Portable terminal device and program

Abstract

To provide a portable terminal device that allows a user to easily recognize information output from the device even if a reduction in cognitive function of the user progresses.SOLUTION: A portable terminal device 10 comprises: a display input unit 14 that displays a screen; a voice input / output unit 15 that outputs a sound; and a control unit 11. The control unit 11 determines the level of a cognitive function of a user every time a prescribed period elapses, and according to the determined level of the cognitive function, changes a display mode of the screen displayed by the display input unit 14 and an output mode of the sound output from the voice input / output unit 15. For example, the control unit 11 executes a concierge function to notify support information for supporting the user on the screen displayed by the display input unit 14 and by a voice output from the voice input / output unit 15, and according to the determined level of the cognitive function, changes the display mode of the screen for notifying the support information and the output mode of the voice for notifying the support information.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 2

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a mobile terminal device and a program, and in particular to a mobile terminal device in which various application programs for supporting elderly people and the like are installed. [Background technology]

[0002] In recent years, the aging of society has led to an increase in the number of dementia patients. Therefore, to help support the elderly and dementia patients, development is underway on mobile terminal devices such as tablet terminals on which various application programs (hereinafter referred to as "support apps") for supporting the elderly and dementia patients are installed. For example, one support app includes an app that provides a concierge function that notifies the elderly and dementia patients with support information via screen and voice. Support information notified by the concierge function includes, for example, confirmation of medication and locking the door, notifications for hospital visits and trash disposal, and warnings for preventing heatstroke.

[0003] The following Patent Document 1 describes a mobile terminal that displays a message urging the user to take medicine and a message warning the user not to forget to take medicine. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0004] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2010-141445 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0005] As the cognitive function of a user (elderly person, etc.) declines, it may become difficult for the user to recognize information output from the mobile terminal device by screen or sound, such as support information from the concierge function, etc. In this case, it may become difficult to use the mobile terminal device to support the elderly person, etc.

[0006] In view of the above problem, the present invention aims to provide a mobile terminal device and a program that enable a user to easily recognize information output from the device even if the user's cognitive function is declining. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] A first aspect of the present invention relates to a mobile terminal device. The mobile terminal device according to this aspect includes a display unit that displays a screen, a sound output unit that outputs sound, and a control unit. Here, the control unit determines the level of the user's cognitive function every time a specified period of time elapses, and changes the display mode of the screen displayed on the display unit and / or the output mode of the sound output from the sound output unit according to the determined level of cognitive function.

[0008] For example, the lower the level of cognitive function, the more frequently sounds are output and / or the louder the volume is, and for example, the lower the level of cognitive function, the larger the size of the characters on the screen and / or the more conspicuous the color of the characters on the screen is.

[0009] According to the mobile terminal device of this embodiment, as the user's cognitive function declines, the screen display mode and / or sound output mode are changed to correspond to the decline, so that the user can easily recognize the information output by screen and sound even if the user's cognitive function declines further.

[0010] In the mobile terminal device according to this aspect, the control unit may be configured to execute a concierge function that notifies the user of support information via a screen displayed on the display unit and / or audio output from the audio output unit, and to change the display mode of the screen that notifies the support information and / or the output mode of the audio that notifies the support information depending on the determined level of cognitive function.

[0011] According to the above configuration, even if the user's cognitive function declines, the user is less likely to recognize the support information notified by the concierge function on the screen and by voice.

[0012] When the control unit is configured to change the display mode of the screen that notifies the support information and / or the output mode of the audio that notifies the support information as described above, the control unit may further be configured to increase the number of times the support information is notified by audio and / or increase the volume of the audio when notifying the support information, the lower the determined level of cognitive function.

[0013] With this configuration, even if the user's cognitive function declines, the user will be more likely to be able to recognize the support information as the notifications are repeated, and / or the audio will be more easily heard, making it easier for the user to recognize the support information.

[0014] When the control unit is configured to change the display mode of the screen that notifies the support information and / or the output mode of the audio that notifies the support information as described above, the control unit may further be configured to increase the size of the characters on the screen when notifying the support information and / or make the color of the characters on the screen when notifying the support information more conspicuous the lower the determined level of cognitive function.

[0015] With this configuration, even if the user's cognitive function has declined, the user will be able to easily recognize the characters and will be able to recognize the support information.

[0016] When the control unit is configured to change the display mode of the screen that notifies the support information and / or the output mode of the audio that notifies the support information as described above, the control unit may further be configured to make the support information more detailed the lower the determined level of cognitive function.

[0017] With this configuration, even if the user's cognitive function is declining, when the user receives notification of support information, the user will be able to smoothly take action based on that notification.

[0018] In the mobile terminal device according to this aspect, the control unit may be configured to set the specified period to a shorter time as the determined level of the cognitive function is lower.

[0019] According to the above configuration, the lower the level of cognitive function, the more frequently the cognitive function is assessed, making it easier to quickly change the screen display mode and sound output mode in response to a decline in cognitive function.

[0020] In the mobile terminal device of this aspect, the control unit may be configured to launch a cognitive function test application program each time the specified period has elapsed, and to determine the level of cognitive function based on the results of the cognitive function test.

[0021] According to the above configuration, it is possible to determine the level of cognitive function with high accuracy.

[0022] In the mobile terminal device according to this aspect, the control unit may be configured to determine the level of the cognitive function each time the specified period elapses based on the status of operations performed by the user during the specified period.

[0023] According to the above configuration, the level of cognitive function can be determined without requiring the user to spend time or effort.

[0024] A second aspect of the present invention relates to a program for causing a control unit of a mobile terminal device, which includes a display unit for displaying a screen and a sound output unit for outputting sound, to execute predetermined functions. The program according to this aspect causes the control unit to execute a function of determining a level of cognitive function of a user each time a specified period of time has elapsed, and a function of changing a display mode of the screen displayed on the display unit and / or an output mode of sound output from the sound output unit according to the determined level of cognitive function.

[0025] According to the program of this aspect, the same effects as those of the first aspect can be achieved. [Effects of the Invention]

[0026] As described above, according to the present invention, it is possible to provide a mobile terminal device and a program that allow the information output from the device to be easily recognized by the user even if the user's cognitive function is declining.

[0027] The effects and significance of the present invention will become more apparent from the following description of the embodiments, however, the embodiments shown below are merely examples of how the present invention can be implemented, and the present invention is not limited to the embodiments described below. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0028] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a diagram schematically showing a usage pattern of a mobile terminal device according to an embodiment. [Figure 2] FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing the configuration of a circuit unit of the mobile terminal device according to the embodiment. [Figure 3] FIG. 3 is a diagram showing the configuration of a home screen displayed on a display input unit of the mobile terminal device according to the embodiment. [Figure 4] FIG. 4 is a diagram showing the configuration of a screen that is displayed when a predetermined button is operated on the home screen according to the embodiment. [Figure 5] FIG. 5 is a diagram showing the contents of a concierge file according to the embodiment. [Figure 6] 6(a) and 6(b) are flowcharts showing a cognitive function assessment process and an information notification process, respectively, executed by a control unit for a concierge function according to an embodiment. [Figure 7] 7(a) to 7(c) are diagrams showing examples of notification screens with character sizes according to the level of cognitive function according to the embodiment. [Figure 8] 8(a) and 8(b) are flowcharts showing a cognitive function assessment process and an information notification process, respectively, executed by the control unit for the concierge function according to the first modification. [Figure 9] 9(a) and 9(b) are flowcharts showing a cognitive function assessment process and an information notification process, respectively, executed by the control unit for the concierge function according to the second modification. [Figure 10] 10(a) and 10(b) are flowcharts showing a cognitive function assessment process and an information notification process, respectively, executed by the control unit for the concierge function, according to the third modification. [Figure 11] 11(a) and 11(b) are flowcharts showing a cognitive function assessment process and an information notification process, respectively, executed by the control unit for the concierge function, according to the fourth modification. [Figure 12] FIG. 12 is a flowchart showing a cognitive function assessment process executed by the control unit for the concierge function according to the fifth modification. [Figure 13] FIG. 13 is a diagram showing the contents of a concierge file according to the sixth modification. [Figure 14] FIG. 14 is a flowchart showing an information notification process executed by the control unit for the concierge function according to the sixth modification. [Figure 15] FIG. 15 is a diagram showing an example of a notification screen including support information of contents according to the level of cognitive function, according to the sixth modification. [Figure 16] FIG. 16 is a diagram showing an example of a home screen in which the display mode is changed according to the level of cognitive function, according to another modification. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0029] A mobile terminal device 10 according to an embodiment will be described below. The mobile terminal device 10 is, for example, a tablet terminal. However, the mobile terminal device 10 is not limited to this and may be other types of mobile terminal devices such as a mobile phone or a laptop computer.

[0030] FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a typical usage pattern of a mobile terminal device 10. As shown in FIG.

[0031] In the example of Fig. 1, a subject 1, such as an elderly person or a dementia patient, carries a mobile terminal device 10 in a bag 2. The mobile terminal device 10 is, for example, a tablet terminal. However, the mobile terminal device 10 is not limited to this, and may be other types of mobile terminal devices, such as a mobile phone or a laptop computer.

[0032] The mobile terminal device 10 can communicate with a mobile phone 40 carried by a supporter 4 via a public communication network 20 and base stations 31 and 32. The supporter 4 is, for example, a family member living with the subject 1. In the example of FIG. 1, the supporter 4 is staying at the home 3 of the subject 1. The mobile terminal device 10 and the mobile phone 40 each have the telephone number of the other party pre-registered. The mobile terminal device 10 has a function for making a call to the other party's telephone number. Instead of the mobile phone 40, a tablet terminal or a landline telephone may be used as the telephone of the supporter 4.

[0033] An application program (hereinafter referred to as "assistance app") for supporting elderly people or dementia patients who are the target persons 1 is installed in the mobile terminal device 10. This assistance app is downloaded to the mobile terminal device 10 from a server (not shown) connected to the public communication network 20.

[0034] The support app provides the subject 1 with a function to guide the subject 1 to, for example, his / her home or the nearest taxi stand. The support app also provides the subject 1 with a concierge function that notifies the subject 1 of support information to support the subject 1, who is elderly or the like (for example, a message to confirm medication or a message informing the subject that it is time to visit the hospital). Furthermore, the support app provides the subject 1 with a training function for improving dementia. In addition, the support app provides the subject 1 with a function to find contact information registered in advance by the supporter 4 as information on contacts related to the subject 1, such as family members and hospital visits.

[0035] FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing the configuration of the circuit section of the mobile terminal device 10. As shown in FIG.

[0036] The mobile terminal device 10 includes a control unit 11, a memory unit 12, a wireless communication unit 13, a display input unit 14, a voice input / output unit 15, a position acquisition unit 16, a date and time measurement unit 17, and a short-range wireless communication unit 18.

[0037] The control unit 11 includes a processing circuit such as a CPU, and controls each unit according to a program stored in the storage unit 12. Here, the above-mentioned support application is stored in the storage unit 12 as this program. The storage unit 12 includes a ROM, a RAM, a flash memory, etc., and stores the program executed by the control unit 11. The storage unit 12 is also used as a work area when the control unit 11 executes the support application.

[0038] The wireless communication unit 13 is a wireless communication module for communicating with various devices via the public communication network 30 under the control of the control unit 11. The display / input unit 14 includes a touch panel with a liquid crystal display, and serves as a display unit to display a predetermined screen under the control of the control unit 11, and as an input unit to accept input to the screen.

[0039] The audio input / output unit 15 includes a microphone and a speaker. As an audio input unit, the audio input / output unit 15 acquires audio through the microphone and outputs the acquired audio data to the control unit 11. Also, as an audio output unit, the audio input / output unit 15 outputs predetermined audio or sound from the speaker in accordance with control from the control unit 11.

[0040] The position acquisition unit 16 is, for example, a GPS module, and acquires the current position of the mobile terminal device 10 and outputs it to the control unit 11. The current position of the mobile terminal device 10 is the current position of the subject person 1 who carries the mobile terminal device 10.

[0041] The date and time measuring unit 17 measures the date and time and outputs it to the control unit 11. The storage unit 12 stores calendar data, and the control unit 11 can use the calendar data to determine the day of the week from the acquired date and time.

[0042] The short-distance wireless communication unit 18, under the control of the control unit 11, communicates with devices capable of short-distance wireless communication that are located in the vicinity of the mobile terminal device 10, using a short-distance wireless communication protocol such as Bluetooth (registered trademark).

[0043] FIG. 3 is a diagram showing the configuration of a home screen 100 displayed on the display / input unit 14 of the mobile terminal device 10. As shown in FIG.

[0044] In this embodiment, the home screen 100 can be customized for each user. The user can arbitrarily set the number and size of buttons to be arranged on the home screen 100. This setting is performed, for example, by the support person 4. The support person 4, for example, uses the mobile terminal device 10 to access a server that provides the program (assistance app) and customizes the home screen 100. When the customization is complete, the program (assistance app) including the customized home screen 100 is downloaded from the server to the mobile terminal device 10 and installed. As described above, the assistance app includes various functions for resolving the problems faced by elderly people and dementia patients.

[0045] 3, four buttons 101 to 104 corresponding to the functions of the support application and a button 105 for moving to the next screen are included in the home screen 100. The home screen 100 is displayed in the entire display area of ​​the display input unit 14.

[0046] Button 101 is a button for providing assistance to the subject person 1 in returning home. When button 101 is pressed, the current location of the subject person 1 is acquired by the location acquisition unit 16. Based on the acquired current location and the location of the subject person's home that has been registered in advance in the mobile terminal device 10, a map showing the route to the home, a map showing the route to the nearest station, bus stop, or taxi stand, and the like are displayed.

[0047] Button 102 is a button for providing assistance to subject 1 in searching for desired information. When button 102 is pressed, for example, screen 110 as shown in FIG. 4 is displayed in the entire display area of ​​display input unit 14. Screen 110 includes four buttons 111 to 114 for searching for an address, telephone number, homepage, and email address, respectively, and buttons 115 and 116 for scrolling back and forth through the screen. Information related to subject 1 is registered in advance in buttons 111 to 114, for example, by supporter 4.

[0048] For example, button 111 is registered with the home address of subject 1 and the address of the hospital that subject 1 visits, button 112 is registered with the home telephone number of subject 1, the telephone number of mobile phone 40 owned by supporter 4, and the main telephone number of the hospital that subject 1 visits. Also, button 113 is registered with the homepage of the hospital or nursing facility that subject 1 visits, and button 114 is registered with the email address of supporter 4, etc.

[0049] When the target person 1 operates one of the buttons 111 to 114, the information group registered in that button is displayed as a selection candidate. By operating one of these selection candidates, the target person 1 can execute a desired event corresponding to the selection candidate.

[0050] Returning to FIG. 3, button 103 is a button for enabling the concierge function, which notifies the subject 1 of support information for supporting the elderly or the like by screen or voice. The support information includes, for example, confirmation of medication and locking, notifications of when to visit the hospital or take out the trash, and warnings for preventing heatstroke, etc. When button 103 is pressed, a screen is displayed for selecting whether to turn the concierge function on or off, and for setting various types of support information, such as the date and time of hospital visits and the time of day to take medicine.

[0051] Button 104 is a button for subject 1 to engage in his / her hobbies (Japanese chess, coloring, etc.) for dementia rehabilitation. When button 104 is operated, a screen including icons of a list of subject 1's hobbies that have been registered in advance by, for example, a supporter 4, etc. is displayed.

[0052] In this way, by executing the assistance application, the subject 1 can receive various types of assistance.

[0053] As described above, in the concierge function, support information for supporting the subject 1 is notified to the subject 1 by a screen displayed on the display input unit 14 or a sound output from the sound input / output unit 15. However, as the cognitive function of the subject 1 deteriorates, it may become difficult for the subject 1 to recognize the support information notified by the mobile terminal device 10 by a screen or sound.

[0054] Therefore, in the mobile terminal device 10 of this embodiment, the control unit 11 determines the level of cognitive function of the subject 1 each time a specified period has elapsed, and changes the display mode of the screen related to the concierge function (the screen that notifies the user of support information) and the output mode of the voice related to the concierge function (the voice that notifies the user of support information) according to the determined level of cognitive function.

[0055] The concierge function will be described in detail below.

[0056] As shown in FIG. 2, a concierge file 12a is stored in the storage unit 12 for use in the concierge function.

[0057] FIG. 5 shows the contents of the concierge file 12a.

[0058] In the concierge file 12a, support information to be notified in order to support the subject 1 (elderly person or the like) and the notification timing of the support information are registered in association with each other.

[0059] For example, for medication support, the support information "Did you take your morning medicine?" is linked to the notification timing "8:00 every day." Also, for locking support, the support information "Did you lock it?" is linked to the notification timing "going out." When the subject 1 goes out carrying the mobile terminal device 10, it is detected that the subject 1 has gone out based on the fact that the location of the mobile terminal device 10 acquired by the location acquisition unit 16 is moving away from the location of the home.

[0060] Furthermore, for hospital visit support, the support information "Today is the hospital visit day" is linked to the notification timing "Monday 7:00." Furthermore, for trash disposal support, the support information "Today is the day for non-burnable trash" is linked to the notification timing "Wednesday 8:30."

[0061] Furthermore, to support heatstroke prevention, the support information "Be careful of heatstroke" is linked to the notification timing "room temperature 28°C." A temperature detection device with short-range wireless communication capability is installed in the home of the subject 1. Temperature information is transmitted from the temperature detection device to the mobile terminal device 10 via short-range wireless communication. An electrical device capable of detecting temperature, such as an air conditioner, may be used as the temperature detection device. The notification timing of the support information "Be careful of heatstroke" may be when the mobile terminal device 10 acquires information on heatstroke prevention from a website of the Japan Meteorological Agency or the like via the public communication network 20.

[0062] 6(a) and 6(b) are flowcharts showing the cognitive function assessment process and the information notification process, respectively, executed by the control unit 11 for the concierge function. Figures 7(a) to 7(c) are diagrams showing examples of notification screens 120 with font sizes according to the level of cognitive function.

[0063] For the concierge function, the control unit 11 executes the cognitive function assessment process and the information notification process in parallel.

[0064] Referring to FIG. 6(a), when the cognitive function assessment process is started, the control unit 11 assesses the level of cognitive function of the subject 1 (S101).

[0065] For example, the control unit 11 launches an application program for a cognitive function test. The cognitive function test is conducted in a format in which questions or problems are posed to the subject and answers are obtained. The display input unit 14 sequentially displays question screens asking for the subject's name, address, etc., and question screens asking about calculation ability, memory, etc. The subject 1 answers the questions or problems by operating the display input unit 14. The control unit 11 determines the level of cognitive function based on the test results, such as scores, into three levels, for example, "high," "medium," and "low." Note that the cognitive function levels may be divided into two levels or four or more levels.

[0066] In this way, by determining the level of cognitive function based on the results of a cognitive function test, it is possible to determine the level of cognitive function with high accuracy.

[0067] The control unit 11 sets the font size of the support information to be notified according to the determined level of cognitive function (S102). For example, when the cognitive function is "high," "medium," or "low," the font size is set to "small," "medium," or "large," respectively.

[0068] Furthermore, the control unit 11 sets the number of times to output the voice of the support information (hereinafter referred to as "calling out") according to the determined level of cognitive function (S103). For example, when the cognitive function is "high", "medium", or "low", the number of times to call out is set to "1 time", "2 times", or "3 times", respectively.

[0069] Thereafter, the control unit 11 monitors whether or not a predetermined period has elapsed (S104). The predetermined period may be, for example, one month. When the predetermined period has elapsed (S104: YES), the control unit 11 returns to S101 and again determines the level of cognitive function.

[0070] In this way, in the cognitive function assessment process, the level of cognitive function is assessed each time a specified period has elapsed, and the size of the characters and the number of times the user is called out are set according to the level.

[0071] In S101, the control unit 11 may determine the level of cognitive function based on the status of operations performed by the subject 1 during a specified period, instead of the cognitive function test. In this case, the control unit 11 waits for the specified period to elapse immediately after starting the cognitive function assessment process, and then performs the first cognitive function level assessment. When cognitive function declines, the subject 1 may have difficulty in operations or may make more erroneous operations or input errors. Therefore, for example, when an assistance app having a hierarchical screen is executed, the control unit 11 measures the time required for screen transition to a lower screen as the transition time, calculates the average value of the transition time during the specified period, and determines the level of cognitive function based on the average value, for example, into three levels: "high," "medium," and "low." In addition, the control unit 11 counts, for example, the number of operations of going back and forth between an upper screen and a lower screen in a support app having a hierarchical screen structure, the number of operations of deleting characters in a support app that requires input of characters, etc., and the number of times an ID or password is entered incorrectly in a support app that requires such input, and determines the level of cognitive function as one of three levels, for example, "high," "medium," or "low," based on the number of times counted during a specified period.

[0072] In this way, by determining the level of cognitive function based on the operation status of the mobile terminal device 10 by the subject 1, it is possible to determine the level of cognitive function without requiring the subject 1 to spend time or effort.

[0073] 6(b), when the information notification process is started, the control unit 11 monitors whether any of the notification timings registered in the concierge file 12a has arrived (S201). When the notification timing arrives (S201: YES), the control unit 11 causes the display input unit 14 to display a notification screen 120 (S202). On the notification screen 120, a message 121 of support information linked to the notification timing in the concierge file 12a is displayed in a character size set according to the level of cognitive function.

[0074] Furthermore, the control unit 11 causes the voice input / output unit 15 to output a voice notifying the support information linked to the notification timing (S203). The control unit 11 continues to make a voice announcement (voice output) of the support information through the voice input / output unit 15 until the number of times set according to the level of cognitive function is reached (S204: NO → S203). The interval between announcements may be determined in advance or may be set by an operation of the subject 1, etc.

[0075] When the call for support information ends and the control unit 11 closes the notification screen 120 due to the passage of a predetermined time or a closing operation, the information notification process ends.

[0076] For example, at 8:00 every day, the mobile terminal device 10 notifies the subject 1 of the support information "Did you take your morning medicine?" by using the notification screen 120 and a voice message. When the subject 1 goes out, the mobile terminal device 10 notifies the subject 1 of the support information "Did you lock the door?" by using the notification screen 120 and a voice message. At 7:00 on Monday, the mobile terminal device 10 notifies the subject 1 of the support information "Today is your hospital visit day" by using the notification screen 120 and a voice message. At 8:30 on Wednesday, the mobile terminal device 10 notifies the subject 1 of the support information "Today is the day to collect non-burnable garbage" by using the notification screen 120 and a voice message. When the room temperature reaches 28°C, the mobile terminal device 10 notifies the subject 1 of the support information "Be careful of heatstroke" by using the notification screen 120 and a voice message.

[0077] In this case, if the cognitive function level of the subject 1 is "high," a small-sized notification screen 120 with a support information message 121 displayed in small letters pops up on a currently displayed screen, such as the home screen 100, as shown in FIG. 7(a), and the audio of the support information is output once. If the cognitive function level of the subject 1 is "medium," a medium-sized notification screen 120 with a support information message 121 displayed in medium letters pops up on a screen, such as the home screen 100, as shown in FIG. 7(b), and the audio of the support information is output twice. If the cognitive function level of the subject 1 is "low," a large-sized notification screen 120 with a support information message 121 displayed in large letters pops up on a screen, such as the home screen 100, as shown in FIG. 7(c), and the audio of the support information is output three times. The notification screen 120 may be displayed full-size on the display input unit 14, instead of being displayed as a pop-up.

[0078] <Effects of the embodiment> According to this embodiment, the following effects are achieved.

[0079] According to the mobile terminal device 10, the level of the user's cognitive function is determined each time a specified period has elapsed, and the display mode of the screen that notifies the user of the support information, which is displayed on the display input unit 14, and the output mode of the voice that notifies the user of the support information, which is output from the voice input / output unit 15, are changed according to the determined level of the cognitive function. This makes it easier for the subject 1 to recognize the support information notified by the screen and voice using the concierge function, even if the subject 1's cognitive function continues to decline.

[0080] Furthermore, according to the mobile terminal device 10, the lower the level of cognitive function, the more frequently the concierge function notifies the subject 1 of the support information by voice. As a result, even if the subject 1 has a decline in cognitive function, the subject 1 is more likely to be able to recognize the support information while the notifications are repeated.

[0081] Furthermore, according to the mobile terminal device 10, the lower the level of cognitive function, the larger the size of the characters displayed on the screen when notifying support information by the concierge function. This makes it easier for the subject 1 to recognize characters and recognize the support information even when the subject 1's cognitive function has declined.

[0082] <Change example 1> 8(a) and 8(b) are flowcharts showing a cognitive function assessment process and an information notification process executed by the control unit 11 for the concierge function, respectively, according to the first modification.

[0083] In the above embodiment, as shown in Fig. 6(a), in the cognitive function assessment process, the control unit 11 sets the number of times to provide support information in accordance with the assessed level of cognitive function (S103). Then, as shown in Fig. 6(b), in the information notification process, when a notification timing arrives, the control unit 11 uses the voice input / output unit 15 to provide support information linked to the notification timing in the concierge file 12a until the number of times set in accordance with the level of cognitive function is reached (S204: NO → S203).

[0084] In contrast, in this modified example, as shown in FIG. 8(a), in the cognitive function assessment process, the control unit 11 sets the volume of the voice of the support information in accordance with the assessed level of cognitive function (S113). For example, when the cognitive function is “high,” “medium,” or “low,” the volume of the voice is set to “low,” “medium,” or “high,” respectively. Then, as shown in FIG. 8(b), in the information notification process, when the notification timing arrives, the control unit 11 outputs the audio of the support information linked to the notification timing in the concierge file 12a from the audio input / output unit 15 at the volume set according to the level of cognitive function (S213). For example, if the level of cognitive function of the subject 1 is “high,” the audio of the support information is output at a relatively low volume. Furthermore, if the level of cognitive function of the subject 1 is “medium,” the audio of the support information is output at a relatively medium volume. Furthermore, if the level of cognitive function of the subject 1 is “low,” the audio of the support information is output at a relatively high volume.

[0085] In this way, according to this modification, the lower the level of cognitive function, the louder the volume of the voice notification of support information by the concierge function is. Therefore, even if the cognitive function of the subject 1 is deteriorated, the voice becomes easier to hear and the subject 1 is more likely to recognize the support information.

[0086] <Change example 2> 9(a) and 9(b) are flowcharts showing a cognitive function assessment process and an information notification process executed by the control unit 11 for the concierge function, respectively, according to the second modification.

[0087] 9(a), in the cognitive function assessment process, the control unit 11 sets the number of calls and the volume of the calls in the support information according to the assessed level of cognitive function (S123). For example, when the cognitive function is "high," "medium," or "low," the number of calls is set to "1 time," "2 times," or "3 times," and the volume of the calls is set to "low," "medium," or "high," respectively.

[0088] 9(b), in the information notification process, when the notification timing arrives, the control unit 11 outputs the audio of the support information linked to the notification timing in the concierge file 12a from the audio input / output unit 15 at a volume set according to the level of cognitive function (S213). The control unit 11 then outputs the support information through the audio input / output unit 15 until the number of times set according to the level of cognitive function is reached (S204: NO → S213). For example, if the level of cognitive function of the subject 1 is "high," the audio of the support information is output once at a relatively low volume. If the level of cognitive function of the subject 1 is "medium," the audio of the support information is output twice repeatedly at a relatively medium volume. If the level of cognitive function of the subject 1 is "low," the audio of the support information is output three times repeatedly at a relatively high volume.

[0089] Thus, according to this modification, the lower the level of cognitive function, the more frequently the concierge function notifies the support information by voice and the louder the volume of the voice when notifying the support information. Therefore, even if the cognitive function of the subject 1 is deteriorated, the subject 1 is likely to be able to recognize the support information as the notifications are repeated, and the voice becomes easier to hear, making the subject 1 more likely to be able to recognize the support information.

[0090] <Change example 3> 10(a) and 10(b) are flowcharts showing a cognitive function assessment process and an information notification process executed by the control unit 11 for the concierge function, respectively, according to the third modified example.

[0091] In the above embodiment, as shown in Fig. 6(a), in the cognitive function assessment process, the control unit 11 sets the font size of the support information to be notified according to the assessed level of cognitive function (S102). Then, as shown in Fig. 6(b), in the information notification process, when the notification timing arrives, the control unit 11 causes the display input unit 14 to display a notification screen 120 on which a message 121 of the support information is displayed in the font size set according to the level of cognitive function (S202).

[0092] In contrast to this, in this modified example, as shown in Fig. 10(a), in the cognitive function assessment process, the control unit 11 sets the color of the text of the support information to be notified according to the assessed level of cognitive function (S112). For example, if the cognitive function is "high" or "medium", the color of the text is set to black, and if the cognitive function is "low", the color of the text is set to red, which is more noticeable (easier to be noticed) than black. That is, if the cognitive function is "high" or "medium", the text is set to colorless, and if the cognitive function is "low", the text is set to colored.

[0093] 10(b), in the information notification process, when the notification timing arrives, the control unit 11 causes the display input unit 14 to display a notification screen 120 in which a message 121 of support information is displayed in a character color set according to the level of cognitive function (S212). For example, if the level of cognitive function of the subject 1 is "high" or "medium," a small-sized notification screen 120 in which the message 121 of support information is displayed in black characters is popped up on a screen such as the home screen 100. If the level of cognitive function of the subject 1 is "low," a notification screen 120 in which the message 121 of support information is displayed in red characters is popped up on a screen such as the home screen 100.

[0094] In this way, according to this modification, the lower the level of cognitive function, the more conspicuous the color of the text on the screen when the concierge function notifies support information. This makes it easier for the subject 1 to recognize the text and recognize the support information, even if their cognitive function has declined.

[0095] <Change Example 4> 11(a) and 11(b) are flowcharts showing a cognitive function assessment process and an information notification process executed by the control unit 11 for the concierge function, respectively, according to the fourth modification.

[0096] 11(a), in the cognitive function assessment process, the control unit 11 sets the size and color of the characters of the support information to be notified according to the assessed level of cognitive function (S122). For example, when the cognitive function is "high," "medium," or "low," the character size is set to "small," "medium," or "large," respectively, and when the cognitive function is "high" or "medium," the character color is set to black, and when the cognitive function is "low," the character color is set to red, which is more noticeable than black.

[0097] 11(b), in the information notification process, when the notification timing arrives, the control unit 11 causes the display input unit 14 to display a notification screen 120 in which a message 121 of support information is displayed in a font size and color set according to the level of cognitive function (S222). For example, if the level of cognitive function of the subject 1 is "high," a small-sized notification screen 120 in which the message 121 of support information is displayed in small, black characters is popped up on a screen such as the home screen 100. If the level of cognitive function of the subject 1 is "medium," a medium-sized notification screen 120 in which the message 121 of support information is displayed in medium, black characters is popped up on a screen such as the home screen 100. If the level of cognitive function of the subject 1 is "low," a large-sized notification screen 120 in which the message 121 of support information is displayed in large, red characters is popped up on a screen such as the home screen 100.

[0098] Thus, according to this modification, the lower the level of cognitive function, the larger the size of the characters displayed on the screen when the concierge function notifies support information, and the more conspicuous the color of the characters on the screen becomes. This makes it easier for the subject 1 to recognize characters and recognize the support information, even if their cognitive function has declined.

[0099] <Change Example 5> FIG. 12 is a flowchart showing a cognitive function assessment process executed by the control unit 11 for the concierge function according to the fifth modification.

[0100] In this modification, the control unit 11 sets the size of the characters and the number of times to call out to the user in accordance with the level of cognitive function (S102, S103), and also sets the length of the prescribed period in accordance with the level of cognitive function (S105). At this time, the control unit 11 shortens the prescribed period as the level of cognitive function becomes lower. For example, when the level of cognitive function is "medium" or "low," the prescribed period is set to be about 50% of the length when the level of cognitive function is "high."

[0101] In this way, in this modified example, the lower the level of cognitive function, the more frequently cognitive function assessments are made, making it easier to quickly change the display mode (font size and color) of the notification screen 120 and the audio output mode (number of calls and volume) in response to a decline in cognitive function.

[0102] Note that instead of the process of S102 in Fig. 12, the process of S112 in Fig. 10(a) may be executed to set the color of the characters, or the process of S122 in Fig. 11(a) may be executed to set the size and color of the characters. Furthermore, instead of the process of S103 in Fig. 12, the process of S113 in Fig. 8(a) may be executed to set the volume of the call, or the process of S123 in Fig. 9(a) may be executed to set the number of calls and the volume.

[0103] <Change Example 6> In the mobile terminal device 10 of the above embodiment, the content of the support information notified is the same regardless of the level of cognitive function. In contrast, in the mobile terminal device 10 of this modified example, the more the cognitive function declines, the more detailed the support information notified becomes.

[0104] FIG. 13 is a diagram showing the contents of the concierge file 12b according to the sixth modification.

[0105] In this modified example, the concierge file 12b stores support information for cognitive function levels of "high" and "medium," as well as support information for cognitive function levels of "low," which is more detailed than the support information, linked to the notification timing.

[0106] For example, support information registered for cognitive function levels of "high" and "medium" includes "Did you take your morning medicine?" for medication support, "Did you lock the door?" for locking support, "Today is your hospital visit day" for hospital visit support, "Today is non-burnable garbage day" for garbage disposal support, and "Be careful of heatstroke" for heatstroke prevention support.

[0107] On the other hand, support information for those with a "low" level of cognitive function includes, for example, medication support, "Did you take your morning medicine XX and □□?"; locking support, "Did you lock the front door and back door?"; hospital visit support, "Today is your visit to XX Hospital. Don't forget your patient card and health insurance card."; garbage disposal support, "Today is non-burnable garbage day. Please separate □□ garbage and △△ garbage."; and heatstroke prevention support, "Be careful of heatstroke. Set the air conditioner to 28 degrees."

[0108] Fig. 14 is a flowchart showing an information notification process executed by the control unit 11 for the concierge function according to Modification 6. Fig. 15 is a diagram showing an example of a notification screen 130 according to Modification 6, which includes support information with content according to the level of cognitive function.

[0109] In this modification, similarly to the above embodiment, the cognitive function assessment process of FIG. 8(a) is executed, and in parallel with this, the information notification process of FIG. 14 is executed.

[0110] 14, when the notification timing arrives (S201: YES), the control unit 11 causes the display input unit 14 to display the notification screen 130 (S232). On the notification screen 130, a message 121 of support information whose content corresponds to the level of cognitive function is displayed in a character size set according to the level of cognitive function.

[0111] For example, if the cognitive function level of the subject 1 is "high," a small-sized notification screen 130 with a message 131 of support information "Did you take your morning medicine?" written in small letters is displayed as a pop-up on a screen such as the home screen 100, as shown in FIG. 15(a). If the cognitive function level of the subject 1 is "medium," a medium-sized notification screen 130 with a message 131 of support information "Did you take your morning medicine?" written in medium letters is displayed as a pop-up on a screen such as the home screen 100, as shown in FIG. 15(b). If the cognitive function level of the subject 1 is "low," a large-sized notification screen 130 with a message 131 of detailed support information "Did you take your morning medicine?" written in large letters is displayed as a pop-up on a screen such as the home screen 100, as shown in FIG. 15(c).

[0112] Furthermore, the control unit 11 causes the voice input / output unit 15 to output a voice notifying the user of support information whose content corresponds to the level of cognitive function (S233). The control unit 11 continues to provide support information through the voice input / output unit 15 until the number of times set according to the level of cognitive function is reached (S204: NO→S233).

[0113] In this modified example, the lower the level of cognitive function, the more detailed the support information that is notified, making it easier for subject 1 to smoothly take action based on the support information when they receive it.

[0114] 9(b) to 11(b), in the information notification process of Fig. 9(b) to 11(b), in the processes of S202, S212, and S222, the control unit 11 causes the display input unit 14 to display a notification screen 120 including a message 121 of support information whose content corresponds to the level of cognitive function. Furthermore, in the processes of S203 and S213, the control unit 11 causes the audio input / output unit 15 to output audio of the support information whose content corresponds to the level of cognitive function.

[0115] <Other change examples> Although the embodiment and modified examples 1 to 6 of the present invention have been described above, the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment or the like.

[0116] For example, in the above embodiment, a stop button may be provided on the notification screen 120 displayed on the display input unit 14, and when the stop button is pressed, the audio notification of the support information may be terminated even if the set number of times has not been reached.

[0117] Furthermore, in the above embodiment, the number of times and volume of calls according to the level of cognitive function may be set by operating the display input unit 14.

[0118] Furthermore, in the above embodiment, the volume of the voice may be increased or the tone of the voice may be increased each time the voice is spoken repeatedly.

[0119] Furthermore, in the cognitive function assessment process of Figures 10(a) and 11(a), the control unit 11 may execute the process of S113 of Figure 8(a) instead of the process of S103 to set the volume of sound according to the level of cognitive function. In this case, in the information notification process of Figures 10(b) and 11(b), the control unit 11 executes the process of S213 of Figure 8(b) instead of the processes of S203 and S204 to output sound at a volume of sound according to the level of cognitive function.

[0120] Furthermore, in the cognitive function assessment process of Figures 10(a) and 11(a), the control unit 11 may execute the process of S123 of Figure 9(a) instead of the process of S103, and set the number of times and the volume according to the level of cognitive function. In this case, in the information notification process of Figures 10(b) and 11(b), the control unit 11 executes the process of S213 of Figure 9(b) instead of the process of S203, and outputs audio at a volume according to the level of cognitive function.

[0121] Furthermore, in the above-described modification example 5, the concierge function changes not only the content of the support information but also the size of the characters on the screen and the number of times the voice is output according to the level of cognitive function. However, it is also possible to change only the content of the support information according to the level of cognitive function.

[0122] Furthermore, in the above embodiments, in the concierge function that notifies support information to support the subject 1, the control unit 11 determines the level of cognitive function of the subject 1 each time a specified period has elapsed, and changes the display mode of the screen that notifies the support information and the output mode of the audio that notifies the support information according to the determined level of cognitive function.

[0123] However, the control unit 11 may determine the cognitive function level of the subject 1 every time a specified period elapses, and change the display mode of the home screen 100 and the screen of the assistance app other than the concierge function, displayed on the display input unit 14, according to the determined cognitive function level. For example, as shown in FIGS. 16(a) to 16(c), the control unit 11 changes the size of the buttons 106 on the home screen 100 and the size of the characters displayed on the buttons 106 according to the cognitive function level. When the size of the buttons 106 is changed, the number of buttons 106 is also changed accordingly. For example, when the cognitive function level is "high," small buttons 106 with small characters are displayed on the home screen 100, as shown in FIG. 16(a). When the cognitive function level is "medium," medium buttons 106 with medium characters are displayed on the home screen 100, as shown in FIG. 16(b). Furthermore, when the cognitive function level is "low," large buttons 106 with large characters are displayed on the home screen 100, as shown in FIG. 16(c). The lower the level of cognitive function, the more conspicuous the color of the text on button 106. Furthermore, the layout of the screen displayed on display input unit 14 may be changed according to the level of cognitive function.

[0124] Similarly, the control unit 11 may determine the level of cognitive function of the subject 1 every time a specified period has elapsed, and change the output mode of sounds such as voices output from the voice input / output unit 15 for executing assistance apps other than the concierge function, etc., according to the determined level of cognitive function. In this case, for example, the lower the level of cognitive function, the more times the voice or alarm sound is output, the higher the volume of the voice or alarm sound, or the longer the output time of the alarm sound.

[0125] Furthermore, in the above-described embodiments, the concierge function notifies the support information by a screen displayed on the display input unit 14 and by a voice output from the voice input / output unit 15. However, the concierge function may notify the support information by only one of a screen and a voice.

[0126] Furthermore, the mobile terminal device 10 is not limited to a form realized by downloading a support app to a general-purpose tablet terminal, but may be configured as a dedicated device for supporting elderly people, dementia patients, and the like.

[0127] In addition, the embodiments of the present invention can be modified in various ways as appropriate within the scope of the technical ideas set forth in the claims. [Explanation of symbols]

[0128] 10. Portable terminal device 11 Control section 14 Display input section (display section) 15 Audio input / output unit (sound output unit)

Claims

1. a display unit that displays a screen; a sound output unit that outputs sound; a control unit, The control unit After each specified period, the user's level of cognitive function is assessed. changing a display mode of the screen displayed on the display unit and / or an output mode of the sound output from the sound output unit according to the determined level of cognitive function; A mobile terminal device characterized by:

2. 2. The mobile terminal device according to claim 1, The control unit executes a concierge function of notifying the user of support information for supporting the user by means of a screen displayed on the display unit and / or a sound output from the sound output unit; changing a display mode of a screen for notifying the support information and / or an output mode of a sound for notifying the support information according to the determined level of cognitive function; A mobile terminal device characterized by:

3. 3. The mobile terminal device according to claim 2, the control unit increases the number of times the support information is notified by voice and / or increases the volume of the support information when notifying by voice as the determined level of the cognitive function becomes lower; A mobile terminal device characterized by:

4. 3. The mobile terminal device according to claim 2, the control unit increases the size of characters displayed on the screen when notifying the support information and / or makes the color of characters displayed on the screen when notifying the support information more conspicuous as the determined level of the cognitive function becomes lower. A mobile terminal device characterized by:

5. 3. The mobile terminal device according to claim 2, The control unit is configured to provide the support information with more detailed content as the determined level of the cognitive function becomes lower. A mobile terminal device characterized by:

6. 6. The mobile terminal device according to claim 1, The control unit sets the specified period to be a shorter time as the determined level of the cognitive function is lower. A mobile terminal device characterized by:

7. 6. The mobile terminal device according to claim 1, the control unit launches an application program for a cognitive function test every time the specified period elapses, and determines the level of the cognitive function based on the results of the cognitive function test. A mobile terminal device characterized by:

8. 6. The mobile terminal device according to claim 1, the control unit determines the level of the cognitive function each time the specified period elapses based on a status of an operation performed by the user during the specified period. A mobile terminal device characterized by:

9. A program that causes a control unit of a mobile terminal device that has a display unit that displays a screen and a sound output unit that outputs sound to execute a predetermined function, A function for determining the user's level of cognitive function after each specified period of time has elapsed; a function of changing the display mode of the screen displayed on the display unit and / or the output mode of the sound output from the sound output unit according to the determined level of cognitive function; A program that causes the control unit to execute the above.

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