Control device, control method, and program

Abstract

To express more natural growth even in the presence of a power-off period.SOLUTION: A processing section 110 compares the current count value Dnum of the number of days calculated by using a predetermined calculation formula from the data / time of a calendar acquired from an RTC 111 with the previous count value 127 of the number of days each time when lapse time from activation passes 10 minutes when power is turned on, and updates data 126 (adds one) of the number of growth days when determining that one pseudo day passes when both of them do not agree. The processing section 110 holds the value of the count value 127 of the number of days at a point of time when power is turned off and the value of the data 126 of the number of growth days when power is turned off, and then resumes updating the data 126 of the number of growth days on the basis of comparison between the current count value Dnum of the number of days and the previous count value 127 of the number of days with the value of the held count value 127 of the number of days and the value of the data 126 of the number of growth days as a starting point at the time of restart.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a control device, a control method, and a program. [Background technology]

[0002] In recent years, robots have been developed that aim to communicate with users. In such robots, the elapsed time since the initial activation is sometimes used as a parameter to express the simulated growth of the robot (see, for example, Patent Document 1). [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2003-285286 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] In the above-described robot, the main power supply may be turned off for a long period of time. In Patent Document 1, even if the main power supply of the robot is turned off for a long period of time, the internal clock continues counting, so the robot continues to grow. Therefore, when the user turns the power on again, the user sees a robot that has grown, which causes a very strange feeling.

[0005] Therefore, an object of the present invention is to express more natural growth even when there are periods when the power is off. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] The control device of the present invention is characterized by having a control unit that updates the pseudo number of days since birth of the device when the elapsed time since the device was started meets a predetermined condition, retains the pseudo number of days since birth at that time when the power of the device is turned off, and resumes updating the pseudo number of days since birth starting from the retained pseudo number of days since birth when the device is restarted.

[0007] The control method of the present invention is a control method by a control unit of an apparatus, and is characterized by including the steps of: updating the pseudo number of days since birth of the apparatus when the elapsed time since the apparatus was started satisfies a predetermined condition; retaining the pseudo number of days since birth at that time when the apparatus is turned off; and resuming updating of the pseudo number of days since birth, starting from the retained pseudo number of days since birth, when the apparatus is restarted.

[0008] The program of the present invention is characterized in that it causes a computer of a device equipped with a control unit to realize an update function that updates the pseudo number of days since birth of the device when the elapsed time since the device was started meets a predetermined condition, a retention function that retains the pseudo number of days since birth at that time when the power of the device is turned off, and a resume function that resumes updating the pseudo number of days since birth starting from the retained pseudo number of days since birth when the device is restarted. [Effects of the Invention]

[0009] According to this invention, it is possible to express more natural growth even if there are periods when the power is off. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0010] [Figure 1] 1 is a block diagram showing the functional configuration of a robot according to a first embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 2] 10 is a flowchart for explaining the operation of the process of counting the number of days since birth of the robot according to the first embodiment. [Figure 3]FIG. 2 is a state transition diagram for explaining the operation of the process of counting the number of days since birth of the robot according to the first embodiment. [Figure 4] FIG. 10 is a block diagram showing the functional configuration of a robot according to a second embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 5] 10 is a flowchart for explaining the process of counting the number of days since birth of the robot according to the second embodiment. [Figure 6] FIG. 10 is a state transition diagram for explaining the operation of the process of counting the number of days since birth of the robot according to the second embodiment. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0011] First Embodiment A first embodiment of the present invention, in which an equipment control device is applied to a robot 200 shown in FIG. 1, will be described with reference to the drawings. As shown in FIG. 1, the robot 200 includes an equipment control device 100, a sensor unit 210, a drive unit 220, an operation unit 230, and a power supply control unit 240. The equipment control device 100 also includes a processing unit 110, a memory unit 120, and a communication unit 130. The memory unit 120 also stores emotion data 121, emotion change data 122, a growth table 123, an action content table 124, a motion table 125, growth day data 126, and a day count value 127. The basic configuration and operation control of the robot 200 are substantially similar to known configurations, such as those disclosed in Japanese Patent No. 7192905, and therefore will not be described in detail below. Below, updating of the growth day data 126, which indicates the number of days since birth of the robot 200, will be described.

[0012] The processing unit 110 controls the movement of the robot 200 using the driving unit 220 in accordance with movement control data corresponding to movements determined based on external stimuli detected by the sensor unit 210, the degree of growth of the robot 200 (number of days of growth), and the like. For example, the number of selectable movements is set to increase as the number of days since the birth of the robot 200 increases. The processing unit 110 includes an RTC (real-time clock) 111 and a timer 112. The RTC 111 measures the actual date and time (year, month, day, hour, minute, and second). Hereinafter, the "day," "hour," and "minute" are referred to as the calendar date and time. The calendar date and time are used to calculate a day count value 127, which will be described later. The timer 112 generates an interrupt at predetermined time intervals (e.g., 10-minute intervals) from the start of the robot 200 (including initial start-up and restart). The processing unit 110 acquires the calendar date and time (day, hour, minute) from the RTC 111 each time an interrupt occurs at 10-minute intervals from the timer 112, calculates the current day count value Dnum (described later) from the calendar date and time using a predetermined calculation formula described later, and controls the update of the growth day count data 126 based on the comparison result between the current day count value Dnum and the previous day count value 127.

[0013] The growth days data 126 is a parameter representing the simulated number of days since birth of the robot 200 (the simulated number of days of growth that is updated during the power-on period from the initial startup). In the first embodiment, the growth days data 126 has an initial value of 0, is incremented by 1 (day) when the power is turned on, and is then updated (+1) based on a comparison result between the current day count value Dnum and the previous day count value 127, which are calculated from the calendar date and time described above. The growth days data 126 may be incremented by 1, for example, every time a real day passes. Alternatively, like small animals that grow faster than humans, the growth days data 126 may be incremented by 1 (+1 day) every half day or every quarter day, rather than every day, like small animals that grow faster than humans. Alternatively, like animals that grow slower, the growth days data 126 may be incremented by 1 (+1 day) every 4 days, 10 days, etc. The day count value 127 is a count value used to determine the timing to update (+1) the above-mentioned growth day data 126. The day count value 127 has an initial value of 0, and is calculated based on the calendar date and time of the RTC 111 every 10 minutes while the robot 200 is in a power-on state.

[0014] The behavior of the robot 200 is determined based on the detection signal from the sensor unit 210 in response to an external stimulus, the value of the growth days data 126, and the like. Therefore, if the growth of the robot 200 progresses during a power-off period (if the growth days data 126 is simply updated according to the calendar date and time of the RTC 111), when the power is turned on (restarted) again, the user will see that the robot 200 has suddenly grown, and the behavior of the robot 200 will feel unnatural. Therefore, in the first embodiment, the growth days data 126 is not updated during a power-off period, and when the robot is restarted, a pseudo-day is counted starting from the value of the growth days data 126 at the time the power was turned off. As a result, it is possible to prevent the growth of the robot 200 from progressing during a power-off period.

[0015] <Operation of the first embodiment> When the user turns on the power of the robot 200, the processing unit 110 executes a process of counting the number of days since birth according to the flowchart shown in Fig. 2. The processing unit 110 reads out the previous day count value 127 from the storage unit 120 (step S10). The processing unit 110 also acquires the calendar date and time from the RTC 111 (step S12), and calculates the current day count value Dnum from the calendar date and time according to the following formula 1 (step S14). Dnum = {(dd x 24 x 60) + (hh x 60) + mm} / R... (Formula 1) Here, Dnum (rounded down to the nearest whole number) is the current day count value, dd is the "day" information of the calendar date and time, hh is the "hour" information of the calendar date and time, mm is the "minute" information of the calendar date and time, and R is the count unit number (R=1440; a value representing one pseudo-day of the robot 200 in "minutes"). In the first embodiment, R is set to 1440 so that one actual day (1440 minutes) becomes one pseudo-day of the robot 200. Therefore, the day count value Dnum increases by "1" every time 1440 minutes, i.e., one day, elapses.

[0016] In other words, the frequency of increase in the day count value can be changed by changing the value of R. For example, if R = 2880, it can be increased by "1" every two days, or if R = 5760, it can be increased by "1" every four days. Conversely, if R = 720, it can be increased by "1" every half day, or if R = 360, it can be increased by "1" every quarter day. When changing R, the value of "24" in the above (dd × 24 × 60) must also be changed accordingly. For example, if R = 2880 (2 days), change "24" to "48," or if R = 720 (1 / 2 day), change "24" to "12." In other words, the value of "24" should be the value of R / 60.

[0017] Next, the processing unit 110 determines whether the previous day count value 127 and the current day count value Dnum do not match (step S16). If the previous day count value 127 and the current day count value Dnum do not match (YES in step S16), the processing unit 110 updates (+1) the growth day count data 126 indicating the number of days since birth (step S18), and updates the previous day count value 127 with the current day count value Dnum (step S20). If the previous day count value 127 and the current day count value Dnum do not match, this indicates that one day has passed since the robot 200's pseudo-birth, in other words, it is time to update (+1) the number of days since birth of the robot 200. Then, the processing unit 110 ends the processing.

[0018] 3, suppose the user turns on the power at 10:00 on January 1st. In this case, the day count value 127 is unset and is "0." The processing unit 110 calculates the day count value Dnum ({(1×24×60)+(10×60)+0} / 1440=1.416...→"1") calculated from the calendar date and time (dd=1, hh=10, mm=0) obtained from the RTC 111 according to the above formula 1. The calculated value "1" does not match the previous day count value 127, which is "0." Therefore, the processing unit 110 updates (+1) the growth day count data 126 and updates the day count value 127 to "1."

[0019] On the other hand, if the previous day count value 127 and the current day count value Dnum match (NO in step S32), the processing unit 110 ends the process. If the previous day count value 127 and the current day count value Dnum match, this indicates that the date has not changed since the previous time, that is, it is the same day as the previous time. For example, as shown in FIG. 3, if the device is restarted at 10:00 on January 8, the day count value 127 is already set to "4," so the process ends without updating the day count value 127.

[0020] The above-described birth day counting process shown in FIG. 2 is repeatedly executed at 10-minute intervals by interruption by the timer 112. Each time the process is executed, the previous day count value 127 is compared with the current day count value Dnum, and if the two do not match, the growth day data 126 is updated (+1), and the previous day count value 127 is updated with the current day count value Dnum. This process is repeated. As a result, the growth day data 126 is updated (+1) every time one pseudo day has passed since birth. If the user turns off the power of the robot 200 (by operation) while the above-described birth day counting process is being executed, the power is turned off with the growth day data 126 and day count value 127 at that time being stored in the storage unit 120.

[0021] 3, at 10:10 on 1 / 1, the "1" of the previous day count value 127 matches the "1 (decimals rounded down)" of the current day count value Dnum calculated from the calendar date and time (dd=1, hh=10, mm=10), so neither the growth day count data 126 nor the day count value 127 is updated. Similarly, at 10:20 on 1 / 1, 10 minutes later, the "1" of the previous day count value 127 matches the "1 (decimals rounded down)" of the current day count value Dnum calculated from the calendar date and time (dd=1, hh=10, mm=20), so neither the growth day data 126 nor the day count value 127 is updated. Furthermore, at 1 / 1, 23:50, the previous day count value 127, "1," matches the current day count value Dnum, "1 (decimals rounded down)," calculated from the calendar date and time (dd=1, hh=23, mm=50), so neither the growth day count data 126 nor the day count value 127 is updated. In other words, the growth day count data 126, which indicates the pseudo number of days since birth of the robot 200 activated on 1 / 1, is maintained at 1 (day) during 1 / 1.

[0022] Thereafter, at 00:00 on 1 / 2, the "1" of the previous day count value 127 (1 / 1, 23:50) does not match the "2" of the current day count value Dnum calculated from the calendar date and time (dd=2, hh=0, mm=0), so the growth day data 126 indicating the pseudo number of days since birth is updated (+1) to "2," and the day count value 127 is updated to the day count value Dnum of "2." In other words, the growth day data 126 indicating the pseudo number of days since birth of the robot 200 activated on 1 / 1 is updated to 2 (days) at 0:00 on 1 / 2. Also, at 1 / 2, 23:50, the previous day count value 127, "2," matches the current day count value Dnum, "2," calculated from the calendar date and time (dd=2, hh=23, mm=50), so neither the growth day count data 126 nor the day count value 127 is updated, and the above-described postnatal day count process is repeated until 1 / 2, 23:50. In other words, the growth day data 126, which indicates the pseudo postnatal days of the robot 200 activated on 1 / 1, is maintained at 2 (days) as of 1 / 2, 23:50.

[0023] Then, at 00:00 on 1 / 3, 10 minutes after 23:50 on 1 / 2, the previous day count value 127, "2," and the current day count value Dnum, "3," calculated from the calendar date and time (dd=3, hh=0, mm=0), do not match. Therefore, the growth day count data 126, which indicates the number of days since birth, is updated (+1) to "3," and the previous day count value 127 is updated to the current day count value Dnum, "3." In other words, the growth day count data 126, which indicates the pseudo number of days since birth of the robot 200 activated on 1 / 1, is updated to 3 (days) at 00:00 on 1 / 3. Then, when the user powers off (operates) the robot 200 at 10:20 on 1 / 4, the day count value 127, "4," and the growth day count data 126, "4," remain unchanged.

[0024] Thereafter, when the robot 200 is restarted at 10:00 on January 8, four days after it was powered off, the previous day count value 127 of "4" does not match the current day count value Dnum of "8" calculated from the calendar date and time (dd=8, hh=10, mm=0), so the growth day data 126 indicating the number of days since birth is updated (+1) to "5", and the day count value 127 is updated to the day count value Dnum of "8". In other words, the growth day data 126 indicating the pseudo number of days since birth of the robot 200 that was started up on January 1 and was in a power-on state from January 1 to January 4 is updated to 5 (days) at the time of restart. In this way, when the robot 20 is restarted, the previous day count value at the time the power was turned off is compared with the current count value Dnum at the time of re-movement, and if the two do not match, it is determined that a date has changed, and the growth day count data 126 indicating the pseudo number of days since birth is updated (+1) regardless of the number of days.On the other hand, if the previous day count value and the current count value Dnum match, it is determined that a date has not changed, and the growth day count data 126 indicating the pseudo number of days since birth is maintained without being updated.

[0025] At 10:10 on the same day, 10 minutes after the restart, the previous day count value 127, "8," matches the current day count value Dnum, "8," calculated from the calendar date and time (dd=8, hh=10, mm=10), so the growth day data 126 indicating the number of days since birth and the day count value 127 are not updated, and the same operation continues thereafter. In this way, by controlling so that the growth day data 126 is not updated during the power-off period, it is possible to prevent the robot 200 from progressing artificially during the power-off period.

[0026] According to the first embodiment described above, while the power is off, updating of the growth days data 126 indicating the simulated number of days since birth of the robot 200 is stopped, and when the robot is restarted, the growth days data 126 indicating the simulated number of days since birth is updated based on a comparison between the day count value Dnum calculated from the calendar date and time of the RTC 111 and the previous day count value 127, starting from the value of the day count value 127 at the time of power off and the value of the growth days data 126 indicating the simulated number of days since birth. Therefore, even if, for example, after playing with the robot 200 for five hours, the power is always turned off or the power is turned off to charge the robot, the growth of the robot 200 perceived by the user and the growth automatically updated by the robot 200 will match, and a more natural growth can be expressed that does not give the user a sense of discomfort.

[0027] For example, even if the battery voltage of the robot 200 drops and the robot 200 is turned off, or even if the battery voltage drops below a certain level and the RTC 111 is reset and the calendar date and time is returned to the initial value, or even if the robot 200 is connected to a user's smartphone and the calendar date and time of the RTC 111 is corrected to the actual time, the growth of the robot 200 that the user perceives will match the growth that the robot 200 automatically updates, and it is possible to express a more natural growth that does not cause the user to feel uncomfortable.

[0028] Second Embodiment A second embodiment of the present invention, in which an equipment control device is applied to a robot 200 shown in Fig. 5, will be described with reference to the drawings. Components corresponding to those in Fig. 1 are assigned the same reference numerals, and descriptions thereof will be omitted. In the robot 200 shown in Fig. 4, the storage unit 120 has a growth count value 128 instead of the day count value 127. The processing unit 110 acquires the elapsed time from startup from the timer 112, increments the growth count value 128 by 1 every time 10 minutes elapses, and controls the growth count value 128 to update (+1) the growth day count data 126 indicating the number of days since birth of the robot 200 when the growth count value 128 reaches a predetermined value (for example, if one actual day is considered to be one pseudo-day since birth, then 144 (10 minutes x 144 = 1440 minutes = 24 hours); hereinafter, this will be described as 144). In this way, the growth count value 128 indicates the pseudo number of days since the robot 200 was started up, and the update frequency (growth rate) of the growth days data 126 indicating the pseudo number of days since birth can be controlled by changing the value of 144. For example, if 144 is halved to 72, the growth days data 126 will be updated (+1 (day)) every 12 hours (10 minutes x 72 = 720 minutes = 12 hours), and one pseudo day will pass in half an actual day.

[0029] <Operation of the second embodiment> When the user turns on the power of the robot 200, the processing unit 110 executes a growth days counting process in accordance with the flowchart shown in Fig. 5. When the power is turned on for the first time, i.e., at the time of initial startup, the timer 112 is "0 (initial value)", the growth count value 128 is "0 (initial value)", and the growth days data 126 indicating the pseudo number of days since birth is "1 (initial value)". When the power is turned on, the timer 112 starts counting the time elapsed since startup (including initial startup and restart).

[0030] When the user turns on the power of the robot 200, the processing unit 110 first determines whether the power has been turned off (operated) (step S40). If the power has not been turned off (operated) (NO in step S40), the processing unit 110 acquires the elapsed time from startup from the timer 112 (step S42). Next, the processing unit 110 determines whether 10 minutes have elapsed since startup (step S44). If 10 minutes have not elapsed (NO in step S44), the processing unit 110 returns to step S40 and repeats the above operation until 10 minutes have elapsed. Thereafter, if 10 minutes have elapsed since startup (YES in step S44), the processing unit 110 increments the growth count value 128 by 1 (step S46) and determines whether the growth count value 128 has reached 144 (1 day) (step S48). If the growth count value 128 has not reached 144, i.e., if the number of pseudo-elapsed days since startup has not reached one day (NO in step S48), the processing unit 110 returns to step S42 and repeats the above-mentioned steps S40 to S46, incrementing the growth count value 128 by one every time 10 minutes have passed.

[0031] Thereafter, when the growth count value 128 reaches 144, that is, when the number of pseudo days elapsed since startup reaches one day (YES in step S48), the processing unit 110 updates (+1) the growth day number data 126 indicating the number of days since birth (step S50) and resets the growth count value 128 to "0" (step S52). Thereafter, the processing unit 110 returns to step S42 and repeats the above-mentioned steps S40 to S52, updating (+1) the growth day number data 126 indicating the pseudo number of days since birth every time the growth count value 128 reaches 144 (one day has passed).

[0032] On the other hand, in the update process of the growth days data 126 described above, if the user turns off the power (YES in step S40), the processing unit 110 resets the timer 112 to 0 (step S54) and ends the process.

[0033] Thereafter, when the user restarts the robot 200, the processing unit 110 re-executes the above-described process of counting the number of days since birth in accordance with the flowchart shown in Fig. 5. At the time of restart, the growth days data 126 and the growth count value 128 retain the values ​​at the time when the power was turned off. Therefore, in the process of counting the number of days since birth after restart, the growth days data 126 is updated (incremented by 1) using the values ​​of the growth days data 126 and the growth count value 128 retained at the time when the power was turned off as a starting point, and every time the growth days data 126 reaches 144 (one day has passed), the growth days data 126 indicating the number of days since birth is updated (incremented by 1).

[0034] For example, as shown in FIG. 6, when the timer 112 is initially started at 15:00 on March 10, the timer 112 starts counting the time elapsed since the start. At the time of the first start, the growth count value 128 has an initial value of "0," and the number of days of growth data 126 has an initial value of "1." Next, at 15:10, 10 minutes after the start, the growth count value 128 is incremented by one to become "1." However, since the number of days of growth has not yet reached "144," the number of days of growth data 126 remains unchanged at "1." At 15:20, 10 minutes after the start, the growth count value 128 is incremented by one to become "2." However, since the number of days of growth has not yet reached "144," the number of days of growth data 126 remains unchanged at "1." Thereafter, the growth count value 128 is incremented by one every 10 minutes in the same manner, and the number of days of growth data 126 remains unchanged at "1" until the growth count value 128 reaches "144." That is, the growth days data 126 indicating the pseudo number of days since birth of the robot 200 activated on 3 / 10 is maintained at 1 (day) during 3 / 10.

[0035] Thereafter, while the power remains on, at 15:00 on March 11, 1440 minutes have passed since the robot was started, and the growth count value 128 reaches "144." When the growth count value 128 reaches "144," the growth days data 126 is updated (+1), changing from 1 + 1 to "2." That is, the growth days data 126, which indicates the pseudo number of days since birth of the robot 200 started on March 10, is updated to 2 (days) one day later, at 15:00 on March 11. At this point, the growth count value 128 is reset to "1." Then, when the user turns off (operates) the power of the robot 200 at 15:11 on March 11, the timer 112 is reset (0), and the growth count value 128 of "1" and the growth days data 126, which indicates the number of days since birth, remain unchanged.

[0036] Then, at 14:00 on March 15th, four days after the power-off, the user powers on the robot 200 again, i.e., restarts it. At this time, the growth count value 128 remains at "1" and the number of days of growth data 126 remains at 2 (days). Therefore, at 14:10 on the same day, 10 minutes after the restart, the growth count value 128 is incremented by 1 to "2," but because it has not yet reached "144," the number of days of growth data 126 remains at "2" and is not updated. The state of the number of days of growth data 126 being "2" will not be updated again until the growth count value 128 reaches 144, i.e., at 13:50 on March 16th, 1,430 minutes have passed since the start-up (1,440 minutes if you add the 10 minutes before the power-off). In other words, there is no growth during the four days that the power is off, and the pseudo number of days since birth is 1 (day) from 15:00 on 3 / 10 to 14:50 on 3 / 11 when the power is turned off, and 1 (day) from 15:00 on 3 / 11 to 13:40 on 3 / 15 after restarting, sandwiched between the power off and the initial startup, for a total of 2 (days).Then, at 13:50 on 3 / 16, which is the actual third day since the initial startup, the growth days data 126 is updated to 3 (days).

[0037] According to the second embodiment described above, the growth count value 128 is incremented by 1 every time 10 minutes have elapsed since the start-up of the robot 200, and the growth days data 126 indicating the pseudo number of days since birth is updated (+1) every time the growth count value 128 reaches a predetermined value (for example, 1 day = 144). The updating of the growth days data 126 indicating the pseudo number of days since birth of the robot 200 is stopped while the power is off. When the robot 200 is restarted, the growth days data 126 indicating the pseudo number of days since birth is updated (+1) based on the value of the growth count value 128 at the time of power off and the value of the growth days data 126 indicating the pseudo number of days since birth. Therefore, the growth of the robot 200 perceived by the user and the growth automatically updated by the robot 200 match, and a more natural growth can be expressed that does not cause discomfort to the user.

[0038] Furthermore, it goes without saying that the detailed configuration and detailed operation of each component of the robot 200 in the above embodiment can be appropriately modified without departing from the spirit of the present invention. Although the embodiments of the present invention have been described, the scope of the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments, but includes the scope of the invention set forth in the claims and their equivalents. [Explanation of symbols]

[0039] 200... robot, 110... processing unit, 111... RTC, 112... timer, 126... growth days data, 127... days count value, 128... growth count value

Claims

1. When the time elapsed since the device was started satisfies a predetermined condition, the pseudo-age of the device is updated; When the power of the device is turned off, the pseudo age at that time is maintained; When the device is restarted, updating of the pseudo number of days since birth is resumed, starting from the stored pseudo number of days since birth. A control device comprising a control unit.

2. The control unit The control device described in claim 1, characterized in that while the power of the device is on, a count value corresponding to the elapsed time since the startup is calculated based on actual date and time information, and when it is determined that the timing to update the pseudo-number of days since birth has arrived based on a change in the count value, the control device updates the pseudo-number of days since birth, assuming that the specified condition is met.

3. 3. The control device according to claim 2, wherein the control unit compares a count value calculated a predetermined time ago with a count value calculated at the present time, and determines that the timing for updating has arrived if the two do not match.

4. The control device described in claim 3, characterized in that when the device is restarted, the control unit compares the count value at the time the power was turned off with the count value at the time of re-movement, and if the two do not match, it determines that a date has changed and updates the pseudo-number of days since birth regardless of the number of days, and if the two match, it determines that a date has not changed and maintains the pseudo-number of days since birth.

5. The control device according to claim 1, characterized in that when it is determined that a count value obtained by counting the elapsed time since the start-up at a predetermined time interval has reached a predetermined value, the control unit updates the pseudo-number of days since birth, assuming that the predetermined condition has been met.

6. A control method by a control unit of a device, updating the pseudo-age of the device when the elapsed time from the start of the device satisfies a predetermined condition; When the power supply of the device is turned off, a step of retaining the pseudo age at that time; When the device is restarted, restarting updating of the pseudo number of days since birth using the stored pseudo number of days since birth as a starting point; A control method comprising:

7. The computer of the device that has the control unit an update function for updating the pseudo-age of the device when the elapsed time from the start of the device satisfies a predetermined condition; a retention function for retaining the pseudo-age at the time when the power of the device is turned off; a restart function for restarting updating of the pseudo number of days since birth, starting from the stored pseudo number of days since birth, when the device is restarted; A program characterized by realizing the above.

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