administrator terminal 13. In the example of this figure, the current value of the respiratory rate, a graph showing the change in the respiratory rate, and an alert warning of an abnormality in the respiratory rate are displayed on the display device 202. By comparing with the normal resting respiratory rate, the abnormality of the cat 200 can be detected accurately and quickly. Also, minor daily changes can be enjoyed.

[0069] FIG. 13 shows an example of provision information provided from the analysis device 103 to the administrator terminal 13. In the example of this figure, the current values of vital signs such as the respiratory rate, the state of the cat 200, and a video of the cat 200 are displayed on the display device 202. The administrator 12 can grasp the state of the cat 200 even when away from home.

[0070] FIG. 14 shows an example of provision information provided from the analysis device 103 to the administrator terminal 13. In the example of this figure, past images, vital signs, etc. stored in the storage device 105 of the analysis device 103 are displayed on the display device 202. The administrator 12 can enjoy the growth record of the cat 200.

[0071] As described above, the present disclosure has been described based on the embodiments. However, the embodiments merely show the principles and applications of the present invention. Also, many modifications and arrangement changes are possible in the embodiments without departing from the spirit of the present invention defined in the claims.

Explanation of Reference Numerals

[0072] 1 Shelving device, 2 Wall panel, 2a Installation surface, 3 Shelving member, 4 Bridge member, 10 Animal management system, 12 Administrator, 13 Administrator terminal, 14 Veterinarian, 15 Veterinarian terminal, 50 Detection device, 51 Main body, 51a Buffer material, 52 Support portion, 53 Detection portion, 53a Imaging device, 53b Radar sensor, 103 Analysis device, 111 Detection result acquisition portion, 112 Rest data extraction portion, 113 Vital sign calculation portion, 114 State determination portion, 115 Provided information generation portion, 116 Provided information output portion, 117 Abnormality detection portion, 118 Alert output portion, 200 Cat, 211 Detection start instruction portion, 212 Provided information acquisition portion, 213 Provided information presentation portion, 214 Alert acquisition portion, 215 Alert presentation portion.

Claims

1. A main body provided with at least one detection unit for detecting a state of an animal; A support portion that supports the main body; Equipped with The main body and the support are configured such that an angle between the main body and the support can be changed in a predetermined direction and change of the angle is limited in directions other than the predetermined direction. Detection device.

2. The main body and the support part are joined by a magnetic force at a surface where the main body and the support part contact each other. The detection device of claim 1 .

3. The angle between the main body and the support part is configured to be changeable stepwise at predetermined intervals.

3. A detection device according to claim 1 or 2.

4. At least one of the main body and the support portion includes a plurality of magnets arranged at different positions in the predetermined direction. The detection device of claim 3.

5. The angle between the main body and the support part can be changed steplessly.

3. A detection device according to claim 1 or 2.

6. The detection unit is provided on a lower surface of the main body, The predetermined direction is the front-rear direction.

3. A detection device according to claim 1 or 2.

7. The detection unit includes a radar sensor.

3. A detection device according to claim 1 or 2.

8. The detection unit includes an imaging device.

3. A detection device according to claim 1 or 2.

9. A plurality of the detection units are provided on the same surface of the main body.

3. A detection device according to claim 1 or 2.

10. The facility is configured so that the animal can stay in a quiet place or so that the facility can be installed in the vicinity of the facility.

3. A detection device according to claim 1 or 2.

11. The facility has side walls or a ceiling for the animal to hide in; The state of the animal staying inside the facility can be detected through an opening provided in the side wall or the ceiling. The sensing device of claim 10.

12. The facility has an opening in a ceiling, The detection device is configured to be able to detect the state of the animal from above the facility through the opening, The predetermined direction is the front-rear direction. The sensing device of claim 10.

13. The support portion is configured to be detachably installed on an installation surface on which the equipment is installed. The sensing device of claim 10.

14. One of the surfaces where the support portion and the main body come into contact has a semi-cylindrical convex shape, and the other has a semi-cylindrical concave shape.

3. A detection device according to claim 1 or 2.

15. A cushioning material is provided around the main body.

3. A detection device according to claim 1 or 2.

Images