Waste disposal support system, waste disposal support method, and program

Abstract

This invention provides a waste treatment support system, waste treatment support method, and program that can easily propose appropriate treatment methods for each type of waste. [Solution] The waste treatment support system according to this embodiment is a waste treatment support system for proposing one or more recommended waste treatment methods from among a plurality of waste treatment methods. The waste treatment support system acquires waste information relating to the attributes of the waste, acquires priority information relating to the user's priority for a plurality of evaluation items for evaluating the plurality of waste treatment methods, and proposes one or more recommended waste treatment methods from among the plurality of waste treatment methods based on the waste information and the priority information.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] Embodiments of the present invention relate to a waste treatment support system, a waste treatment support method, and a program.

Background Art

[0002] Various methods for treating waste are known. In order to build a sustainable society, it is important not only to simply dispose of waste but also to effectively utilize waste through recycling, upcycling, etc. (see Patent Document 1).

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] However, it is difficult to uniformly reuse all waste from the viewpoints of reuse technology, efficiency, cost, etc. Therefore, there is a need for waste producers to know the appropriate treatment method for each type of waste.

[0005] The problem to be solved by the present invention is to provide a waste treatment support system, a waste treatment support method, and a program that can easily propose an appropriate treatment method for each type of waste. However, the problems of the present invention are not limited to this, and those skilled in the art can clearly understand other problems from the description of the detailed description of the invention in this specification.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0006] The present invention may include the following aspects. [1] A waste disposal support system for proposing one or more recommended waste disposal methods from among multiple waste disposal methods, Obtain waste information regarding the attributes of the waste, Priority information regarding the user's priorities for multiple evaluation items used to evaluate the multiple waste disposal methods is obtained. Based on the aforementioned waste information and priority information, one or more recommended waste disposal methods are proposed from among the multiple waste disposal methods. Waste disposal support system. [2] The plurality of waste disposal methods include methods for reusing the waste and methods for disposing of the waste, [1] The waste disposal support system described above. [3] The waste information includes one or more pieces of information selected from the group consisting of the composition, mass, moisture content, sugar content, and degree of decay of the waste. A waste disposal support system as described in [1] or [2]. [4] The waste treatment support system evaluates the plurality of evaluation items for each of the plurality of waste treatment methods based on the waste information. A waste disposal support system described in any one of [1] to [3]. [5] The waste treatment support system evaluates the multiple evaluation items using an evaluation function set for each evaluation item. [4] The waste disposal support system described above. [6] The aforementioned multiple evaluation items are, (a) Costs related to waste disposal methods, (b) Carbon dioxide emissions from waste disposal methods, (c) the time required for all or part of the waste disposal method, and (d) Amount of loss due to waste disposal method Includes one or more evaluation items selected from the group consisting of, A waste disposal support system as described in [4] or [5]. [7] The waste treatment support system scores each of the multiple waste treatment methods based on the multiple evaluation items evaluated for each of the multiple waste treatment methods and the priority information. A waste disposal support system described in any one of [1] to [6]. [8] The waste treatment support system proposes one or more recommended waste treatment methods based on the scoring. [7] The waste disposal support system described. [9] The waste treatment support system outputs the suggested one or more recommended waste treatment methods along with the evaluation results of the multiple evaluation items. A waste disposal support system described in any one of [1] to [8].

[10] The waste treatment support system outputs an index based on a predetermined waste treatment method for each waste treatment method. A waste disposal support system described in any one of [1] to [9].

[11] The aforementioned indicators are (a) the amount of cost savings based on the method of waste disposal, and (b) Amount of reduction in carbon dioxide emissions based on the method of waste disposal Includes one or more selected from the group consisting of,

[10] The waste disposal support system described.

[12] A waste disposal support method for a computer processor to propose one or more recommended waste disposal methods from among multiple waste disposal methods, Steps to obtain waste information regarding the attributes of the waste, A step of obtaining priority information regarding the user's priority for multiple evaluation items used to evaluate the multiple waste disposal methods, A step of proposing one or more recommended waste disposal methods from among the multiple waste disposal methods based on the waste information and the priority information, A waste disposal support method, including the following.

[13] A program that, when executed on a computer processor, causes the processor to execute the waste treatment support method described in

[12] .

[14] A waste treatment support system for proposing one or more recommended waste treatment methods among a plurality of waste treatment methods, comprising: displaying a first screen for receiving an input regarding a user's priority for a plurality of evaluation items for evaluating the plurality of waste treatment methods; after receiving the input regarding the priority, displaying a second screen including one or more recommended waste treatment methods among the plurality of waste treatment methods and evaluation results of the plurality of evaluation items for the one or more waste treatment methods; Waste treatment support system.

Effect of the Invention

[0007] According to one aspect of the present invention, it is possible to provide a waste treatment support system, a waste treatment support method, and a program that can easily propose a treatment method suitable for each waste.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0008] [Figure 1] Schematic diagram showing the overall configuration of the waste treatment support system 1 according to the embodiment. [Figure 2] Block diagram showing the system configuration of the waste treatment support system 1 according to the embodiment. [Figure 3] Diagram showing the data structure of the treatment proposal DB 52 according to the embodiment. [Figure 4] Diagram showing the data structure of the treatment method DB 54 according to the embodiment. [Figure 5] Diagram showing the data structure of the waste information DB 56 according to the embodiment. [Figure 6] Diagram showing the data structure of the waste component DB 58 according to the embodiment. [Figure 7] Diagram showing the data structure of the evaluation item DB 60 according to the embodiment. [Figure 8] Diagram showing the data structure of the index DB 62 according to the embodiment. [Figure 9] A flowchart showing the operation flow of the waste disposal support system 1 according to the embodiment. [Figure 10] A diagram showing an example of a first screen that accepts user input according to the embodiment. [Figure 11] A diagram showing an example of priority information according to the embodiment. [Figure 12] A diagram showing an example of evaluation information according to the embodiment. [Figure 13] A diagram showing an example of score information according to the embodiment. [Figure 14] A diagram showing an example of a second screen presenting a proposed waste disposal method according to the embodiment. [Figure 15] A flowchart showing the operation flow of the revised waste treatment method in the waste treatment support system 1 according to the embodiment. [Figure 16] A diagram showing the hardware configuration of the information processing device according to the embodiment. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0009] The waste treatment support system, waste treatment support method, and program of the embodiment will be described below with reference to the drawings. In this specification, "based on XX" means "based on at least XX," and includes cases where it is based on another element in addition to XX. Furthermore, "based on XX" is not limited to cases where XX is used directly, but also includes cases where it is based on calculations or processing performed on XX. "XX" is any element (e.g., information).

[0010] <Overview> The waste treatment support system according to this embodiment is a waste treatment support system for proposing one or more recommended waste treatment methods from among multiple waste treatment methods. The waste treatment support system acquires waste information regarding the attributes of the waste, acquires priority information regarding the user's priority for multiple evaluation items for evaluating multiple waste treatment methods, and proposes one or more recommended waste treatment methods from among multiple waste treatment methods based on the waste information and priority information.

[0011] For example, a waste disposal support system is a system that assists in the processing of waste W discharged from a user's facility or home. The waste disposal support system 1 can propose an appropriate waste disposal method according to the waste W and the user's priority.

[0012] In this specification, "waste" means items that are no longer needed by the possessor and cannot be used by the possessor or sold to others. "Waste disposal" means disposing of the original waste by reusing it (including recycling, and including using the reused items oneself or selling them to others) or by discarding it.

[0013] <1. Configuration of the waste treatment support system> Referring to Figures 1 to 8, the configuration of the waste treatment support system 1 according to this embodiment will be described. Figure 1 is a schematic diagram showing the overall configuration of the waste treatment support system 1 according to the embodiment.

[0014] As shown in Figure 1, the waste disposal support system 1 for assisting in the processing of waste W includes a measuring unit 10, a user terminal 20, and a server 30 connected to each other via a network N. Information about the waste W is obtained through measurement by the measuring unit 10 and / or input to the user terminal 20. The user terminal 20 also receives input information regarding the user's priority regarding the waste disposal method. Based on the information about the waste W and the priority, the server 30 proposes a waste disposal method suitable for the waste W and the user.

[0015] The following describes an example in which the measurement unit 10, user terminal 20, and server 30 work together to perform information processing, as shown in Figure 1, but the present invention is not limited thereto. For example, the user terminal 20 may perform some or all of the processing performed by the server 30 described below, or the user terminal 20 may perform some or all of the processing performed by the user terminal 20. In addition, information processing devices other than the user terminal 20 and server 30 may be added. The measurement unit 10 does not need to be connected to the network N. If a single information processing device performs all processing, the waste disposal support system 1 does not need to have the network N. In that case, the waste disposal support system 1 may be that single information processing device.

[0016] Figure 2 is a block diagram showing the system configuration of the waste disposal support system 1. Figure 2 shows the specific configurations of the measurement unit 10, user terminal 20, and server 30, as well as the information exchange between each component. The configurations of the measurement unit 10, user terminal 20, and server 30 will be further described below.

[0017] <1-1. Measuring device> The measurement unit 10 measures attributes such as the composition and characteristics of the waste W. The measurement unit 10 may be configured as a set of multiple measuring instruments. For example, as shown in Figure 2, the measurement unit 10 may consist of various measuring devices such as a component analyzer 11, a mass sensor 12, a moisture content sensor 13, a sugar content sensor 14, and a spoilage degree sensor 15. The measurement unit 10 may have a configuration in which some or all of the measuring devices are integrated, or it may have a configuration in which the individual measuring devices are arranged separately.

[0018] The component analyzer 11 is a device for performing component analysis of waste W. The specific configuration of the component analyzer 11 is not particularly limited, and any known component analyzer 11 such as a spectrometer, X-ray analyzer (X-ray diffraction pattern measuring device, X-ray fluorescence analyzer, etc.), mass analyzer, thermogravimetric analyzer (TG), differential thermal analyzer (DTA), thermomechanical analyzer (TMA), etc. can be used.

[0019] The mass sensor 12 is a device for measuring the mass of waste W. The specific configuration of the mass sensor 12 is not particularly limited, and any known mass sensor 12, such as a general weighing scale, can be used.

[0020] The moisture content sensor 13 is a device for measuring the amount of moisture contained in the waste W. The specific configuration of the moisture content sensor 13 is not particularly limited, and any known moisture content sensor 13 can be used, such as an electrical sensor that measures moisture content from a change in dielectric constant or a change in resistance, or an optical sensor that measures moisture content using infrared light.

[0021] The sugar content sensor 14 is a device for measuring the sugar content of waste material W. The specific configuration of the sugar content sensor 14 is not particularly limited, and any known sugar content sensor 14, such as a refractive index sensor or a near-infrared sensor, can be used.

[0022] The decomposition degree sensor 15 is a device for measuring the degree of decomposition of waste W. The specific configuration of the decomposition degree sensor 15 is not particularly limited, and any known decomposition degree sensor 15 can be used, such as a gas sensor for detecting decomposition gases, a pH sensor for measuring the acidity of waste W, or a biosensor for detecting microorganisms.

[0023] The measurement unit 10 may be equipped with other measuring devices for measuring the waste W. In addition to the measuring devices, the measurement unit 10 may further be equipped with measurement support devices (for example, sorting devices, drying devices, crushing devices, etc.) for performing pre-treatment or post-treatment necessary for measurement. Furthermore, the measurement unit 10 does not have to be equipped with one or more of the above-mentioned sensors.

[0024] <1-2. User Terminals> The user terminal 20 is an information processing device for the user of the waste disposal support system 1. The user terminal 20 is not particularly limited, but may be a general-purpose computer such as a personal computer, smartphone, or tablet owned by the user, or it may be an information processing terminal dedicated to the waste disposal support system 1.

[0025] The user terminal 20 receives input from the user and presents the user with information on recommended waste disposal methods. Specifically, as shown in Figure 2, the user terminal 20 has a processing unit 22 and a display 24.

[0026] The processing unit 22 performs predetermined calculations on the information acquired by the user terminal 20. Specifically, the processing unit 22 reads and executes a program stored in a memory unit (not shown) to perform various processes such as information processing and display control.

[0027] In this specification, programs may be provided recorded on a computer-readable recording medium. Information processing devices such as user terminals 20 and servers 30 read the programs from this recording medium and store them in their storage units. However, the method by which the storage units store the programs is not limited to this; the programs may be pre-installed during the manufacture of the information processing device, provided via a network, or any other method may be used.

[0028] The display 24 displays text, images, and other content to the user based on the output of the processing unit 22. The display 24 displays an input screen that accepts user input and an output screen that presents information to the user. The display 24 can be composed of any display device, such as a liquid crystal display or an organic EL display.

[0029] The processing unit 22 has an acquisition unit 26 and a display control unit 28 as its functional units. The acquisition unit 26 acquires input information by reading input signals from the user or an external device. Specifically, the acquisition unit 26 acquires information about waste W (hereinafter referred to as "waste information") and priority information regarding evaluation items that the user considers important as input information from the user. The acquisition unit 26 also acquires suggested information on recommended waste disposal methods transmitted from the server 30. The display control unit 28 controls the display of the display 24 to display a predetermined screen on the display 24.

[0030] <1-3. Server> Server 30 is an information processing device of the business operator providing the waste disposal support system 1. Server 30 is not particularly limited, but for example, it could be a computer owned by the business operator.

[0031] The server 30 performs the necessary calculations to propose a waste disposal method based on information from the measurement unit 10 and / or the user terminal 20, and transmits the information of the recommended waste disposal method to the user terminal 20. Specifically, as shown in Figure 2, the server 30 has a processing unit 40 and a storage unit 50.

[0032] The processing unit 40 performs predetermined calculations on the information acquired by the server 30. Specifically, the processing unit 40 reads and executes programs stored in the storage unit 50, thereby performing various processes such as information processing and display control.

[0033] As shown in Figure 2, the processing unit 40 has, as its functional units, an acquisition unit 42, an evaluation unit 44, a score calculation unit 46, and a proposal unit 48.

[0034] The acquisition unit 42 acquires input information by reading input signals from the user or an external device. The acquisition unit 42 acquires information about the waste W and priority information entered by the user from the measurement unit 10 and the user terminal 20.

[0035] The evaluation unit 44 evaluates evaluation items such as cost and CO2 emissions for each of the multiple waste treatment methods based on the waste information acquired by the acquisition unit 42. The evaluation unit 44 also compares the multiple waste treatment methods and calculates indicators for the user to select a waste treatment method.

[0036] The score calculation unit 46 scores each of the multiple waste disposal methods based on the evaluation results and priority information from the evaluation unit 44, and ranks the waste disposal methods based on the scores.

[0037] The proposal unit 48 proposes a recommended waste disposal method to the user based on the scoring results of the score calculation unit 46. The proposal information generated by the proposal unit 48 is transmitted from the server 30 to the user terminal 20 and displayed on the display 24 of the user terminal 20.

[0038] The storage unit 50 stores programs executed by the processing unit 40, various databases used for calculations by the processing unit 40, and so on. As shown in Figure 2, the storage unit 50 includes, as databases, a processing proposal database (DB) 52, a processing method database (DB) 54, a waste information database (DB) 56, a waste component database (DB) 58, an evaluation item database (DB) 60, and an indicator database (DB) 62.

[0039] Here, the contents of each database 52 to 62 will be explained with reference to Figures 3 to 8. Specifically, Figure 3 shows the data structure of the processing proposal DB 52, Figure 4 shows the data structure of the processing method DB 54, Figure 5 shows the data structure of the waste information DB 56, Figure 6 shows the data structure of the waste components DB 58, Figure 7 shows the data structure of the evaluation items DB 60, and Figure 8 shows the data structure of the indicator DB 62.

[0040] The Processing Proposal DB52 is a database that stores records of individual waste processing support services provided by the Waste Processing Support System 1. As shown in Figure 3, the Processing Proposal DB52 includes the following items: "Processing Proposal ID," "Registration Date," "Disposal Source," "Processing Name," "Waste Information," "Priority Information," "Evaluation Information," "Indicator Information," "Score Information," "Proposal Information," and "Selected Processing Method." The contents of each item are as follows: • Processing proposal ID: A unique identification number assigned to each individual waste disposal support service. • Registration date: The date the waste disposal support service was registered. • Source of disposal: Users of waste disposal support services • Processing name: The name of the waste treatment method set by the user. • Waste information: Information on waste W obtained through measurement by the measuring unit 10 and / or user input. • Priority Information: Information on the priority of evaluation items entered by the user. • Evaluation Information: Information on each evaluation item evaluated by the evaluation unit 44. • Indicator Information: Information on each indicator evaluated by the evaluation unit 44. • Score information: Information on each score evaluated by the score calculation unit 46. • Proposal Information: Information regarding the proposed recommended waste disposal methods generated by Proposal Section 48. • Selected processing method: The waste disposal method ultimately selected by the user.

[0041] The Processing Method DB54 is a database of selectable waste disposal methods. As shown in Figure 4, the Processing Method DB54 includes the fields "Processing Method ID," "Processing Method," and "Required Information." The contents of each field are as follows: • Processing Method ID: A unique identification number assigned to each individual waste disposal method. • Processing method: Name of the waste disposal method • Required information: Information necessary for evaluating waste disposal methods.

[0042] The waste disposal methods selectable by the user include, for example, methods for reusing waste and methods for disposing of waste. For example, in the example in Figure 4, "molding," "animal feed," "fertilizer," "powdering," and "disposal" are registered as disposal methods in the disposal method DB54, but are not limited to these, and any known method may be registered. Examples include pelletizing, fuel production, and food production. The types of disposal methods are preset in the disposal method DB54. Users may add disposal methods other than those preset to the disposal method DB54. "Required information" is not particularly limited, but includes, for example, information necessary to calculate evaluation items such as the cost, processing time, and CO2 emissions for carrying out the waste disposal method.

[0043] As shown in Figure 5, the waste information DB56 includes the fields "Waste Information ID" and "Waste Information". The contents of each field are as follows: • Waste Information ID: A unique identification number assigned to each piece of waste information. • Waste information: Types of information related to waste

[0044] One or more of the waste information entries registered in the waste information DB56 may be characteristics measured by the measurement unit 10 or characteristics derived from the measurement results. In the example in Figure 5, "components," "mass," "moisture content," "sugar content," and "degree of decay" are registered as waste information in the waste information DB56, but the waste information is not limited to these and may be any item related to waste. The types of waste information are preset in the waste information DB56. Users may add items other than those preset in the waste information DB56 as waste information.

[0045] As shown in Figure 6, the waste component DB58 includes the fields "Waste Component ID," "Waste," and "Component." The contents of each field are as follows: • Waste component ID: A unique identification number assigned to each individual waste item. • Waste: Pre-set names for typical waste. • Components: Combinations of each component and their respective content in the waste.

[0046] The waste component database 58 stores records a list of components of typical waste (for example, average food ingredients, specific products, etc.) in association with the waste in question. Users may also register new waste and its component list in the waste component database 58. The components of waste W can be analyzed by the component analyzer 11 described above, but if waste W is already registered in the waste component database 58, the acquisition unit 42 can obtain the components of waste W by referring to the waste component database 58, thus omitting component analysis.

[0047] As shown in Figure 7, the evaluation item DB60 includes the following items: "Evaluation Item ID," "Evaluation Item," "Simple Evaluation Function," and "Normalized Evaluation Function." The contents of each item are as follows: • Evaluation Item ID: A unique identification number assigned to each individual evaluation item. • Evaluation item: A name indicating the evaluation criteria for applying individual treatment methods to the target waste W. • Simple evaluation function: An evaluation function used to calculate evaluation values ​​corresponding to individual evaluation items. • Normalized evaluation function: An evaluation function that standardizes evaluation items so that they can be compared with each other.

[0048] The evaluation item DB60 is pre-configured with evaluation items and corresponding evaluation functions that form the basis for determining recommended waste disposal methods. In the example in Figure 7, "cost," "CO2 emissions," "processing time," and "loss amount" are registered as evaluation items, but the evaluation items are not limited to these and may be any evaluation items related to waste disposal methods. Here, "cost" means the cost associated with the waste disposal method. "CO2 emissions" means the carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions from the waste disposal method. "Processing time" means the time required for part or all of the waste disposal method. "Loss amount" means the amount of unavoidable waste generated when waste is processed by the waste disposal method. Users may register additional evaluation items and evaluation functions.

[0049] The evaluation item DB60 includes a "simple evaluation function" and a "normalized evaluation function" as evaluation functions corresponding to each evaluation item. For example, the simple evaluation function for the evaluation item "cost" is a function that calculates the cost when each individual waste treatment method is adopted for the target waste W. The simple evaluation function may include various waste information, including the type of waste W, various parameters related to the type of waste treatment method and the waste treatment method (such as "necessary information" registered in the treatment method DB54), and information about the user (waste source) (for example, address, location, fee, and processing capacity of the nearest waste disposal site, equipment owned, etc.). Note that completely different evaluation functions may be used depending on the type of waste W and the type of waste treatment method. Here, the values ​​obtained from the simple evaluation function have different dimensions for each evaluation item and cannot be simply compared. For this reason, the normalized evaluation function is a function that normalizes each evaluation item so that evaluation items can be compared with each other. The method of normalization is not particularly limited, and any known method such as dividing by a representative value can be used.

[0050] As shown in Figure 8, the index DB62 includes the fields "Index ID," "Index," and "Index Function." The contents of each field are as follows: • Metric ID: A unique identification number assigned to each individual metric. • Indicator: A standard quantity used to compare treatment methods applied to the target waste W. • Indicator function: A function used to calculate individual indicators.

[0051] The index DB62 contains pre-set indexes and corresponding index functions that serve as criteria for users to determine a desirable waste disposal method. An index function may include an evaluation function as a variable. In addition to, or instead of, an index function may include variables such as various waste information, types of waste disposal methods and various parameters, and information about the user (waste source). For example, an index may be calculated based on the evaluation function of a given waste disposal method. Specifically, an index function can be calculated from the evaluation function of the target waste disposal method and the evaluation function of a predetermined standard waste disposal method (e.g., "disposal"). For example, the index function may be the difference or quotient between the evaluation function of the target waste disposal method and the evaluation function of the predetermined standard waste disposal method, or a value obtained by performing any operation on the result of such calculation. However, the index function is not limited to this, and any calculation method is available.

[0052] In the example in Figure 8, "cost reduction rate," "CO2 reduction amount," and "carbon credits" are registered as evaluation items, but the indicators are not limited to these and can be any indicator related to the waste disposal method. "Cost reduction rate" is, for example, the percentage of cost reduction when the target waste disposal method is adopted compared to simple disposal. "Cost reduction rate" is an example of "amount of cost reduction based on the method of waste disposal." "CO2 reduction amount" is, for example, the difference in CO2 emissions when the target waste disposal method is adopted compared to simple disposal. "Carbon credits" is the amount obtained by converting the above "CO2 reduction amount" into CO2 emission rights. "CO2 reduction amount" and "carbon credits" are examples of "amount of reduction in carbon dioxide emissions based on the method of waste disposal." Users may register additional indicators and indicator functions.

[0053] <2. Operation and Processing of the Waste Disposal Support System> Next, the operation and processing of the waste treatment support system 1 according to the embodiment will be described with reference to Figures 9 to 15.

[0054] Figure 9 is a flowchart showing the operation flow of the waste disposal support system 1. Figure 9 shows the information processing and mutual information exchange in the measurement unit 10, the user terminal 20, and the server 30.

[0055] In step S101, the measurement unit 10 acquires information about the waste W by measuring and analyzing it. For example, the user places part or all of the waste W at the measurement position of the measurement unit 10 and activates the measurement unit 10 to cause it to perform measurement and analysis of the waste W. Specifically, the measurement unit 10 can acquire information about the components of the waste W using the component analyzer 11. Similarly, the measurement unit 10 can measure the mass of the waste W using the mass sensor 12, measure the moisture content of the waste W using the moisture content sensor 13, measure the sugar content of the waste W using the sugar content sensor 14, and measure the degree of decay of the waste W using the decay degree sensor 15.

[0056] In step S102, the information on the waste W obtained in this manner is transmitted from the measurement unit 10 to the server 30. Hereinafter, the method of data transmission is not particularly limited in this specification and may be transmitted directly by wireless or wired connection, or indirectly via other devices. For example, the measurement result from the measurement unit 10 may be transmitted to the user terminal 20 first, and then transmitted from the user terminal 20 to the server 30. Alternatively, the measurement result from the measurement unit 10 may be stored on any storage medium (e.g., USB memory, hard disk, cloud storage, etc.), and then the server 30 may read the storage medium to transmit the data.

[0057] In step S201, the user terminal 20 presents the user with a first screen and accepts input of waste information W and priority information. Specifically, the display control unit 28 of the user terminal 20 controls the display 24 to display the first screen.

[0058] Figure 10 shows an example of a first screen 1000 that accepts user input on the display 24 of the user terminal 20. The first screen 1000 accepts user input regarding the priority of multiple evaluation items for evaluating multiple waste disposal methods. Specifically, the first screen 1000 includes a processing ID box 1010, a processing name box 1020, a waste information input area 1100, a priority information input area 1200, and a suggestion output button 1030.

[0059] The processing ID box 1010 displays the "ID" from the processing proposal DB 52 in Figure 3. The processing name box 1020 displays the "processing name" from the processing proposal DB 52.

[0060] The waste information input area 1100 accepts information about waste W from the user. Here, the waste information input area 1100 includes a component input area 1110 and a characteristic input area 1120.

[0061] The component input area 1110 includes a component table 1112 into which the components and content of waste W can be entered. The information entered by the user into the component table 1112 is registered in the "Waste Information" of the processing proposal DB 52. The automatic input button 1114, labeled "Automatically input measurement results," is a button for reading data including the measurement results of the measurement unit 10. For example, in response to the user clicking the automatic input button 1114 and specifying a measurement data file, the processing unit 22 of the user terminal 20 automatically extracts information on the components and content of waste W from the file, registers it in the "Waste Information" of the processing proposal DB 52, and inputs it into the component table 1112. Furthermore, if waste W is registered in the waste component DB 58, the processing unit 22 can refer to the waste component DB 58 while communicating with the server 30 as appropriate, read the components of waste W, and input them into the component table 1112. For example, in response to the user entering the name of waste W, the processing unit 22 can have the server 30 search the waste component DB 58 and obtain information on the components corresponding to waste W from the server 30.

[0062] The characteristic input area 1120 includes a characteristic table 1122 into which various characteristics of waste W can be entered. The characteristic table 1122 includes items listed in the waste information DB 56. Similar to the component input area 1110, the information entered by the user into the characteristic table 1122 is registered in the "waste information" of the processing proposal DB 52. The automatic input button 1124, labeled "Automatically input measurement results," is a button for reading data including the measurement results of the measurement unit 10. For example, in response to the user clicking the automatic input button 1124 and specifying a measurement data file, the processing unit 22 of the user terminal 20 automatically extracts information about the characteristics of waste W (such as measured values) from the file, registers it in the "waste information" of the processing proposal DB 52, and inputs it into the characteristic table 1122.

[0063] The priority information input area 1200 includes priority setting areas 1210, 1220, 1230, and 1240 for setting the user's priority for each evaluation item. Priority setting area 1210 includes two or more evaluation items registered in the evaluation item DB 60, and for each evaluation item, it includes a priority setting bar 1212 and a knob 1214 that can be moved left or right on the priority setting bar 1212. The user can set their desired priority by selecting the knob 1214 with a pointing device and moving it left or right on the priority setting bar 1212. The other priority setting areas 1220, 1230, and 1240 are similar, so their explanation is omitted.

[0064] In the example shown in Figure 10, the priority information input area 1200 displays four evaluation items registered in the evaluation item DB 60: "cost," "reduction of CO2 emissions," "processing time," and "amount of loss." The user sets a priority level of five for each of these four evaluation items. For example, if the user places great importance on "reduction of CO2 emissions," they move the slider for the evaluation item "reduction of CO2 emissions" to "4" or "5," and conversely, they move the sliders for evaluation items they do not consider important to "1" or "2."

[0065] The Proposal Output button 1030 is used to confirm the input information and request a proposal for waste disposal methods. After the user has completed entering the waste information input area 1100 and the priority information input area 1200, they click the Proposal Output button 1030. This completes the input on the first screen and allows the user to proceed to the next step.

[0066] Furthermore, the user terminal 20 can receive the contents of the processing method DB 54 and waste information DB 56 from the server 30 in advance, and present the user with a list of waste processing methods described in the processing method DB 54 and the "necessary information" described in the waste information DB 56, prompting the user to input the information necessary for evaluating the waste processing method. At this time, the user terminal 20 may also prompt the user to select a waste processing method that does not require evaluation.

[0067] Returning to Figure 9, the input information received by the user terminal 20 on the first screen 1000 in step S201 is transmitted from the user terminal 20 to the server 30 in step S202 as waste information and priority information. Figure 11 shows an example of priority information. As shown in Figure 11, priority information is represented, for example, as a set of priority values ​​entered by the user for each evaluation item in the evaluation item DB 60.

[0068] The acquisition unit 42 of the server 30 acquires waste information transmitted from the measurement unit 10 and waste information and priority information transmitted from the user terminal 20. The acquisition unit 42 registers the acquired waste information and priority information in the processing proposal DB 52 shown in Figure 3.

[0069] In step S301, the evaluation unit 44 of the server 30 evaluates each evaluation item for each waste treatment method based on the waste information registered in the processing proposal DB 52. For example, the evaluation unit 44 refers to the evaluation item DB 60 to read the evaluation functions (i.e., simple evaluation function and normalized evaluation function) for each evaluation item that depend on the waste treatment method and waste information, and uses these evaluation functions to calculate the evaluation value for each evaluation item. Figure 12 shows an example of evaluation information. As shown in Figure 12, the evaluation information is expressed, for example, as a set of evaluation values ​​calculated for each evaluation item for each waste treatment method. The evaluation unit 44 registers the evaluation information obtained in this way in the processing proposal DB 52 shown in Figure 3.

[0070] In step S302, the evaluation unit 44 evaluates each indicator in the indicator DB 62 based on the evaluation information. Specifically, the evaluation unit 44 reads the indicator function from the indicator DB 62 and calculates the evaluation value of each indicator using the indicator function. For example, the evaluation unit 44 outputs an indicator for each waste disposal method based on a predetermined waste disposal method (e.g., simple disposal). The evaluation unit 44 registers the set of evaluation values ​​for each indicator calculated in this way for each waste disposal method as "indicator information" in the processing proposal DB 52 in Figure 3.

[0071] In step S303, the score calculation unit 46 of the server 30 scores each waste treatment method based on the evaluation information and priority information registered in the treatment proposal DB 52. The score calculation unit 46 registers the obtained set of scores as "score information" in the treatment proposal DB 52 shown in Figure 3. Figure 13 shows an example of score information. In the example in Figure 13, the score calculation unit 46 calculates a "simple score" and a "weighted score". The "simple score" is the simple average of the evaluation values ​​of each evaluation item. The "weighted score" is a score obtained by weighting the evaluation value of each evaluation item according to the priority set by the user. The score calculation unit 46 ranks the evaluation items in order from the one with the largest "weighted score". Note that the score calculation unit 46 may calculate only the "weighted score" and not the "simple score". Also, the method of calculating the score is not limited to the above example, and any known scoring method can be used.

[0072] In step S304, the proposal unit 48 of the server 30 proposes a recommended waste disposal method based on the score information registered in the processing proposal DB 52. The proposal unit 48 generates proposal information that includes the proposed content to be presented to the user on the user terminal 20. Specifically, the proposal information may include the ranking of waste disposal methods considering priority information, scores, evaluation values ​​for each evaluation item, and values ​​for each indicator. The proposal unit 48 registers the obtained proposal information in the processing proposal DB 52 shown in Figure 3. That is, the proposal unit 48 outputs a proposal for a recommended waste disposal method along with the evaluation results for each evaluation item and / or indicator.

[0073] In step S305, the server 30 transmits suggestion information to the user terminal 20. The acquisition unit 26 of the user terminal 20 acquires the suggestion information from the server 30. Next, in step S203, the display control unit 28 of the user terminal 20 displays a second screen on the display 24 and presents the content of the acquired suggestion information to the user.

[0074] Figure 14 shows an example of a second screen 2000 that presents a suggestion to the user on the display 24 of the user terminal 20. The second screen 2000 includes one or more recommended waste disposal methods and the evaluation results for multiple evaluation items for those one or more waste disposal methods. Specifically, the second screen 2000 includes a processing ID box 2010, a processing name box 2020, a proposed information area 2100, a priority information re-entry area 2200, and a re-proposal output button 2030.

[0075] Similar to the Processing ID box 1010 and Processing Name box 1020, the Processing ID box 2010 displays the "ID" from the Processing Proposal DB 52 in Figure 3. The Processing Name box 2020 displays the "Processing Name" from the Processing Proposal DB 52.

[0076] The suggestion information area 2100 presents the user with suggested waste disposal methods. The suggestion information area 2100 includes a waste disposal method suggestion table 2110 and selection buttons 2120. The suggestion table 2110 includes a scoring column 2112, an evaluation column 2114, and an indicator column 2116 for waste disposal methods. The scoring column 2112 contains the recommended ranking and score (here, the "weighted score" in Figure 13) of the waste disposal methods. The evaluation column 2114 contains the evaluation value calculated by a simple evaluation function for each evaluation item. The indicator column 2116 contains the evaluation value calculated by an indicator function for each indicator. The user can refer to the suggestion table 2110 to check the recommended ranking of waste disposal methods, as well as the evaluation values ​​and indicators for the evaluation items that underlie it.

[0077] The selection buttons 2120 are buttons that accept the user's selection of their desired waste disposal method. Each selection button 2120 is located separately for each waste disposal method. The user selects their desired waste disposal method by considering the contents of the suggestion table 2110 and clicking the selection button 2120 corresponding to their preferred method.

[0078] The priority information re-entry area 2200 is an area for resetting priorities if the user is not satisfied with the contents of the suggestion table 2110. Similar to the priority information input area 1200 on the first screen, the priority information re-entry area 2200 includes priority setting areas 2210, 2220, 2230, and 2240 for setting the user's priority for each evaluation item. The priority setting area 2210 includes a priority setting bar 2212 and a knob 2214. The user can reset the priority of each evaluation item by moving the knob 2214 left or right on the priority setting bar 2212. The same applies to the other priority setting areas 2220, 2230, and 2240.

[0079] The Re-proposal Output button 2030 is used to request a re-proposal of waste disposal methods based on the priorities reset in the Priority Information Re-input Area 2200. The user clicks the Re-proposal Output button 2030 after completing the input in the Priority Information Re-input Area 2200.

[0080] Returning to Figure 9, the flowchart in Figure 9 shows the flow when the user clicks the selection button 2120 on the second screen 2000. In step S204, the user terminal 20 receives the user's selection input. In step S205, the user terminal 20 sends the information of the waste disposal method selected by the user to the server 30. In step S306, the acquisition unit 42 of the server 30 acquires the information of the selected waste disposal method and registers it as "Selected Disposal Method" in the processing proposal DB 52.

[0081] Next, the operation flow when the user clicks the re-proposal output button 2030 on the second screen 2000 will be explained with reference to Figure 15. Figure 15 is a flowchart showing the operation flow of re-proposing a waste disposal method in the waste disposal support system 1.

[0082] As shown in Figure 15, in step S206, in response to the user clicking the re-proposal output button 2030 on the second screen 2000, the acquisition unit 26 of the user terminal 20 acquires the priority information entered in the priority information re-input area 2200. In step S207, the user terminal 20 transmits the acquired priority information to the server 30. In step S307, the score calculation unit 46 recalculates the score for each waste treatment method based on the re-input priority information and registers it as "score information" in the treatment proposal DB 52. In step S308, the proposal unit 48 regenerates the waste treatment method proposal information based on the evaluation information, index information, and recalculated score information and registers it in the treatment proposal DB 52. In step S309, the server 30 transmits the regenerated proposal information to the user terminal 20. In step S208, the acquisition unit 26 of the user terminal 20 acquires suggestion information from the server 30, and the display control unit 28 updates the contents of the suggestion table 2110 on the second screen based on the acquired suggestion information. As a result, the suggested waste disposal method information is presented to the user again based on the priority information reset in the priority information re-input area 2200. In step S209, the user terminal 20 accepts the selection input of the corresponding waste disposal method in response to the user's click operation of the selection button 2120. In step S210, the user terminal 20 transmits the information of the waste disposal method selected by the user to the server 30. In step S310, the acquisition unit 42 of the server 30 acquires the information of the selected waste disposal method and registers it as "selected processing method" in the processing suggestion DB 52.

[0083] <3. Hardware Configuration> Referring to Figure 16, the hardware configuration of the information processing device in this specification will be described. For example, the user terminal 20 and server 30 described above are examples of an "information processing device". Figure 16 shows the hardware configuration of the information processing device according to the embodiment.

[0084] As shown in Figure 16, the information processing device 100 comprises a processor 110, memory 120, storage 130, input / output interface 140, communication interface 150, and bus 160. The processor 11, memory 12, storage 13, input / output interface 140, and communication interface 150 are electrically connected within the information processing device 100 via the bus 160.

[0085] The processor 110 is hardware that processes data and instructions written in a program. The processor 110 consists of, for example, a control unit, an arithmetic unit, registers, and so on.

[0086] Memory 120 is hardware that temporarily stores programs and data. For example, memory 120 is volatile memory such as SRAM (Static Random Access Memory) or DRAM (Dynamic Random Access Memory).

[0087] Storage 130 is hardware that stores programs and data. For example, storage 130 is non-volatile memory such as flash memory, HDD (Hard Disk Drive), or ferroelectric memory.

[0088] The input / output IF140 functions as an interface to an input device that accepts input operations from a user or other user, and an output device that presents information to the user. Examples of input devices include pointing devices such as a mouse or touch panel, a keyboard, and a microphone. Examples of output devices include a display and a speaker. The input and output devices may be integrated with the information processing device 100 or may be externally connected.

[0089] If the information processing device 100 is equipped with a display as an output device, the information processing device 100 can display a GUI screen. Specifically, the information processing device 100 has a display such as a liquid crystal display, an organic EL display, a CRT display, or a plasma display as an output device. The display may be implemented as a touch panel. The touch panel can display a GUI and accept interactive touch input operations from the user, and can change the displayed GUI based on the display control of the processor 110 corresponding to the input operation.

[0090] The communication IF150 is an interface that inputs and outputs signals for communication with external devices. The information processing device 100 communicates with other devices via the network N using the communication IF150, as shown in Figure 1. Specifically, the communication IF150 transmits data output from the processor 110 to other devices. The communication IF150 also receives data transmitted from other devices and transmits that data to the processor 110. The communication method is not particularly limited, and one or more known communication methods can be used, such as wired LAN network communication, wireless LAN network communication, mobile communication such as 3G / LTE / 5G, USB, IEEE1394, Thunderbolt®, and BLUETOOTH®.

[0091] The instructions shown in the processing procedure described in the above embodiment can be executed based on a software program. A general-purpose computer system can also obtain the same effects as those of the processing procedure described above by reading a pre-stored program. The instructions described in the above embodiment are recorded as a program that can be executed by an information processing device such as a computer on a non-temporary computer-readable recording medium such as a magnetic disk (flexible disk, hard disk, etc.), an optical disk (CD-ROM, CD-R, CD-RW, DVD-ROM, DVD±R, DVD±RW, Blu-ray® Disc, etc.), or a semiconductor memory. Any storage format is acceptable as long as it is a recording medium that can be read by a computer or embedded system. The computer can read the program from this recording medium and, based on this program, have the CPU execute the instructions written in the program, thereby achieving the same operation as the processing procedure described above. The computer may also acquire or read the program via a network.

[0092] <4. Effects> According to the waste disposal support system 1 described above, it is possible to propose waste disposal methods suitable for each individual user. Since users can set their own priorities, the accuracy of the proposed waste disposal methods can be improved. This allows users to make decisions about waste disposal methods more efficiently. In addition, by acquiring the user's priority information, the waste disposal support system 1 can reduce the processing load required to propose waste disposal methods suitable for the user.

[0093] Generally, the selection of waste disposal methods is closely related to environmental issues, and involves specific considerations beyond simple costs and processing times, such as CO2 emissions. In recent years, it has become increasingly important for businesses, in particular, to consider environmentally conscious options rather than simply pursuing cost benefits when it comes to waste disposal. Waste disposal support system 1 can visualize users' environmental considerations by presenting evaluation items and indicators that include environmental factors such as CO2 emissions. Furthermore, by reducing CO2 emissions, users can obtain emission allowances certified as carbon credits according to the amount of reduction, and monetization is possible through the buying and selling of emission allowances. Waste disposal support system 1 can support the consideration of waste disposal methods that take into account not only simple emission costs but also such monetization.

[0094] <5. Variation> In the above embodiment, waste information is obtained based on the measurement results of the measurement unit 10 and input from the user, but it may also be obtained based on only one of them. For example, the waste treatment support system 1 may use only the waste information obtained through measurement by the measurement unit 10 without input from the user, or conversely, it may use only the waste information obtained through input from the user without using the measurement unit 10.

[0095] In the above embodiment, for convenience, "evaluation items" and "indicators" were distinguished and explained separately. However, the waste treatment support system 1 may use the items listed as evaluation items as indicators, or the items listed as indicators as evaluation items. For example, the waste treatment support system 1 may calculate the items listed as indicators in the above embodiment as evaluation items and perform scoring and proposals based on those evaluation items. Alternatively, the waste treatment support system 1 may perform the waste treatment method proposal process using only evaluation items and no indicators.

[0096] In the above embodiment, the series of processes that the user terminal 20 and the server 30 perform in cooperation may be performed by either the user terminal 20 or the server 30 independently. For example, if the user terminal 20 performs the series of processes independently, the program and various databases are stored in the storage unit of the user terminal 20, and the processing unit 22 of the user terminal 20 performs the series of processes, including the processing of each functional unit of the server 30. Furthermore, some of the processing of the server 30 in the above embodiment may be performed by the user terminal 20, and conversely, some of the processing of the user terminal 20 in the above embodiment may be performed by the server 30.

[0097] In the above embodiment, the series of processes that are performed by the user terminal 20 or server 30 alone may be performed by distributed processing of multiple information processing devices.

[0098] In the above embodiment, priority information is obtained by having the user input a priority for each individual waste disposal process, but the method of obtaining priority information is not limited to the above example. For example, the waste disposal support system 1 may obtain the user's priority information at a different time or through a different route than the above example, such as reusing priority information previously obtained from the user, or having the user input priority information on a different screen. Furthermore, priority information is not limited to the user's direct input values ​​as described above. For example, the waste disposal support system 1 may obtain priority information by estimating the user's priority based on user information such as the user's attributes, preferences, and behavioral history (e.g., waste disposal history).

[0099] In the above embodiment, evaluation information is output from waste information using calculation formulas such as predefined evaluation functions and index functions, score information is output based on the evaluation information and priority information, and finally, proposal information is output based on the score information. However, the calculation process is not limited to the above example, and for example, score information or proposal information may be output directly from the waste information and priority information. Furthermore, the waste treatment support system 1 may utilize a machine learning model. For example, the waste treatment support system 1 may perform the calculation process in the processing unit 40 using a trained model such as the following. • A pre-trained model that has learned the relationship between waste information, priority information, and evaluation information (applicable to evaluation unit 44) • A pre-trained model that has learned the relationship between waste information, priority information, and indicators (applicable to evaluation unit 44) • A trained model that has learned the relationship between waste information, priority information, and score information (applicable to the score calculation unit 46) • A pre-trained model that has learned the relationship between waste information, priority information, and proposal information (applicable to proposal section 48)

[0100] The waste disposal support system 1 may modify its evaluation function and index function based on the suggestions made to the user and the waste disposal method actually selected by the user. For example, the waste disposal support system 1 can modify its evaluation function and index function in a way that better matches the suggestions made to the user and the waste disposal method actually selected.

[0101] In the embodiments described above, each functional unit was described as a software functional unit, but it may also be a hardware functional unit such as an LSI.

[0102] While several embodiments of the present invention have been described, these embodiments are presented as examples only and are not intended to limit the scope of the invention. These embodiments can be carried out in a variety of other forms, and various omissions, substitutions, and modifications can be made without departing from the spirit of the invention. These embodiments and their variations are included in the scope and spirit of the invention, as well as in the claims and their equivalents. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0103] 1...Waste treatment support system, 10...Measurement unit, 11...Component analyzer, 12...Mass sensor, 13...Moisture content sensor, 14...Sugar content sensor, 15...Despoilage degree sensor, 20...User terminal, 22...Processing unit, 26...Acquisition unit, 28...Display control unit, 24...Display, 30...Server, 40...Processing unit, 42...Acquisition unit, 44...Evaluation unit, 46...Score calculation unit, 48...Proposal unit, 50...Storage unit, 52...Processing proposal DB, 54...Processing method DB, 56...Waste information DB, 58...Waste component DB, 60...Evaluation item DB, 62...Indicator DB, W...Waste

Claims

1. A waste disposal support system for proposing one or more recommended waste disposal methods from among multiple waste disposal methods, Obtain waste information regarding the attributes of the waste, Priority information regarding the user's priorities for multiple evaluation items used to evaluate the multiple waste disposal methods is obtained. Based on the aforementioned waste information and priority information, one or more recommended waste disposal methods are proposed from among the multiple waste disposal methods. Waste disposal support system.

2. The aforementioned plurality of waste treatment methods include methods for reusing the waste and methods for disposing of the waste. The waste disposal support system according to claim 1.

3. The waste information includes one or more pieces of information selected from the group consisting of the composition, mass, moisture content, sugar content, and degree of decay of the waste. The waste disposal support system according to claim 1 or 2.

4. The waste treatment support system evaluates the plurality of evaluation items for each of the plurality of waste treatment methods based on the waste information. The waste disposal support system according to claim 1 or 2.

5. The waste treatment support system evaluates the multiple evaluation items using an evaluation function set for each evaluation item. The waste disposal support system according to claim 4.

6. The aforementioned multiple evaluation items are, (a) Costs related to waste disposal methods, (b) Carbon dioxide emissions from waste disposal methods, (c) the time required for all or part of the waste disposal method, and (d) Amount of loss due to waste disposal method Includes one or more evaluation items selected from the group consisting of, The waste disposal support system according to claim 4.

7. The waste treatment support system scores each of the multiple waste treatment methods based on the multiple evaluation items evaluated for each of the multiple waste treatment methods and the priority information. The waste disposal support system according to claim 1 or 2.

8. The waste treatment support system proposes one or more recommended waste treatment methods based on the scoring. The waste disposal support system according to claim 7.

9. The waste treatment support system outputs the suggested one or more recommended waste treatment methods along with the evaluation results of the multiple evaluation items. The waste disposal support system according to claim 1 or 2.

10. The aforementioned waste treatment support system outputs an index based on a predetermined waste treatment method for each waste treatment method. The waste disposal support system according to claim 1 or 2.

11. The aforementioned indicators are, (a) the amount of cost savings based on the method of waste disposal, and (b) Amount of reduction in carbon dioxide emissions based on the method of waste disposal Includes one or more selected from the group consisting of, The waste disposal support system according to claim 10.

12. A waste disposal support method for a computer processor to propose one or more recommended waste disposal methods from among multiple waste disposal methods, Steps to obtain waste information regarding the attributes of the waste, A step of obtaining priority information regarding the user's priority for multiple evaluation items used to evaluate the multiple waste disposal methods, A step of proposing one or more recommended waste disposal methods from among the multiple waste disposal methods based on the waste information and the priority information, A waste disposal support method, including the following.

13. A program that, when executed by a computer processor, causes the processor to execute the waste disposal support method described in claim 12.

14. A waste disposal support system for proposing one or more recommended waste disposal methods from among multiple waste disposal methods, A first screen is displayed that accepts user input regarding the priority of multiple evaluation items for evaluating the multiple waste disposal methods. After receiving input regarding the priority, a second screen is displayed, which includes one or more recommended waste disposal methods from among the multiple waste disposal methods, and the evaluation results of the multiple evaluation items for that one or more waste disposal methods. Waste disposal support system.

Images