Toilet unit for animal, health support system, information providing method, and information providing program

Abstract

To provide a technique relating to a toilet for animals capable of coping with a urinalysis of pets and simply performing the urinalysis with high reliability.SOLUTION: There is provided an animal toilet unit 1, including: a urination portion 20 that functions as an excretion portion of urine by an animal; a urine storage container 31 that receives and stores excreted urine from the urination portion 20 and has a storage capacity that enables the urine to be continuously received and stored over a predetermined period; a measurement sensor 35 that measures a physical quantity of the urine stored in the urine storage container 31; and a communication control unit 37 that is communicably connected to an external information terminal device and outputs measurement result information by the measurement sensor 35 to the external information terminal device in a form in which the measurement result information can be associated with time elapse information of the predetermined period.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present disclosure relates to an animal toilet unit, a health assistance system, an information provision method, and an information provision program. [Background technology]

[0002] For health management of pets, it is effective to collect urine samples from pets and conduct urine tests. For this purpose, some animal toilet units for pets are equipped with a sensor element that outputs signals related to the components in the pet's urine (see, for example, Patent Document 1). [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Patent No. 6849266 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] Regarding urine tests, a urine collection test, in which all urine excreted over a specified period (for example, 24 hours) is collected and tested, can provide various test results that cannot be obtained by testing urine from a single urination, and is known to be very useful in health management. However, pets do not always behave as intended by their owners. Therefore, when applying a urine collection test to a pet, urine collection over a predetermined period of time may not be properly performed, which may undermine the reliability of the urine collection test. Furthermore, leaving the management of urine collection over a predetermined period to the pet owner may place an excessive burden on the owner, which may be bothersome.

[0005] The present disclosure provides a technology relating to an animal litter box that can accommodate urine collection tests for pets and enables urine collection tests to be performed easily and with high reliability. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] According to one aspect of the present disclosure, a urinary area that serves as a site of excretion of urine by the animal; a urine collection container that receives and stores urine excreted in the urination portion from the urination portion and has a storage capacity that allows the urine to be continuously received and stored for a predetermined period of time; a measurement sensor that measures a physical quantity of urine stored in the urine collection container; a communication control unit that is communicably connected to an external information terminal device and outputs measurement result information from the measurement sensor to the external information terminal device in a manner that allows the measurement result information to be associated with time elapsed information for the predetermined period; An animal litter box is provided, comprising: [Effects of the Invention]

[0007] According to the present disclosure, it is possible to accommodate urine collection tests for pets, and furthermore, it is possible to perform urine collection tests easily and with high reliability. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0008] [Figure 1] 1 is a side cross-sectional view that schematically shows an example of the general configuration of an animal litter box unit according to a first embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 2] 1 is an explanatory diagram schematically illustrating an example of the general configuration of a health assistance system according to a first embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 3] FIG. 2 is a flowchart showing a specific example of processing operations in the health assistance system according to the first embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 4] FIG. 10 is an explanatory diagram schematically illustrating an example of the general configuration of a health assistance system according to a second embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 5] FIG. 10 is a flowchart showing a specific example of processing operations in a health assistance system according to a second embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 6] FIG. 10 is an explanatory diagram showing a specific example of advice information provided in a health assistance system according to a second embodiment of the present disclosure. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0009] Hereinafter, embodiments of the present disclosure will be described with reference to the drawings.

[0010] First Embodiment First, the first embodiment of the present disclosure will be specifically described.

[0011] (1) Composition of the animal toilet unit The configuration of the animal litter box unit according to the first embodiment will be described. The animal toilet unit is used as a toilet by animals such as pet cats and dogs, and is used in particular for excreting urine. Note that, while pet cats and dogs are typical examples of animals that use the animal toilet unit, it is not necessarily limited to a specific type of animal. FIG. 1 is a side cross-sectional view that schematically shows an example of the general configuration of an animal litter box unit according to this embodiment.

[0012] (Overall composition) As shown in the figure, the animal litter box unit 1 according to this embodiment is broadly composed of a housing part 10, a urination tray part 20, and a drawer tray part 30.

[0013] (Housing) The housing 10 is formed in the shape of a container with a bottom and no lid that can be placed on the floor. The open portion of the housing 10 may be covered with a cover member 11 that has an opening on one end.

[0014] A urination tray section 20 is disposed in the open portion of the housing section 10. A drawer tray section 30 is attached to the container of the housing section 10 below the urination tray section 20 so as to be able to be drawn out from the housing section 10 (see arrow A in the figure).

[0015] An inclined slope 12 is attached to one end of the housing portion 10 (the side of the opening of the cover member 11, if there is one) to guide the animal from the floor to the urination tray portion 20.

[0016] (Urination tray) The urination tray portion 20 is formed in the shape of a tray that is attached to the open portion of the housing portion 10, and functions as a place for the animal to excrete urine. In other words, the urination tray portion 20 functions as the "urination portion" in the present disclosure.

[0017] To this end, the urination tray section 20 has a mesh section 21 formed of a mesh plate with a plurality of through-holes or through-slits. A particulate material 22 for excretion, such as cat litter, is disposed above the mesh section 21. When urine is excreted above the particulate material 22, the urine that passes through the particulate material 22 and the mesh section 21 flows through an outlet 23 provided on the bottom surface of the urination tray section 20 toward the drawer tray section 30 located below the urination tray section 20 (see arrow B in the figure).

[0018] In the urination tray section 20 configured as described above, the urination tray section 20 preferably includes a urine collection structure for guiding excreted urine to the drawer tray section 30. The urine collection structure may have at least one of the following configurations. Specifically, as one of the urine collection structures, the bottom surface of the urination tray 20 is configured with an inclined surface 24 that causes the liquid to flow toward the outlet 23. With this configuration, excreted urine flows toward the outlet 23 efficiently without loss. As another urine collection structure, a convex portion 25 that protrudes upward is provided on a part of the mesh portion 21. With this configuration, the amount of particulate material 22 is reduced by the amount of the protruding convex portion 25, thereby reducing the amount of contact between the excreted urine and the particulate material 22. As a result, the excreted urine can be efficiently guided to the outlet 23 without loss. As yet another example of the urine collection structure, the stacking height of the particulate material 22 on the mesh portion 21 is set low, while at the same time, a recessed portion (not shown) that protrudes downward is provided in part of the mesh portion 21 to ensure a sufficient amount of particulate material 22. With this configuration, the low stacking height of the particulate material 22 can reduce the amount of contact between the excreted urine and the particulate material 22, and as a result, the excreted urine can be efficiently guided to the outlet 23 without loss. The urine collection structure may be a combination of two or more of the above-mentioned structures. Also, the urine collection structure may have a structure other than those described above, as long as it can efficiently guide excreted urine to the outlet 23 without loss.

[0019] (Drawer tray section) The drawer tray section 30 is formed in the shape of a tray and is disposed below the urination tray section 20, and is configured to be able to be drawn out from the housing section 10. When the drawer tray section 30 is attached to the housing section 10 without being drawn out from the housing section 10, the drawer tray section 30 receives urine that flows out from the outlet 23 of the urination tray section 20. For this reason, a urine collection container 31 is disposed in the drawer tray section 30, which is located below the outlet 23 of the urination tray section 20 when the drawer tray section 30 is attached to the housing section 10.

[0020] The urine collection container 31 receives and stores urine excreted in the urination tray section 20 and flows out from the outlet 23 of the urination tray section 20. To this end, the urine collection container 31 is formed in the shape of a container with an open lid and a bottom that can be placed in the urination tray section 20, and has a storage capacity that enables it to continuously receive and store urine from the urination tray section 20 for a predetermined period of time. An example of the predetermined period is 24 hours, and details of this will be described later.

[0021] The urine collection container 31 is configured to be detachable from the drawer tray section 30. Specifically, for example, a mounting base 32 for supporting the urine collection container 31 is provided on the drawer tray section 30, and the bottom side of the urine collection container 31 is configured to fit into the mounting base 32, so that the urine collection container 31 is attached to the drawer tray section 30 by fitting into the mounting base 32, and the urine collection container 31 is removed from the drawer tray section 30 by releasing this fitting. In addition, the animal toilet unit 1 may be configured without the drawer tray portion 30, in which case the urine collection container 31 is placed on the bottom surface of the housing portion 10 of the animal toilet unit 1 and is configured to be detachable from the animal toilet unit 1.

[0022] If the urine collection container 31 is detachable, it is preferable that the urine collection container 31 be configured as a disposable item. This is because disposable items do not require cleaning, disinfection, sterilization, etc. for reuse, and are effective in terms of hygiene and infection prevention. Furthermore, disposable items can eliminate concerns about the presence of residues such as contamination when reused, and can suppress a decrease in testing accuracy due to residues.

[0023] Furthermore, the urine collection container 31 preferably includes a state change suppression unit 33 for maintaining the state of urine stored in the urine collection container 31. The state change suppression unit 33 may have at least one of the following configurations. Specifically, as one of the state change suppression units 33, as shown in the figure, a lid-shaped member floating on the urine liquid level 34 (i.e., the stored liquid level) stored in the urine collection container 31 is disposed so as to cover the urine liquid level 34. A through-hole is provided in a portion of the lid-shaped member, and a funnel-shaped guide portion communicating with the through-hole is provided. With this configuration, by covering the urine liquid level 34 with the lid-shaped member, it is possible to suppress concentration changes and component deterioration due to evaporation of the urine, and maintain the state of the urine, even when the urine is stored for a predetermined period of time. Another example of the state change suppression unit 33 is a flow path with a thin tube structure when the guide unit that guides urine from the outlet 23 of the urination tray unit 20 into the urine collection container 31 is configured in a tubular shape. This configuration also suppresses concentration changes and component deterioration that occur due to urine evaporation, thereby maintaining the state of the urine. As yet another example of the state change suppression unit 33, an antiseptic agent that does not affect the components of urine is applied to the inner wall surface of the urine collection container 31 and the urine flow path upstream thereof. This configuration suppresses concentration changes and component deterioration due to bacterial growth, etc., and helps maintain the state of the urine. The state change suppression unit 33 may be an appropriate combination of two or more of the above-described configurations. Also, the state change suppression unit 33 may have a configuration other than those described above, as long as it is capable of maintaining the state of the stored urine.

[0024] A measurement sensor 35 for measuring the physical quantity of urine stored in the urine collection container 31 is attached to the mounting base 32 that supports the urine collection container 31. In other words, the drawer tray section 30 is provided with a measurement sensor 35 for measuring the physical quantity of urine stored in the urine collection container 31, attached to the mounting base 32 that supports the urine collection container 31. The weight (mass) of the urine can be given as an example of the physical quantity of the urine measured by the measurement sensor 35. In this case, the measurement sensor 35 is configured by a weight sensor. However, the physical quantity of urine may be something other than weight, such as the liquid amount (volume), specific gravity, temperature, etc. Furthermore, the physical quantity of urine may be measured by appropriately combining multiple types of quantities.

[0025] For example, if the physical quantity of urine to be measured is the specific gravity of the urine, the measurement sensor 35 may measure the specific gravity using a floating member that floats in the liquid in the urine collection container 31 (i.e., on the liquid surface, at the liquid bottom, or somewhere between these). Specifically, for example, a floating member whose floating height changes depending on the magnitude of the specific gravity is prepared and placed in the urine collection container 31. The specific gravity of the urine stored in the urine collection container 31 is measured by recognizing the floating height of the floating member in the urine collection container 31. Alternatively, multiple different types of floating members may be placed and the specific gravity of the urine stored in the urine collection container 31 may be measured by recognizing the difference in the floating or sinking state of each floating member. A measurement sensor 35 configured in this way can measure specific gravity with a simple configuration. Furthermore, for example, by utilizing the property of floating in the liquid in the urine collection container 31, the function of the measurement sensor 35 can also be realized as the function of the lid-shaped member constituting the above-mentioned state change suppression unit 33.

[0026] Additionally, in the drawer tray unit 30, an environmental condition measurement unit 36 is disposed near the urine collection container 31 and the measurement sensor 35, and measures the environmental conditions in the vicinity. Examples of environmental conditions include temperature and humidity. Therefore, the environmental condition measurement unit 36 is configured, for example, with either a temperature sensor that measures temperature, a humidity sensor that measures humidity, or a temperature and humidity sensor that measures both.

[0027] Furthermore, a communication control unit 37 is disposed in the drawer tray unit 30, which is communicatively connected to the external information terminal device 3 described below. Communication with the external information terminal device 3 may be wireless or wired, but considering the flexibility in installing the animal litter box unit 1, wireless communication is preferable.

[0028] The communication control unit 37 has a function to receive information relating to the measurement results of physical quantities by the measurement sensor 35 (hereinafter simply referred to as "measurement result information") from the measurement sensor 35. Similarly, the communication control unit 37 has a function to receive information relating to the measurement results of environmental conditions by the environmental condition measurement unit 36 (hereinafter simply referred to as "environmental condition information") from the environmental condition measurement unit 36. Furthermore, the communication control unit 37 has a timing function to obtain information relating to the passage of time while the animal litter box unit 1 is in use (hereinafter simply referred to as "time passage information").

[0029] By having these functions, the communication control unit 37 outputs the measurement result information from the measurement sensor 35 to the external information terminal device 3 in a manner that allows it to be associated with time elapsed information from the timing function (particularly, time elapsed information for a predetermined period during which urine is stored in the urine collection container 31). The manner in which the measurement result information is associated with time elapsed information will be described in detail later. Furthermore, the communication control unit 37 outputs environmental condition information from the environmental condition measurement unit 36 to the external information terminal device 3 as necessary.

[0030] The communication control unit 37 that outputs such information can be configured using, for example, a so-called microcomputer, because a microcomputer can realize the above-mentioned functions and the function of communicating with the external information terminal device 3 by executing a preset program.

[0031] It is preferable that the drawer tray section 30 has an absorbent sheet 38 disposed around the urine collection container 31 to absorb urine leaking from the urine collection container 31.

[0032] (External configuration) The animal litter box unit 1 including the housing part 10, the urination tray part 20 and the drawer tray part 30 described above preferably has the following external appearance configuration.

[0033] The animal litter box unit 1 has an exterior configuration that allows the urine collection container 31 to be seen from outside the animal litter box unit 1 when the urine collection container 31 is attached, i.e., when the urine collection container 31 is attached to the drawer tray portion 30 and the drawer tray portion 30 is disposed within the housing portion 10. Specifically, for example, the housing portion 10, the drawer tray portion 30, etc. may be formed from transparent materials, making the urine collection container 31 visible from outside the animal litter box unit 1. However, this is not limited to this, and for example, the housing portion 10 may be provided with an openable and closable window, through which the urine collection container 31 can be seen. With this exterior configuration, the urine collection container 31 can be seen from outside the animal litter box unit 1 even when the animal litter box unit 1 is in use.

[0034] It is also conceivable to form the urine collection container 31 from a transparent material, which makes it possible to visually check the state of urine stored in the urine collection container 31 from the outside.

[0035] This is extremely useful not only for recognizing the state of urine stored in the urine collection container 31 but also for measuring the physical quantity of urine stored in the urine collection container 31. For example, when measuring the liquid volume (volume) of urine as a physical quantity of urine, it becomes possible to measure the liquid volume of urine based on the liquid level of urine stored in the urine collection container 31. More specifically, it becomes possible to measure the liquid volume of urine by externally imaging the urine collection container 31 using an imaging element, recognizing the liquid level of urine stored in the urine collection container 31 by performing image processing on the image result, and converting the recognized liquid level into liquid volume. In other words, forming the urine collection container 31 from a transparent member makes it easier to measure the liquid level of urine stored in the urine collection container 31, which is extremely useful when measuring the liquid volume (volume) as a physical quantity of urine. Furthermore, forming the urine collection container 31 from a transparent member makes it possible to visually observe the color of urine in addition to the liquid level of urine, thereby making it possible to recognize information other than the liquid level.

[0036] When determining the liquid level of urine stored in the urine collection container 31, it is preferable that the bottom surface of the urine collection container 31 is formed in a curved shape. Here, "curved" means that the container is composed only of curved surfaces, without including flat surfaces. The curved surface is particularly preferably spherical (spherical). In this way, if the container bottom surface of the urine collection container 31 is curved (spherical), when measuring the liquid level of urine stored in the urine collection container 31, fluctuations in the liquid level due to the influence of the tilt of the urine collection container 31 can be eliminated, which is very useful in suppressing a decrease in the measurement accuracy of the liquid level.

[0037] (2) Health support system configuration Next, the configuration of the health support system according to this embodiment will be described. The health assistance system is a system configured to include the animal litter box unit 1 described above, and is intended to assist the animals that use the animal litter box unit 1 in maintaining their health. FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram that schematically shows an example of the general configuration of the health assistance system according to this embodiment.

[0038] (Overall composition) As shown in the figure, the health assistance system according to this embodiment is configured to include a measurement device 2 and an external information terminal device 3 in addition to the animal litter box unit 1 described above.

[0039] (Measuring equipment) The measuring device 2 electrochemically measures specific components in a test liquid. In this embodiment, the test liquid is urine excreted from an animal in the animal toilet unit 1. The specific components to be detected are uric acid, urinary sugar, arginine, albumin, creatinine, ketone bodies, glucose, and the like contained in urine. In other words, in this embodiment, the measuring device 2 is configured to measure components contained in urine excreted from an animal.

[0040] Furthermore, electrochemical measurement means that a substance contained in urine, which is the test liquid, is electrolyzed under specific conditions, and the resulting electrochemical reaction (e.g., an oxidation-reduction reaction) is utilized to measure the concentration of a specific component in urine. It is known that the concentration of a specific component in urine is measured, for example, by the three-electrode method. The three-electrode method is a technique for performing electrochemical measurement using a combination of three electrodes: a working electrode, a counter electrode, and a reference electrode. However, the method is not limited to the three-electrode method, and the concentration of a specific component may also be measured by other techniques.

[0041] In order to perform such measurements, the measurement device 2 is configured to include a sensor stick portion 2a and a measurement unit 2b.

[0042] The sensor stick 2a has a working electrode, a counter electrode, and a reference electrode arranged on one end of a stick-shaped substrate, and the other end of the substrate is configured so that it can be inserted into an insertion opening (slot) of the meter 2b. One end of the substrate (i.e., the side on which the electrodes are arranged) is configured so that it can be immersed in urine in the urine collection container 31 removed from the animal litter box unit 1. The electrodes on the substrate are connected via wiring to terminals arranged on the other end of the substrate. As a result, the electrodes on the substrate are electrically connected to the meter 2b when the other end of the substrate is inserted into the insertion opening of the meter 2b.

[0043] The sensor stick 2a having such a configuration is preferably configured as a disposable product, because disposable products do not require cleaning, disinfection, sterilization, etc. for reuse, even when used in contact with urine, and are therefore effective in terms of hygiene and infection prevention.

[0044] The measuring device 2b, which may be called a potentiostat, is configured to perform a predetermined voltage sweep operation while electrically connected to each electrode of the sensor stick 2a inserted into the insertion port. To this end, the measuring device 2b includes, for example, a voltage application unit, a current measurement unit, a potential difference measurement unit, and a potential adjustment unit. The voltage application unit is configured to apply a voltage between the working electrode and the counter electrode of each electrode of the sensor stick 2a once a predetermined circuit is formed by connecting the electrodes. The current measurement unit is configured to measure the current generated by the oxidation-reduction reaction of a specific component in urine. The potential difference measurement unit is configured to measure the potential difference between the working electrode and the reference electrode. The potential adjustment unit is configured to maintain the potential of the working electrode constant based on the potential difference measured by the potential difference measurement unit, with the potential of the reference electrode as a reference.

[0045] When the sensor stick 2a is inserted into the insertion port of the measuring device 2b and the electrodes of the sensor stick 2a come into contact with urine, which is the test liquid, it becomes possible to measure the concentration of a specific component in the urine. In other words, the combination of the sensor stick 2a and the measuring device 2b functions as an electrochemical sensor that measures specific components in urine.

[0046] Information relating to the results of such measurements (hereinafter simply referred to as "measurement result information") is output from the measuring unit 2b to the external information terminal device 3. In other words, the measuring unit 2b has a function for communicating with the external information terminal device 3. Communication using this communication function may be either wireless or wired communication, but considering the flexibility in installing the measuring device 2, wireless communication is preferable.

[0047] It should be noted that the specific configurations of the sensor stick unit 2a and the measuring unit 2b other than those described above may be any configuration that utilizes known technology, and therefore a description thereof will be omitted here.

[0048] (External information terminal device) The external information terminal device 3 is a terminal device capable of communicating with the communication control unit 37 of the animal litter box unit 1 and the measuring unit 2b of the measuring device 2, and is configured with a smartphone, tablet terminal, laptop computer, etc. that has computer functions. In the example shown in Figure 2, the external information terminal device 3 is a smartphone used by the owner of the animal that uses the animal litter box unit 1.

[0049] A predetermined application program is installed in the external information terminal device 3 to communicate with the communication control unit 37 of the animal litter box unit 1 and the measuring unit 2b of the measuring device 2, and to process information obtained by this communication. By executing this application program, the external information terminal device 3 performs testing processing on urine collected in the animal litter box unit 1, based on output information from the animal litter box unit 1 and measurement result information from the measuring device 2. The "testing processing on urine" here primarily refers to analytical processing on components contained in urine (for example, processing to test the concentration of specific components), but may also include processing to determine the health status of animals using the animal litter box unit 1 (for example, processing to determine whether the animal is healthy, requires observation, requires treatment, etc.).

[0050] The external information terminal device 3 may display and output information relating to the processing results of the urine testing process on the external information terminal device 3, and may also output the information to another device communicably connected via a network to the external information terminal device 3. Examples of the other device include a printer device that prints out a printout and a computer device (host server or cloud server) at a veterinary hospital where the animal's doctor is located.

[0051] Note that, with regard to the external information terminal device 3, specific configurations other than those described above may be those utilizing publicly known technology, and therefore, description thereof will be omitted here.

[0052] (3) Example of processing operation of health support system Next, an example of the processing operation in the health support system configured as described above will be described. The health assistance system of this embodiment makes it possible to assist in maintaining the health of animals using the animal toilet unit 1 by utilizing output information (information regarding the processing results of urine testing processing) from the external information terminal device 3. A series of processing steps for this purpose will be explained below using a specific example. FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing a specific example of the processing operations in the health support system according to this embodiment.

[0053] When using the health assistance system according to this embodiment, the system is first prepared for use (step 101; hereinafter, step is abbreviated as "S"). Specifically, the animal litter box unit 1 is transitioned to an operational state by turning on the power, setting the urine collection container 31, etc., and the health assistance system is made available. The operational state of the animal litter box unit 1 refers to a state in which, at least, urine excreted in the urination tray section 20 can be stored in the urine collection container 31, the measurement sensor 35 can measure the physical amount of urine stored in the urine collection container 31, and measurement result information by the measurement sensor 35 can be output to the external information terminal device 3 via the communication control unit 37. Furthermore, environmental condition information by the environmental condition measurement unit 36 is also output to the external information terminal device 3 via the communication control unit 37, as necessary. Furthermore, it is preferable that a particle member 22 such as cat litter is disposed in the urination tray section 20, and that an absorbent sheet 38 is disposed around the urine collection container 31 in the drawer tray section 30.

[0054] After the animal litter box unit 1 is transitioned to an operating state, a pet animal uses the animal litter box unit 1 as a place to excrete urine. Specifically, the animal using the animal litter box unit 1 goes up to the urination tray portion 20 and urinates there (S102). At this time, if the animal litter box unit 1 is provided with an inclined slope 12, the urinating animal can use the inclined slope 12 to move up to the urination tray portion 20. Therefore, for example, even if the urinating animal is in poor health, it can easily use the inclined slope 12 to reach the urination tray portion 20, which is the excretion place. This also means that the inclined slope 12 allows for more space to be secured below the urination tray portion 20. In other words, by securing the space, it is possible to easily arrange an inclined flow path for guiding excreted urine to the urine collection container 31, thereby efficiently securing the amount of urine without loss, and it is also possible to secure sufficient freedom in the configuration and placement of the urine collection container 31, measurement sensor 35, etc., which in turn makes it possible to reduce the cost of the measurement sensor 35, etc.

[0055] When an animal urinates on the urination tray 20, the excreted urine is guided to the urine collection structure, such as the inclined surface 24, and flows through the outlet 23 toward the drawer tray 30, where it is collected in the urine collection container 31 attached to the drawer tray 30 (S103). At this time, if the urination tray 20 is equipped with a urine collection structure, the urine collection structure will guide the urine, allowing the urine excreted by the animal to be efficiently collected and stored in the urine collection container 31 without loss. This is extremely useful in cases where, for example, an animal using the animal litter box unit 1 (i.e., an animal that is the subject of health management) may excrete only a small amount of urine.

[0056] In the animal litter box unit 1, the above-described process of urination on the urination tray portion 20 (S102) and storage of the excreted urine in the urine collection container 31 (S103) is repeated every time the animal urinates. As a result, the amount of stored urine in the urine collection container 31 increases each time the animal urinates. This repetition is continued at least until a predetermined period (e.g., 24 hours) has elapsed. For this reason, the urine collection container 31 has a storage capacity that enables it to continuously receive and store urine from the urination tray portion 20 for a predetermined period. In other words, because the urine collection container 31 has such a storage capacity, it is possible to continuously receive urine from urination (S102) and store the urine (S103) for a predetermined period.

[0057] In this way, even when the urine collection container 31 stores urine excreted from an animal for a predetermined period of time, if the urine collection container 31 is equipped with the state change suppression section 33, it can prevent changes in the urine during that predetermined period (for example, changes in concentration and changes in components due to evaporation, and changes in concentration and changes in components due to bacterial growth, etc.). In other words, it is extremely useful for storing urine for a predetermined period of time. Furthermore, it is extremely useful for suppressing the generation of odors that accompany urine storage. Note that the placement of the particle members 22 such as cat litter and the placement of the absorbent sheet 38 are also extremely useful for suppressing the generation of odors.

[0058] Furthermore, if the urine collection container 31 can be visually inspected from outside the animal toilet unit 1 when the urine collection container 31 stores urine for a predetermined period of time, the owner of the animal using the animal toilet unit 1 will be able to understand the state of urine storage in the urine collection container 31.

[0059] While the urine collection container 31 stores urine for a predetermined period of time, in the animal toilet unit 1, the measurement sensor 35, communication control unit 37, etc. perform the following processing operations until at least a predetermined period of time has passed since the transition to the operating state.

[0060] In the animal litter box unit 1, the measurement sensor 35 measures the physical quantity of urine in the urine collection container 31 at a predetermined cycle (S104) (S105). The predetermined cycle may be set in advance to anything from a cycle of several seconds to a cycle of several minutes, for example. When measuring at such a constant cycle, setting the predetermined cycle short can increase the measurement resolution. Setting the predetermined cycle long can also reduce the measurement processing load. If the environmental condition measuring unit 36 is provided, the environmental conditions may be measured by the environmental condition measuring unit 36 at the same timing.

[0061] Then, every time the measurement sensor 35 measures the physical quantity of urine (i.e., at a predetermined periodic timing), the communication control unit 37 outputs the measurement result information obtained by the measurement by the measurement sensor 35 to the external information terminal device 3 in a manner that allows it to be associated with the time-elapsed information obtained by the timing function (S106). Also, when environmental condition information is obtained by the environmental condition measuring unit 36, the communication control unit 37 similarly outputs the environmental condition information to the external information terminal device 3 in a manner that allows it to be associated with the time-elapsed information.

[0062] Here, the time elapsed information obtained by the timing function refers to information obtained by the timing function that identifies the passage of time during a predetermined period during which the urine collection container 31 stores urine. Specific examples of the time elapsed information include information that identifies the amount of time that has elapsed since the start of the predetermined period, and information regarding the date, time, and time during the predetermined period. The predetermined period is a period that is set in advance for conducting a urine collection test, and can be, for example, 24 hours. The start point (starting point) of the predetermined period can be, for example, the time when the animal litter box unit 1 is switched to an operating state, but is not limited thereto, and can also be the time when the measurement sensor 35 measures the first urination after the switch to the operating state.

[0063] Furthermore, a mode in which association with time passage information is possible refers to a mode in which information output from the communication control unit 37 to the external information terminal device 3 can be associated with the passage of time over a predetermined period, and the timing at which the information was obtained can be identified through this association. Specifically, for example, if the communication control unit 37 is timing the passage of time over a predetermined period, the time passage information obtained by this timing can be combined with acquired information on measurement results and environmental conditions and output to the external information terminal device 3 as a single information group. Furthermore, if the start date, time, and time of the predetermined period can be identified, information on the date, time, and time at which the information is to be output can be combined with acquired information on measurement results and environmental conditions and output to the external information terminal device 3 as a single information group. Note that the association of each piece of information does not necessarily have to be performed on the animal litter box unit 1 side (e.g., the communication control unit 37) but may be performed anywhere within the health support system. Therefore, for example, a mode in which communication rules between the two are established in advance so that when information is output from the communication control unit 37 to the external information terminal device 3, timing information (time elapsed information or date and time information) of the information input at the external information terminal device 3 is recorded on the external information terminal device 3 side also falls under the mode in which association with the time elapsed information is possible as referred to here.

[0064] Every time information is output in this manner, the external information terminal device 3 receives the output information and stores it as input information from the communication control unit 37 (S107). As a result, the external information terminal device 3 stores each piece of information at each predetermined period as input information from the communication control unit 37.

[0065] The external information terminal device 3 accumulates input information from the communication control unit 37, and based on this accumulated information, it becomes possible to recognize the physical quantity of urine stored in the urine collection container 31. For example, if the measurement sensor 35 measures weight (mass) as the physical quantity of urine, the external information terminal device 3 can recognize the weight of urine stored in the urine collection container 31 at the time of recognition. Moreover, because information obtained at predetermined intervals is accumulated, it is possible to recognize not only the physical quantity at the time of recognition, but also changes in the physical quantity up to that point. Furthermore, because the accumulated information can be associated with information on the passage of time, it is possible to recognize the timing of changes in the physical quantity and the number of times such changes occurred. This means that it is possible to determine the timing (date, time, etc.) at which the animal urinated on the urination tray 20, how many times it urinated up to the time of recognition, and the amount of change in the physical quantity each time it urinated, etc. That is, on the external information terminal device 3 side, in addition to the physical amount of urine stored in the urine collection container 31, it is possible to grasp the timing, frequency, amount of change, etc. of urination by the animal.

[0066] The external information terminal device 3 continues to store information as described above at least until a predetermined period (for example, 24 hours) has elapsed.

[0067] Thereafter, when it is recognized that the predetermined period has elapsed based on the time passage information (S108), the external information terminal device 3 outputs information to that effect, and notifies the user of the external information terminal device 3 (i.e., the owner of the animal using the animal litter box unit 1) that the predetermined period has elapsed (S109). Note that the manner in which the information is output at this time is not particularly limited, and it may be output using publicly known technology.

[0068] By the information output from the external information terminal device 3, the owner of the animal using the animal litter box unit 1 can easily know that the predetermined period has passed, i.e., that it is time for the animal's urine collection test. In other words, the owner does not have to bear an excessive burden of monitoring the passage of the predetermined period. After that, upon learning that the predetermined period has passed, the owner pulls out the drawer tray portion 30 of the animal litter box unit 1 and removes the urine collection container 31 from the drawer tray portion 30 (S110). Then, the owner immerses each electrode of the sensor stick portion 2a of the measuring device 2 in the urine stored in the urine collection container 31 (S111).

[0069] In this state, the measuring unit 2b of the measuring device 2 performs electrochemical measurement (S112). The electrochemical measurement method may be any known technique. By performing such electrochemical measurement, the measuring unit 2b measures the concentration of a specific component in the urine stored in the urine collection container 31. Then, the measuring unit 2b outputs measurement result information obtained by the electrochemical measurement to the external information terminal device 3 (S113).

[0070] When information is output from the measuring device 2, the external information terminal device 3 receives the output information and stores it as input information from the measuring device 2 (S114). As a result, in addition to the input information from the communication control unit 37 of the animal litter box unit 1, the external information terminal device 3 stores the measurement result information obtained by the measuring device 2 as input information from the measuring device 2.

[0071] Thereafter, the external information terminal device 3 performs an inspection process on the urine stored in the urine collection container 31 based on the accumulated information (S115).

[0072] Specifically, as a urine testing process (S115), based on input information from the measurement device 2, the concentrations of specific components contained in the urine in the urine collection container 31, such as uric acid, urinary sugar, arginine, albumin, creatinine, ketone bodies, glucose, etc., are measured.

[0073] At this time, urine excreted from the animal for a predetermined period is stored in the urine collection container 31 in which the sensor stick portion 2a of the measurement device 2 is immersed. In other words, urine from multiple excretions is stored in the urine collection container 31. The concentration of a specific component in urine excreted from an animal may vary with each excretion (i.e., with each excretion). Even in such cases, if the urine excreted for a predetermined period is stored and the stored urine is subjected to testing, the influence of concentration fluctuations on the concentration measurement can be eliminated, and as a result, the accuracy of urine testing can be improved. Furthermore, the concentration of a particular component in urine may vary even within the same day, such as between morning and evening. Even in such cases, if urine excreted over a predetermined period is stored and the stored urine is subjected to testing, the concentrations of components in the urine obtained from each excretion can be averaged, thereby improving the accuracy of urine testing. In other words, by using the urine collection container 31 to conduct a urine collection test in which all urine excreted over a predetermined period is collected and tested, it is possible to obtain various test results that cannot be obtained by a urine test on a single urination. This is extremely useful for managing the health of animals that use the animal litter box unit 1. Regarding the variation in the concentration of urinary components between excretions, it is conceivable to measure creatinine in the urine and correct the concentration, but this would require extremely complicated processing including concentration correction. In contrast, the above-mentioned urine collection test makes it possible to measure the concentration of specific components in urine with high accuracy without the need for complicated processing.

[0074] Furthermore, as a urine testing process (S115), it is also possible to measure, for example, the physical quantity of urine stored in the urine collection container 31 based on input information from the communication control unit 37 of the animal litter box unit 1. In other words, since the external information terminal device 3 stores input information from the communication control unit 37 of the animal litter box unit 1 in addition to input information from the measuring device 2, it is possible to perform testing processes for items that cannot be determined from input information from the measuring device 2 alone.

[0075] Specifically, for example, if the physical quantity measured by the measurement sensor 35 of the animal litter box unit 1 is the weight (mass) or liquid amount (volume) of urine, the external information terminal device 3 can recognize the total amount of urine stored in the urine collection container 31 (i.e., the urine excreted by the animal over a predetermined period) based on the measurement result information from the measurement sensor 35. Furthermore, since the measurement result information can be associated with time-elapsed information, the external information terminal device 3 can recognize not only the total amount of urine in the urine collection container 31 but also the timing of changes in the physical quantity along the way to that amount and the number of times such changes occurred, based on the association with the time-elapsed information. This means that it is possible to know when (date, time, etc.) the animal urinated on the urination tray 20, how many times it urinated up to the time of recognition, and the amount of change in the physical quantity each time it urinated, etc. That is, the external information terminal device 3 can grasp not only the physical amount of urine stored in the urine collection container 31, but also the timing, frequency, and amount of change of urination by the animal. Therefore, it becomes possible to perform testing processes for items that cannot be determined by simply collecting excreted urine. This is true not only when the physical quantity measured by the measurement sensor 35 is the weight or liquid volume of urine, but also when it is other physical quantities such as specific gravity or temperature.

[0076] When the input information from the communication control unit 37 of the animal litter box unit 1 includes environmental condition information from the environmental condition measurement unit 36, the external information terminal device 3 may reflect the environmental condition information in the testing process for urine in the urine collection container 31. Specifically, for example, the amount of evaporation of urine in the urine collection container 31 may be calculated based on the environmental condition information, and correction processing may be performed to reflect the calculated evaporation amount in the results of measuring the concentration of specific components in urine and the results of measuring physical quantities such as urine weight, liquid volume, and specific gravity, thereby improving the accuracy of the urine testing process (S115). This may be particularly useful when conducting a urine collection test. In a urine collection test, urine is continuously stored for a predetermined period of time. During the urine collection test, changes in environmental conditions may occur during that period, which may affect the state of urine storage. However, this method makes it possible to eliminate such effects.

[0077] The external information terminal device 3 performs the above-described testing process (S115) based on each piece of accumulated information. Note that the testing process (S115) performed by the external information terminal device 3 may include, in addition to the above-described measurement of the concentration of specific components in urine, a determination process regarding the health status of the animal using the animal litter box unit 1 (for example, a process of determining whether the animal is healthy, requires observation, requires treatment, etc.).

[0078] After the inspection process (S115) is performed, the external information terminal device 3 outputs information relating to the processing result of the inspection process (hereinafter simply referred to as "processing result information") (S116). Specifically, for example, the processing result information is displayed and output on the external information terminal device 3. This allows the user of the external information terminal device 3 (i.e., the owner of the animal using the animal toilet unit 1) to refer to and understand the contents of the processing result information. Furthermore, for example, if the external information terminal device 3 is connected to another device such as a computer device at a veterinary clinic so that they can communicate with each other, the external information terminal device 3 outputs the processing result information to the other device. This allows the other device to share the processing result information from the external information terminal device 3, allowing the user of the other device (e.g., the attending physician of the animal using the animal toilet unit 1) to refer to and understand the contents of the processing result information, and to give instructions for the next medical examination based on the understood contents. In other words, by utilizing the output result of the processing result information, it is possible to realize assistance in maintaining the health of animals that use the animal litter box unit 1.

[0079] Thereafter, as described above, preparation for use of the health support system is performed so that a urine collection test can be performed using the animal litter box unit 1 for the next new predetermined period (S101). Specifically, as part of the preparation for use, the urine collection container 31 is set in the drawer tray portion 30 of the animal litter box unit 1. If the urine collection container 31 is a disposable item, the used urine collection container 31 will not be reused, which is effective in terms of hygiene and infection prevention. Furthermore, if the urine collection container 31 is a disposable item, concerns about the presence of residue such as contamination when reused can be eliminated, and a decrease in test accuracy due to residue can be suppressed. Note that the used urine collection container 31 will be discarded, but if the urine collection container 31 is constructed as a combustible item, it is preferable because it can be easily disposed of within the home. The same applies to the sensor stick portion 2 a of the measuring device 2 .

[0080] (4) Effects of this embodiment The animal litter box unit 1 and the health assistance system including the animal litter box unit 1 described above provide one or more of the following effects.

[0081] (a) According to the animal litter box unit 1 of this embodiment, urine excreted from an animal can be stored in the urine collection container 31, making it possible to perform a urine collection test on that animal. In other words, a urine collection test makes it possible to obtain various test results that cannot be obtained by a urine test on a single urination. Moreover, the animal litter box unit 1 outputs measurement result information about the physical quantity of urine stored in the urine collection container 31 in a manner that allows it to be associated with time-elapsed information (particularly, time-elapsed information over a predetermined period of time during which urine is stored). As a result, when performing a urine collection test, it is possible to determine, based on the information output from the animal litter box unit 1, the time that has passed over a predetermined period of time and the state of urine stored in the urine collection container 31. In other words, this is extremely useful for performing urine collection tests on animals. Furthermore, by making it possible to associate measurement result information with time-elapsed information, it is possible to determine when an animal urinates, how many times it urinates, how much the physical quantity has changed, and the like. In other words, it becomes possible to determine items that cannot be determined simply by collecting excreted urine. As described above, the animal litter box unit 1 of this embodiment is extremely useful for conducting urine collection tests on animals that are the subject of tests.

[0082] Furthermore, the health assistance system including the animal toilet unit 1 of this embodiment comprises, in addition to the animal toilet unit 1, a measuring device 2 that measures urine components in urine stored in the urine collection container 31 of the animal toilet unit 1, and an external information terminal device 3 that is capable of communicating with the animal toilet unit 1 and the measuring device 2. The external information terminal device 3 is configured to analyze the urine excreted from the animal (make a health-related judgment) based on the output information from the animal toilet unit 1 and the measurement result information from the measuring device 2. Therefore, with this type of health support system, it is possible to properly and accurately perform urine collection tests on animals that use the animal litter box unit 1, collecting and testing all of the urine excreted over a specified period of time, and to obtain various test results that cannot be obtained by testing a single urination, which is extremely useful for managing the health of the animal. Furthermore, in the animal litter box unit 1, the urine collection container 31 has the capacity to store urine excreted over a predetermined period of time, and is designed to output measurement result information about the physical amount of stored urine in a manner that can be correlated with time-elapsed information. Therefore, by leaving it to the daily excretion disposal of the animal using the animal litter box unit 1, a urine collection test can be conducted on the animal, and the owner of the animal does not need to take any special effort to conduct the urine collection test.

[0083] In other words, the animal toilet unit 1 and health support system of this embodiment enable the owner of the animal to easily and accurately perform a urine test on the animal to be tested.

[0084] (b) According to the animal litter box unit 1 of this embodiment, by providing a urine collection structure for guiding urine excreted in the urination tray section 20 to the urine collection container 31 of the drawer tray section 30, urine excreted from the animal can be efficiently guided without loss and stored in the urine collection container 31. This is particularly useful in cases where the animal being tested may excrete only a small amount of urine.

[0085] (c) According to the animal litter box unit 1 of this embodiment, by providing a state change suppression section 33 for maintaining the state of urine stored in the urine collection container 31, even when urine excreted from an animal is stored for a predetermined period of time, changes in the urine during that period (such as changes in concentration and changes in components due to evaporation) can be prevented. This makes it even more suitable for improving the accuracy of urine collection tests. Furthermore, it is also very useful for suppressing the generation of odors associated with urine storage.

[0086] (d) According to the animal litter box unit 1 of this embodiment, by providing an environmental condition measurement unit 36 that measures the environmental conditions near the urine collection container 31, when urine excreted from an animal is stored and collected for a predetermined period of time, even if there is a change in the state of the urine during that period (a change due to the environmental conditions), it is possible to perform a correction calculation based on the environmental condition information from the environmental condition measurement unit 36. In other words, even if there is a change in the state of the urine during the predetermined period, a reduction in the accuracy of the urine collection test due to that change can be suppressed by performing a correction calculation to accommodate the change.

[0087] (e) According to the animal litter box unit 1 of this embodiment, the urine collection container 31 is configured to be detachable from the drawer tray portion 30 of the animal litter box unit 1, so that by removing the urine collection container 31 from the drawer tray portion 30, it is possible to easily measure urine stored in the urine collection container 31 using a measuring device, or to easily dispose of the used urine collection container 31 itself. Therefore, the animal litter box unit 1 is easy to use and convenient for animal owners who use it.

[0088] (f) According to the animal litter box unit 1 of this embodiment, the urine collection container 31 is configured as a disposable item, which eliminates the need for cleaning, disinfection, sterilization, etc. before reuse, which is effective in terms of hygiene and infection prevention, etc. Furthermore, it is possible to eliminate concerns about the presence of residue such as contamination when reusing, and it is possible to suppress a decrease in testing accuracy due to residue.

[0089] (g) According to the animal litter box unit 1 of this embodiment, the urine collection container 31 is formed from a transparent material, which makes it possible to visually check the state of urine stored in the urine collection container 31 from outside the urine collection container 31. This is therefore extremely advantageous for understanding the state of urine stored in the urine collection container 31 when conducting a urine collection test. Furthermore, for example, when the physical quantity of urine measured by the measurement sensor 35 is the liquid amount (volume) of the urine, it becomes possible to measure the liquid amount using an imaging element disposed outside the urine collection container 31. In other words, depending on the type of physical quantity of urine to be measured, forming the urine collection container 31 from a transparent material is extremely useful for accurately measuring the physical quantity while suppressing the complexity of the sensor configuration.

[0090] (h) According to the animal litter box unit 1 of this embodiment, the bottom surface of the urine collection container 31 is formed into a curved surface, which makes it possible to eliminate fluctuations in the urine level in the urine collection container 31 due to the influence of tilting the urine collection container 31. If fluctuations in the liquid level due to the influence of tilting the urine collection container 31 can be eliminated in this way, for example, when measuring the liquid level of urine stored in the urine collection container 31, it is possible to suppress a decrease in the measurement accuracy of the liquid level. This is particularly useful for improving the measurement accuracy when measuring the volume of urine using the urine level.

[0091] (i) According to the animal litter box unit 1 of this embodiment, the urine collection container 31 is configured to be visible from outside the animal litter box unit 1 when the urine collection container 31 is attached, and therefore, even when the animal litter box unit 1 is in use, the state of the urine collection container 31 can be visually checked from outside the animal litter box unit 1. In other words, the attachment state of the urine collection container 31 (for example, whether the urine collection container 31 is correctly attached to the drawer tray section 30) can be visually checked from outside the animal litter box unit 1 without having to pull out the drawer tray section 30 from the housing section 10. Moreover, if the urine collection container 31 itself is made of a transparent material, the state of urine stored in the urine collection container 31 can also be visually observed from outside the animal litter box unit 1. Therefore, even when the animal toilet unit 1 is in use, the attachment state of the urine collection container 31 and the state of urine stored in the urine collection container 31 can be visually observed from outside the animal toilet unit 1, making it extremely convenient for animal owners using the animal toilet unit 1.

[0092] (j) According to the animal litter box unit 1 of this embodiment, when measuring the specific gravity of urine stored in the urine collection container 31 as a physical quantity of the urine, the specific gravity can be measured with a simple configuration by using a floating member that floats in the liquid in the urine collection container 31. Moreover, for example, by utilizing the property of floating in the liquid in the urine collection container 31, it is possible to realize a combination of the function of the measurement sensor 35 that measures specific gravity and the function of the lid-like member that constitutes the state change suppression unit 33 that maintains the state of the urine stored in the urine collection container 31. When measuring specific gravity using a floating member as described above, it is preferable that the floating member be configured to be visible from the outside of the animal litter box unit 1. This makes it possible to easily check the specific gravity of urine even by visual inspection.

[0093] (k) According to the animal litter box unit 1 of this embodiment, by providing the inclined slope 12 that guides an animal urinating up to the urination tray 20, even if the animal is in poor health, the animal can easily reach the urination tray 20, which is the excretion point. This improves usability for both the animal and the owner. This also means that the presence of the inclined slope 12 allows for more space to be secured below the urination tray portion 20. In other words, by securing the space, it is possible to easily arrange an inclined flow path for guiding excreted urine to the urine collection container 31, and it is possible to efficiently secure the amount of urine without loss, and it is also possible to secure sufficient freedom in the configuration and placement of the urine collection container 31, the measurement sensor 35, etc., which in turn allows for cost reduction of the measurement sensor 35, etc.

[0094] Second Embodiment Next, a second embodiment of the present disclosure will be specifically described. Here, differences from the first embodiment described above will be mainly described, and descriptions of other points will be omitted.

[0095] In this embodiment, the overall configuration of the health assistance system is different from that of the first embodiment. FIG. 4 is an explanatory diagram that schematically shows an example of the general configuration of the health assistance system according to this embodiment.

[0096] (Overall composition) As shown in the figure, the health assistance system according to this embodiment includes a plurality of animal litter box units 1, and a measuring device 2 is provided for each of the animal litter box units 1. The communication control unit 37 of each animal litter box unit 1 and each measuring device 2 are both configured to be able to communicate with an external information terminal device (hereinafter sometimes simply referred to as an "external terminal device" or "terminal device") present on a communication line 6, such as a wide area network, via the communication line 6.

[0097] Examples of external terminal devices on the communication line 6 include smartphones 301, 302, 303, etc., which are mobile terminal devices used by animal owners, and computer devices 401, 402, 403, etc., present on the communication line 6. The computer devices 401, 402, 403, etc. include, for example, those installed in veterinary clinics staffed by the animal's attending physicians, and those managed by companies that provide pet-related products and services. Furthermore, the external terminal devices on the communication line 6 include an information processing device 500 that can communicate with each of the animal litter box units 1, each of the measuring devices 2, the smartphones 301, 302, 303, and the computers 401, 402, 403. In other words, in this embodiment, the external terminal devices on the communication line 6 include the information processing device 500.

[0098] (Information processing device) The information processing device 500 has computer functions and is configured to execute a pre-installed predetermined program (software) so that the software and the computer's hardware resources work together to perform various information processing. The information processing performed by the information processing device 500 includes, for example, the provision of advice information. The advice information includes, for example, information indicating recommended actions that a target person should take and advertising information aimed at the target person, and details of which will be described later with specific examples.

[0099] In order to perform the process of providing advice information, the information processing device 500 has at least the functions of an information extraction unit 501 , an information provision unit 502 , and an information database unit 503 . The information extraction unit 501 has a function of extracting advice information that matches the measurement results obtained by the measurement device 2 from the information database unit 503 . The information providing unit 502 has a function of providing the advice information extracted by the information extracting unit 501 to at least one of the external terminal devices on the communication line 6 other than the information processing device 500 . The information database unit 503 has a function for storing and accumulating in advance various pieces of advice information that are suited to the measurement results that are expected to be obtained by the measurement device 2, while associating them with the measurement results.

[0100] Of these functions, at least the functions of the information extraction unit 501 and the information provision unit 502 are realized by executing a predetermined program in the information processing device 500. In this case, the predetermined program corresponds to a specific example of the "information processing program" in this embodiment. In addition, as a specific example of an "information processing program," if a specific program can be installed in the information processing device 500, it may be provided by being stored on a recording medium (e.g., a magnetic disk, an optical disk, a magneto-optical disk, a semiconductor memory, etc.) that can be read by the information processing device 500, or it may be provided from outside via a network such as the Internet or a dedicated line.

[0101] (Example of processing operation) Next, an example of the processing operation in the health support system described above will be described. FIG. 5 is a flowchart showing a specific example of the processing operations in the health assistance system according to this embodiment.

[0102] In the health assistance system according to this embodiment, when urine has been stored in any of the animal litter box units 1 for a predetermined period of time, the measuring device 2 provided for that animal litter box unit 1 measures the components of the stored urine (S201). The measuring device 2 then transmits the measurement results via the communication line 6 to the information processing device 500 on that communication line 6. As a result, the information processing device 500 obtains the measurement results for the urine measured by the measuring device 2 (S202). At this time, information may also be transmitted to the information processing device 500 from the communication control unit 37 of the animal litter box unit 1. For example, when an external terminal device performs an inspection process based on the measurement results from the measurement device 2, the information processing device 500 may acquire processing result information obtained by that inspection process. In this case, the processing result information is based on the measurement results from the measurement device 2, and therefore "acquisition of processing result information" is synonymous with "acquisition of measurement results from a measurement device" in this embodiment.

[0103] When the measurement results are acquired by the measuring device 2, the information processing device 500 first determines the quality level of the urine from which the measurement results were obtained, based on the acquired measurement results (S203). The quality level is an index indicating the quality of the urine components. For example, if the content of a specific component in the urine to be evaluated can be quantified, the quality level can be determined in multiple stages according to the content, such that the higher the content, the lower the quality level, and the lower the content, the higher the quality level. More specifically, the content of the specific component may be classified into five ranges, and the quality level may be classified into five stages, with "0 (very good)," "1 (good)," "2 (average)," "3 (caution)," and "4 (poor or poor)" in order of decreasing content. Note that the quality level is not necessarily limited to a specific form (e.g., a five-stage classification) as long as it is classified based on any predetermined threshold.

[0104] After determining the quality level, the information processing device 500 then extracts advice information that matches the measurement results obtained by the measurement device 2 (S204). Specifically, after determining the quality level, the information extraction unit 501 accesses the information database unit 503 and reads out advice information that matches the determined quality level. At this time, it is assumed that the information database unit 503 has previously stored and retained advice information that matches the measurement results obtained by the measurement device 2, with quality levels and multiple pieces of advice information corresponding to the levels associated with each other.

[0105] Thereafter, in the information processing device 500, the information providing unit 502 provides the advice information extracted by the information extracting unit 501 to the external terminal device on the communication line 6 (S205). The external terminal device to which the advice information is provided is at least one of the smartphones 301, 302, 303, ... and the computer devices 401, 402, 403, ... other than the information processing device 500.

[0106] At this time, the smartphones 301, 302, 303, ··· or computer devices 401, 402, 403, ··· to which the advice information is provided will be used by at least either a user of the service using the animal litter box unit 1 or a provider of the service. For example, the smartphones 301, 302, 303, . . . are primarily used by animal owners, and therefore will be used by users of the service that uses the animal litter box unit 1. For example, if the computer devices 401, 402, 403, etc. are installed in a veterinary clinic where the animal's doctor is located, they may be used by a provider of a service that uses the animal litter box unit 1, and may also be used by a user of the service. Also, if the computer devices are managed by a company that provides pet-related products and services, they will be used by a provider of a service that uses the animal litter box unit 1.

[0107] In this way, the advice information is provided to at least one of a terminal device used by a user of a service using the animal toilet unit 1, or a terminal device used by a provider of a service using the animal toilet unit 1.

[0108] Here, the advice information to be provided will be described using a specific example. FIG. 6 is an explanatory diagram showing a specific example of advice information provided in the health assistance system according to this embodiment.

[0109] For example, consider the case where advice information is provided to animal owners (i.e., owners of the animal litter box unit 1). In this case, the information recipients are the animal owners, who are also users of the service that uses the animal litter box unit 1. The advice information is provided to smartphones 301, 302, 303, etc. that are used by the information recipients (i.e., animal owners).

[0110] In this case, the advice information to be provided may include information indicating recommended actions that the information recipient should take, advertising information targeted to the information recipient, etc. Specifically, for example, as shown in FIG. 6(a), text information such as "Please consult your doctor immediately," which indicates recommended actions that the information recipient should take, is displayed on the display screen of the smartphones 301, 302, 303, etc., along with the determined quality level, as advice information that matches the quality level. Also, for example, as shown in FIG. 6(b), advertising information regarding pet food, exercise goods, veterinary clinics, thermometers, etc. targeted to the information recipient is displayed on the display screen of the smartphones 301, 302, 303, etc., along with the determined quality level, as advice information that matches the quality level.

[0111] As described above, when the information recipient is an animal owner, it is conceivable to provide at least one of information indicating recommended behaviors that the information recipient should take and advertising information aimed at the information recipient as advice information that is useful to the animal owner.

[0112] Also, for example, consider a case where advice information is provided to a veterinarian at a veterinary clinic (for example, the animal's attending physician). In this case, the information recipient is the veterinarian at the veterinary clinic, but while they may be users of the service using the animal litter box unit 1, they may also be providers of the service using the animal litter box unit 1. The advice information is provided to computer devices 401, 402, 403, etc. installed at the veterinary clinic.

[0113] In this case, the advice information to be provided includes information indicating recommended actions that the information recipient should take. Specifically, for example, as shown in FIG. 6(c), together with the determined quality level, text information such as "Please determine the history of changes and whether a medical examination is necessary," which indicates recommended actions that the information recipient should take, is displayed and output on the display screen of the computer devices 401, 402, 403, ... as advice information that matches the quality level. Note that, here, an example of information indicating recommended actions when the information recipient corresponds to a service provider has been given, but this is merely an example, and if the information recipient corresponds to a service user, information with content corresponding to this may be provided.

[0114] As described above, when the information recipient is a veterinarian, it is conceivable to provide information indicating recommended actions that the information recipient should take as advice information that is useful to the veterinarian.

[0115] Also, for example, consider a case where advice information is provided to a company that provides pet-related products, pet-related services, etc. (hereinafter simply referred to as "providing company"). In this case, the information recipient is the providing company or a business person at the providing company, which corresponds to a provider of a service using the animal litter box unit 1. The recipient of the advice information is computer devices 401, 402, 403, etc. managed by the providing company.

[0116] In this case, the advice information to be provided may include various types of advertising information. Specifically, for example, as shown in Fig. 6(d), in addition to the result of determining the quality level, advertising information about services, products, etc. that should be advertised to service users is displayed on the display screens of the computers 401, 402, 403, etc. as advice information that matches the quality level.

[0117] As described above, when the information recipient is a provider company, it is conceivable to provide advertising information about services, products, etc. that should be advertised to service users as advice information that is useful to the provider company.

[0118] (Effects of this embodiment) According to the present embodiment described above, in addition to the effects achieved in the first embodiment, the following effects are achieved.

[0119] (l) The health assistance system of this embodiment provides advice information that matches the measurement results from the measuring device 2 to at least one of a terminal device used by a user of a service that uses the animal litter box unit 1 and a terminal device used by a provider of a service that uses the animal litter box unit 1. Therefore, by understanding the content of the advice information, a person who receives the advice information can easily and appropriately determine what treatment or response should be taken for an animal that uses the animal litter box unit 1. In other words, users of the health assistance system can enjoy extremely excellent convenience.

[0120] <Other embodiments> Although each embodiment of the present disclosure has been specifically described above, the present disclosure is not limited to the above-described embodiments, and can be used in appropriate combinations, and various modifications are possible without departing from the spirit of the present disclosure.

[0121] For example, in the above-described embodiment, an example was given of a health assistance system in which the animal toilet unit 1, the measuring device 2, and the external information terminal device 3 are separate entities, but this is not necessarily limited to this. In other words, the health assistance system may be configured as follows as long as it has the functions of the animal toilet unit 1, the measuring device 2, and the external information terminal device 3. For example, the health assistance system may be configured such that the animal toilet unit 1 and the measuring device 2 are integrated together so that when urine is collected in the urine collection container 31 of the animal toilet unit 1, the sensor stick portion 2a of the measuring device 2 comes into contact with the urine.

[0122] In addition, in the above-described embodiment, the predetermined period for conducting a urine collection test is 24 hours, but this is not necessarily limited to this. That is, the predetermined period for a urine collection test only needs to be set in advance, and can be set appropriately depending on the purpose of the test, etc.

[0123] In the above-described embodiment, the measurement device 2 measures the concentration of a specific component in urine using a three-electrode method, but this is not necessarily limited to this. For example, the concentration of a specific substance in a test liquid may be measured using a two-electrode method. In this case, the sensor electrode only needs to have two electrodes: a working electrode and a counter electrode (or reference electrode).

[0124] Furthermore, in the above-described embodiment, the measuring device 2 measures the concentration of a specific component in urine using an electrochemical reaction (e.g., an oxidation-reduction reaction), but this is not necessarily limited to this. That is, the measuring device 2 may measure other methods or other items as long as it measures urine components. Other methods include, for example, colorimetry that uses results obtained from optical processing or imaging processing. [Explanation of symbols]

[0125] 1...Animal litter box unit, 2...Measuring device, 2a...Sensor stick section, 2b...Measuring instrument section, 3...External information terminal device, 6...Communication line, 10...Housing section, 11...Cover member, 12...Inclined slope, 20...Urination tray section (urination section), 21...Reticulated section, 22...Particle member, 23...Outlet, 24...Inclined surface, 25...Convex-shaped section, 30...Drawer tray section, 31...Urine collection container, 32...Placement base, 33...State change suppression section, 34...Stored liquid level, 35...Measuring sensor, 36...Environmental condition measurement section, 37...Communication control section, 301, 302, 303...Smartphone, 401, 402, 403...Computer device, 500...Information processing device, 501...Information extraction section, 502...Information provision section, 503...Information database section

Claims

1. a urinary area that serves as a site of excretion of urine by the animal; a urine collection container that receives and stores urine excreted in the urination portion from the urination portion and has a storage capacity that allows the urine to be continuously received and stored for a predetermined period of time; a measurement sensor that measures a physical quantity of urine stored in the urine collection container; a communication control unit that is communicably connected to an external information terminal device and outputs measurement result information from the measurement sensor to the external information terminal device in a manner that allows the measurement result information to be associated with time elapsed information for the predetermined period; An animal toilet unit comprising:

2. a urine collection structure for guiding urine excreted in the urination portion to the urine collection container; The animal litter box unit of claim 1.

3. The urine collection container has a state change suppression unit for maintaining the state of urine stored therein. The animal litter box unit of claim 1.

4. An environmental condition measuring unit is provided to measure the environmental conditions in the vicinity of the urine collection container. The animal litter box unit of claim 1.

5. The urine collection container is configured to be detachable from the animal litter box unit. The animal litter box unit of claim 1.

6. The urine collection container is configured as a disposable item. The animal litter box unit of claim 1.

7. The urine collection container is made of a transparent material. The animal litter box unit of claim 1.

8. The urine collection container has a curved bottom surface. The animal litter box unit of claim 1.

9. When the urine collection container is attached, the urine collection container is configured to be visible from outside the animal litter box unit. The animal litter box unit of claim 1.

10. The measurement sensor is configured to measure the specific gravity of the urine stored in the urine collection container as a physical quantity of the urine, and to measure the specific gravity by using a floating member floating in the liquid in the urine collection container. The animal litter box unit according to claim 1 or 9.

11. A slope that guides the animal to the urination area is provided. The animal litter box unit of claim 1.

12. The animal litter box unit according to claim 1; a measuring device for measuring components of urine collected in the animal litter box; an external information terminal device capable of communicating with the animal litter box unit and the measuring device, The external information terminal device is configured to perform an inspection process on urine stored in the animal litter box based on output information from the animal litter box and measurement result information from the measurement device. Health support system.

13. an information processing device having a function as a computer capable of acquiring the measurement results from the measurement device; The information processing device includes: an information extraction unit that extracts advice information that matches the measurement results obtained by the measurement device; an information providing unit that provides the advice information extracted by the information extracting unit to an external information terminal device that can communicate with the information processing device; The health assistance system according to claim 12, comprising:

14. The information providing unit provides the advice information to at least one of a terminal device used by a user of a service that uses the animal litter box unit and a terminal device used by a provider of a service that uses the animal litter box unit. The health assistance system according to claim 13.

15. a measuring step of measuring components of urine collected in the animal litter box according to claim 1 using a measuring device; an information extraction step of extracting advice information that matches the measurement results obtained by the measurement device; an information providing step of providing the extracted advice information to at least one of a terminal device used by a user of a service using the animal litter box or a terminal device used by a provider of a service using the animal litter box; Methods of providing information, including:

16. A computer communicably connected to a measurement device that measures components of urine stored in the animal litter box according to claim 1, a measuring step of acquiring results of measuring components of urine collected in the animal litter box using the measuring device; an information extraction step of extracting advice information that matches the measurement results obtained by the measurement device; an information providing step of providing the extracted advice information to at least one of a terminal device used by a user of a service using the animal litter box or a terminal device used by a provider of a service using the animal litter box; An information providing program that executes the above.

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