Breastfeeding support system, breastfeeding guidance support device, breastfeeding guidance support method, and program

Abstract

This invention provides a breastfeeding support system, breastfeeding guidance support device, breastfeeding guidance support method, and program that visualize information effective for breastfeeding guidance. [Solution] The breastfeeding guidance support device 200 includes a first acquisition unit 202 that acquires a tongue movement index indicating the tongue movement of an infant, a second acquisition unit 204 that acquires a first breastfeeding index based on information acquired from the infant's caregiver, a third acquisition unit 206 that acquires a second breastfeeding index based on information acquired from a specialist who provides advice to the caregiver regarding infant care, and an output unit 208 that generates and outputs display screen data for displaying the tongue movement index, the first breastfeeding index, and the second breastfeeding index simultaneously or at different timings.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a breastfeeding support system, a breastfeeding guidance support device, a breastfeeding guidance support method, and a program.

Background Art

[0002] Patent Document 1 describes a method of analyzing various input data related to both a mother and her infant to provide an appropriate breastfeeding plan. The input data includes, for example, information regarding the health of the mother and the infant. The method described in Patent Document 1 identifies milk extraction activities for breastfeeding and includes providing an output for guiding the frequency and duration of milk extraction sessions and issuing a warning notification based on changes in the way breast milk comes out.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Patent Document 2

[0004] The technology described in the above Patent Document 1 is a technology for providing a breastfeeding plan that optimizes breastfeeding time and the amount of breast milk extracted. On the other hand, when giving breast milk to an infant, the amount of breast milk the infant sucks may be reduced because the infant's sucking power is insufficient. Also, it is assumed that the amount of breast milk sucked may be reduced because the mother is not used to handling the infant and the infant cannot relax and concentrate on breastfeeding. Therefore, breastfeeding guidance for postpartum mothers is important, and it is useful to visualize the infant's sucking power and the mother-child state as objective information when conducting breastfeeding guidance.

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0005] The inventors have discovered a technology that visualizes information useful for breastfeeding guidance by generating and outputting indicators for evaluating the tongue movements of infants and indicators for evaluating breastfeeding content, using the results of tongue movement monitoring and information obtained from mothers and midwives who act as instructors.

[0006] The object of the present invention is to provide a breastfeeding support system, a breastfeeding guidance support device, a breastfeeding guidance support method, and a program that visualize information effective for breastfeeding guidance. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] According to the present invention, A first acquisition unit that acquires tongue movement indicators showing the tongue movements of an infant, A second acquisition unit that acquires a first breastfeeding indicator based on information obtained from the caregiver of the infant, A third acquisition unit that acquires a second breastfeeding indicator based on information obtained from a specialist who provides advice to the caregiver regarding the care of the infant, A breastfeeding guidance support device is provided, which includes an output unit that generates and outputs display screen data for displaying the tongue movement indicator, the first breastfeeding indicator, and the second breastfeeding indicator simultaneously or at different timings.

[0008] According to the present invention, A breastfeeding guidance support device, Tongue movement measurement device, A terminal device used by at least one of the caregivers and the professional, The aforementioned breastfeeding guidance support device is A first acquisition unit that acquires tongue movement indices indicating the tongue movement of an infant from the tongue movement measurement device, A second acquisition unit that acquires a first breastfeeding indicator based on information obtained from the caregiver of the infant, A third acquisition unit that acquires a second breastfeeding indicator based on information obtained from a specialist who provides advice to the caregiver regarding the care of the infant, The system includes an output unit that generates display screen data for displaying the tongue movement indicator, the first breastfeeding indicator, and the second breastfeeding indicator simultaneously or at different timings, and outputs this data to the terminal device. A breastfeeding support system is provided.

[0009] According to the present invention, One or more computers, We obtained tongue movement indices that show the tongue movements of infants, Based on information obtained from the caregiver of the aforementioned infant, the first breastfeeding indicator is obtained. A second breastfeeding indicator is obtained based on information acquired from a specialist who provides advice to the caregiver regarding the care of the infant. The system generates and outputs display screen data for displaying the tongue movement indicator, the first breastfeeding indicator, and the second breastfeeding indicator simultaneously or at different timings. Breastfeeding guidance and support methods are provided. Furthermore, according to the present invention, On the computer, First acquisition process to obtain tongue movement indicators showing the tongue movement of an infant, A second acquisition process for obtaining a first breastfeeding indicator based on information obtained from the caregiver of the aforementioned infant, A third acquisition process for obtaining a second breastfeeding indicator based on information obtained from a specialist who provides advice to the caregiver regarding the care of the infant, A program is provided for performing output processing that generates and outputs display screen data for displaying the tongue movement indicator, the first breastfeeding indicator, and the second breastfeeding indicator simultaneously or at different timings.

[0010] Furthermore, other examples of the present invention include a program that causes at least one computer to execute the method of the present invention, or a recording medium that is readable by a computer on which such a program is recorded. This recording medium includes non-temporary tangible media. This computer program includes computer program code that causes a computer to execute the breastfeeding guidance support method on a breastfeeding guidance support device when the program is executed by the computer.

[0011] Note that any combination of the above components, as well as those obtained by converting the expression of the present invention among methods, devices, systems, recording media, computer programs, etc., are also effective as aspects of the present invention.

[0012] Also, the various components of the present invention do not necessarily need to exist independently. It is also possible that a plurality of components are formed as one member, one component is formed by a plurality of members, a certain component is a part of another component, or a part of a certain component overlaps with a part of another component, etc.

[0013] Also, although a plurality of procedures are described in order in the method and computer program of the present invention, the described order does not limit the order of execution of the plurality of procedures. Therefore, when implementing the method and computer program of the present invention, the order of the plurality of procedures can be changed within a range that does not cause any problem in terms of content.

[0014] Furthermore, the plurality of procedures of the method and computer program of the present invention are not limited to being executed at different timings. Therefore, it is also possible that another procedure is executed during the execution of a certain procedure, or a part or all of the execution timing of a certain procedure overlaps with the execution timing of another procedure, etc.

Advantages of the Invention

[0015] According to the present invention, it is possible to provide a breastfeeding support system, a breastfeeding guidance support device, a breastfeeding guidance support method, and a program that visualize information effective for breastfeeding guidance.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0016] [Figure 1]This is a functional block diagram showing a logical configuration example of a tongue movement monitoring device according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 2] This flowchart shows an example of the processing operation of a tongue movement monitoring device according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 3] This figure conceptually illustrates an example of the system configuration of a breastfeeding support system according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 4] This figure shows an example configuration and usage of a tongue movement measurement device. [Figure 5] This figure shows an example of the configuration of a computer that realizes a tongue movement monitoring device according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 6] This figure shows an example of a data structure for tongue movement data. [Figure 7] This figure shows an example of a data structure for indicator information. [Figure 8] Figure 2 is a flowchart showing an example of a predetermined process in step S105. [Figure 9] This flowchart shows the detailed processing steps for generating tongue movement indicators. [Figure 10] This is a functional block diagram showing another configuration example of the tongue movement monitoring device according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 11] This figure shows an example of an initial setup screen displayed on the terminal device's display. [Figure 12] This figure shows an example of an initial setup screen displayed on the terminal device's display. [Figure 13] This figure shows an example of an initial setup screen displayed on the terminal device's display. [Figure 14] This figure shows an example of a monitor screen displayed on a terminal device's display. [Figure 15] This figure shows an example of a tongue movement indicator screen displayed on the terminal device's display. [Figure 16] This flowchart shows another example of the processing operation of the tongue movement monitoring device. [Figure 17]This figure conceptually illustrates another example of a system configuration for a breastfeeding support system according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 18] This flowchart shows another example of the predetermined process in step S105 of Figure 2. [Figure 19] This is a functional block diagram showing a logical configuration example of a breastfeeding guidance support device according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 20] This flowchart shows an example of the processing operation of a breastfeeding guidance support device according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 21] This figure shows an example of a user information data structure. [Figure 22] This figure shows an example of a data structure for infant information. [Figure 23] This figure shows an example of a measurement results screen displaying tongue movement indicators. [Figure 24] This figure shows examples of the mother's response screen showing the first breastfeeding indicator and the midwife's response screen showing the second breastfeeding indicator. [Figure 25] This figure shows an example of an alert display screen shown on the terminal device's display. [Figure 26] This is a functional block diagram showing an example of the functional configuration of a breastfeeding guidance support device according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 27] This figure shows an example of the data structure for mother's response information. [Figure 28] This figure shows an example of the data structure of midwife response information. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0017] In the following embodiments of the present invention, the drawings are associated with one or more embodiments. In all drawings, similar components are denoted by the same reference numerals, and their descriptions are omitted as appropriate. In addition, in the following figures, components that are not essential to the present invention are omitted and are not shown.

[0018] In embodiments of the present invention, "acquisition" includes at least one of the following: the device retrieving data or information stored in another device or storage medium (active acquisition), and the device inputting data or information output from another device into its own device (passive acquisition). Examples of active acquisition include making a request or inquiry to another device and receiving a reply, and accessing and reading data from another device or storage medium. Examples of passive acquisition include receiving information that is delivered (or transmitted, push notification, etc.). Furthermore, "acquisition" may also mean selecting and acquiring data or information from among the received data or information, or selecting and receiving data or information that has been delivered.

[0019] (First Embodiment) <Example of Functional Configuration> Figure 1 is a functional block diagram showing a logical configuration example of a tongue movement monitoring device 100 according to an embodiment of the present invention. The tongue movement monitoring device 100 comprises an acquisition unit 102 and a processing unit 104. The acquisition unit 102 acquires tongue movement data generated by a tongue movement measurement device that measures the tongue movements of an infant. When the acquired tongue movement data meets the criteria, the processing unit 104 performs a predetermined process to generate an index of tongue movement using the tongue movement data that meets the criteria.

[0020] <Example of operation> Figure 2 is a flowchart showing an example of the processing operation of the tongue movement monitoring device 100 according to an embodiment of the present invention. The acquisition unit 102 acquires tongue movement data generated by a tongue movement measurement device that measures the tongue movements of an infant (step S101). When the acquired tongue movement data meets the criteria (YES in step S103), the processing unit 104 performs a predetermined process to generate an index of tongue movement using the tongue movement data that meets the criteria (step S105). If the tongue movement data does not meet the criteria (NO in step S103), or after step S105, the tongue movement monitoring device 100 returns to step S101.

[0021] According to this tongue movement monitoring device 100, the acquisition unit 102 acquires tongue movement data generated by a tongue movement measuring device that measures the tongue movement of an infant, and the processing unit 104, when the acquired tongue movement data meets a standard, performs a predetermined process to generate an index of tongue movement using the tongue movement data that meets the standard, thereby generating an index that visualizes the tongue movement of an infant during breastfeeding.

[0022] (Second Embodiment) The following describes in detail the breastfeeding support system 1, which includes the tongue movement monitoring device 100. The breastfeeding support system 1 may also include the breastfeeding guidance support device 200, which will be described later.

[0023] <System Overview> Figure 3 is a conceptual diagram showing the system configuration of a breastfeeding support system 1 according to an embodiment of the present invention. The breastfeeding support system 1 includes a tongue movement measurement device 30 and a terminal device 40. The tongue movement measurement device 30 and the terminal device 40 are connected to each other by wired or wireless communication. Alternatively, the tongue movement measurement device 30 and the terminal device 40 may be connected to each other via a communication network 3. However, the communication network 3 may be a combination of multiple networks.

[0024] The terminal device 40 is a computer such as a personal computer, server computer, smartphone, or tablet. However, as will be described later, if the tongue movement monitoring device 100 is implemented by a computer that constitutes the tongue movement measurement device 30, the information processing system 1 does not need to include the terminal device 40.

[0025] The breastfeeding support system 1 uses measurement data of the infant's tongue movements, measured using a tongue movement measurement device 30, to enable a midwife 70 to provide various services related to breastfeeding the infant 50 to the mother 60. The services provided by the breastfeeding support system 1 include, for example, visualizing the breastfeeding status (the appearance of the infant's tongue movements), conducting questionnaires with the mother 60 and the midwife 70 to visualize information related to breastfeeding, and providing information to support breastfeeding guidance. The breastfeeding support system 1 can be used, for example, in medical institutions, public health centers, postpartum care facilities, etc., when a midwife 70 provides breastfeeding guidance to the mother 60, or when a public health nurse visits the mother 60's home to provide breastfeeding guidance.

[0026] The tongue movement monitoring device 100 described in Figure 1 is implemented by installing and starting an application program that implements the tongue movement monitoring device 100 on the terminal device 40 in Figure 3. Alternatively, the tongue movement monitoring device 100 may be implemented in a form in which the tongue movement measurement device 30 and the terminal device 40 cooperate to share the functions of the tongue movement monitoring device 100. Furthermore, the tongue movement monitoring device 100 may be implemented as at least one chip having a memory in which a program that implements the functions of the tongue movement monitoring device 100 is executablely stored and a processor that executes that program. For example, the tongue movement monitoring device 100 may be implemented in a form in which it is mounted as the chip on the tongue movement measurement device 30 in Figure 3, that is, in a form included in the tongue movement measurement device 30. When the tongue movement monitoring device 100 is implemented by the tongue movement measurement device 30, it is preferable that the tongue movement measurement device 30 has a user interface function unit (e.g., a display or an operation reception unit) that the terminal device 40 has as needed.

[0027] Mother 60 is not limited to the biological mother; any caregiver of infant 50 is acceptable. The caregiver of infant 50 may be someone other than the biological mother. Furthermore, while the breastfeeding support system 1 is based on mother 60 breastfeeding infant 50, it can also be used when feeding with a bottle. However, in that case, the questionnaire items for mother 60 and midwife 70, described later, will be changed. A midwife 70 is a professional who provides advice to caregivers on infant care 50, and is not limited to midwives. Professionals who provide advice to caregivers on infant care 50 include midwives, nurses, doctors, and public health nurses, etc. Furthermore, professionals may also include mentors, assistants, caregivers, and observers of mothers 60.

[0028] In the breastfeeding support system 1, information regarding the mother 60 and infant 50 who will use the system's services may be registered in advance in the application settings menu of the terminal device 40. Information regarding the mother 60 and infant 50 may include, for example, the mother 60's date of birth, the infant 50's birth weight, date of birth, and sex. The registered information is stored in the storage device of the terminal device 40 (the memory 1030 or storage device 1040 of the computer 1000, which will be described later).

[0029] The tongue movement measurement device 30 measures the subject's tongue movement (sucking force). In this embodiment, the subject is an infant 50. The tongue movement measurement device 30 is used by being attached to the hand of, for example, the mother 60. For example, the tongue movement measurement device 30 is the tongue movement measurement device described in Patent Document 2 (Japanese Patent No. 7531809).

[0030] Figure 4 shows an example of the configuration and use of the tongue movement measurement device 30. The tongue movement measurement device 30 includes, for example, a sensor unit 32 attached to the little finger of the mother's hand 62, and a control unit 34 attached to the back of the mother's hand 62. The sensor unit 32 and the control unit 34 are electrically connected.

[0031] The sensor unit 32 is attached to the little finger of the mother's hand 62 and inserted into the oral cavity of the infant 50, and has a sensor for measuring the tongue movements of the infant 50. The sensor unit 32 includes, for example, a first pressure sensor 36 that measures tongue pressure corresponding to the base of the tongue, and a second pressure sensor 38 that measures tongue pressure corresponding to the tip of the tongue. The sensor unit 32 is inserted into the oral cavity of the infant 50, and the first sensor 36 and the second sensor 38 in the oral cavity detect the pressure of tongue movement when the infant 50 performs tongue movement and output sensor signals as measurement data that indicate information about the pressure of said tongue movement. The voltages output from the first sensor 36 and the second sensor 38 fluctuate according to the pressure received from the tongue.

[0032] The control unit 34 has the function of acquiring measurement data from the sensor unit 32, processing it to generate tongue movement data, and transmitting it from the tongue movement measurement device 30 to an external device. However, the generation of tongue movement data may be performed by another external device, in which case the control unit 34 transmits the measurement data acquired from the sensor unit 32 directly from the tongue movement measurement device 30 to the external device. In this embodiment, the external device is a terminal device 40 used by the mother 60 or midwife 70.

[0033] <Example Hardware Configuration> The tongue movement monitoring device 100 in Figure 1 is implemented by the computer 1000 in Figure 5. The terminal device 40 in Figure 3 and the control unit 34 of the tongue movement measurement device 30 are also implemented by the computer 1000 in Figure 5. Furthermore, the server device 10 in Figure 17, which will be described later, is also implemented by the computer 1000 in Figure 5. As described above, the tongue movement monitoring device 100 is implemented by the computer 1000 that implements the terminal device 40 executing an application installed on the terminal device 40. Alternatively, the tongue movement monitoring device 100 may be implemented by the cooperation of multiple computers 1000 that implement the terminal device 40 and the server device 10, which will be described later. Alternatively, the tongue movement monitoring device 100 may be implemented by the computer 1000 that implements the tongue movement measurement device 30, or by the cooperation of the computer 1000 that implements the tongue movement measurement device 30 and the terminal device 40.

[0034] Furthermore, the breastfeeding guidance support device 200 shown in Figure 18 of the embodiment described later is also realized by the computer 1000 shown in Figure 5. As will be described later, the breastfeeding guidance support device 200 is realized by the computer 1000 that realizes the terminal device 40 executing an application installed on the terminal device 40. Alternatively, the breastfeeding guidance support device 200 may be realized by the cooperation of multiple computers 1000 that realize the terminal device 40 and the server device 10.

[0035] The computer 1000 has all or part of a bus 1010, a processor 1020, memory 1030, a storage device 1040, an input / output interface 1050, and a network interface 1060.

[0036] Bus 1010 is a data transmission path for the processor 1020, memory 1030, storage device 1040, input / output interface 1050, and network interface 1060 to send and receive data to and from each other. However, the method of connecting the processor 1020 and the other components to each other is not limited to bus connection.

[0037] The 1020 processor is a processor implemented in components such as the CPU (Central Processing Unit) and GPU (Graphics Processing Unit).

[0038] Memory 1030 is a main memory device implemented using RAM (Random Access Memory), etc.

[0039] The storage device 1040 is an auxiliary storage device implemented as an HDD (Hard Disk Drive), SSD (Solid State Drive), memory card, or ROM (Read Only Memory). The storage device 1040 stores program modules that implement each function of the tongue movement monitoring device 100 (for example, the acquisition unit 102, the processing unit 104, the display control unit 106 described later, etc.) or each function of the breastfeeding guidance support device 200 described later (for example, the first acquisition unit 202, the second acquisition unit 204, the third acquisition unit 206, the output unit 208, and the memory processing unit 210). The processor 1020 reads these program modules onto the memory 1030 and executes them, thereby realizing each function corresponding to the program module. The storage device 1040 may also function as the storage device 20 (Figure 17) of the tongue movement monitoring device 100 described later.

[0040] The program module may be recorded on a recording medium. The recording medium on which the program module is recorded includes a non-temporary, tangible medium usable by a computer 1000, and program code that can be read by the computer 1000 (processor 1020) may be embedded in that medium.

[0041] The input / output interface 1050 is an interface for connecting the computer 1000 to various input / output devices. The input / output interface 1050 also functions as a communication interface for short-range wireless communication such as Bluetooth (registered trademark) and NFC (Near Field Communication). Furthermore, the input / output interface 1050 also functions as a wired communication interface such as USB (Universal Serial Bus) and HDMI (High Definition Multimedia Interface) (registered trademark).

[0042] The network interface 1060 is an interface for connecting the computer 1000 to the communication network 3. This communication network 3 is, for example, a LAN (Local Area Network) or a WAN (Wide Area Network). The method by which the network interface 1060 connects to the communication network 3 may be a wireless connection or a wired connection. Furthermore, the network interface 1060 also functions as a communication interface for communication using mobile communication systems such as CDMA (Code Division Multiple Access), LTE (Long Term Evolution), 4th generation communication (4G), 5th generation communication (5G), and 6th generation communication (6G) and later, via a mobile communication network.

[0043] The computer 1000 then connects to the necessary equipment (for example, the display, touch panel, operation buttons, touchpad, keyboard, mouse, speaker, microphone, camera, printer, etc. of the tongue movement monitoring device 100) via the input / output interface 1050 or the network interface 1060.

[0044] Each component of the tongue movement monitoring device 100 according to the present invention shown in each figure can be realized by any combination of the hardware and software of the computer 1000 shown in Figure 5. It will be understood by those skilled in the art that there are various modifications to the implementation method and apparatus. The functional block diagrams showing the tongue movement monitoring device 100 according to the present invention shown in each figure represent blocks of logical functional units, not hardware units.

[0045] <Example of Functional Configuration> The following will provide a detailed explanation of the functional configuration of the tongue movement monitoring device 100 using Figure 1. The tongue movement monitoring device 100 comprises an acquisition unit 102 and a processing unit 104. The acquisition unit 102 acquires in real time the tongue movement data generated by the tongue movement measurement device 30, which measures the tongue movements of an infant. "Acquiring in real time" means acquiring the data periodically at predetermined time intervals (for example, intervals of 1 millisecond to 10 milliseconds). However, the predetermined time interval may vary by, for example, several milliseconds.

[0046] The tongue movement data includes measurement data output from the tongue movement measurement device 30 based on the output signals of the two sensors (first sensor 36 and second sensor 38) of the sensor unit 32 of the tongue movement measurement device 30 shown in Figure 4. The tongue movement data is, for example, the voltage value (V) output from each sensor, which fluctuates according to the pressure received from the tongue due to the movement of the infant's tongue 50. Note that the voltage output from each sensor may be converted into digital signals using an A / D conversion circuit.

[0047] Furthermore, the tongue movement data may be values ​​obtained by processing the voltage values ​​output from each sensor. For example, the tongue movement data may be the tongue pressure (kPa) calculated by dividing the voltage value (V) output from each sensor, which fluctuates according to the pressure received from the tongue, by the area of ​​the pressure-receiving surface of the sensor. Alternatively, the tongue movement data may use voltage values ​​obtained by approximating the nonlinear voltage output from each sensor using an approximation curve so that the approximation error is within a predetermined range (for example, 12%). These processes may be performed by the control unit 34 of the tongue movement measurement device 30, or by the acquisition unit 102 of the tongue movement monitoring device 100.

[0048] The acquisition unit 102 stores the tongue movement data acquired from the tongue movement measurement device 30 as tongue movement data 130 in the storage device 20 at a predetermined timing. Figure 6 shows an example of the data structure of the tongue movement data 130. As shown in Figure 6, the tongue movement data 130 includes identification information (device ID in the figure) that can identify the tongue movement measurement device 30 that received the tongue movement data, information indicating the date and time of measurement of the tongue movement data, tongue movement data corresponding to the tongue root measured by the first pressure sensor 36 (tongue root measurement value (voltage) in the figure), and tongue movement data corresponding to the tongue tip measured by the second sensor 38 (tongue tip measurement value (voltage) in the figure), associated with each other.

[0049] The voltage values ​​acquired from each sensor are input values ​​in a time series and fluctuate over time. Therefore, the date and time information of the tongue movement data 130 includes, for example, the date and time when the measurement started, and the measurement time for each predetermined measurement cycle (for example, every few milliseconds). However, if the measurement cycle is constant, the date and time information may consist only of the date and time when the measurement started. The tongue movement data 130 may also record multiple measurement data (voltage values) measured for each measurement cycle, associated with the date and time when the measurement started. Furthermore, the tongue movement measurement data may include the voltage value at the measurement start date and time, and a value indicating the deviation from that voltage value for each measurement cycle.

[0050] Furthermore, the voltage values ​​obtained from each sensor may be temporarily stored as tongue movement data 130 in the memory 1030 or storage device 1040 of the computer 1000. Then, when processing by the processing unit 104 is completed, or at other appropriate times (when the measured values ​​are no longer needed), the voltage values ​​may be deleted from the memory 1030.

[0051] When the acquired tongue movement data meets the criteria, the processing unit 104 performs a predetermined process to generate an index of tongue movement using the tongue movement data that meets the criteria.

[0052] The "prescribed processing" includes the process of transmitting waveform data that meets the criteria to a server device 10 (information processing device) that generates indicators of tongue movement. However, the server device 10 may also perform the process of determining whether or not the criteria are met, in which case the measured data of tongue movement is transmitted to the server device 10.

[0053] Furthermore, the "predetermined processing" includes processing the acquired tongue movement data to generate an index of tongue movement. In other words, the tongue movement index may be generated as the "predetermined processing" by the application of the terminal device 40.

[0054] As described above, the process of generating indicators for tongue movement can be performed in at least one of the server device 10 or the terminal device 40, which will be described later. When generating indicators in the server device 10, the waveform data of the tongue movement data is sent to the server device 10.

[0055] Indicators of tongue movement include the average period of the waveform data of tongue movement data, the phase difference, the maximum force of the tongue root and tip, and the ratio of the maximum values.

[0056] There are multiple criteria, which are exemplified below, but are not limited to these. (Criterion 1) A peak must be present. A peak occurs when the waveform data (output waveform of the first sensor 36 or the second sensor 38) continues to rise from a reference value for a predetermined time (e.g., 50 milliseconds) or longer, and then falls back down to the reference value. The reference value is, for example, 0 (V). The presence of a peak is detected when the data falls back down to the reference value. (Criterion 2) The waveform data must have periodicity. The presence of periodicity in waveform data is detected when the above-mentioned peak (criterion 1) is detected consecutively for a predetermined number of times (e.g., 3 cycles) or more within a predetermined period (e.g., 300 msec to 800 msec). In the above (criterion 1) and (criterion 2), the tongue movement data for which peaks and periodicity of waveform data are to be detected may be both the tip and the base of the tongue, or at least one of the tip and the base of the tongue. (Criterion 3) The peaks of the tongue tip and tongue base are present within the same cycle. The presence of peaks at the tip and base of the tongue is detected when the peaks described above (Criterion 1) are detected for the tip and base of the tongue for three or more consecutive cycles within the same 300 msec to 800 msec period. (Criterion 4) A phase difference exists. The presence of a phase difference is detected when the variance of the phase difference between the output waveforms of the tongue tip and tongue base, which were simultaneously present in (criterion 3), is greater than or equal to a criterion value (e.g., 3%).

[0057] Examples of indicators are given below, but are not limited to these.

[0058] "Average period" refers to the average period of the waveform detected in (Criteria 2). The "average period" may be a value calculated from the waveform data, a value obtained by detecting the waveform and scoring the average period in stages (for example, 5 stages from 1 to 5), or both. An example of score categories is as follows. Score 1: If no waveform was detected. If the score is less than 0.35 seconds or more than 0.65 seconds: If the score is 3: between 0.35 seconds and 0.40 seconds or between 0.60 seconds and 0.65 seconds Score 4: If the time is between 0.40 seconds and 0.45 seconds or between 0.55 seconds and 0.60 seconds If the score is 5: 0.45 seconds to 0.55 seconds

[0059] Furthermore, the "average period" score may also be information indicating whether or not a waveform was detected. This information may be either "no record" (corresponding to score 1) or "other" (corresponding to scores 2-5).

[0060] The "average of maximum values" is the average of the peak values ​​of the waveform detected in (Criterion 2). The "average of maximum values" may be the average value itself calculated from the waveform peaks, or it may be a value obtained by dividing the average value into stages (for example, 5 stages from 1 to 5) and scoring it, or it may be both. An example of a score category is as follows. Score 1: If no waveform was detected. If the score is less than 0.4N Score 3: If above 0.4N and below 0.7N Score 4: If above 0.7N and below 1.0N If the score is 5:1.0N or higher

[0061] The "average phase difference" is the average value of the phase differences when the variance of the phase differences between the tongue tip and tongue base waveforms that were simultaneously present in (criterion 3) is 3% or more. The "average phase difference" may be the average value of the phase differences calculated from the peaks of the waveforms, or it may be a value obtained by dividing the average value into stages (for example, 3 stages of 1, 3, and 5) and scoring them, or it may be both. An example of the score divisions is as follows. Score 1: If no phase difference is detected. Score 3: When the variance of the phase difference is less than 3% Score 5: When the variance of the phase difference is 3% or more.

[0062] The "ratio of maximum values" is the percentage of the maximum value at the tip of the tongue divided by the maximum value at the base of the tongue. The "ratio of maximum values" may be the ratio of maximum values ​​calculated from the peaks of the waveform, or it may be a value obtained by dividing the ratio of maximum values ​​into stages (for example, 5 stages from 1 to 5) and scoring them, or it may be both. An example of a score category is as follows. Score 1: If no waveform is detected at least one of the tongue tip and tongue base. Score 2: When the ratio of the maximum value is less than 30% Score 3: If the score is above 30% but below 50% Score 4: If it is above 50% but below 70% Score 5: If 70% or higher

[0063] Each index calculated by the processing unit 104 is stored in the storage device 20 as index information 140 for each tongue movement measurement device 30 and for each measurement. Figure 7 shows that the index information 140 stores the tongue movement measurement device 30 that received the tongue movement data, along with identification information (device ID in the figure) that identifies the device, information indicating the date and time of measurement of the tongue movement data, and each calculated index (average period, phase difference, maximum force (tongue root and tongue tip), and ratio of maximum values).

[0064] <Example of operation> Below, an example of the processing operation of the tongue movement monitoring device 100 of this embodiment will be explained using Figures 2, 8, and 9. The process shown in Figure 2 begins, for example, after the tongue movement measurement device 30 starts measuring the tongue movements of the infant 50. The timing at which the tongue movement measurement device 30 begins measuring the tongue movements of the infant 50 is, for example, when it receives a measurement start command from the operator (midwife 70 or mother 60) to the tongue movement measurement device 30. Another timing at which the tongue movement measurement device 30 begins measuring the tongue movements of the infant 50 is, for example, when it receives a monitoring start command from the operator to the tongue movement monitoring device 100. The tongue movement monitoring device 100 instructs the tongue movement measurement device 30 to start measurement. At this time, it is assumed that a connection has been established between the tongue movement monitoring device 100 and the tongue movement measurement device 30 at a predetermined timing and that they are in a state where they can communicate with each other.

[0065] In Figure 2, the acquisition unit 102 acquires tongue movement data generated by the tongue movement measurement device 30, which measures the tongue movement of the infant 50 (step S101). The acquisition unit 102 stores the acquired tongue movement data in the tongue movement data 130. When the acquired tongue movement data meets the criteria (YES in step S103), the processing unit 104 performs a predetermined process to generate an index of tongue movement using the waveform data of the tongue movement data that meets the criteria (step S105). If the tongue movement data does not meet the criteria (NO in step S103), or after step S105, the tongue movement monitoring device 100 returns to step S101.

[0066] Figure 8 is a flowchart showing another example of the predetermined process in step S105 of Figure 2. In this example, when the tongue movement data meets the criteria in step S103 of Figure 2, the processing unit 104 processes the waveform data that meets the criteria to generate an index of tongue movement (step S203). Here, the processing unit 104 performs the tongue movement index generation process shown in Figure 10, which will be described later.

[0067] Figure 9 is a flowchart showing the detailed processing steps for generating tongue movement indicators. Note that the processing in Figure 9 includes both the criterion determination process in step S103 of Figure 2 and the predetermined processing in step S105 of Figure 2. Furthermore, this flowchart is executed repeatedly while the acquisition unit 102 is acquiring tongue movement data. In the following description, it is assumed that the processing unit 104 of the tongue movement monitoring device 100 performs the predetermined processing. If the server device 10 performs the tongue movement indicator generation processing, the "processing unit 104" described below will be implemented in the "server device 10".

[0068] The processing unit 104 first detects the presence of peaks in the tongue movement data for both the tip and base of the tongue (step S211). Specifically, the processing unit 104 detects the presence of a peak when the data continues to rise from a reference value for 50 milliseconds or more, and then falls back down to the reference value. Next, the processing unit 104 detects the presence of periodicity in the waveform of the tongue movement data (step S213). Specifically, the processing unit 104 detects the presence of periodicity in the waveform when three or more consecutive peaks are detected as detected in step S211.

[0069] The processing unit 104 calculates the average of the peak values ​​of the detected waveforms of the tongue tip and tongue base, and records it in the index information 140 (step S215). Furthermore, the processing unit 104 divides the average of the maximum values ​​of each waveform into steps (for example, 5 steps from 1 to 5) and records the scored values ​​in the index information 140. Furthermore, the processing unit 104 calculates the percentage of the maximum value of the waveform of the tongue tip and the maximum value of the waveform of the tongue base, respectively, and records them in the index information 140. Furthermore, the processing unit 104 divides the ratio of the maximum values ​​into steps (for example, 5 steps from 1 to 5) and records the scored values ​​in the index information 140.

[0070] Furthermore, the processing unit 104 calculates the average period of the waveform detected in step S213 and records it in the index information 140 (step S215). Note that the average period only needs to be calculated for one of the waveforms of the tongue tip or the tongue root from the tongue movement data. However, it may also be calculated for both the tongue tip and tongue root waveforms, and then the average of the two average periods may be calculated.

[0071] The processing unit 104 calculates the average and ratio of the maximum values ​​of the detected waveform, as well as the average period, and records them in the index information 140 (step S215). As described above, the processing unit 104 can further identify scores based on the calculated average and ratio of the maximum values ​​of the waveform, as well as the average period, and record them in the index information 140.

[0072] Furthermore, the processing unit 104 detects waveform simultaneity (step S217) if peaks are detected in the measurement data of the tongue tip and tongue base for three or more consecutive periods within the same predetermined period (e.g., 300 msec to 800 msec) in step S211.

[0073] Furthermore, the processing unit 104 detects that there is a phase difference in the waveforms of the measurement data of the tongue tip and tongue base (step S219). Specifically, the processing unit 104 determines in step S217 whether the variance of the phase difference between the waveforms of the tongue tip and tongue base that existed within the same period is 3% or more.

[0074] The processing unit 104 calculates the average phase difference and records it in the index information 140 (step S221). Furthermore, the processing unit 104 divides the average phase difference into steps (for example, 5 steps from 1 to 5) and records the scored values ​​in the index information 140.

[0075] Note that the processing steps in Figure 9 may be repeatedly executed while the acquisition unit 102 is acquiring tongue movement data, as described above. However, in other examples, the processing may be performed using data acquired by the acquisition unit 102 for a predetermined period. For example, the processing unit 104 may identify, from the data for the predetermined period, a section in step S213 in which periodicity is detected in the waveform of the tongue movement data, and a section in step S217 in which simultaneity of waveforms is detected in the measurement data of the tongue tip and tongue root, and then identify at least one of these sections as the section to be analyzed. The processing unit 104 may perform the processing in steps S215, S219, and S221 on the data of the section to be analyzed, and may calculate and record the average or ratio of the maximum values, the average period, and the average phase difference.

[0076] As described above, the tongue movement monitoring device 100 of this embodiment comprises an acquisition unit 102 and a processing unit 104. The acquisition unit 102 acquires tongue movement data generated by a tongue movement measurement device that measures the tongue movement of an infant 50. When the acquired tongue movement data meets a standard, the processing unit 104 performs predetermined processing to generate an index of tongue movement using the waveform data of the tongue movement data that meets the standard. Thus, the tongue movement monitoring device 100 of this embodiment can generate indicators that visualize the tongue movements of an infant 50 during breastfeeding.

[0077] (Third embodiment) Figure 10 is a functional block diagram showing another configuration example of the tongue movement monitoring device 100 according to an embodiment of the present invention. The tongue movement monitoring device 100 in Figure 10 is the same as the tongue movement monitoring device 100 in Figure 1, except that it further includes a display control unit 106. Note that each element in Figure 10 may be combined to the extent that it does not cause inconsistencies with each element of one or more embodiments.

[0078] <Example of Functional Configuration> The tongue movement monitoring device 100 includes the same acquisition unit 102 and processing unit 104 as in Figure 1, and further includes a display control unit 106. The display control unit 106 causes the display to show at least one of the waveform data of the acquired tongue movement data and an image showing the state of tongue movement generated from the tongue movement data.

[0079] Figures 11 to 15 show examples of screens displayed on the terminal device 40's display by the display control unit 106. Figures 11 to 13 show screens for connecting the terminal device 40 and the tongue movement measurement device 30 and for initial setup.

[0080] First, when the application for the breastfeeding support system 1 is launched on the terminal device 40 and a command to start measurement is received from the operation menu of the application, the display control unit 106 displays the connection settings screen 300 on the display of the terminal device 40.

[0081] The connection settings screen 300 displays a message instructing the tongue movement measurement device 30 to be powered on, and a message instructing the terminal device 40 (labeled "PC" in the figure) to connect to the receiver of the tongue movement measurement device 30. Once the connection between the tongue movement measurement device 30 and the terminal device 40 is confirmed, the display control unit 106 displays the next button 302 on the connection settings screen 300 in an operable (activated) state.

[0082] When the Next button 302 on the connection settings screen 300 is pressed, the display control unit 106 displays the explanation screen 310 shown in Figure 12 on the display of the terminal device 40. The explanation screen 310 displays an image showing how to use the tongue movement measurement device 30 and the Next button 312.

[0083] When the user presses the Next button 312 on the explanation screen 310, the display control unit 106 displays the communication port selection screen 320 shown in Figure 13 on the terminal device 40's display. The communication port selection screen 320 displays a UI (User Interface) that accepts the selection of a communication port to which the tongue movement measurement device 30 will be connected to the terminal device 40, as well as a Back button 322.

[0084] When the back button 322 on the communication port selection screen 320 is pressed, the display control unit 106 displays the previous explanation screen 310 on the terminal device 40's display. When the communication port selection is accepted on the communication port selection screen 320, the initial setup is completed, and the display control unit 106 displays the monitor screen 330 shown in Figure 14 on the terminal device 40's display. The monitor screen 330 includes a measurement data display area 340 and a tongue movement monitor screen display area 350. The measurement data display area 340 displays waveforms 346 of tongue movement data of the tip and base of the tongue in a graph. Lines 348 indicating the peaks (maximum values) of each waveform are further displayed on the graph in the measurement data display area 340. The graph of output waveforms displayed in the measurement data display area 340 is updated as time progresses.

[0085] Furthermore, the monitor screen 330 displays the period of the output waveforms of the tongue root and tongue tip of the tongue movement data in real time in the tongue root data display area 342 and the tongue tip data display area 344.

[0086] The tongue movement monitor screen display area 350 includes a tongue movement point display 352 that indicates that the tongue movement data acquisition unit 102 is acquiring tongue movement data of the tongue tip and tongue root. For example, when the tongue movement data acquisition unit 102 is acquiring tongue movement data, the tongue movement point display 352 is drawn as an animation that moves up and down in the figure. Thus, the tongue movement point display 352 may include a video display and may also include a 3D image display.

[0087] The monitor screen 330 further includes a file selection button 332, a start button 334, and a record button 336. The file selection button 332 is a UI that accepts the selection of a data file that stores tongue movement data acquired by the acquisition unit 102 and tongue movement indicators generated by the processing unit 104. When the file selection button 332 is pressed, the display control unit 106 displays an operation screen that accepts the specification of a data file that stores information about tongue movement data and tongue movement indicators. This operation screen includes a UI that accepts input of a storage device (for example, the storage device 1040 of the terminal device 40, or the storage device 20 of the server device 10 described later) and directory name, and a file name (or path name), respectively, for storing each data file.

[0088] However, the monitor screen 330 may display measurement data stored in an existing data file. In that case, when the file selection button 332 is pressed, the display control unit 106 may display the measurement data read from the selected data file as a graph in the measurement data display field 340 of the monitor screen 330. In that case, the start button 334 and record button 336 on the monitor screen 330 will be displayed in an inoperable state (deactivated state).

[0089] When the recording button 336 is pressed, the processing unit 104 stores the information regarding the generated tongue movement indicators (indicator information 140) in the selected data file. The tongue movement data acquired by the acquisition unit 102 may be temporarily stored as tongue movement data 130 in the memory 1030 of the terminal device 40 or the computer 1000 that implements the server device 10 described later. The information regarding the tongue movement indicators (indicator information 140) generated by the processing unit 104 may also be temporarily stored in the memory 1030 of the terminal device 40 or the computer 1000 that implements the server device 10 described later. When the recording button 336 is pressed, the processing unit 104 stores each of the temporarily stored pieces of information in the memory 1030 in the selected data file.

[0090] Furthermore, upon receiving confirmation that the record button 336 has been pressed, the display control unit 106 displays the tongue movement index screen 360 shown in Figure 15 on the display of the terminal device 40. The tongue movement index screen 360 will be described later.

[0091] The start button 334 is a UI for receiving a command to start measurement from the tongue movement measurement device 30. After the mother 60 inserts her little finger with the sensor unit 32 attached into the infant 50's mouth, when the start button 334 is pressed, the acquisition unit 102 starts generating an index based on the tongue movement data acquired from the tongue movement measurement device 30.

[0092] The "predetermined processing" by the processing unit 104 may include processing to activate (make operable) the operation unit (start button 334) that accepts an operation to start the process of generating indicators for tongue movement.

[0093] The conditions for displaying the activated start button 334 are, for example, that a waveform is detected, that is, that (criterion 1) and (criterion 2) are met, but are not limited to these conditions. For example, the waveforms of tongue movement at the base of the tongue and the tip of the tongue may be within the same period, that is, that (criterion 3) is met. In other words, the start button 334 may be displayed in an activated state when tongue movement data is stably acquired after inserting the sensor unit 32 of the tongue movement measurement device 30 into the mouth of the infant 50.

[0094] The tongue movement index screen 360 in Figure 15 includes a latest data selection button 362, a past data selection button 364, and a tongue movement index data display area 370. The latest data selection button 362 and the past data selection button 364 are UI elements that accept the selection of data to be displayed in the tongue movement index data display area 370. In this example, the latest data selection button 362 is shown in a pressed state (activated state). If one of the past data selection buttons 364 is selected, that selected past data selection button 364 is displayed in an activated state.

[0095] The tongue movement index data display area 370 displays the information stored in the index information 140. The tongue movement index data display area 370 includes an index display area 372 and a score display area 374. The index display area 372 displays each index calculated by the processing unit 104 described above. The score display area 374 displays the score for each index specified by the processing unit 104.

[0096] The tongue movement index screen 360 also includes a recalculation button 366, a questionnaire button 376, and a code display field 380. The recalculation button 366 is an operation button that instructs the system to recalculate each index using the latest measurement data. When the recalculation button 366 is pressed, the processing unit 104 recalculates each tongue movement index using the latest measurement data at that time. The survey button 376 is an operation button that accepts input to transition to the screen where the survey for mother 60, which will be described later, is conducted.

[0097] Furthermore, in order to link the results of the questionnaire administered to the midwife 70 with information on tongue movement indicators, the identification information recorded in the two-dimensional code recorded in the code display field 380 is used with the server device 10, which will be described later. The code display area 380 displays a two-dimensional code containing identification information (for example, information that can identify the mother 60 and the infant 50 (for example, the mother 60's user ID)) for linking the results of a questionnaire administered to the midwife 70 with information on tongue movement indicators. When the midwife 70 reads the two-dimensional code displayed in the code display area 380 using the terminal device 40 used by the midwife 70, a screen for answering a questionnaire about the infant 50 and the mother 60 is displayed on the display of the terminal device 40 used by the midwife 70. When the midwife 70 answers the questionnaire using the terminal device 40, the answers are transmitted to the server device 10, described later, and acquired as the second breastfeeding indicator, described later. The responses are transmitted to the server device 10 in association with the information recorded in the 2D code (including information that can identify the mother 60 and the infant 50), so that the server device 10 can associate the second breastfeeding indicator, which is the response from the midwife 70, with the mother 60 and the infant 50. The questionnaire will be described in detail in the embodiment described later.

[0098] <Example of operation> An example of the operation of the tongue movement monitoring device 100 configured in this way will be explained with reference to Figure 16. Figure 16(a) is a flowchart showing the processing steps that follow after the acquisition unit 102 acquires tongue movement data from the tongue movement measurement device 30 in step S101 of Figure 2. The display control unit 106 causes at least one of the waveform data of the tongue movement data acquired by the acquisition unit 102 and the image showing the state of tongue movement generated from the tongue movement data (for example, the monitor screen 330 in Figure 14) to be displayed on the display of the terminal device 40 (step S107). Then, the process proceeds to step S103 in Figure 2.

[0099] Figure 16(b) shows that in step S107 of Figure 16(a), with the monitor screen 330 of Figure 14 displayed on the display of the terminal device 40, the processing unit 104 performs a predetermined process to activate the operation unit (start button 334 of Figure 14) that accepts an operation to start the tongue movement indicator generation process (step S205). After the process in step S205, the display control unit 106 returns to step S107 and continues to display the monitor screen 330.

[0100] As described above, the tongue movement monitoring device 100 of this embodiment includes the same acquisition unit 102 and processing unit 104 as in Figure 1, and further includes a display control unit 106. The display control unit 106 displays at least one of the acquired tongue movement data waveform data and an image showing the state of tongue movement generated from the tongue movement data on the display (monitor screen 330). Thus, the tongue movement monitoring device 100 of this embodiment provides the same effects as the above embodiment, and furthermore, since the monitor screen 330 is displayed on the terminal device 40, the state of tongue movement is visually represented on the monitor screen 330 in an easy-to-understand manner, making it possible to understand the state of the infant's 50 tongue movement at a glance.

[0101] Furthermore, the tongue movement indicator is also scored and displayed in the measurement data display area 340, making it easy to understand the evaluation of the infant's tongue movement (sucking power) numerically.

[0102] (Fourth Embodiment) The evacuation support system 1 of this embodiment differs from the evacuation support system 1 of the above embodiment in that it further includes a server device 10. Note that each element of this embodiment may be combined with elements of one or more embodiments to the extent that they do not conflict with each other. <System Overview> Figure 17 is a conceptual diagram showing the system configuration of a breastfeeding support system 1 according to an embodiment of the present invention. The breastfeeding support system 1 includes the same tongue movement measurement device 30 and terminal device 40 as the breastfeeding support system 1 in Figure 3, and also includes a server device 10. The server device 10, the tongue movement measurement device 30, and the terminal device 40 are connected to each other via a communication network 3. However, the communication network 3 may be a combination of multiple networks.

[0103] The server device 10 includes a storage device 20. The storage device 20 may be located inside the server device 10 or outside of it. In other words, the storage device 20 may be hardware integrated with the server device 10 or hardware separate from the server device 10.

[0104] Server device 10 is a computer such as a personal computer or a server computer.

[0105] In this embodiment, before using the service, the mother 60 and the midwife 70 perform procedures such as registering user information in advance, for example, creating a user account (user ID, password, etc.) and registering information about the infant 50. On the terminal device 40, the user can use the breastfeeding support system 1 by logging in to the breastfeeding support system 1 using the previously registered account information via a predetermined application or website.

[0106] The tongue movement monitoring device 100, as described in Figure 1, is implemented by installing and starting an application program that implements the tongue movement monitoring device 100 on the terminal device 40 shown in Figure 17. The terminal device 40 works in cooperation with the server device 10 as needed to implement the functions of the tongue movement monitoring device 100. Alternatively, the terminal device 40 may access the server device 10 that implements the functions of the tongue movement monitoring device 100, so that the terminal device 40 and the server device 10 work together to implement the functions of the tongue movement monitoring device 100.

[0107] The server device 10 manages the user information of the registered users and provides the above-mentioned services to the users via the terminal device 40 by implementing the functions of the tongue movement monitoring device 100 on the terminal device 40.

[0108] Figure 18 is a flowchart showing an example of a predetermined process in step S105 of Figure 2. In this example, when the tongue movement data meets the criteria in step S103 of Figure 2, the processing unit 104 transmits the waveform data that meets the criteria to the server device 10 (step S201).

[0109] The server device 10 uses the received waveform data to perform the tongue movement index generation process shown in Figure 9 above.

[0110] As described above, the breastfeeding support system 1 of this embodiment further includes a server device 10, so that the tongue movement index generation process can be performed by the server device 10. According to this embodiment, the processing load on the terminal device 40 (or the control unit 34 of the tongue movement measurement device 30) can be reduced. In addition, since information on multiple users (mother 60 and infant 50) can be aggregated by the server device 10, further analysis (for example, statistical processing) becomes possible.

[0111] (Fifth embodiment) <Example of Functional Configuration> Figure 19 is a functional block diagram showing a logical configuration example of a breastfeeding guidance support device 200 according to an embodiment of the present invention. The breastfeeding guidance support device 200 comprises a first acquisition unit 202, a second acquisition unit 204, a third acquisition unit 206, and an output unit 208. The first acquisition unit 202 acquires tongue movement indices that show the tongue movements of infants 50. The second data acquisition unit 204 acquires a first breastfeeding index based on information obtained from the caregivers (e.g., mothers 60) of the infants 50. The third acquisition unit 206 acquires a second breastfeeding index based on information obtained from a professional (e.g., a midwife 70) who provides advice to the caregiver (mother 60) regarding the care of the infant 50. The output unit 208 generates and outputs display screen data for displaying the tongue movement index, the first breastfeeding index, and the second breastfeeding index simultaneously or at different timings.

[0112] <Example of operation> Figure 20 is a flowchart showing an example of the processing operation of the breastfeeding guidance support device 200 according to an embodiment of the present invention. The first acquisition unit 202 acquires tongue movement indices that show the tongue movements of the infant 50 (step S301). The second acquisition unit 204 acquires a first breastfeeding index based on information obtained from the caregivers of the infants (e.g., mothers 60) (step S303). The third acquisition unit 206 acquires a second breastfeeding indicator based on information obtained from a professional (e.g., a midwife 70) who provides advice to the caregiver (mother 60) regarding the care of the infant 50 (step S305). The output unit 208 generates and outputs display screen data for displaying the tongue movement index, the first breastfeeding index, and the second breastfeeding index simultaneously or at different timings (step S307).

[0113] According to this breastfeeding guidance support device 200, the output unit 208 generates and outputs display screen data for displaying the acquired tongue movement index, first breastfeeding index, and second breastfeeding index of 50 infants simultaneously or at different timings, thereby enabling the visualization of information that is effective for breastfeeding guidance.

[0114] (Fifth embodiment) The breastfeeding support system 1, including the breastfeeding guidance support device 200, will be described in detail below. The breastfeeding support system 1 of this embodiment has the same configuration as the one described using Figure 3 in the above embodiment, so it will be described using Figure 3.

[0115] As described above, mothers 60 and midwives 70 who use the services provided by the breastfeeding support system 1 register their user information in advance. Hereafter, mothers 60 and midwives 70 will also be referred to as "users."

[0116] The breastfeeding guidance support device 200, as described in Figure 19, is implemented by installing and starting an application program that implements the breastfeeding guidance support device 200 on the terminal device 40 shown in Figure 3. The terminal device 40 works in cooperation with the server device 10 as needed to implement the functions of the breastfeeding guidance support device 200. Alternatively, the terminal device 40 may access the server device 10 that implements the functions of the breastfeeding guidance support device 200, so that the terminal device 40 and the server device 10 work together to implement the functions of the breastfeeding guidance support device 200.

[0117] Furthermore, the tongue movement monitoring device 100 and the breastfeeding guidance support device 200 in the above-described embodiment may be implemented by the same single application, or they may be implemented by different applications.

[0118] The server device 10 manages the user information of the registered users and provides the above-mentioned services to the users via the terminal device 40 by implementing the functions of the breastfeeding guidance support device 200 on the terminal device 40.

[0119] <Example Hardware Configuration> The configuration of the computer 1000 shown in Figure 5, which realizes the breastfeeding guidance support device 200, has been explained in the above embodiment, so it will not be explained here.

[0120] Each component of the breastfeeding guidance support device 200 according to the present invention shown in each figure can be realized by any combination of the hardware and software of the computer 1000 shown in Figure 5. It will be understood by those skilled in the art that there are various modifications to the implementation method and device. The functional block diagrams showing the breastfeeding guidance support device 200 according to the present invention shown in each figure represent blocks of logical functional units, not hardware units.

[0121] <Example of Functional Configuration> The following will provide a detailed explanation of the functional configuration of the breastfeeding guidance support device 200 using Figure 19. The breastfeeding guidance support device 200 comprises a first acquisition unit 202, a second acquisition unit 204, a third acquisition unit 206, and an output unit 208.

[0122] First, the breastfeeding guidance support device 200 acquires information in advance about the user (mother 60 or midwife 70) who will measure tongue movement data using the breastfeeding guidance support device 200, and stores this information as user information 150 in the storage device 1040 or storage device 20 of the computer 1000 that implements the terminal device 40.

[0123] Figure 21 shows an example of the data structure of user information 150. For each registered user, user information 150 includes, for example, identification information assigned to each user (User ID in the figure) that can identify the user, information indicating the name of the user (mother 60), identification information assigned to the infant 50 (Infant ID in the figure), and identification information that can identify the tongue movement measurement device 30 used by the user (Device ID in the figure).

[0124] For example, before starting measurements using the tongue movement measurement device 30, the breastfeeding guidance support device 200 can accept registration of the tongue movement measurement device 30 to be used by the mother 60 from the initial settings menu screen of the application on the terminal device 40 and register it in the user information 150. However, the registration method is not particularly limited.

[0125] Furthermore, users (mothers 60 or midwives 70) must register information about the infant 50 in advance. Registration of information about the infant 50 is also accepted through the app's initial setup menu screen, etc., and can be registered in the infant information 160 in Figure 22.

[0126] Figure 22 shows an example of the data structure for infant information 160. The infant information 160 includes, for each infant 50, the identification information of the infant 50 (infant ID in the figure), information indicating the infant 50's name, information indicating the gender, information indicating the date of birth, information indicating the date and time of registration (or the date and time when tongue movement was measured by the tongue movement measurement device 30, or the date and time when weight was measured), and information indicating the current weight, all associated with this information.

[0127] Returning to Figure 19, the first acquisition unit 202 acquires a tongue movement index showing the tongue movement of the infant 50. The first acquisition unit 202 can acquire the tongue movement index (index information 140) generated by the tongue movement monitoring device 100 as described above as the tongue movement index. As described above, the index information 140 includes at least one of the following: average period, phase difference, maximum force (tongue root and tongue tip), and ratio of maximum values. The breastfeeding guidance support device 200 acquires the device ID of the tongue movement measurement device 30 recorded in the user information 150, and information corresponding to the infant ID and device ID of the infant 50 recorded in the user information 150, from the index information 140.

[0128] The second data acquisition unit 204 acquires a first breastfeeding index based on information obtained from the caregivers (e.g., mothers 60) of the infants 50. The second data acquisition unit 204, for example, conducts a questionnaire with the mothers 60, receives their responses, and acquires the received input information. Then, the second data acquisition unit 204 generates a first breastfeeding index using the received input information.

[0129] The second data acquisition unit 204 receives input of responses to a questionnaire (questions) from the caregiver (mother 60) regarding at least one of the following items: items concerning the health and mental state of the caregiver (mother 60) (corresponding to "Mother's condition" in Figure 24, described later), items concerning the health and mental state of the infant 50 (corresponding to "Baby's condition" in Figure 24), items concerning the breasts (corresponding to "Breastfeeding condition" in Figure 24), items concerning the relative position of the caregiver (mother 60) and the infant 50 during breastfeeding (corresponding to "Positioning" in Figure 24), and items concerning the infant 50 during breastfeeding (corresponding to "Attachment" and "Breastfeeding condition" in Figure 24).

[0130] Various items are possible, as exemplified below, but are not limited to these. Furthermore, multiple items may be combined. The second acquisition unit 204 receives input of answers to questions asked of the mother 60 regarding at least one of the following items. (Item 1) Items concerning the subjective symptoms of the caregiver's (mother, age 60) health and mental state (corresponding to "Mother's condition" in Figure 24) This section includes questions (hereinafter also referred to as answer choices) that inquire about the mental state of the mother, such as her level of fatigue, stress levels, physical condition, and mood. The questionnaire for caregivers (mothers aged 60) includes options such as, "My body is healthy," "My mind is at ease," and "I look into my baby's eyes and feel love." Caregivers (mothers aged 60) select the options that apply to them and answer accordingly. (Item 2) Items concerning the health and mental state of infants (corresponding to "Baby's condition" in Figure 24) This section includes questions about 50 aspects of the infant's condition, such as the baby's mood (good / bad, irritable / unhappy, cries / laughs frequently, restless, etc.), sleep patterns (short / long sleep duration, deep / light sleep), and whether the baby shows signs of wanting or searching for breast milk. The questionnaire for caregivers (mothers, age 60) included options such as, "The baby is healthy," "The baby is calm," and "The baby wants to breastfeed when hungry." (Item 3) Items related to subjective symptoms of the breasts (corresponding to "Appearance of the breasts" in Figure 24) This section includes questions such as whether or not the patient experiences breast pain or discomfort. The questionnaire for caregivers (mothers, age 60) included options such as, "I have no problems with my breasts," "I don't experience any discomfort with my breasts," "I support my breasts away from the areola," and "My nipples are fully exposed." (Item 4) Items relating to the relative position of the caregiver (mother 60) and infant 50 during breastfeeding (corresponding to "Positioning" in Figure 24) This section includes questions such as whether the baby is able to breastfeed in a stable position. The questionnaire for caregivers (mothers, age 60) included options such as, "The baby's head and body are straight," "The mother and baby are in close contact," "The mother's entire body is supported by her whole arm," and "The baby's nose is at the same position as the mother's nipple." (Item 5) Items related to the infant's latch during breastfeeding (corresponding to "Attachment" in Figure 24) This section includes questions about the baby's latch during breastfeeding, such as whether the baby's mouth is wide open or not, and whether the baby's chin is touching / almost touching / away from the breast. The questionnaire for caregivers (mothers, age 60) included options such as, "The baby is latched onto the breast so that the areola on the upper lip side is visible," "The baby is latched onto the breast with a wide mouth," "The baby's lips are not pursed or curled in," and "The baby's lower jaw is touching the breast." (Item 6) Items relating to the condition of the infant 50 and mother 60 during breastfeeding (corresponding to "Breastfeeding behavior" in Figure 24) This section includes questions about the feeding process, such as whether the baby is breathing slowly and deeply while nursing, whether the baby's cheeks are rounded or sunken during nursing, whether the baby separates from the breast after nursing or whether the mother separates the baby, and whether the mother is aware of any symptoms of the oxytocin reflex. The questionnaire for caregivers (mothers aged 60) included options such as, "The baby sucks slowly and takes breaks while breastfeeding," "The baby's cheeks puff out when breastfeeding," "After the baby finishes breastfeeding, they let go of the breast and don't ask for more," and "When the baby is breastfeeding, I feel like milk is coming out or my uterus is tightening." (Item 7) Questions regarding the frequency of urination and defecation in 50 infants. This item is included in the questionnaire given to the experts (70 midwives) described later, and will be explained later.

[0131] The second data acquisition unit 204 generates a first breastfeeding index by scoring at least one of the above-mentioned items (1) to (7) based on the results of the questionnaire. Each item includes multiple choices. Each choice may have a score pre-assigned.

[0132] For example, in item 1, the option "Mother 60 does not feel tired" is assigned a score of "+1". Conversely, the option "Mother 60 feels tired" is assigned a score of "-1". In other words, among the options, those indicating problems with breastfeeding are assigned a score of "-1". On the other hand, among the options, those indicating no problems with breastfeeding and in good condition are assigned a score of "+1".

[0133] The score for each item of the first breastfeeding indicator can be calculated by summing the scores of each option selected in the questionnaire. Each item includes four options with negative scores and four options with positive scores. Therefore, the score can be expressed as a number between -4 and 4, for example, but is not limited to this range. The score may also be expressed as a different numerical range. A higher score indicates that there are no problems with breastfeeding. A lower score indicates that there are problems with breastfeeding. However, the opposite may also be true: a lower score indicates that there are no problems with breastfeeding, and a higher score indicates that there are problems with breastfeeding.

[0134] The third acquisition unit 206 acquires a second breastfeeding index based on information obtained from a professional (e.g., a midwife 70) who provides advice to the caregiver (mother 60) regarding the care of the infant 50. The third acquisition unit 206 accepts input of answers to questions for the expert (midwife 70) regarding at least one of the above items (1) to (7). The third data acquisition unit 206 acquires the received input information. Then, the third data acquisition unit 206 generates a second breastfeeding index using the received input information.

[0135] Each item has multiple choices (corresponding to the questions above). The questionnaire for professionals (midwives, 70) may include the same items and choices as the questionnaire for caregivers (mothers, 60) above. The options have pre-set "weighting coefficients" for those that should trigger an alert. These "weighting coefficients" may be set in stages. In this embodiment, two stages of alerts (first alert and second alert) are set. The first alert is considered more important than the second alert.

[0136] A concrete example of the questionnaire for the experts (70 midwives) described above (items 1) to (items 7) is shown below. Each item may include, for example, options for questions about positive conditions and questions about negative conditions. (Item 1) Among the items concerning the health and mental state of the caregiver (mother, age 60) (corresponding to "Mother's condition" in Figure 24), questions concerning positive conditions include options such as, "Mother appears healthy," "Mother appears relaxed and comfortable," and "There are signs that a mother-child bond has formed." Questions regarding negative states may include options such as, "The mother looks unwell or depressed," "The mother looks stressed or uncomfortable," or "There is no eye contact between mother and child." (Item 2) Among the items related to the health and mental state of the infant (corresponding to "Baby's condition" in Figure 24), questions concerning positive conditions include options such as, "The baby looks healthy," "The baby is calm and relaxed," and "The baby asks for or looks for breast milk when hungry." Additionally, questions about negative conditions may include options such as, "The baby seems sleepy or unwell," "The baby is restless or cries constantly," or "The baby does not ask for or seek breast milk." (Item 3) Among the items related to breast symptoms (corresponding to "Appearance of the breasts" in Figure 24), questions regarding positive conditions include options such as, "My breasts look healthy," "I have no pain or discomfort," and "My breasts are properly supported by my fingers away from the nipples." Questions about negative conditions may include options such as, "Do you have redness, swelling, or burning in your breasts?", "Do you have pain in your breasts or nipples?", "Do you have to put your fingers under your areola when supporting your breasts?", or "Do you have flat nipples that don't stretch well?". (Item 4) Items concerning the relative position of the caregiver (mother 60) and infant 50 during breastfeeding (corresponding to "Positioning" in Figure 24), questions concerning positive conditions include options such as, "The baby's head and body are in a straight line," "The baby is held close to the mother's body," "The baby is fully supported," and "The baby is close to the breast with its nose pointing directly away from the nipple." Furthermore, questions concerning negative conditions may include options such as, "The baby's neck or head is twisted when breastfeeding," "The baby is not being held snugly," "The baby is only being supported by the head or neck," or "The baby's lower lip is touching the nipple." (Item 5) Among the items related to the infant's latch during breastfeeding (corresponding to "Attachment" in Figure 24), questions regarding positive conditions include options such as, "The areola is wider than the baby's upper lip," "The baby's mouth is wide open," "The baby's lower lip is curved outwards," and "The baby's chin is touching or nearly touching the breast." Additionally, questions regarding negative conditions may include options such as, "The width of the areola is greater than the lower lip," "The baby's mouth is not open wide," "The lips are straight or curled in," and "The baby's chin is away from the breast." (Item 6) Among the items concerning the state of the infant 50 and mother 60 during breastfeeding (corresponding to "Breastfeeding behavior" in Figure 24), questions concerning positive states include options such as, "The baby is breastfeeding slowly and deeply, taking breaths along the way," "The baby's cheeks are rounded while breastfeeding," "The baby releases the breast when breastfeeding is finished," and "The mother feels that signs of the oxytocin reflex are occurring." Questions about negative conditions may include options such as, "The baby is feeding quickly and shallowly," "The baby's cheeks are sunken while feeding," "The mother is removing the baby from the breast before feeding is finished," and "There are no signs of the oxytocin reflex." (Item 7) Questions regarding the frequency of urination and defecation in infants include options such as whether the baby urinates "five or more times a day" or "less than four times a day," and whether the baby defecates "once every two days or more" or "less than once every two days."

[0137] The third data acquisition unit 206 identifies weight coefficients corresponding to the selected options. Then, the third data acquisition unit 206 generates a second breastfeeding index using the identified weight coefficients. The weight coefficients assign weights to the options that should be given more importance within the items. Options that should be given more importance are assigned coefficients that indicate a larger weight. The first breastfeeding index described above may also have weight coefficients set in the same way as the second breastfeeding index described above.

[0138] For example, among the multiple options in (Item 1), the options indicating that the mother appears unwell and the options indicating that there is no eye contact between mother and child are assigned weighting coefficients corresponding to the first alert. Among the multiple options in (Item 2), the options indicating that the baby appears sleepy or unwell are assigned weighting coefficients corresponding to the second alert.

[0139] The setting of the weight coefficients may, for example, be specified by the midwife 70. Specifically, the input of weight coefficients for the options can be accepted in the application's settings menu or the like. The accepted weight coefficient values ​​are associated with the options and stored in the storage device 1040 or storage device 20 of the computer 1000 that implements the terminal device 40. The second acquisition unit 204 and the third acquisition unit 206 identify the weight coefficients for the options from the stored weight coefficients and generate each index using the identified weight coefficients.

[0140] The output unit 208 generates and outputs display screen data for displaying the tongue movement index, the first breastfeeding index, and the second breastfeeding index simultaneously or at different timings. The output unit 208 displays the display screen data on, for example, the display of the terminal device 40. Alternatively, the output unit 208 may print the display screen data to an output device such as a printer connected to the terminal device 40. Or, the output unit 208 may convert the display screen data into a predetermined document file format (for example, a PDF (Portable Document Format) file) and output it as a data file, which may then be stored in the storage device 1040 of the computer 1000 that implements the terminal device 40.

[0141] Figure 23 shows an example of a measurement results screen 430 that displays tongue movement indices output by the output unit 208. The measurement results screen 430 includes a measurement results data display area 432 and a measurement results graph display area 434. The measurement results data display area 432 displays information indicating the date and time of measurement, and tongue movement indices (average period, phase difference, maximum force (at the base and tip of the tongue), and a score determined from the ratio of the maximum values). The measurement results graph display area 434 displays the scores of each tongue movement indice in a radar chart. However, the method of displaying the graph is not limited to this and may also be a bar graph or a line graph.

[0142] Figure 24 shows an example of the mother's response results screen 400, which displays the first breastfeeding indicator, and the midwife's response results screen 410, which displays the second breastfeeding indicator, both output by the output unit 208. The mother's response results screen 400 displays the scores for each item of the first breastfeeding indicator, generated based on the mother's 60 questionnaire responses, in a radar chart. The midwife's response results screen 410 displays the scores for each item of the second breastfeeding indicator, generated based on the midwife's 70 responses, in a radar chart. However, the method of displaying the graph is not limited to these examples and may also be a bar graph or a line graph.

[0143] The measurement results screen 430 in Figure 23, the mother's response results screen 400 and the midwife's response results screen 410 in Figure 24 may be displayed together (simultaneously) on the display of the terminal device 40 so that at least two screens can be compared side by side. Alternatively, the measurement results screen 430, the mother's response results screen 400 and the midwife's response results screen 410 may be displayed sequentially by switching screens each time a screen switching operation is received. Alternatively, the output unit 208 may display the screen corresponding to the operation button when it receives a press of an operation button for displaying each screen.

[0144] As another example, the output unit 208 may generate an index combining at least two of the tongue movement index, the first breastfeeding index, and the second breastfeeding index, and generate and output display screen data showing the index. Alternatively, the first breastfeeding index and the second breastfeeding index may be displayed together (simultaneously) on a single radar chart. In this case, it is preferable to display the first breastfeeding index and the second breastfeeding index using different colors for the lines showing the data, or by using different line types (solid line and dashed line, etc.) so that they can be distinguished. The output unit 208 may also output the legend for the lines showing the data together with the radar chart in the display screen data.

[0145] The weight coefficients corresponding to the options for each of the above items are pre-set for the options that trigger alerts. The output unit 208 determines whether or not an option should be alerted based on the weight coefficient of the selected option. The output unit 208 then outputs information about the option identified as an alert target as an alert based on the weight coefficient.

[0146] As described above, alert targets are defined by different weighting coefficients, creating different levels. For example, if a particular option is the most important and is selected in the questionnaire responses of mothers (60) or midwives (70), the output unit 208 outputs information about that option as a first alert, the highest level. Similarly, if an option that requires some attention, though less important than a first alert, is selected in the questionnaire responses of mothers (60) or midwives (70), the output unit 208 outputs information about that option as a second alert, for example, a lower level than a first alert. The output unit 208 can use the weighting coefficients to determine whether a selected option is a first or second alert.

[0147] Specifically, the output unit 208 displays the alert display screen 440 shown in Figure 25 on the display of the terminal device 40. The alert display screen 440 includes a date and time display field 442, a mother's name display field 444, and an alert content display field 450. The alert content display field 450 includes a first alert display field 452 and a second alert display field 454.

[0148] The date and time display field 442 displays information indicating the date and time confirmed by the midwife 70. The mother's name display field 444 displays the mother's name 60. The first alert display field 452 of the alert content display field 450 displays information about the first alert and the identified option. The second alert display field 454 of the alert content display field 450 displays information about the second alert and the identified option. The information displayed in the first alert display field 452 is displayed in a more emphasized manner than the information displayed in the second alert display field 454. An emphasized manner is, for example, that the text color displayed in the second alert display field 454 is black, while the text color displayed in the first alert display field 452 is red. An emphasized manner is also that the size or boldness of the text displayed in the first alert display field 452 is larger than the text displayed in the second alert display field 454. Furthermore, an emphasized manner also includes highlighting the area around the text displayed in the first alert display field 452.

[0149] As described above, the breastfeeding guidance support device 200 of this embodiment comprises a first acquisition unit 202, a second acquisition unit 204, a third acquisition unit 206, and an output unit 208. The first acquisition unit 202 acquires a tongue movement index indicating the tongue movement of the infant 50. The second acquisition unit 204 acquires a first breastfeeding index based on information acquired from the infant 50's caregiver (e.g., mother 60). The third acquisition unit 206 acquires a second breastfeeding index based on information acquired from a professional (e.g., midwife 70) who provides advice to the caregiver (mother 60) regarding the care of the infant 50. The output unit 208 generates and outputs display screen data for displaying the tongue movement index, the first breastfeeding index, and the second breastfeeding index simultaneously or at different timings.

[0150] Thus, the breastfeeding guidance support device 200 of this embodiment makes it possible to visualize information that is useful for breastfeeding guidance. Midwives 70 can use it to their advantage in breastfeeding guidance, and mothers 60 can refer to it during breastfeeding guidance to make it easier to understand the content of the guidance.

[0151] (Sixth Embodiment) Figure 26 is a functional block diagram showing an example of the functional configuration of the breastfeeding guidance support device 200 according to this embodiment. This embodiment is the same as the above embodiment except that it has a configuration for storing each generated indicator in a memory unit. The breastfeeding guidance support device 200 shown in this figure has a memory processing unit 210 in addition to the configuration of the breastfeeding guidance support device 200 in Figure 19. However, the configuration of this embodiment may be combined with at least one of the configurations of the other embodiments to the extent that it does not cause inconsistencies.

[0152] The breastfeeding guidance support device 200 includes the same first acquisition unit 202, second acquisition unit 204, third acquisition unit 206, and output unit 208 as shown in Figure 19, and further includes a memory processing unit 210. The memory processing unit 210 stores the acquired tongue movement index, first breastfeeding index, and second breastfeeding index in a memory unit (for example, the storage device 1040 of the computer 1000 that implements the terminal device 40, or the memory device 20). The output unit 208 further generates and outputs display screen data that includes the results of statistical processing of the accumulated tongue movement index, first breastfeeding index, and second breastfeeding index.

[0153] Specifically, the memory processing unit 210 stores the tongue movement index in the memory unit as the index information 140 described above. The memory processing unit 210 also stores the first breastfeeding index in the memory unit as the mother's response information 170 shown in Figure 27. Furthermore, the memory processing unit 210 stores the second breastfeeding index in the memory unit as the midwife's response information 180 shown in Figure 28.

[0154] As shown in Figure 27, each time a mother 60 answers the questionnaire, the mother response information 170 includes, in association with identifying information (User ID in the figure) that can identify the mother 60, information indicating the date and time of the response, and the first breastfeeding indicator (including the mother's condition, the infant's condition, the breast's condition, positioning, attachment, and breastfeeding condition).

[0155] As shown in Figure 28, each time a midwife 70 answers the questionnaire, the midwife response information 180 includes, in association with identifying information that can identify the midwife 70 (Midwife ID in the figure), information indicating the date and time of the response, identifying information that can identify the mother 60 (User ID in the figure), and the second breastfeeding indicator (including the mother's condition, the infant's condition, the breast condition, positioning, attachment, and breastfeeding condition).

[0156] Statistical processing includes, for example, calculating the mean, maximum, minimum, variance, and standard deviation of each indicator (tongue movement indicator, first breastfeeding indicator, and second breastfeeding indicator). Statistical processing may include, for example, statistical processing for a single user using the history of each metric for that user. Alternatively, statistical processing may include statistical processing for multiple users using the history of each metric. In other words, it may include processing to calculate values ​​such as the average, maximum, minimum, variance, and display deviation for multiple users.

[0157] When the output unit 208 displays screen data on the terminal device 40's display that includes the results of statistical processing using the history of each indicator for a single user, the user of the terminal device 40 may be a mother 60 or a midwife 70. Who is using the terminal device 40 can be determined using the user ID logged into the breastfeeding support system 1.

[0158] The output unit 208 may generate and output display screen data that overlays the statistically processed first breastfeeding index with the first breastfeeding index generated in the current test on the mother's response results screen 400. For example, the output unit 208 overlays the statistically processed first breastfeeding index with the first breastfeeding index generated in the current test on the radar chart of the mother's response results screen 400. In this case, the first breastfeeding index generated in the current test and the statistically processed first breastfeeding index are displayed in a distinguishable manner (for example, by different line types or colors).

[0159] On the other hand, when the output unit 208 displays display screen data, which includes the results of statistical processing using the history of each indicator for multiple users, on the display of the terminal device 40, it is preferable that the user of the terminal device 40 is the midwife 70. In other words, it is preferable that the output unit 208 displays the display screen data on the display of the terminal device 40 when the user ID of the user who logged into the breastfeeding support system 1 corresponds to the midwife ID of the midwife 70.

[0160] The output unit 208 may generate and output display screen data on the mother response results screen 400 that displays the first breastfeeding index generated for the mother 60 (or the index statistically processed as described above) together with the first breastfeeding index statistically processed for multiple mothers 60. For example, the output unit 208 displays the first breastfeeding index of the mother 60 together with the first breastfeeding index statistically processed for multiple mothers 60 on the radar chart of the mother response results screen 400. In this case, the first breastfeeding index of the mother 60 and the first breastfeeding index statistically processed for multiple mothers 60 are displayed in an identifiable manner (for example, different line types or colors).

[0161] This screen allows the midwife 70 to compare the indicators of the mother 60 (and the infant 50) with those of other mothers 60 (and other infants 50). However, since it may not be desirable to show the mother 60 a comparison with the indicators of other mothers 60 and other infants 50, it is preferable that this display screen not be shown on the terminal device 40 when the mother 60 is using the terminal device 40.

[0162] As described above, the breastfeeding guidance support device 200 of this embodiment includes the same first acquisition unit 202, second acquisition unit 204, third acquisition unit 206, and output unit 208 as in Figure 19, and further includes a memory processing unit 210. The memory processing unit 210 stores the acquired tongue movement index, first breastfeeding index, and second breastfeeding index in a memory unit (for example, the storage device 1040 of the computer 1000 that realizes the terminal device 40, or the memory device 20). The output unit 208 further generates and outputs display screen data including the results of statistical processing of the stored tongue movement index, first breastfeeding index, and second breastfeeding index.

[0163] As described above, the breastfeeding guidance support device 200 of this embodiment provides the same effects as the above embodiment, and furthermore, it can accumulate each indicator and display a display screen that includes the results of statistical processing of the accumulated indicators. This makes it possible to view breastfeeding trends and changes using the history of a particular mother 60, or to check the average breastfeeding status of other mothers 60. For example, it is possible to check the results of breastfeeding guidance for a particular mother 60 up to now, and if no results are seen, the problems are visualized, which can be useful for breastfeeding guidance.

[0164] The embodiments of the present invention have been described above with reference to the drawings, but these are merely examples of the present invention, and various other configurations can also be adopted.

[0165] Although the present invention has been described above with reference to embodiments, the present invention is not limited to the above embodiments. Various modifications to the structure and details of the present invention can be made, which can be understood by those skilled in the art within the scope of the present invention. Furthermore, when acquiring or using user information in this invention, such acquisition or use shall be conducted lawfully.

[0166] Some or all of the above embodiments may also be described as follows, but are not limited to the following: Examples of reference formats are provided below. 1. A first acquisition unit that acquires tongue movement indicators showing the tongue movements of an infant, A second acquisition unit that acquires a first breastfeeding indicator based on information obtained from the caregiver of the infant, A third acquisition unit that acquires a second breastfeeding indicator based on information obtained from a specialist who provides advice to the caregiver regarding the care of the infant, A breastfeeding guidance support device comprising: an output unit that generates and outputs display screen data for displaying the tongue movement indicator, the first breastfeeding indicator, and the second breastfeeding indicator simultaneously or at different timings. 2. In the breastfeeding guidance support device described in 1., The first acquisition unit is, The output waveform data of the first pressure sensor corresponding to the base of the tongue and the second pressure sensor corresponding to the tip of the tongue are acquired. A breastfeeding guidance support device that uses the acquired output waveform data to calculate, with respect to the output waveform, at least one of the following as the tongue movement index: the average of the maximum values, the ratio of the maximum values, the average phase difference, and the average period. 3. In the breastfeeding guidance support device described in 1. or 2., The aforementioned second acquisition unit is, The system accepts responses to the questionnaire from the caregiver and obtains the received input information. A breastfeeding guidance support device that generates the first breastfeeding indicator using the received input information. 4. In a breastfeeding guidance support device described in any one of items 1 to 3, The third acquisition unit is, The system accepts input of answers to questions asked to an expert regarding at least one of the following items: the health and mental state of the caregiver, the health and mental state of the infant, the breasts, the relative position of the caregiver and infant during breastfeeding, and the infant during breastfeeding. The system then acquires the input information. A breastfeeding guidance support device that generates the second breastfeeding indicator using the received input information. 5. In the breastfeeding guidance support device described in 4., Each of the above items has multiple options, Each of the above options is assigned a weighting coefficient, The third acquisition unit is, Identify the weight coefficient corresponding to the selected option, A breastfeeding guidance support device that generates the second breastfeeding index using the identified weight coefficients. 6. In the breastfeeding guidance support device described in 5., The weight coefficient corresponding to the aforementioned option is set for the option to be alerted. The output unit is, Based on the weight coefficients of the selected options, it is determined whether or not the item is subject to the alert. A breastfeeding guidance support device that outputs information about the selected options identified as targets for alerts as an alert based on the weighting coefficient. 7. In a breastfeeding guidance support device described in any one of items 1 to 6, The system further includes a memory processing unit that stores the acquired tongue movement index, the first breastfeeding index, and the second breastfeeding index in a memory unit. The output unit is, A breastfeeding guidance support device that further generates and outputs display screen data including the results of statistical processing of the accumulated tongue movement index, the first breastfeeding index, and the second breastfeeding index.

[0167] 8. Breastfeeding guidance support device, Tongue movement measurement device, A terminal device used by at least one of the caregivers and the professional, The aforementioned breastfeeding guidance support device is A first acquisition unit that acquires tongue movement indices indicating the tongue movement of an infant from the tongue movement measurement device, A second acquisition unit that acquires a first breastfeeding indicator based on information obtained from the caregiver of the infant, A third acquisition unit that acquires a second breastfeeding indicator based on information obtained from a specialist who provides advice to the caregiver regarding the care of the infant, The system includes an output unit that generates display screen data for displaying the tongue movement indicator, the first breastfeeding indicator, and the second breastfeeding indicator simultaneously or at different timings, and outputs this data to the terminal device. Breastfeeding support system. In the breastfeeding support system described in 9.8, The first acquisition unit of the breastfeeding guidance support device is The output waveform data of the first pressure sensor corresponding to the base of the tongue and the second pressure sensor corresponding to the tip of the tongue are acquired. A breastfeeding support system that uses the acquired output waveform data to calculate, with respect to the output waveform, at least one of the following as the tongue movement index: the average of the maximum values, the ratio of the maximum values, the average phase difference, and the average period. 10. In the breastfeeding support system described in 8. or 9., The second acquisition unit of the breastfeeding guidance support device is The system accepts responses to the questionnaire from the caregiver and obtains the received input information. A breastfeeding support system that generates the first breastfeeding index using the received input information. 11. In any of the breastfeeding support systems described in 8. to 10., The third acquisition unit of the breastfeeding guidance support device is The system accepts input of answers to questions asked to an expert regarding at least one of the following items: the health and mental state of the caregiver, the health and mental state of the infant, the breasts, the relative position of the caregiver and infant during breastfeeding, and the infant during breastfeeding. The system then acquires the input information. A breastfeeding support system that generates the second breastfeeding index using the received input information. 12. In the breastfeeding support system described in 11., Each of the above items has multiple options, Each of the above options is assigned a weighting coefficient, The third acquisition unit of the breastfeeding guidance support device is Identify the weight coefficient corresponding to the selected option, A breastfeeding support system that generates the second breastfeeding index using the identified weight coefficients. 13. In the breastfeeding support system described in 12., The weight coefficient corresponding to the aforementioned option is set for the option to be alerted. The output unit of the breastfeeding guidance support device is Based on the weight coefficients of the selected options, it is determined whether or not the item is subject to the alert. A breastfeeding support system that outputs information about the selected option identified as an alert target to the terminal device as an alert based on the weighting coefficient. 14. In any of the breastfeeding support systems described in 8. to 13., The aforementioned breastfeeding guidance support device is The system further includes a memory processing unit that stores the acquired tongue movement index, the first breastfeeding index, and the second breastfeeding index in a memory unit. The output unit of the breastfeeding guidance support device is A breastfeeding support system that further generates display screen data including the results of statistical processing of the accumulated tongue movement index, the first breastfeeding index, and the second breastfeeding index, and outputs it to the terminal device.

[0168] 15. One or more computers, We obtained tongue movement indices that show the tongue movements of infants, Based on information obtained from the caregiver of the aforementioned infant, the first breastfeeding indicator is obtained. A second breastfeeding indicator is obtained based on information acquired from a specialist who provides advice to the caregiver regarding the care of the infant. The system generates and outputs display screen data for displaying the tongue movement indicator, the first breastfeeding indicator, and the second breastfeeding indicator simultaneously or at different timings. Methods for supporting breastfeeding guidance. 16. In the breastfeeding guidance support methods described in 15., The aforementioned one or more computers When acquiring the tongue movement index, The output waveform data of the first pressure sensor corresponding to the base of the tongue and the second pressure sensor corresponding to the tip of the tongue are acquired. A breastfeeding guidance support method comprising using the acquired output waveform data to calculate, with respect to the output waveform, at least one of the following as the tongue movement index: the average of the maximum values, the ratio of the maximum values, the average phase difference, and the average period. 17. In the breastfeeding guidance support methods described in 15. or 16., The aforementioned one or more computers When obtaining the first breastfeeding indicator, The system accepts responses to the questionnaire from the caregiver and obtains the received input information. A breastfeeding guidance support method that generates the first breastfeeding index using the received input information. 18. In any of the breastfeeding guidance support methods described in 15. to 17., The aforementioned one or more computers When obtaining the second breastfeeding indicator, The system accepts input of answers to questions asked to an expert regarding at least one of the following items: the health and mental state of the caregiver, the health and mental state of the infant, the breasts, the relative position of the caregiver and infant during breastfeeding, and the infant during breastfeeding. The system then acquires the input information. A breastfeeding guidance support method that generates the second breastfeeding index using the received input information. 19. In the breastfeeding guidance support methods described in 18., Each of the above items has multiple options, Each of the above options is assigned a weighting coefficient, The aforementioned one or more computers When obtaining the second breastfeeding indicator, Identify the weight coefficient corresponding to the selected option, A method for supporting breastfeeding guidance, comprising generating the second breastfeeding index using the identified weight coefficients. 20. In the breastfeeding guidance support methods described in 19., The weight coefficient corresponding to the aforementioned option is set for the option to be alerted. The aforementioned one or more computers Based on the weight coefficients of the selected options, it is determined whether or not the item is subject to the alert. A breastfeeding guidance support method that outputs information about the selected option identified as an alert target as an alert based on the weighting coefficient. 21. In any of the breastfeeding guidance support methods described in 15. to 20., The aforementioned one or more computers further The acquired tongue movement index, the first breastfeeding index, and the second breastfeeding index are stored in the memory unit. A breastfeeding guidance support method that further generates and outputs display screen data including the results of statistical processing of the accumulated tongue movement index, the first breastfeeding index, and the second breastfeeding index.

[0169] 22. To the computer, First acquisition process to obtain tongue movement indicators showing the tongue movement of an infant, A second acquisition process for obtaining a first breastfeeding indicator based on information obtained from the caregiver of the aforementioned infant, A third acquisition process for obtaining a second breastfeeding indicator based on information obtained from a specialist who provides advice to the caregiver regarding the care of the infant, A program for performing output processing that generates and outputs display screen data for displaying the tongue movement indicator, the first breastfeeding indicator, and the second breastfeeding indicator simultaneously or at different timings. 23. In the program described in 22., In the aforementioned acquisition process, The output waveform data of the first pressure sensor corresponding to the base of the tongue and the second pressure sensor corresponding to the tip of the tongue are acquired. A program that uses the acquired output waveform data to calculate, with respect to the output waveform, at least one of the following as the tongue movement index: the average of the maximum values, the ratio of the maximum values, the average phase difference, and the average period. 24. In the program described in 22. or 23., In the second acquisition process described above, The system accepts responses to the questionnaire from the caregiver and obtains the received input information. A program that generates the first breastfeeding index using the received input information. 25. In any of the programs described in 22. through 24., In the third acquisition process described above, The system accepts input of answers to questions asked to an expert regarding at least one of the following items: the health and mental state of the caregiver, the health and mental state of the infant, the breasts, the relative position of the caregiver and infant during breastfeeding, and the infant during breastfeeding. The system then acquires the input information. A program that generates the second breastfeeding index using the received input information. 26. In the program described in 25., Each of the above items has multiple options, Each of the above options is assigned a weighting coefficient, In the third acquisition process described above, Identify the weight coefficient corresponding to the selected option, A program that generates the second breastfeeding index using the identified weight coefficients. 27. In the program described in 26. The weight coefficient corresponding to the aforementioned option is set for the option to be alerted. In the output processing described above, Based on the weight coefficients of the selected options, it is determined whether or not the item is subject to the alert. A program that outputs information about the selected options identified as targets for alerts as an alert based on the weighting coefficient. 28. In any of the programs described in 22. through 27., The aforementioned computer further, The system is instructed to perform a storage process to accumulate the acquired tongue movement index, the first breastfeeding index, and the second breastfeeding index in the storage unit. In the output processing described above, A program that further generates and outputs display screen data including the results of statistically processing the stored tongue movement index, the first breastfeeding index, and the second breastfeeding index.

Explanation of Signs

[0170] 1 Breastfeeding support system 3 Communication network 10 Server device 20 Storage device 30 Tongue movement measurement device 32 Sensor unit 34 Control unit 36 First pressure sensor 38 Second pressure sensor 40 Terminal device 50 Infant 60 Mother 62 Hand 70 Midwife 100 Tongue movement monitoring device 102 Acquisition unit 104 Processing unit 106 Display control unit 120 Storage device 130 Tongue movement data 140 Index information 150 User information 160 Infant information 170 Mother's response information 180 Midwife's response information 200 Breastfeeding guidance support device 202 First acquisition unit 204 Second acquisition unit 206 Third acquisition unit 208 Output unit 210 Storage and processing unit 300 Connection setting screen 310 Explanation screen 320 Communication port selection screen 330 Monitor screen 360 Tongue movement index screen 400 Mother's response result screen 410 Midwife's response result screen 430 Measurement result screen 1000 Computer 1010 Bus 1020 processor 1030 memory 1040 Storage Devices 1050 Input / Output Interface 1060 Network Interfaces

Claims

1. A first acquisition unit that acquires tongue movement indicators showing the tongue movements of an infant, A second acquisition unit that acquires a first breastfeeding indicator based on information obtained from the caregiver of the infant, A third acquisition unit that acquires a second breastfeeding indicator based on information obtained from a specialist who provides advice to the caregiver regarding the care of the infant, A breastfeeding guidance support device comprising: an output unit that generates and outputs display screen data for displaying the tongue movement indicator, the first breastfeeding indicator, and the second breastfeeding indicator simultaneously or at different timings.

2. In the breastfeeding guidance support device according to claim 1, The first acquisition unit is, The output waveform data of the first pressure sensor corresponding to the base of the tongue and the second pressure sensor corresponding to the tip of the tongue are acquired. A breastfeeding guidance support device that uses the acquired output waveform data to calculate, with respect to the output waveform, at least one of the following as the tongue movement index: the average of the maximum values, the ratio of the maximum values, the average phase difference, and the average period.

3. In the breastfeeding guidance support device according to claim 1 or 2, The aforementioned second acquisition unit is, The system accepts responses to the questionnaire from the caregiver and obtains the received input information. A breastfeeding guidance support device that generates the first breastfeeding indicator using the received input information.

4. In the breastfeeding guidance support device according to claim 1 or 2, The aforementioned acquisition unit is: The system accepts input of answers to questions asked to an expert regarding at least one of the following items: the health and mental state of the caregiver, the health and mental state of the infant, the breasts, the relative position of the caregiver and infant during breastfeeding, and the infant during breastfeeding. The system then acquires the input information. A breastfeeding guidance support device that generates the second breastfeeding indicator using the received input information.

5. In the breastfeeding guidance support device according to claim 4, Each of the above items has multiple options, Each of the above options is assigned a weighting coefficient, The aforementioned acquisition unit is: Identify the weight coefficient corresponding to the selected option, A breastfeeding guidance support device that generates the second breastfeeding index using the identified weight coefficients.

6. In the breastfeeding guidance support device according to claim 5, The weight coefficient corresponding to the aforementioned option is set for the option to be alerted. The output unit is, Based on the weight coefficients of the selected options, it is determined whether or not the item is subject to the alert. A breastfeeding guidance support device that outputs information about the selected options identified as targets for alerts as an alert based on the weighting coefficient.

7. In the breastfeeding guidance support device according to claim 1 or 2, The system further includes a memory processing unit that stores the acquired tongue movement index, the first breastfeeding index, and the second breastfeeding index in a memory unit. The output unit is, A breastfeeding guidance support device that further generates and outputs display screen data including the results of statistical processing of the accumulated tongue movement index, the first breastfeeding index, and the second breastfeeding index.

8. A breastfeeding guidance support device, Tongue movement measurement device, A terminal device used by at least one of the caregivers and the professional, The aforementioned breastfeeding guidance support device is A first acquisition unit that acquires tongue movement indices indicating the tongue movement of an infant from the tongue movement measurement device, A second acquisition unit that acquires a first breastfeeding indicator based on information obtained from the caregiver of the infant, A third acquisition unit that acquires a second breastfeeding indicator based on information obtained from a specialist who provides advice to the caregiver regarding the care of the infant, The system includes an output unit that generates display screen data for displaying the tongue movement indicator, the first breastfeeding indicator, and the second breastfeeding indicator simultaneously or at different timings, and outputs this data to the terminal device. Breastfeeding support system.

9. One or more computers, We obtained tongue movement indices that show the tongue movements of infants, Based on information obtained from the caregiver of the aforementioned infant, a first breastfeeding indicator is obtained. A second breastfeeding indicator is obtained based on information acquired from a specialist who provides advice to the caregiver regarding the care of the infant. The system generates and outputs display screen data for displaying the tongue movement indicator, the first breastfeeding indicator, and the second breastfeeding indicator simultaneously or at different timings. Methods for supporting breastfeeding guidance.

10. On the computer, A first acquisition process to obtain tongue movement indicators showing the tongue movement of an infant. A second acquisition process for obtaining a first breastfeeding indicator based on information obtained from the caregiver of the aforementioned infant, A third acquisition process for obtaining a second breastfeeding indicator based on information obtained from a specialist who provides advice to the caregiver regarding the care of the infant, A program for executing output processing that generates and outputs display screen data for displaying the tongue movement indicator, the first breastfeeding indicator, and the second breastfeeding indicator simultaneously or at different timings.

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