Information processing device, information processing system, information processing method and program

Abstract

To propose a nutrient intake mode that a user should take to the user while considering its time required for intake.SOLUTION: A management server 100 of nutrient intake management system is provided with a processing part 110 achieved by a computer having a processor and the a memory, and stores an intake mode for intaking each nutrient in association with a time required for nutrient intake being a time required to nutrient intake by each nutrient mode about a plurality of nutrients, and the processing part 110 acquires user information including information on user's living body and activities or one of them, determines one or more nutrients that the user should intake on the basis of the acquired user information, and extracts the nutrient mode for intaking the determined nutrients and the associated time required for nutrient intake.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 2

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to an information processing apparatus, an information processing system, an information processing method, and a program.

Background Art

[0002] In recent years, with the progress of chrononutrition, which is a nutrition science that takes into account the human body clock, it has become clear that the effects of various nutrients ingested by humans vary depending on the time of ingestion (see, for example, Non-Patent Document 1). Based on such knowledge of chrononutrition, for example, Patent Document 1 discloses a health management support apparatus that determines the content of a user's diet based on the user's current circadian rhythm and the reference circadian rhythm that the user aims for. Further, Patent Document 2 discloses a dispenser system that transmits a reminder notice when a tablet is to be taken.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Patent Document 2

Non-Patent Documents

[0004]

Non-Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0005] However, even if it is found that it is preferable to ingest a specific nutrient during a certain time period, there is a problem that the mode of nutrient intake and the required time are not considered in managing nutrient intake, such as when the user's schedule does not allow for securing the meal time for ingesting the nutrient depending on the user's activity plan.

[0006] One object of the present invention is to provide an information processing apparatus, an information processing system, an information processing method, and a program that can propose to a user a mode of intake of nutrients to be ingested by the user in consideration of the required time for intake.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0007] An information processing apparatus according to one aspect of the present invention includes a processing unit realized by a computer having a processor and a memory, and for a plurality of nutrients, a mode of intake for ingesting each of the nutrients and a nutrient intake required time that is the time required for nutrient intake according to each of the intake modes are stored in association with each other. The processing unit acquires user information including information related to the user's living body and activities or any of them, determines one or more nutrients to be ingested by the user based on the acquired user information, and extracts the nutrient intake mode for ingesting the determined nutrients and the associated nutrient intake required time.

Effects of the Invention

[0008] According to the present invention, it is possible to propose to a user a mode of intake of nutrients to be ingested by the user in consideration of the required time for intake.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0009]

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Mode for Carrying Out the Invention

[0010] Hereinafter, the present invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings in accordance with its embodiments.

[0011] <Configuration of Nutritional Intake Management System> First, referring to FIG. 1, the configuration of the nutritional intake management system as an information processing system according to the present embodiment will be described. FIG. 1 is a diagram showing an overall configuration example of the nutritional intake management system 1 in the present embodiment. The nutritional intake management system 1 of the present embodiment includes a management server 100 that mainly executes data processing for managing nutritional intake, a user terminal 200 that is a mobile terminal possessed by a user who uses the nutritional intake management system 1, a sensor 400 for detecting and acquiring biological information such as the user's body temperature, and a dispenser 300 that is a supply device for supplying a nutritional supplement (hereinafter sometimes referred to as a "supplement") containing a predetermined nutrient to the user under the control of the management server 100.

[0012] The management server 100 and the user terminal 200 are communicably connected to each other via a communication network N. The communication network N may be an appropriate wired or wireless communication line such as a LAN, a WAN, a dedicated line, a mobile communication network, or the Internet. The user terminal 200 and the dispenser 300, and the sensor 400 are communicably connected to each other by wireless communication such as Bluetooth (registered trademark) Low Energy (BLE). In FIG. 1, the sensor 400 is illustrated as an independent device, but for example, the sensor 400 may be integrally configured with the user terminal 200.

[0013] <Configuration Example of Management Server 100> Next, a configuration example of the management server 100 and its functions will be described with reference to FIG. 2. FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram showing a hardware configuration example and a functional block of the management server 100 in the present embodiment. The management server 100 has a configuration as a general computer that is communicable with external devices such as the user terminal 200 via the communication network N.

[0014] The management server 100 includes a processing unit 110, a storage unit 120, an input / output unit 130, and a communication unit 140.

[0015] The processing unit 110 is a processor that performs various operations and controls such as processing necessary for the operation of the management server 100, and realizes the functions of the management server 100 by executing various programs.

[0016] The storage unit 120 stores various programs executed by the processor constituting the processing unit 110, data used during program execution, and also functions as a work area temporarily used for performing various processes. The storage unit 120 is configured, for example, as various memory chips including a non-volatile memory and a volatile memory. In the present embodiment, in the data storage unit 121 provided in the storage unit 120, user information which is information about the user including biometric information, activity information, etc. of the user acquired from the user terminal 200 and the sensor 400, and various data for deriving the timing, content, intake amount, etc. of the user to ingest nutrients based on the user information are stored. These data will be described later.

[0017] The input / output unit 130 includes an input unit that accepts operations by the user such as a keyboard, a mouse, a tablet, a touch panel, etc., a display panel composed of an LCD, etc., and an output unit such as a speaker.

[0018] The communication unit 140 controls the communication performed between the management server 100 and external devices such as the user terminal 200. The communication unit 140 is composed of various wired or wireless communication modules including, for example, a network interface card (NIC).

[0019] Next, the functions realized by the processing unit 110 of the management server 100 will be described. As illustrated in FIG. 2, the processing unit 110 of the present embodiment includes a user information management unit 111, an intake management unit 112, a dispenser management unit 113, a production / delivery management unit 114, and an input / output control unit 115. The functional units provided in the processing unit 110 are not limited to these, and can be appropriately changed and added according to the functions that the management server 100 should have.

[0020] The user information management unit 111 stores user information including the user's biometric information and information related to the user's activities obtained from the user terminal 200 and the sensor 400, and performs management such as updating for use in the user's nutritional intake management.

[0021] The intake management unit 112 manages at least one of the timing related to nutritional intake and the mode of nutritional intake for each of one or more users. For example, the intake management unit 112 uses the user information acquired and managed by the user information management unit 111 to derive and provide to the user the timing related to the user's nutritional intake and the mode of nutritional intake based on the knowledge of chrononutrition. Examples of the mode of nutritional intake include the type of nutrients to be ingested, the method of ingesting nutrients, the time required for ingesting nutrients, and combinations thereof. Examples of the method of ingesting nutrients include diet, supplements, and combinations of diet and supplements.

[0022] The dispenser management unit 113 controls the operation of the dispenser 300, which is a supply device equipped with a supply mechanism for supplying supplements to the user, and manages information related to the dispenser 300, such as the state of the dispenser 300, for example, the remaining amount of supplements containing nutrients and the position information indicating the position of the dispenser.

[0023] Based on the information related to the state of the dispenser acquired by the dispenser management unit 113 from the dispenser 300, the production and delivery management unit 114 performs a process of arranging the production of supplements related to the nutrients that are insufficient according to the remaining amount of each type of supplement in the managed dispenser 300. Also, based on the position information of the dispenser 300 acquired from the dispenser 300, the production and delivery management unit 114 formulates a delivery plan for delivering the produced supplements to the necessary dispenser 300.

[0024] The input / output control unit 115 has a function of controlling the transfer of input / output data between the processing unit 110 and the storage unit 120, the input / output unit 130, and the communication unit 140. For example, the input / output control unit 115 has a function of executing processes such as delivering user information from the communication unit 140 and information regarding the dispenser 300 to the user information management unit 111 and the dispenser management unit 113, respectively.

[0025] <Configuration example of user terminal 200> Next, a configuration example and functions of the user terminal 200 will be described with reference to FIG. 3. FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram showing a hardware configuration example and functional blocks of the user terminal 200 in the present embodiment. The user terminal 200 has a configuration as a general computer that can communicate with an external device such as the management server 100 via the communication network N. Specifically, the user terminal 200 can be configured as a mobile communication terminal such as a smartphone or a wearable communication terminal such as a smartwatch.

[0026] The user terminal 200 includes a processing unit 210, a storage unit 220, an input / output unit 230, a communication unit 240, a sensor unit 250, and a GNSS unit 260.

[0027] The processing unit 210 is a processor that performs various processes such as various operations and controls necessary for the operation of the user terminal 200, and realizes the functions of the user terminal 200 by executing various programs.

[0028] The storage unit 220 stores various programs executed by the processor constituting the processing unit 210, data used during program execution, and also functions as a work area temporarily used for performing various processes. The storage unit 220 is configured as, for example, various memory chips including a non-volatile memory and a volatile memory. In the present embodiment, in the data storage unit 221 provided in the storage unit 220, user information which is information about the user including the user's biological information, activity information, etc. acquired from the sensor 400, and information representing the state of the dispenser 300 acquired from the dispenser 300 are stored. These data will be described later.

[0029] The input / output unit 230 includes an input unit that accepts operations by the user such as buttons and touch panels, a display panel composed of an LCD or the like, and an output unit such as a speaker.

[0030] The communication unit 240 controls communication performed between the user terminal 200 and external devices such as the management server 100 and the sensor 400. The communication unit 240 is composed of various wired or wireless communication modules including, for example, a network interface card (NIC), a BLE communication module, etc.

[0031] The sensor unit 250 has functions such as passing biometric information such as the user's body temperature and heart rate to an application 211 described later through information exchange with the sensor 400 for acquiring the user's biometric information. The sensor unit 250 may be provided with a camera for photographing the user's skin. The user's skin image is used for nutritional intake management as one of the user's biometric information. Note that when the user terminal 200 is a wearable device such as a smartwatch, the biometric information of the user can be acquired using the sensors provided in the wearable device as the user terminal 200 without providing an independent sensor 400.

[0032] The GNSS unit 260 has a function of acquiring time information and position information from satellite signals received from positioning satellites such as GPS satellites. In this embodiment, the GNSS unit 1600 derives the position of its own device from the satellite signals received from GPS satellites and provides it to the management server 100 as the position information of the user.

[0033] Next, the functions realized by the processing unit 210 of the user terminal 200 will be described. As illustrated in FIG. 3, the processing unit 210 of this embodiment includes an application 211, a dispenser control unit 212, and an input / output control unit 213. The functional units provided in the processing unit 210 are not limited to these, and can be appropriately changed and added according to the functions that the user terminal 200 should have.

[0034] The application 211 conducts data exchange and management among the management server 100, the dispenser 300, and the sensor 400 as the user terminal 200 of the nutrition intake management system 1 according to this embodiment.

[0035] The dispenser control unit 212 has a function of sending a command signal regarding the supply of supplements to the dispenser 300 according to the timing and mode of the user's nutrition intake received from the management server 100. The dispenser control unit 212 also has a function of transferring the status information regarding the dispenser 300 from the dispenser 300 to the management server 100.

[0036] The input / output control unit 213 has a function of controlling the input / output data exchange between the processing unit 210 and the storage unit 220, the input / output unit 230, the communication unit 240, the sensor unit 250, and the GNSS unit 260. For example, the input / output control unit 213 has a function of executing processes such as delivering the user information and the information regarding the dispenser 300 from the communication unit 240 to the application 211 and the dispenser control unit 212 respectively.

[0037] <Configuration example of the dispenser 300> Next, with reference to FIG. 4, a configuration example of the dispenser 300 and its functions will be described. FIG. 4 is a schematic diagram showing a hardware configuration example and a functional block of the dispenser 300 in the present embodiment. The dispenser 300 is a device that can supply a supplement containing nutrients to a user in an appropriate form such as a tablet, and can be configured as a portable type or a stationary type. The dispenser 300 is communicably connected to the management server 100 or the user terminal 200, and the supply operation of the supplement is executed according to a command received from the management server 100 in accordance with the type, intake mode, intake amount, and intake timing of the nutrients derived by the intake management unit 112 of the management server 100 based on the user information.

[0038] The dispenser 300 includes a control unit 310, a communication unit 320, a position detection unit 330, a supply unit 340, and a supplement storage unit 350.

[0039] The control unit 310 is a processor that performs various operations and controls such as processing necessary for the operation of the dispenser 300, and realizes the functions of the dispenser 300 by executing various programs.

[0040] The communication unit 320 controls the communication performed between the dispenser 300 and external devices such as the management server 100 and the user terminal 200. The communication unit 320 is composed of various communication modules, such as a network interface card (NIC) and a BLE communication module, for wired or wireless communication.

[0041] The position detection unit 330 has a function of detecting the position of the dispenser 300, and derives its own position from satellite signals received from positioning satellites such as GPS, and received radio waves such as Wi-Fi and mobile communication. The position information of the dispenser 300 is used, for example, when determining whether a user who holds the user terminal 200 also has the dispenser 300 (whether the user has forgotten to carry the dispenser 300).

[0042] The supply unit 340 has a function of supplying a supplement stored in a supplement storage unit 350, which will be described later, to the user based on a command signal from the management server 100 or the user terminal 200. Examples of the supply unit 340 include, for example, opening the lid of a cartridge, which is the supplement storage unit 350 specified according to the command signal, and pushing out the stored supplement by an appropriate actuator. However, it is not limited to these and may be in an appropriate form as needed.

[0043] The supplement storage unit 350 is a storage container for storing one or more supplements for the user to ingest, and can be provided with a container corresponding to the form of the supplement, such as tablets, powders, liquids, or sheets. When supplying the supplement outside the container according to a command, the appropriate actuator described above is provided in the supplement storage unit 350. By replacing the supplement storage unit 350, the type of supplement can be changed, or when the remaining amount of the supplement runs out, a new supplement storage unit 350 can be obtained to replenish the corresponding supplement.

[0044] <Data examples used in this embodiment> Next, with reference to FIGS. 5 to 7, data examples used in the nutritional intake management system 1 of this embodiment will be described.

[0045] [Data examples related to user information] Fig. 5 shows an example of data related to user information. As described for the management server 100, data related to user information includes, for example, items such as user ID, biometric information, activity schedule, and activity history stored in the data storage unit 121 of the management server 100. The user ID is unique identification information assigned to each user who uses the nutrition intake management system 1 of this embodiment. As will be described later, for example, when points, privileges, etc. as incentives are given to users regarding nutrition intake, they are recorded in association with this user ID. The biometric information is information related to the user's body acquired from the user by the user terminal 200 or the sensor 400, and includes information such as body temperature, heart rate, and moisture content on the body surface. The activity schedule includes the content of the activity that the user plans to execute and the scheduled time zone, and can be obtained, for example, from the scheduler software provided as the application 211 of the user terminal 200. The activity history includes the content of the activity that the user has executed in the past and the execution time zone, and can be obtained from past events recorded in the scheduler software. These data related to user information are used in the user information management unit 111 and the intake management unit 112 in the management server 100.

[0046] [Example of Data Related to User Terminal 200] Fig. 6 shows an example of data related to the user terminal 200. Data related to the user terminal 200 includes items such as user terminal ID, account information, user location information, and dispenser location information. The user terminal ID is unique identification information assigned to each user terminal 200 included in the nutrition intake management system 1 of this embodiment. The account information is the identification information of the user associated with the user terminal 200 identified by the corresponding user terminal ID on the nutrition intake management system 1, and for example, a membership number, etc. corresponds to it. The user location information is information indicating the location of the user terminal 200 acquired by the GNSS unit 260 etc. of the user terminal 200. The dispenser location information is information indicating the location of the dispenser 300 acquired by the location detection unit 330 of the dispenser 300.

[0047] [Data Example Regarding Dispenser 300] FIG. 7 shows a data example regarding dispenser 300. As data regarding dispenser 300, each item of dispenser ID, supplement type, remaining amount of supplement, and supply permission / stop information is stored. The dispenser ID is unique identification information assigned to each of the dispensers 300 included in the nutrition intake management system 1 of the present embodiment. The supplement type and the remaining amount of supplement are information indicating the type of supplement stored in the dispenser 300 specified by the corresponding dispenser ID and the remaining amount thereof. The supply permission / stop information is information acquired from the dispenser control unit 212 of the user terminal 200 and is information for permitting the supply of the supplement to the supply unit 340 of the dispenser 300 and instructing the stop of the supply. Note that, regarding the supply of the supplement from the dispenser 300, in addition to the permission instruction from the dispenser control unit 212 of the user terminal 200, an operation of a supply switch or the like (not shown) of the dispenser 300 may be required.

[0048] [Nutrient Intake Management] Next, a method of nutrient intake management in the nutrient intake management system 1 according to the present embodiment will be described. FIG. 10 schematically illustrates a method of nutrient intake management according to the present invention, which is embodied in the present embodiment. In FIG. 10, time elapses from the left side to the right side toward the paper surface.

[0049] In the nutrient intake management method according to the present embodiment, for example, the mode of nutrient intake is determined based on user information acquired when the user wakes up. One of the determination processes will be exemplified below. (1) When a user wakes up, application 211 of user terminal 200 acquires predetermined user information from sensor 400 or the like. In the example of FIG. 10, body temperature as the user's biological information and a sleep log as an activity history are acquired. In this embodiment, for the purpose of making the invention easier to understand, details of management server 100 will be described taking as an example a case where acquisition of user information by user information management unit 111 of management server 100 is triggered by a user operating user terminal 200 to give an instruction to application 211. However, the manner of acquiring user information is not limited to this embodiment.

[0050] According to another embodiment, the user terminal 200 acquires data output by the sensor 400 periodically or at any timing. The user terminal 200 determines whether or not a predetermined type of event has occurred based on the data. When it is determined that the event has occurred, the user terminal 200 transmits the user's biometric information and / or activity history to the management server 100. This allows the management server 100 to acquire the user's biometric information and / or activity history. For example, the sensor 400 is provided with a means for detecting the user's body movement, such as an acceleration sensor, and the user terminal 200 determines whether or not the user has woken up based on the output of the means. When it is determined that the user has woken up, the user terminal 200 may automatically acquire the user's biometric information and / or activity history and transfer it to the management server 100. At least a part of the user's biometric information and activity history may be stored in a storage means provided in the user terminal 200 and / or the sensor 400.

[0051] In still another embodiment, the management server 100 may acquire data output by the sensor 400 periodically or at any timing, thereby enabling the management server 100 to acquire biometric information and / or activity history of the user.

[0052] (2) The intake management unit 112 of the management server 100 derives the time period during which it is recommended that the user intake nutrients. According to the present embodiment, the intake management unit 112 derives the type of one or more nutrients that the user should intake and the time period (which may be referred to as the intake recommendation period) during which it is recommended to intake each nutrient in terms of the effect of the intake. The intake management unit 112 may derive the type of nutrient and the intake recommendation period described above based on the user's biological information and / or activity history.

[0053] For example, the intake management unit 112 determines the type of nutrient described above based on the user's biological information and / or activity history. Examples of biological information include information indicating body weight, body temperature, physical condition, muscle condition, hair condition, nail condition, etc. For example, when the user uses the camera attached to the user terminal 200 to acquire an image of a predetermined part of his own body (for example, the cheek, fingertip, and / or toe tip), and transmits the data of the image to the management server 100, the intake management unit 112 can acquire information indicating the condition of the muscle, hair, and / or nail. The intake management unit 112 may transmit data of a screen for prompting the user to acquire the above image to the user terminal 200. Examples of activity history include the type of activity in a predetermined period in the past, the intensity of the activity, and the calories consumed during that period. Examples of the predetermined period in the past include the previous day, last week, past 24 hours, past one week, past ten days, etc.

[0054] For example, the intake management unit 112 determines the intake recommendation period described above based on at least one of the user's biorhythm, the user's biological information, the user's activity history, and the knowledge of chrononutrition. The intake management unit 112 may determine the intake recommendation period described above based on the user's biorhythm and the knowledge of chrononutrition. The intake management unit 112 may determine the intake recommendation period described above based on the user's biological information and / or activity history and the knowledge of chrononutrition.

[0055] According to one embodiment, the intake management unit 112 of the management server 100 first derives the user's biorhythm. The intake management unit 112 derives the biorhythm of the user based on, for example, the user's biological information and / or activity history. As a procedure for deriving the biorhythm, any known procedure is adopted. Next, the intake management unit 112 derives an intake recommendation period for each nutrient that the user should intake based on the derived biorhythm and the knowledge of chrononutrition. The intake management unit 112 may derive the above-mentioned intake recommendation period according to an algorithm based on the knowledge of chrononutrition. For example, the intake management unit 112 derives a time period when the user's biorhythm meets a predetermined condition regarding a specific nutrient as the intake recommendation period for the specific nutrient.

[0056] According to another embodiment, the intake management unit 112 determines the above-mentioned intake recommendation period without deriving the user's biorhythm. The intake management unit 112 may derive an intake recommendation period for each nutrient that the user should intake based on the user information and / or activity information and the knowledge of chrononutrition. For example, although it is a virtual example, the intake management unit 112 may determine the intake timing based on the knowledge of chrononutrition such as "the effect is enhanced by taking vitamin B between × hours after waking up and △ hours", "when the skin condition is in a specific state, the skin condition can be improved by taking a specific nutrient in a specific time period", "when the user has performed a specific activity the previous day, the skin condition can be improved by taking a specific nutrient in a specific time period", etc.

[0057] (3) The intake management unit 112 identifies the period during which the user can take nutrients. For example, the user information management unit 111 refers to the user's activity schedule registered in the scheduler or the like of the application 211 of the user terminal 200, identifies the period during which the recommended intake period overlaps with the user's activity schedule, and outputs information indicating the identified period to the intake management unit 112. The intake management unit 112 excludes the above-mentioned period identified by the user information management unit 111 from the above-mentioned recommended intake period, and identifies the period during which the user can actually use nutrients in the recommended intake period as the period during which the user can take nutrients.

[0058] (4) The intake management unit 112 determines the intake mode of the above-mentioned one or more nutrients. In the present embodiment, the intake management unit 112 determines the intake mode based on the length of the period during which nutrient intake is possible as described above. The intake management unit 112 may determine the recommended diet, supplement, or a combination thereof by comparing the length of the identified period during which nutrient intake is possible with the diet menu and / or supplement menu registered in advance for the nutrient.

[0059] When the length of the period during which nutrient intake is possible is greater than a predetermined value, the intake management unit 112 may determine the above-mentioned intake mode so that a diet or a combination of diet and supplement is recommended as the intake mode. When the length of the period during which nutrient intake is possible is less than a predetermined value, the intake management unit 112 may determine the above-mentioned intake mode so that a supplement is recommended as the intake mode.

[0060] According to one embodiment, when the length of the period during which nutrient intake is possible is greater than the first threshold, the intake management unit 112 determines to recommend a meal as the intake mode. The intake management unit 112 may determine to recommend one or more meal menus including the above-described one or more nutrients based on the types of nutrients included in each meal menu or the types and amounts of the nutrients. On the other hand, when the length of the period during which nutrient intake is possible is less than the first threshold, the intake management unit 112 may determine to recommend one or more supplements including the above-described one or more nutrients based on the types of nutrients included in each supplement or the types and amounts of the nutrients. When the length of the period during which nutrient intake is possible is equal to the first threshold, the same processing as when the length of the period during which nutrient intake is possible is greater than the first threshold may be executed, or the same processing as when the length of the period during which nutrient intake is possible is less than the first threshold may be executed.

[0061] The intake management unit 112 may determine whether it is possible to substantially intake the above-described one or more nutrients without substantial excess or deficiency with a single meal menu. The intake management unit 112 may determine whether it is possible to substantially intake the above-described one or more nutrients without substantial excess or deficiency with a combination of a plurality of meal menus. When it is determined that it is difficult to substantially obtain the above-described one or more nutrients without substantial excess or deficiency with a single meal menu or a combination of a plurality of meal menus, the intake management unit 112 may determine to recommend a combination of a meal and a supplement as the intake mode.

[0062] For example, the intake management unit 112 refers to a database in which information indicating the types or types and amounts of nutrients included in each meal menu is associated with information indicating the price of the meal menu, and derives the standard price of a single meal menu or the price of a combination of a plurality of meal menus that can sufficiently intake the above-described one or more nutrients. When the derived price exceeds a predetermined budget, the intake management unit 112 may determine that it is difficult to substantially obtain the above-described one or more nutrients without substantial excess or deficiency with a single meal menu or a combination of a plurality of meal menus.

[0063] For example, for each diet menu, the intake management unit 112 refers to a database in which information indicating the types or types and amounts of nutrients included in the diet menu is associated with information indicating the standard time required for intake of the diet menu, and determines the standard time required for intake of a single diet menu that can sufficiently intake the above-described one or more nutrients or the length of the standard time required for intake of a combination of a plurality of diet menus. When the derived length of the standard time exceeds a predetermined value, the intake management unit 112 may determine that it is difficult to substantially obtain the above-described one or more nutrients without excess or deficiency with a single diet menu or a combination of a plurality of diet menus.

[0064] For example, when a single diet menu or a combination of a plurality of diet menus is selected so as to meet predetermined conditions regarding budget or standard time required for intake, and at least one of the above-described one or more nutrients is insufficient, or when the excess or deficiency of the amount of at least one of the above-described one or more nutrients meets predetermined conditions, the intake management unit 112 may determine that it is difficult to substantially obtain the above-described one or more nutrients without excess or deficiency with a single diet menu or a combination of a plurality of diet menus. Examples of the above conditions include the condition that the absolute value of the excess or deficiency amount is larger than a predetermined value, and the condition that the ratio of the absolute value of the excess or deficiency amount to the amount recommended for intake is larger than a predetermined value.

[0065] For example, when a single diet menu or a combination of a plurality of diet menus is selected so as to include all of the above-described one or more nutrients, and the excess or deficiency of the amount of at least one of the above-described one or more nutrients meets predetermined conditions, the intake management unit 112 may determine that it is difficult to substantially obtain the above-described one or more nutrients without excess or deficiency with a single diet menu or a combination of a plurality of diet menus. Examples of the above conditions include the condition that the absolute value of the excess or deficiency amount is larger than a predetermined value, and the condition that the ratio of the absolute value of the excess or deficiency amount to the amount recommended for intake is larger than a predetermined value.

[0066] According to another embodiment, when the length of the period during which nutrition can be ingested is greater than the first threshold, the intake management unit 112 determines to recommend a meal as the intake mode. When the length of the period during which nutrition can be ingested is less than the first threshold and greater than the second threshold, the intake management unit 112 determines to recommend a combination of a meal and a supplement as the intake mode. The second threshold may be a value smaller than the first threshold. When the length of the period during which nutrition can be ingested is less than the second threshold, the intake management unit 112 determines to recommend a supplement as the intake mode.

[0067] When the length of the period during which nutrition can be ingested is equal to the first threshold, the same processing as when the length of the period during which nutrition can be ingested is greater than the first threshold may be executed, or the same processing as when the length of the period during which nutrition can be ingested is less than the first threshold may be executed. When the length of the period during which nutrition can be ingested is equal to the second threshold, the same processing as when the length of the period during which nutrition can be ingested is greater than the second threshold may be executed, or the same processing as when the length of the period during which nutrition can be ingested is less than the second threshold may be executed.

[0068] According to still another embodiment, for each of one or more menus, the intake management unit 112 refers to a database in which information indicating the types or types and amounts of nutrients included in the menu and information indicating the standard time required for ingesting the menu are associated, and determines a single menu or a combination of a plurality of menus that can ingest the one or more nutrients substantially without excess or deficiency within the above-described period during which nutrition can be ingested. Examples of the above menus include one or more meal menus and one or more supplement menus.

[0069] The above menu is not limited to a specific diet menu or a specific supplement menu. The above menu may simply include a menu called "diet", or may simply include a menu called "supplement". In this case, the standard time associated with the diet menu can function as the first threshold value or the second threshold value described above. Similarly, the standard time associated with the supplement menu can function as the first threshold value or the second threshold value described above.

[0070] The intake management unit 112 determines, as an intake mode, to recommend at least one menu included in the above determination result. For example, the intake management unit 112 recommends all the menus included in the determination result. For example, the intake management unit 112 recommends a predetermined number of menus in ascending order of the total amount among the menus included in the determination result. For example, the intake management unit 112 recommends a predetermined number of menus in ascending order of the total time required for intake among the menus included in the determination result.

[0071] (5) The determined intake mode is presented to the user through the input / output unit 230 of the user terminal 200 at a predetermined timing. For example, the intake management unit 112 transmits an instruction for causing the input / output unit 230 to display information regarding the intake mode to the user terminal 200 at a predetermined timing. The intake management unit 112 transmits an instruction for causing the input / output unit 230 to display information regarding the intake mode at a predetermined timing to the user terminal 200. Examples of the predetermined timing include the timing when the user wakes up, the timing when the user operates the user terminal 200 to give an instruction to the application 211, the timing when the remaining time until the start time of a general meal time zone becomes smaller than a predetermined value, the timing when the remaining time until the start time of the user's habitual meal time zone becomes smaller than a predetermined value, the timing when the remaining time until a general commuting time (for example, the time of leaving home) becomes smaller than a predetermined value, and the timing when the remaining time until the user's habitual meal commuting time becomes smaller than a predetermined value.

[0072] <Example Data for Nutritional Intake Management> Here, the data used for nutritional intake management according to this embodiment will be described by way of example. FIG. 8 shows an example of data related to a meal menu in this embodiment, and FIG. 9 shows an example of data related to a supplement menu in this embodiment.

[0073] The meal menu of this embodiment illustrated in FIG. 8 has each item related to the menu ID which is identification information unique to each menu, the name of the menu, the calorie per unit mass for the corresponding menu, the amount of each nutrient included in the standard intake amount of each menu, and the intake required time indicating the standard time required to ingest the meal of the corresponding menu associated with each other and registered. The intake management unit 112 of the management server that has derived the nutritional intake available time can select and extract a meal menu determined to be ingestible within the nutritional intake available time by referring to the meal menu data illustrated in FIG. 8 stored in advance in the data storage unit 121. Note that the type of meal menu and the type of nutrients associated with one meal menu are not limited to the example of FIG. 8 and may be determined according to the specifications of the nutritional intake management system 1.

[0074] The supplement menu of this embodiment illustrated in FIG. 9 has each item related to the menu ID which is identification information unique to each menu, the name of the supplement corresponding to the menu ID, the dosage form of each supplement such as tablets, powders, liquids, patch sheets, etc., and the intake required time indicating the standard time required to ingest the supplement of the corresponding menu associated with each other and registered. Also, for each supplement menu, it is also registered whether an auxiliary beverage such as water is required when ingesting the corresponding supplement. The intake management unit 112 of the management server that has derived the nutritional intake available time can select and extract a supplement menu determined to be ingestible within the nutritional intake available time by referring to the supplement menu data illustrated in FIG. 9 stored in advance in the data storage unit 121. Note that the data items registered for each menu are not limited to the example of FIG. 9 and may be determined according to the specifications of the nutritional intake management system 1.

[0075] In this embodiment, the meal menu and the supplement menu are separate data structures, but they may be integrated. In this embodiment, the data structure in which the type of intake mode (type of meal menu / type of supplement menu) and a plurality of nutrients are associated with each other, and the data structure in which the intake mode and the required intake time are associated with each other are integrated, but it is also possible to store them in the management server 100 as different data structures.

[0076] <Data processing for nutritional intake management> The data processing executed in the nutrition intake management system 1 having the above-mentioned configuration will be described with reference to Figures 12 and 13. Figure 12 is a flowchart showing an example of data processing for nutrition intake management executed mainly in the management server 100 of the nutrition intake management system 1.

[0077] In step S10, the intake management unit 112 starts data processing in response to power-on of the management server 100 or the user terminal 200, and first accepts registration of intake management data exemplified in Fig. 8 and Fig. 9. The intake management data may be registered in advance in the data storage unit 121 of the management server 100. The intake management data may be registered later by the user via the input / output unit 230 of the user terminal 200.

[0078] In step S11, when the user information management unit 111 detects that the user terminal 200 has detected a specific activity of the user, such as waking up, or the user has input an instruction to start executing the nutrient intake management process through the input / output unit 230 of the user terminal 200, the user information management unit 111 acquires user information from the application 211, the sensor 400, etc. of the user terminal 200. The user information includes, for example, biological information such as the user's body temperature and heart rate acquired from the sensor 400, etc., the user's activity schedule (schedule) acquired from the scheduler software included in the application 211 of the user terminal 200, past activity records (events on the already executed schedule), etc. The user's biological information may include skin image data indicating the state of the user's skin obtained by an imaging means such as a camera attached to the user terminal 200.

[0079] In step S12, the user information management unit 111 derives the user's biorhythm based on the user's wake-up time, etc. Note that if biorhythm data is not used in the nutrient intake management process, the biorhythm estimation step of step S12 can be omitted.

[0080] In step S13, the intake management unit 112 of the management server 100 derives, for each nutrient that the user should intake, a nutrient intake recommended period, which is the recommended intake period for exerting the effect of intake of each nutrient, based on the acquired user information. Specifically, in the data storage unit 121 of the management server 100, based on the data regarding the recommended intake timing for each nutrient defined and stored based on the knowledge of chrononutrition, for example, data such as "intake of a specific nutrient within a period when the biorhythm meets specific conditions", "intake of a specific nutrient within a specific period after waking up", etc., the nutrient intake recommended period is derived for each nutrient.

[0081] Taking as an example the case where a user is recommended to ingest lipids, carbohydrates, and vitamin B group, an example of the menu determination procedure when determining the content (menu) of an appropriate diet based on the derived biorhythm is shown below. The menu determination procedure is executed, for example, by the ingestion management unit 112. (1) Determine that the period with good ingestion efficiency of lipids and carbohydrates is from 12:15 to 13:15. (2) Determine that the period with good ingestion efficiency of vitamin B group is from 12:30 to 13:30. (3) Determine that the overlapping period of both (which may be referred to as the recommended ingestion time) is from 12:30 to 13:15. Determine that the menu recommended for ingestion (which may be referred to as the recommended menu) is "ginger grilled rice set", and present the determination result to the user. Note that the priority order of each option may be determined based on the ingestion efficiency of nutrients, the influence of nutrients on the skin, the influence on the skin according to the ingestion timing of nutrients, etc.

[0082] Also, based on the derived biorhythm, the user's physical condition, and / or the purpose of using the nutrient intake management system 1, each of the above matters (that is, at least one of the type of nutrient, amount, recommended ingestion period, and diet content) may be determined. Examples of the user's physical condition include information such as height, weight, age, gender, health status, and medical history. Examples of the purpose of using the nutrient intake management system 1 include dieting, physical strength enhancement, and prevention of diseases and injuries in the elderly.

[0083] In the above-described embodiment, the details of the nutritional intake management system 1 have been described by taking as an example the case where the intake management unit 112 derives the mode of nutritional intake based on the biorhythm derived for the user. However, the nutritional intake management system 1 is not limited to this embodiment. According to other embodiments, the intake management unit 112 derives the mode of nutritional intake and the recommended period of nutritional intake using the user's activity history. In this case, first, assume that the intake management unit 112 analyzes the user's action log and detects that the user has exercised for 30 minutes from 8:00 am. At this time, the intake management unit 112 can determine the type (and amount) of one or more nutrients recommended to be ingested and the recommended intake period for each nutrient based on the recorded content of the exercise, for example, the type / intensity / time zone of the exercise. In this case, each of the above matters (type of nutrient, amount, intake period, content of meal) may be determined based on the content of the user's exercise and the state of the user's body.

[0084] In the above-described embodiment, the details of the nutritional intake management system 1 have been described by taking as an example the case where the intake management unit 112 derives the mode of nutritional intake and the recommended period of nutritional intake using the user's activity history. However, the nutritional intake management system 1 is not limited to this embodiment. According to other embodiments, the intake management unit 112 derives the mode of nutritional intake and the recommended period of nutritional intake using the user's future schedule (which may be referred to as an activity plan). In this case, the intake management unit 112 may (i) derive a biorhythm and derive the recommended period of nutritional intake based on the biorhythm and the user's activity plan, or (ii) derive the recommended period of nutritional intake based on the user's activity plan without deriving a biorhythm.

[0085] For example, the intake management unit 112 can also recommend the nutritional intake before exercise planned by the user. In this case, the intake management unit 112 analyzes, for example, the schedule of the user included in the application 211 of the user terminal 200 and detects that the user plans to exercise for 30 minutes starting at 17:00. Next, the intake management unit 112 can determine the type (and amount) of one or more nutrients recommended to be ingested and the period suitable for ingesting each nutrient (a period prior to the above exercise in terms of time) based on the content of the exercise, for example, the type / intensity / time zone of the exercise.

[0086] For the menu of meals and supplements presented to the user, the presentation mode of each option may be determined based on the priority order of each option. Examples of the presentation mode include the presence or absence of highlighting, the mode of highlighting, and / or the order of display.

[0087] For example, the following options can be presented as meals, supplements, or combinations thereof. ·Pork ginger grilled set meal: 30 minutes [Recommended for skin!] ·Shrimp cutlet sandwich + salad + yogurt (10 minutes), and supplement A (0 minutes) = total 10 minutes ·Tuna rice ball (5 minutes) + vegetable juice (1 minute), and supplement A + supplement B (0 minutes) = total 6 minutes ·Sheet-like supplement X + sheet-like supplement Y + sheet-like supplement Z (0 minutes: water is not required)

[0088] Returning to the example of the processing flow in FIG. 12, in step S14, the intake management unit 112 compares the schedule of the user included in the acquired user information with the nutritional intake recommended period derived in step S13. For example, the intake management unit 112 specifies the period during which the user's schedule is set (which may be referred to as the event period) as the period during which the user cannot ingest nutrients. The intake management unit 112 may also specify the period during which the user's schedule is not set as the period available for nutrient intake (which may be referred to as the available intake period, the nutrient intake available period, etc.).

[0089] The intake management unit 112 derives the overlapping period between the recommended nutrient intake period and the nutrient intake available period derived from the schedule as the period during which nutrient intake is possible at substantially the recommended timing. Hereinafter, the period during which nutrient intake is possible at substantially the recommended timing will be referred to as the "substantive intake period". In the schematic example of FIG. 10, the available intake period and the substantive intake period coincide.

[0090] Next, in step S15, the intake management unit 112 extracts a meal menu or supplement menu that allows the corresponding nutrients to be ingested during the derived substantive intake period, with reference to the intake required time in the meal menu data of FIG. 8 and the supplement menu data of FIG. 9. Up to this point, the preparation for presenting the nutrient intake mode to the user in the nutrient intake management system 1 is complete. If it is determined that the length of the derived overlapping period, that is, the substantive intake period, is longer than a preset threshold, the intake management unit 112 can preferentially select and extract meals that can be ingested within the substantive intake period. If it is determined that the length of the substantive intake period is less than or equal to the preset threshold, since there is insufficient time for a meal during the substantive intake period, it may be recommended to ingest one or more types of supplements.

[0091] In step S16, the intake management unit 112 of the management server 100 continuously determines whether the nutrient intake available period has arrived (step S16, No). When it is determined that the nutrient intake available period has arrived (step S16, Yes), in step S17, the user terminal 200, or the dispenser 300, or both are notified of the arrival of the available intake period.

[0092] The user who has received a notification of the arrival of the substantial intake period through the user terminal 200 can input a confirmation notice of the completion of the intake of the designated menu to the intake management unit 112 of the management server 100 via the input / output unit 230 of the user terminal 200. The intake confirmation notice can be made by the user inputting the start or completion of nutritional intake via the application 211 of the user terminal 200. The intake confirmation notice may include an image of the meal or supplement before intake, or may include an image of the container or packaging of the meal or supplement after intake. When receiving the intake confirmation notice, the intake management unit 112 may grant a privilege to the user.

[0093] This intake confirmation notice can be used, for example, for the follow-up of the user's nutritional intake actions by the intake management unit 112 of the management server 100 as illustrated in FIG. 11. That is, as illustrated in FIG. 11, when it is determined that the user is not performing nutritional intake actions such as meals despite the arrival of the substantial intake period, the intake management unit 112 can execute an action to prompt the user to intake nutrients by appropriate means.

[0094] When it is determined that the user is not performing nutritional intake actions such as meals despite the arrival of the substantial intake period, the intake management unit 112 may send a notice to that effect to the user's related party. When it is detected that the above-mentioned related party has executed an action to prompt the user to intake nutrients, or when the intake management unit 112 receives an intake confirmation notice from the user after sending the notice, the intake management unit 112 may grant a privilege to the above-mentioned related party.

[0095] Returning to FIG. 12, in step S18, the intake management unit 112 determines whether it has received a notification of intake confirmation from the user terminal 200 by the user (step S18, No). If no intake confirmation notification is received from the user even at a predetermined timing set in advance (step S18, No), in step S19, the intake management unit 112 determines whether the remaining time of the substantial intake period is longer than a predetermined threshold. If it is determined that the remaining time is longer than the threshold (step S19, Yes), the intake management unit 112 extracts, with reference to the meal menu data and supplement menu data, whether there is a meal or supplement that can be taken within the remaining time of the substantial intake period, and notifies the user terminal 200. If it is determined that the remaining time of the substantial intake period is equal to or less than the threshold (step S19, No), in step S21, the intake management unit 112 notifies the user only that it is during the substantial intake period to raise awareness. Thereafter, in step S22, the intake management unit 112 determines whether there is a derived substantial intake period. If it is determined that there is (step S22, Yes), in step S16, it waits for the arrival of the next substantial intake period. If it is determined that there is no derived substantial intake period (step S22, No), in step S23, the intake management unit 112 waits for the timing of acquiring user information for deriving the next intake available period (step S23, No). If it is determined that the timing of acquiring user information has arrived (step S23, Yes), the intake management unit 112 proceeds to step S11 and repeats the above-described data processing.

[0096] According to the above nutritional intake management process, it is possible to determine the available intake period for exerting the effect of intake for each nutrient that the user takes, based on the user's biological information, schedule, etc. Also, after the substantial intake period, it follows up whether the user is making appropriate nutritional intake, and if it is determined that appropriate nutritional intake is not being made, it can appropriately manage the user's nutritional intake by proposing alternative meal and supplement menus.

[0097] In addition, when a supplement is selected, actions recommended to achieve the purpose of using the present nutritional intake management system 1, such as actions beneficial to the skin, may be presented. Such recommended actions may be presented for each intake mode. In this case, the information presented may be different when a diet is selected as the nutritional intake mode and when a supplement is selected. For example, when the intake of a collagen supplement is selected at 20:00, a message "Let's go to bed by 22:00 today" can be presented on the input / output of the user terminal 200. Also, when a diet is selected, information about additional supplements may be presented. For example, first, a plurality of diet menus may be presented, and then, based on the selected menu or the purpose of using the present nutritional intake management system 1 together with it, information about additional supplements can be presented.

[0098] Note that the follow-up actions (steps S18 to S21 in FIG. 12) regarding the user's nutritional intake behavior when the substantial intake period arrives are not essential in this embodiment and may be omitted.

[0099] <Control of Dispenser 300> Next, the control of the dispenser 300 of the nutrition intake management system 1 according to the present embodiment will be described. FIG. 13 shows, in a flowchart, an example of data processing executed for the control of the dispenser 300. The dispenser 300 receives a control signal from the user terminal 200 to put the dispenser 300 in a state where a predetermined supplement can be supplied to the user. The dispenser 300 also acquires situation information including information such as the position information of the dispenser 300 and the remaining amount of the supplement, and transfers it to the user terminal and the management server. The position information of the dispenser 300 may be information indicating the geographical position of the dispenser 300, or may be information regarding the distance between the dispenser 300 and the user or the user terminal 200. Examples of the information regarding the distance between the dispenser 300 and the user or the user terminal 200 include information indicating that the distance between the dispenser 300 and the user terminal 200 is smaller than a predetermined value, information indicating that the dispenser 300 is receiving a radio signal output from the user terminal 200, and information indicating that the user terminal 200 is receiving a radio signal output from the dispenser 300. The situation information will be described in more detail later.

[0100] The dispenser 300 starts the control processing flow of FIG. 13 upon, for example, power-on. In step S30, the dispenser 300 sends situation information of the dispenser 300, including the remaining amount status of each supplement in the dispenser 300 and the position information of the dispenser 300 itself, to the user terminal 200, and waits to receive a control signal from the user terminal 200 in step S31 (step S31, No). This control signal is sent when the management server 100 detects the arrival of the actual intake period and receives an instruction to supply a specified supplement to the dispenser 300 via the user terminal 200.

[0101] When it is determined that the control signal 300 has been received (step S31, Yes), the control unit 310 waits for an operation signal to be received from an operation means such as a button for causing the supply operation of the dispenser 300 in step S32 (step S32, No). When it is determined that the operation signal has been received (step S32, Yes), in step S33, the supply unit 340 is operated to supply the designated supplement. The reason why the user operation of the dispenser 300 itself is a condition for the supply operation of the supplement is based on the idea that even within the actual intake period, the timing of actually taking out and ingesting the supplement from the dispenser 300 should be determined by the user.

[0102] In step S34, the dispenser 300 determines whether there is a supplement whose remaining amount stored therein is less than a predetermined specified value. When it is determined that there is a supplement with a small remaining amount (step S34, Yes), in step S35, a replenishment request for the corresponding supplement is sent to the user terminal 200. When it is determined in step S34 that there is no supplement with a small remaining amount (step S34, No), the dispenser 300 returns the process to step S30 and repeats the processing flow illustrated in FIG. 13. Note that the nutrient intake management process executed by the processing unit 110 of the management server 100 in the present embodiment may be executed on the user terminal 200.

[0103] <Nutrient Intake Management Using the Position Information of the Dispenser 300> The status information transmitted from the dispenser 300 in step S30 of FIG. 13 includes the position information of the dispenser 300. The intake management unit 112 may further determine the above-described nutrient intake mode based on the position information of the dispenser 300.

[0104] In one embodiment, the intake management unit 112 determines the above-described intake mode based on the position information of user A detected by the user terminal 200 and the position information of the dispenser 300 detected by the position detection unit of the dispenser 300. For example, when the distance between the position of user A and the position of the dispenser 300 is smaller than a predetermined value, the intake management unit 112 determines the intake mode of the nutrient according to the various procedures described above. On the other hand, when the distance between the position of user A and the position of the dispenser 300 is larger than a predetermined value, the intake management unit 112 may determine the intake mode of the nutrient so that the supplement menu is not recommended.

[0105] Thereby, when the user does not carry the dispenser 300 or the dispenser 300 is not arranged near the user, it is possible to prevent the supplement menu from being recommended. As a result, the load on the server 100 is reduced.

[0106] When the distance between the position of user A and the position of the dispenser 300 is larger than a predetermined value, the intake management unit 112 refers to a database that stores, for each of one or more dispensers 300, the identification information of the dispenser 300, the identification information of the user of the dispenser 300, the identification information of the group (for example, family) to which the user belongs, and the position information of the dispenser 300, and determines whether the distance between the position of user A and the positions of the dispensers 300 of the other members of the group to which user A belongs is smaller than a predetermined value. When it is determined that the above distance is smaller than a predetermined value, the intake management unit 112 determines the intake mode of the nutrient according to the various procedures described above. On the other hand, when it is determined that the above distance is larger than a predetermined value, the intake management unit 112 may determine the intake mode of the nutrient so that the supplement menu is not recommended.

[0107] Thereby, members of the group can share the dispenser 300. Note that the intake management unit 112 may be configured to be able to set whether sharing of the dispenser 300 is permitted.

[0108] In other embodiments, as described above, the position information of the dispenser 300 may include information regarding the distance between the dispenser 300 and the user. When the distance between the dispenser 300 and the user is smaller than a predetermined value, the intake management unit 112 determines the nutrient intake mode according to the various procedures described above. On the other hand, when the distance between the dispenser 300 and the user is larger than a predetermined value, the intake management unit 112 may determine the nutrient intake mode so that the supplement menu is not recommended. Even in this case, the process for sharing the dispenser 300 within the group as described above can be executed.

[0109] In addition, the situation information may include information indicating the remaining amount of each of the one or more supplements stored in the dispenser 300, and it may be determined that the nutrient intake mode is determined based on the remaining amount of the supplement. In this case, within the range of the supplements stored in the user's dispenser 300, the supplements as the nutrient intake mode are presented. In this case, furthermore, it may be presented that better results can be obtained by replenishing a specific supplement, and information on nearby stores where the cartridge of the supplement can be purchased may also be presented based on the position information of the dispenser 300.

[0110] When the distance between the position of the dispenser 300 and the position of the dispenser 300 and the position of the user's home or long-term stay location, and the distance between the position of the user detected by the user terminal 200 and the user's home or long-term stay location are less than a predetermined value, or when information regarding the nutrient intake pattern and the recommended intake time is notified within a certain period prior to the user's scheduled time to go to work, if the remaining amount of the nutrient included in the nutrient intake pattern is small in the situation information, or when the cartridge of the nutrient is not attached to the dispenser 300, the intake management unit 112 of the management server 100 can guide / prompt the replenishment of the nutrient / cartridge addition through the user terminal 200. In this case, if the replenishment of the nutrient in the dispenser 300 is not confirmed by the intake management unit 112, the option of taking the nutrient as a supplement may not be presented, or the priority order of the recommended supplement options may be changed.

[0111] Also, at the timing when the user leaves home in the morning or leaves the company in the evening, etc., a reminder may be notified from the user terminal 200 at a predetermined timing, for example, so that the user does not forget to carry the dispenser 300 or forget to replenish the supplement.

[0112] <Other Embodiments> As described above, the present invention has been described in accordance with its embodiments, but the present invention can also be realized by other embodiments as follows.

[0113] [Method for determining the intake means based on the user's life rhythm (e.g., usual dietary intake situation)] In the above-described embodiment, the type, amount, and recommended intake period of the nutrient to be ingested are derived based on the knowledge of chrononutrition or the biorhythm derived for the user, and the meal menu and supplement menu are proposed in consideration of the user's schedule and the like.

[0114] Determining the diet and supplement menu can also reflect the user's lifestyle rhythm such as the user's dietary intake situation. The dietary intake situation may be registered in the application 211 of the user terminal 200, or may be obtained in cooperation with other diet management applications.

[0115] Specifically, when the user's dietary intake situation in a specific time period meets the first condition, for example, when the user usually does not eat breakfast, as a means of nutrient intake in the specific time period, the intake management unit 112 can be operated so that "supplement" or "a combination of supplement and a light meal" is preferentially recommended.

[0116] Alternatively, when it is determined that the user's dietary intake situation in the first time period, for example, the second time period after the breakfast time, for example, the lunch time, meets the second condition, for example, when the user usually does not eat lunch, or when the user restricts the amount of lunch, the options for the intake mode at the first time period, for example, at breakfast, can be determined so that the user takes in a larger amount of nutrients compared to a second user (a user who normally eats lunch) whose dietary intake situation in the second time period meets the third condition. Specifically, for example, for a user who usually does not eat lunch, at breakfast, let them obtain nutrients in advance; for a user who usually does not eat dinner, at lunch or as a snack, let them obtain nutrients in advance, etc. can be considered.

[0117] [Method for determining the menu in response to changes in the user's actual intake period] As described in the previous embodiment, if the intake management unit 112 does not receive an operation / input regarding the start or completion of nutrient intake from the user by a specific time during the substantial intake period, it is possible to propose an intake mode that allows the user to intake nutrients in a shorter time than the currently selected intake mode. The above specific time can be determined based on the intake required time associated with the currently selected intake mode. For example, if the derived substantial intake period is from 12:00 to 13:00 and the user has selected a bowl of rice (intake required time: 30 minutes) as the intake mode, and the intake completion notification is not received from the user by, for example, 12:45, it is possible to propose an intake mode that can be completed in 10 minutes.

[0118] As a means for the user to confirm that they have ordered a meal / completed a meal, it is conceivable to have the user send an image of the eaten dish, an image of the opened package, an image of the inside of the package, etc. from the user terminal 200. In this case, a notification for prompting the user to confirm that the meal has been completed may be sent after a predetermined time has elapsed since the start of the substantial intake period.

[0119] As an incentive for the user to execute the above-mentioned confirmation of nutrient intake completion, when the intake management unit 112 receives the above image, points / benefits may be given to the account information recorded in its own user terminal 200, or the account information of other users / pre-set other users within a group. For example, if the user of the nutrient intake management system 1 is a grandparent, points or benefits as an incentive may be given to the account information of the grandchild as another user.

[0120] Also, if the intake management unit 112 does not receive an image indicating the above-mentioned intake completion from the user by a predetermined time within the substantial intake period, it may be possible to send a notification to the above-mentioned other users to that effect. Such processing can be utilized as a monitoring function to inform relatives, etc. of such an event when it is estimated that nutritional intake (meal) will not be carried out even at a predetermined timing. Note that the above notification may embed a command for sending a message (a message for prompting the transmission of confirmation information) from the other user to the user to be monitored.

[0121] [Nutritional Intake Management According to User's Diet Restrictions] In nutritional intake management, the nutritional intake mode can be determined according to the content of the diet restriction desired by the received user. Diet restrictions apply, for example, when the intake of specific foods and drinks is restricted due to vegan, vegetarian, religious reasons, health reasons, etc. In this case, the intake management unit 112 preferentially proposes a menu of foods, supplements that can exclude specific foods and raw materials registered in advance by the user as those whose intake is restricted and can intake equivalent nutrients.

[0122] Also, when the calorie intake and specific foods and drinks are restricted due to instructions from a doctor regarding specific diseases such as diet and diabetes, etc., a menu of foods and supplements with adjusted balance of specific nutrients is proposed according to the user's registered content regarding the restriction. At this time, if it is determined that the degree of influence of the user's designation regarding the restriction of nutrients and foods and drinks on the user's health and skin condition exceeds a predetermined level, the intake management unit 112 may output a notification, message, and other recommended menus to that effect.

[0123] In addition, the intake management unit 112 may be capable of executing an algorithm for adjusting the user's motivation for meals as needed. For example, based on the finding that if a large amount of protein is consumed in the morning of a day, the appetite for that day decreases, for a user on a diet, it is possible to propose a menu rich in protein during the substantial intake period in the morning. At this time, if a predetermined amount of a specific nutrient, for example, a large amount of protein is consumed by a specific time of the day, for example, until 10:00 am, the menu proposed thereafter can be supplemented, and a message explaining the reason for emphasizing supplements can be notified to the user. Specifically, for example, when the nutrition intake management mode (diet) is selected through the input / output unit 230 of the user terminal 200, a nutrition intake mode for increasing a specific nutrient, for example, protein, is proposed at breakfast. The intake management unit 112 confirms whether the specific nutrient, for example, protein, has been consumed by the user based on the notification from the user during the substantial intake period. If the specific nutrient is consumed as specified, the calorie intake at the next lunch can be reduced, and if the intake of the specific nutrient is not carried out as specified, a normal menu can be presented at lunch.

[0124] As described above, the management server 100 of the nutrition intake management system 1 according to the present embodiment includes a processing unit 110 realized by a computer having a processor and a memory. For a plurality of nutrients, an intake mode for ingesting each of the nutrients and a nutrition intake required time, which is the time required for nutrition intake according to each intake mode, are stored in association with each other. The processing unit 110 acquires user information including information related to the user's living body and activities or any of them, determines one or more nutrients to be ingested by the user based on the acquired user information, and extracts the nutrition intake mode for ingesting the determined nutrients and the associated nutrition intake required time.

[0125] In this way, it is possible to propose to the user the nutrients to be ingested by the user and the intake mode thereof in consideration of the intake required time according to the intake mode.

[0126] The processing unit 110 may derive a specific nutrient intake recommended period, which is a period recommended as appropriate for the user to intake the nutrient based on the user information, derive a nutrient intake possible period, which is a period during which the user can intake the nutrient based on the user information, and determine an intake mode of the corresponding specific nutrient based on the length of the overlapping period in which the nutrient intake recommended period and the nutrient intake possible period overlap and the time required for nutrient intake, and notify the user.

[0127] In this way, it is possible to propose an intake mode that enables appropriate intake of the nutrients to be ingested in accordance with the time actually available for the user to take in nutrients such as meals.

[0128] The nutrient intake mode includes meals and taking supplements. When the length of the derived overlapping period is equal to or greater than a predetermined threshold, the processing unit 110 may select a meal as the intake mode, and when it is shorter than the predetermined threshold, select a supplement as the intake mode.

[0129] In this way, it is possible to present an appropriate intake mode based on the length of the overlapping period available for the user to take in nutrients.

[0130] The nutrient intake mode includes meals, nutritional supplements, and combinations of meals and supplements. Based on the length of the derived overlapping period, a meal or a supplement may be selected, or a combination in which the ratio of the meal and the supplement is adjusted according to the length of the overlapping period may be derived.

[0131] In this way, it is possible to present an appropriate combination of intake modes according to the length of the overlapping period available for the user to take in nutrients.

[0132] The processing unit 110 may derive the type of the nutrient and its recommended intake period based on the acquired user information.

[0133] In this way, based on user information including the user's biological information and the like, it is possible to derive the types of nutrients to be ingested for each user and the recommended intake period thereof, and based on this, present appropriate intake timing.

[0134] It is also possible that the processing unit 110 derives the types of nutrients and the recommended intake period thereof based on the exercise record of the user included in the acquired user information.

[0135] In this way, it is possible to present to the user the nutrients to be ingested according to the exercise performed by the user and the intake timing thereof.

[0136] When the processing unit 110 detects the exercise that the user plans to execute based on the user information acquired from the external device, it is also possible that the processing unit 110 derives the types of nutrients, the intake amount thereof, and the intake timing before the exercise according to the content of the exercise.

[0137] In this way, it is possible to present to the user the nutrients to be ingested before that exercise and the intake timing thereof according to the exercise planned by the user.

[0138] When the processing unit presents a combination of diet and supplements as the intake mode of the nutrients, it is also possible that the processing unit adjusts so that the proportion of nutrients ingested from the diet increases as the overlapping period becomes longer.

[0139] In this way, it becomes possible for the user to ingest the nutrients that should be ingested from food rather than relying on supplements as much as possible.

[0140] It is also possible that the processing unit 110 acquires skin information representing the state of the user's skin as the user information, and derives the nutrients that the user should ingest and at least the intake timing thereof based on the skin information.

[0141] By doing so, it is possible to propose appropriate nutrients and their intake timing according to the condition of the user's skin.

[0142] The nutrient intake management system 1 according to the present embodiment includes the above-described management server 100 and a dispenser 300 that is communicably connected to the management server 100 and can supply a supplement containing specific nutrients to the user according to an instruction from the processing unit 110 of the management server 100. The dispenser 300 can acquire situation information indicating the situation regarding the dispenser 300, including its own position information. The processing unit 110 controls the dispenser 300 to be able to supply a supplement that is a specific nutrient during the overlapping period based on the situation information acquired from the dispenser 300.

[0143] By doing so, it is possible to provide the user with a supplement containing the nutrients that the user should intake at an appropriate timing.

[0144] The processing unit 110 may determine the intake mode of the nutrients based on the position information indicating the position of the user and the position information indicating the position of the dispenser 300, and control the dispenser 300 to be able to supply a supplement corresponding to the corresponding nutrient based on the determined intake mode.

[0145] By doing so, when the user has the dispenser 300, it is possible to select a supplement as the nutrient intake mode and present it to the user.

[0146] In addition, a computer having a processor and a memory stores, for a plurality of nutrients, an intake mode for ingesting each of the nutrients and an intake time required for nutrient intake according to each intake mode in association with each other, obtains user information including information related to the user's body and activities or any of them, determines one or more nutrients to be ingested by the user based on the obtained user information, and extracts the intake mode for ingesting the determined nutrients and the associated intake time required for nutrient intake. According to the nutrient intake management method and a program for realizing the method, the nutrients to be ingested by the user and the intake mode thereof can be proposed to the user in consideration of the intake time required according to the intake mode.

[0147] The above-described series of processes can be executed by hardware or by software. In other words, the functional configurations in FIGS. 2 to 4 are merely examples and are not particularly limited. That is, it is sufficient to have a function capable of executing the above-described series of processes as a whole, and the functional blocks used to realize this function are not particularly limited to the examples in FIGS. 2 to 4.

[0148] For example, the processing unit 110 is constituted by an intake management unit 112, and the management server 100 includes the processing unit 110, a user information management unit 111, a dispenser management unit 113, a production / delivery management unit 114, an input / output control unit 115, a storage unit 120, an input / output unit 130, and a communication unit 140. Further, at least a part of the information processing in the intake management unit 112 may be executed by other functional blocks, and the intake management unit 112 may execute at least a part of the information processing in other functional blocks. Furthermore, at least a part of the information processing in the intake management unit 112 may be executed on the user terminal 200. For example, the processing unit 210 may execute at least a part of the information processing in the intake management unit 112.

[0149] In addition, one functional block may be composed of only hardware, only software, or a combination thereof. The functional configuration in the present embodiment is realized by a processor that executes arithmetic processing. The processors that can be used in the present embodiment include not only those composed of various processing devices such as single processors, multiprocessors, and multi-core processors, but also those in which these various processing devices are combined with processing circuits such as ASICs (Application Specific Integrated Circuits) and FPGAs (Field-Programmable Gate Arrays).

[0150] In addition, in this specification, the steps of describing the programs executed by the processing unit 110 of the management server 100 and the control unit 310 of the dispenser 300 include not only the processes performed in chronological order according to the order, but also the processes that may be executed in parallel or individually without necessarily being processed in chronological order.

[0151] As described above, some embodiments of the present invention have been described. However, these embodiments are merely examples and do not limit the technical scope of the present invention. The present invention can take various other embodiments, and it is also possible to combine the configurations of the above embodiments and modifications. Furthermore, various changes such as omissions and substitutions can be made without departing from the gist of the present invention. These embodiments and their modifications are included in the scope and gist of the invention described in this specification and the like, and are also included in the invention described in the claims and its equivalent scope.

Description of Reference Numerals

[0152] 1 Nutrition intake management system 100 Management server 111 User information management department 112 Intake management department 113 Dispenser management department 200 User terminal 211 Application 212 Dispenser control unit 250 Sensor unit 300 Dispenser 310 Control unit 330 Position detection unit 340 Supply unit 350 Supplement storage unit

Claims

1. A processing unit realized by a computer having a processor and a memory, for a plurality of nutrients, an intake mode for ingesting each of the nutrients and a nutrient intake required time which is the time required for nutrient intake according to each of the intake modes are stored in association with each other, the processing unit acquires user information including information regarding the user's body and activities or any of them, determines one or more nutrients to be ingested by the user based on the acquired user information, extracts the intake mode for ingesting the determined nutrient and the nutrient intake required time associated therewith, An information processing apparatus.

2. the processing unit derives a nutrient intake recommended period which is a period recommended as being appropriate for the user to ingest the nutrient based on the user information, derives a nutrient intake possible period which is a period during which the user can ingest a nutrient based on the user information, determines an intake mode of a corresponding specific nutrient based on the length of an overlapping period in which the nutrient intake recommended period and the nutrient intake possible period overlap and the nutrient intake required time, and notifies the user, The information processing apparatus according to claim 1.

3. The intake mode of the nutrient includes diet and nutritional supplements, when the length of the derived overlapping period is equal to or greater than a predetermined threshold, the processing unit selects diet as the intake mode, and when it is shorter than the predetermined threshold, selects nutritional supplements as the intake mode, The information processing apparatus according to claim 1.

4. The intake mode of the nutrient includes diet, nutritional supplements, and a combination of diet and nutritional supplements, and based on the length of the derived overlapping period, diet or nutritional supplements are selected, or a combination in which the ratio of diet and nutritional supplements is adjusted according to the length of the overlapping period is derived, The information processing apparatus according to claim 1.

5. the processing unit derives the type of the nutrient and its nutrient intake recommended period based on the acquired user information, The information processing apparatus according to claim 1.

6. the processing unit derives the type of the nutrient and its nutrient intake recommended period based on the user's exercise record included in the acquired user information, The information processing apparatus according to claim 1.

7. When the processing unit detects the exercise that the user plans to perform based on the user information acquired from an external device, it derives the type of the nutrient, its intake amount, and the intake timing before the exercise according to the content of the exercise. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1.

8. When the processing unit presents a combination of a meal and a nutritional supplement as an intake mode of the nutrient, it adjusts so that the ratio of the nutrient ingested from the meal becomes higher as the overlapping period becomes longer. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1.

9. The processing unit acquires skin information representing the state of the user's skin as the user information, and derives the nutrient that the user should ingest and at least its intake timing based on the skin information. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1.

10. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1, a supply device that is communicably connected to the information processing apparatus and can supply a nutritional supplement containing a specific nutrient to the user according to an instruction from the processing unit of the information processing apparatus, comprising: the supply device can acquire situation information indicating the situation of the supply device including its own position information, and the processing unit controls the supply device to be able to supply a nutritional supplement that is a specific nutrient during the overlapping period based on the situation information acquired from the supply device. An information processing system.

11. The processing unit determines the intake mode of the nutrient based on the position information indicating the position of the user and the position information indicating the position of the supply device, and controls the supply device to be able to supply a nutritional supplement corresponding to the nutrient according to the determined intake mode. The information processing system according to claim 10.

12. A computer having a processor and a memory stores, for a plurality of nutrients, an intake mode for ingesting each nutrient and a nutrient intake required time that is the time required for nutrient intake according to each intake mode in association with each other, acquires user information including information related to the user's living body and activities or any of them, determines one or more nutrients that the user should ingest based on the acquired user information, and extracts the intake mode for ingesting the determined nutrient and the associated nutrient intake required time. An information processing method.

13. A computer having a processor and a memory, which stores, for a plurality of nutrients, in association with each other, an intake mode for ingesting each of the nutrients and a nutrient intake required time which is the time required for nutrient intake by each of the intake modes. Obtaining user information including information related to the user's body and activities or any of them, determining one or more nutrients to be ingested by the user based on the obtained user information, and extracting the intake mode for ingesting the determined nutrients and the nutrient intake required time associated therewith. A program for causing the execution of the processing.

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