Information processing systems, information processing methods, control programs, recording media

Abstract

We will create an information processing system that can handle both odor control and the efficient operation of ventilation equipment. [Solution] The information processing system (100) comprises one or more odor measuring devices (30) that output an object detection signal corresponding to the odor of the target space; an estimation unit (12) that, at regular intervals, uses an estimation model to estimate the cause of the odor in the target space from the object detection signals output from the odor measuring devices (30) within a certain period of time; and a first control unit (13) that controls the operation of a first device (50) capable of supplying and exhausting air to the target space according to the estimated cause.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to an information processing system including an odor measurement device, an information processing method using a detection signal output from the odor measurement device, and the like.

Background Art

[0002] In recent years, devices for evaluating an object based on the odor in a specific object have been developed. For example, in Patent Document 1, coke odor and tar odor, which are odors collected from odor generation sources assumed in a steel mill, are used as reference odors, and a specific device for identifying the generation sources and causes of unknown odors in a steel mill or the like is described.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] In a building, it is important to maintain the balance between supply and exhaust air. In many buildings, the supply and exhaust air balance is adjusted using supply and exhaust equipment. When the supply and exhaust equipment operates with electricity, there is a problem that the power consumption increases if the supply and exhaust equipment is constantly operated. On the other hand, for example, when a time when the supply and exhaust equipment is not operated is provided, there is a problem that odor management becomes insufficient because exhaust air is not performed in a timely manner even if an unpleasant odor occurs in the building. Therefore, a system capable of realizing both odor management in a specific space and efficient operation of the supply and exhaust equipment has been demanded.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0005] An information processing system according to one embodiment of the present invention comprises: one or more odor measuring devices that output an object detection signal corresponding to the odor of a target space; an estimation unit that, at regular intervals, uses an estimation model to estimate the cause of the odor in the target space from the object detection signals output from the odor measuring devices within the regular interval; and a first control unit that controls the operation of a first device capable of supplying and exhausting air to the target space according to the estimated cause.

[0006] An information processing method according to one embodiment of the present invention is an information processing method performed by one or more computers, and an information processing method according to one aspect of the present invention comprises: a detection signal acquisition step of acquiring an object detection signal corresponding to the odor of a target space from one or more odor measuring devices; an estimation step of estimating the cause of the odor of the target space from the object detection signal output from the odor measuring devices within the specified period of time using an estimation model at regular intervals; and a first control step of controlling the operation of a first device capable of supplying and exhausting air to the target space according to the estimated cause. [Effects of the Invention]

[0007] According to one aspect of the present invention, an information processing system can be realized that can perform both odor control and efficient operation of ventilation equipment. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0008] [Figure 1] This is a block diagram showing an example of the configuration of an information processing system related to one embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 2] This is a functional block diagram showing an example of an information processing system including an odor measuring device according to one embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 3] This is a top view showing an example of the configuration of an odor sensor element. [Figure 4] This is a functional block diagram showing an example of an information processing system including an estimation device according to one embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 5]This flowchart shows an example of the processing flow for an information processing system according to one embodiment of the present invention to estimate target information. [Figure 6] This is a block diagram showing an example of an information processing system equipped with a second control unit according to one embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 7] This is a functional block diagram showing an example of an information processing system including an estimation device according to one embodiment of the present invention. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0009] One embodiment of the present invention is described below, but the present invention is not limited thereto. Unless otherwise specified in this specification, "A to B" representing a numerical range means "A or greater and B or less".

[0010] [Embodiment 1] (Information processing system 100) An overview of an information processing system 100 according to one embodiment of the present invention will be described. The information processing system 100 includes an odor measuring device 30 capable of outputting a target detection signal, which is a detection signal corresponding to the odor of a target space. The information processing system 100 estimates the cause of the odor in the target space from the target detection signal output from the odor measuring device 30. The information processing system 100 is a system that controls the operation of a first device 50 capable of supplying or exhausting air from the target space, depending on the estimated cause. With this configuration, the information processing system 100 can not only manage the odor of the target space but also operate the first device efficiently.

[0011] For example, if the information processing system 100 determines that the cause of the odor in the target space is accompanied by an unpleasant odor, it can activate the first device 50 to ventilate the target space. This allows the information processing system 100 to appropriately manage the state of the target space. On the other hand, if the information processing system 100 determines that the cause of the odor in the target space is not accompanied by an unpleasant odor, it will not activate the first device 50 (or will stop the operation of the first device 50). This allows the information processing system 100 to appropriately manage the state of the target space while reducing the amount of power consumed to operate the first device.

[0012] In this specification, the "target space" is not particularly limited to any space in which odor can be measured by an odor measuring device. The target space may be a space located inside a building such as a nursing home, daycare center, business premises, office, bathhouse, greenhouse, movie theater, concert hall, hospital, or shopping mall, or it may be a moving space located inside a car, train, or airplane. Examples of target spaces include kitchens, toilets, warehouses, and corridors.

[0013] In the information processing system 100, there may be one target space or multiple target spaces. The information processing system 100 can estimate the cause of odors in multiple target spaces and can activate the first device 50 provided in each target space. When multiple target spaces exist, the locations of each target space may be the same or different.

[0014] In this specification, the “cause of odor” estimated by the information processing system 100 may be any cause that affects the odor in the target space. More specifically, the “cause of odor” estimated by the information processing system 100 may be an object or event that releases odor substances into the target space. Here, objects that release odor substances may include, for example, garbage, vomit, excrement, chemicals, perfume, and food. Events that release odor substances may include, for example, clogged pipes, water leaks, decay, and fermentation. The information processing system 100 may estimate multiple causes that affect the target space, or it may estimate only the odor cause that has the greatest impact on the target space. For example, if the target space is a toilet, causes that cause unpleasant odors may include, for example, contamination by feces, contamination by urine, and contamination by vomit.

[0015] The number of odor measuring devices 30 provided in the information processing system 100 is not particularly limited and may be one or more, three or more, five or more, or ten or more. If the information processing system 100 is equipped with multiple odor measuring devices 30, each odor measuring device 30 may be installed in different target spaces, or in different locations within the same target space. In the information processing system 100, the odor measuring devices 30 may be installed, for example, in a toilet in building A and in a toilet in building B, which is different from building A. Alternatively, in the information processing system 100, the odor measuring devices 30 may be installed, for example, in toilets on each floor of building A. Alternatively, in the information processing system 100, the odor measuring devices 30 may be installed near the toilet bowl and near the sink in a toilet on the first floor of building A. Or, in the information processing system 100, the odor measuring devices 30 may be installed near the floor and near the ceiling in a toilet on the first floor of building A.

[0016] The information processing system 100 may include a plurality of odor measuring devices 30 and execute management of a plurality of target spaces. In one embodiment, the stop time and the operation time of each of the plurality of odor measuring devices 30 may be controlled by an external trigger (e.g., a timer, etc.). Alternatively, the stop time and the operation time of each of the plurality of odor measuring devices 30 may be controlled by a control signal from the estimation device 10 described later.

[0017] In addition to the odor measuring device 30, the information processing system 100 may further include a measuring device capable of detecting or measuring the state of the target space. Such measuring devices are not particularly limited, and examples include cameras, recording devices, sound sensors, motion sensors, temperature sensors, humidity sensors, wind direction sensors, wind speed sensors, atmospheric pressure sensors, position sensors, etc.

[0018] Here, the position sensor may be used together with the odor measuring device 30 in order to acquire position information corresponding to the position of the target space where the odor measuring device 30 is installed. Alternatively, the odor measuring device 30 may also have a function as a position sensor, and the odor measuring device 30 may be able to transmit position information to the estimation device 10 together with the target detection signal. The position sensor may be at least any one of the following (a) to (d). (a) A GPS receiver that receives signals from a plurality of GPS (Global Positioning System) satellites. (b) A GLONASS receiver that receives signals from GLONASS (Global Navigation Satellite System) satellites. (c) A Galileo receiver that receives signals from Galileo satellites. (d) A Beidou navigation positioning module.

[0019] (Configuration of the information processing system 100) Next, an overview of the information processing system 100 according to one embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to Figure 1. Figure 1 is a schematic diagram showing an example of the configuration of the information processing system 100 according to one embodiment of the present invention. As shown in Figure 1, the information processing system 100 includes an odor measuring device 30, an estimation device 10, and a first device 50. Based on the target detection signal output from the odor measuring device 30, the information processing system 100 estimates the cause of the odor in the target space and controls the operation of the first device 50 based on that cause.

[0020] In the information processing system 100, as shown in Figure 1, the odor measuring device 30, the estimation device 10, and the first device 50 may be connected via a wide-area communication network 40. The wide-area communication network 40 is not particularly limited and may be a network capable of long-distance communication such as the Internet, a telephone network, a mobile communication network, a CATV communication network, and a satellite communication network. The first device 50 and the estimation device 10 may be connected via a local area network connection without going through an ISP, a telephone network, etc., or via serial communication, a mobile phone network including a 5G communication network, LPWA (Low Power Wide Area-network), Wi-Fi (registered trademark), PAN (Personal It may also be connected via an Area Network, Bluetooth (registered trademark), etc.

[0021] If the information processing system 100 includes a cloud server that stores detection signals transmitted by the odor measuring device 30 and notification information output by the estimation device 10, the wide-area communication network 40 may be connected to the cloud server. In this case, the estimation device 10, described later, and the cloud server are connected to communicate via the wide-area communication network 40. The estimation device 10, described later, may also have the functionality of this cloud server.

[0022] [1st device 50] First, the function of the first device 50 will be described. The first device 50 is a device capable of supplying air to and exhausting air from a target space controlled by the first control unit 13. That is, the first device 50 may be a device that only supplies air to the target space, a device that only exhausts air from the target space, or a device that performs both supplying and exhausting air.

[0023] In addition to supplying and exhausting air, the first device 50 may also include at least one of the following functions: deodorization, cleaning, and odor removal. With this configuration, the information processing system 100 can manage the odor of the target space using the functions of the first device 50 other than supplying and exhausting air.

[0024] [Odor measuring device 30] Next, the configuration of the odor measuring device 30 will be described. The odor measuring device 30 is a device equipped with an odor sensor element 31 that outputs a detection signal corresponding to the measured odor. The odor measuring device 30 installed in the target space outputs a device ID unique to the device along with the target detection signal. The odor measuring device 30 may also output location information indicating the location in the target space, and time information indicating the time when the target detection signal was output (or when the odor was detected), along with the target detection signal.

[0025] The following describes the overview and effects of the odor measuring device 30 to which the odor sensor element 31 is applied, using Figure 2. Figure 2 is a functional block diagram showing an example of the configuration of an information processing system 100 equipped with the odor measuring device 30 to which the odor sensor element 31 is applied. The odor measuring device 30 includes an odor sensor element 31 for detecting odor substances, a power supply 32 (power supply), a clock 33 (timer), a control unit 34, and a communication unit 35. As described above, the odor measuring device 30 may be connected to a wide-area communication network 40.

[0026] The power supply 32 is a power source for supplying power to the odor sensor element 31. The power supply 32 may be a constant voltage power supply, a constant current power supply, or an AC power supply. In one embodiment, the power supply 32 may be a battery. If the power supply 32 is a constant voltage power supply, it supplies current (for example, a DC current of 1 μA to 10 mA) to the odor sensor element 31 via lead wires. The voltage value supplied by the power supply 32 is, for example, 0.01 V to 10 V, and more specifically, 0.1 V to 5.0 V.

[0027] Clock 33 measures the time. Clock 33 transmits the measured time to the control unit 34. Clock 33 may be a clock whose time is set by the user, or it may be a radio-controlled clock. Clock 33 may correct its own time using the time obtained from the communication unit 35. Furthermore, Clock 33 can measure the time even when the power to the odor measuring device 30 is turned off.

[0028] The control unit 34 controls all parts of the odor measuring device 30. The control unit 34 also outputs the odor detected by the odor sensor element 31 as a detection signal. The control unit 34 may also output the odor detection signal according to the time measured by the clock 33.

[0029] The communication unit 35 transmits the detection signal output by the control unit 34. The communication unit 35 transmits the detection signal to the wide-area communication network 40, and the transmitted detection signal is acquired by the estimation device 10.

[0030] The odor measuring device 30 may also include a housing, although this is not a mandatory component. The housing is a container capable of enclosing the components of the odor measuring device 30. If the odor measuring device 30 includes a housing, the odor sensor element 31 is installed inside the housing. The odor sensor element 31 can measure the odor of an odor substance by being exposed to air containing the odor substance. With the above configuration, the odor sensor element 31, control unit 34, communication unit 35, etc., can be protected from wind, rain, sunlight, dust, etc. The housing may also include a configuration or mechanism for fixing the odor measuring device 30 to the installation location.

[0031] The odor measuring device 30 outputs a detection signal that shows the change in the electrical conductivity of the odor sensor element 31 over time, before and after odor substances are adsorbed onto the odor sensor element 31. This makes it possible to detect and identify various odor substances.

[0032] <Odor sensor element 31> The odor measuring device 30 is equipped with a plurality of odor sensor elements 31 capable of outputting detection signals, and each of the plurality of odor sensor elements 31 is equipped with an odor substance receiving layer 315 in which interactable odor substances are different from each other.

[0033] Figure 3 is a top view showing an example of the configuration of the odor sensor element 31. The odor sensor element 31 comprises an odor substance receiving layer 315 containing the resin composition described above, a first metal wiring 313A, and a second metal wiring 313B. In the following, when the first metal wiring 313A and the second metal wiring 313B are not distinguished, they may be referred to simply as metal wiring 313.

[0034] The first metal wiring 313A and the second metal wiring 313B are metal wirings that function as electrodes for measuring changes in the electrical conductivity of the odor substance receiving layer 315 (i.e., the resin composition). That is, the first metal wiring 313A and the second metal wiring 313B are spaced apart from each other, and the odor substance receiving layer 315 is in contact with at least a portion of the first metal wiring and at least a portion of the second metal wiring. In one example, the first metal wiring 313A and the second metal wiring 313B are metal wirings that are not in direct contact with each other, and may be substantially parallel to each other, as shown in Figure 3.

[0035] As shown in Figure 3, the metal wiring 313, including the first metal wiring 313A and the second metal wiring 313B, may be arranged on a substrate 311. The substrate 311 may be a substrate such as glass epoxy, which is commonly used in electronic circuits. The metal wiring 313 may be made of copper or gold. The thickness of the first metal wiring 313A and the second metal wiring 313B, as viewed from a direction perpendicular to the surface of the substrate, may be, for example, 10 μm to 2 mm.

[0036] The odor substance receiving layer 315 may be in contact with at least a portion of the first metal wiring 313A and at least a portion of the second metal wiring 313B. The odor substance receiving layer 315 may be arranged to fill the region sandwiched between the first metal wiring 313A and the second metal wiring 313B, for example, as shown in Figure 3.

[0037] If the electrical conductivity of the odor substance receiving layer 315 (i.e., the electrical conductivity of the odor sensor element 31) is low, it is desirable that the distance between the first metal wiring 313A and the second metal wiring 313B be less than or equal to a predetermined distance (for example, 500 μm).

[0038] The odor substance receiving layer 315 may contain a resin composition. The resin composition may contain a resin and further contain one or more selected from a surfactant and a filler (e.g., a conductive carbon material). In this specification, "odor substance receiving layer" means a layer that adsorbs odor substances to be identified. The odor substance receiving layer 315 is formed from the above-described resin composition. The odor substance receiving layer 315 may be provided as part of an odor sensor element 31. The electrical resistance of this odor substance receiving layer 315 changes in response to the adsorption of odor substances, etc. That is, the odor sensor element 31 is an odor detection device equipped with such an odor substance receiving layer 315, and the odor measurement method of the odor sensor element 31 may be a chemiresistor type.

[0039] When the odor sensor element 31 is a chemisistor type containing a resin composition, the change in electrical conductivity over time differs depending on whether odor substance A is adsorbed or odor substance B, which is different from odor substance A, is adsorbed. Therefore, it is possible to detect and identify various odor substances. In the odor measuring device 30 described later, multiple odor sensor elements 31 are arranged, each having a substrate 311 equipped with a configuration for detecting odor substances (metal wiring 313 and odor substance receiving layer 315). Each substrate 311 has multiple sets of odor substance receiving layers 315, each containing odor substances that can be measured differently from each other. Each of the multiple odor sensor elements 31 may also be equipped with a constant voltage power supply and a voltmeter. In the odor measuring device 30, one configuration for detecting odor substances (metal wiring 313 and odor substance receiving layer 315) may be arranged on each substrate 311. Alternatively, in the odor measuring device 30, multiple sets of configurations for detecting odor substances (metal wiring 313 and odor substance receiving layer 315) may be arranged on a single substrate 311. In the latter case, a constant voltage power supply and a voltmeter are connected to each of the sets provided on the circuit board 311.

[0040] The resin compositions contained in the odor substance receiving layers 315 of the multiple odor sensor elements 31 in the odor measuring device 30 may be the same or different. If the odor substance receiving layers 315 contained in the multiple odor sensor elements 31 have the same composition, each of the multiple odor substance receiving layers 315 can detect the same odor substance. If the multiple odor sensor elements 31 each contain odor substance receiving layers 315 with different compositions, each of the multiple odor substance receiving layers 315 will respond differently to the odor substance. In this way, by providing multiple sets of configurations for detecting odor substances, the accuracy of odor substance identification in the odor measuring device 30 can be improved.

[0041] In one embodiment, the odor sensor element 31 may be any of the following types of sensor elements: a membrane-type surface stress sensor (MSS), a quartz crystal microbalance (QCM), a metal-oxide-semiconductor sensor (MOS), or a surface acoustic wave sensor (SAW). Furthermore, the odor sensor elements 31 in the odor measuring device 30 may all be of the same type, or it may be comprised of two or more different types of sensor elements.

[0042] The odor measuring device 30 described above can output the change in the electrical conductivity of the odor sensor element 31 over time for each odor substance when various odor substances are adsorbed onto the odor sensor element 31. By applying this odor measuring device 30, it is possible to compare the change in the electrical conductivity of the odor sensor element 31 over time when odor substance A is adsorbed onto the odor sensor element 31 with the change in the electrical conductivity of the odor sensor element 31 over time when odor substance B is adsorbed onto the odor sensor element 31.

[0043] [Estimation device 10] Next, the configuration of the estimation device 10 will be explained using Figure 4. Figure 4 is a functional block diagram showing an example of the configuration of the estimation device 10. The estimation device 10 is a device that estimates the cause of odor in a target space from the target detection signal output from the odor measuring device 30 described above. The estimation device 10 includes a control unit 1 that controls all parts of the estimation device 10, and a storage unit 2 that stores various data used by the estimation device 10. However, it is not limited to this configuration. For example, the storage unit 2 may be an external device attached to the estimation device 10.

[0044] <Storage section 2> The memory unit 2 stores the estimated model 21, the target detection signal 22, the estimated result 23, and the first device information 24.

[0045] The estimation model 21 is trained by machine learning using training data. The training data may include the sample detection signals output during the sampling period as explanatory variables, and may also include causal information as a dependent variable, which represents events actually identified as the cause of the change in odor within the target space corresponding to the detection signals during the sampling period.

[0046] In this specification, “sample period” means any period required to measure the training data. In one embodiment, the sample period may be, for example, 24 hours or more, 72 hours or more, 1 week or more, 1 month or more, or 1 year or more.

[0047] In the machine learning process for the estimated model 21, further data preprocessing and feature extraction may be performed. Furthermore, machine learning algorithms may be used to generate the estimated model 21.

[0048] (Feature extraction) The training data for generating the estimation model 21 by machine learning may be the measured values ​​themselves or features extracted from the measured values. Features may be, for example, statistics, differential and integral values, peak detection values, or autocorrelation values. Examples of statistics include the mean, variance, maximum value, minimum value, the difference between the maximum and minimum values, and the standard deviation. Examples of differential and integral values ​​include the derivative (the slope of a graph showing the change in measured values ​​over time) and the integral (the area of ​​the region defined by the curve showing the change in measured values ​​in a graph showing the change in measured values ​​over time and the horizontal axis (e.g., the time axis)). Examples of peak detection values ​​include the number and height of peaks in the change in measured values ​​(e.g., change over time). Examples of autocorrelation values ​​include the difference in the change in measured values ​​(e.g., change over time). Extraction of these features from measured values ​​can be carried out based on known methods.

[0049] (Pre-treatment method) The training data for generating the estimation model 21 by machine learning may be used for machine learning without preprocessing, or it may be used after predetermined preprocessing as necessary. Furthermore, if preprocessing is performed, it may be performed before feature extraction, after feature extraction, or both before and after feature extraction. Preprocessing may be performed by known methods. Known methods include correction, denoising, standardization, data transformation, smoothing, and data augmentation. Examples of correction include integration, addition, subtraction, and division based on the output ratio, independent component analysis (ICA), or statistics, based on the measurement results of a standard gas by multiple sensor elements or commercially available sensors (e.g., temperature sensors or humidity sensors). Examples of denoising include removal of outliers or white noise. Examples of standardization include normalization and regularization of features. Examples of data transformation include trend removal, frequency transformation, and logarithmic transformation. Examples of smoothing include obtaining the moving average of the data and obtaining the difference. Data augmentation methods include, for example, adding the same sample data (e.g., adding data assuming a normal distribution) or adding new sample data (e.g., adding data related to the mixing ratio of vectors).

[0050] (Machine learning algorithms) Machine learning algorithms that can be used to create the estimated model 21 include regression analysis, classification, trees, time series analysis, neural networks, and clustering. Examples of regression analysis include logistic regression, Lasso regression, elastic network regression, support vector regression (SVR), linear regression, Ridge regression, and ensemble regression. Examples of classification include k-nearest neighbor method, support vector classification (SVC), naive Bayes classifier, stochastic gradient descent (SGD), and kernel approximation. Examples of trees include decision trees, regression trees, random forests, boosting (LightBGM, XGBoost), and stacking. Examples of time series include AR, MA, ARIMA, and state space. Examples of neural networks include multilayer perceptrons (MLPs), convolutional neural networks (CNNs), recurrent neural networks (RNNs), residual neural networks (ResNets), transformers, and graph neural networks (GNNs). Examples of clustering methods include Gaussian mixture models (GMMs), k-means algorithms, mini k-means algorithms, variational Gaussian mixture models (VBGMMs), and kernel approximations.

[0051] The target detection signal 22 includes a detection signal output from the odor measuring device 30. In addition to the detection signal, the target detection signal further includes the device ID or location information described above. In one embodiment, the target detection signal 22 may be associated with other measurement data that the acquisition unit 11 can acquire.

[0052] The estimation result 23 is the estimated result of the cause of the odor in the target space, output from the estimation unit 12. In one embodiment, the estimation result 23 may be linked to the odor measuring device 30 that output the target detection signal and was used to estimate the estimation result 23. The estimation result 23 may further include information related to the intensity of the odor.

[0053] The first device information 24 includes information about the first device 50 installed in one or more target spaces controllable by the estimation device 10. The first device information 24 includes the device ID or location information of the first device 50. Specifically, the first device information 24 may be information linking the device ID of an odor measuring device 30 and the device ID of the first device 50, both located in the same target space. Alternatively, the first device information 24 may be information that pre-links the device ID of the odor measuring device 30 and the device ID of the first device 50 with the location information of the target space. In this case, the device ID of the first device 50 and the device ID of the odor measuring device 30 can be said to be linked via the location information of the target space.

[0054] If the estimation device 10 can control the operation of multiple first devices 50, the first device information 24 includes information about the destination to which the estimation device 10 transmits control signals for controlling the operation of each of the multiple first devices 50. The first device information 24 allows the estimation device 10 to operate only the first device 50 corresponding to a specific odor measuring device 30, even if the information processing system 100 includes multiple odor measuring devices 30 and multiple first devices 50. This enables the first control unit 13 to operate multiple first devices 50 efficiently.

[0055] The estimation model 21, the target detection signal 22, the estimation result 23, and the first device information 24 may be stored in the cloud or in a storage device located outside the estimation device 10.

[0056] <Control Unit 1> The control unit 1 comprises an acquisition unit 11, an estimation unit 12, and a first control unit 13. Furthermore, some of the blocks included in the control unit 1 may be delegated to other devices capable of communicating with the estimation device 10, and those blocks may be omitted from the control unit 1. For example, the functions of the first control unit 13 may be delegated to other devices. In this case, the estimation device 10 may output the results estimated by the estimation unit 12 via the other device.

[0057] The acquisition unit 11 acquires the target detection signal output from the odor measuring device 30. In one embodiment, the acquisition unit 11 may acquire the target detection signal, for example, every hour, every 30 minutes, every 10 minutes, every 5 minutes, every minute, every 30 seconds, or every second. In one embodiment, the time interval at which the acquisition unit 11 acquires the target detection signal from the odor measuring device 30 may be longer than or the same as the time interval at which the odor measuring device 30 outputs the target detection signal. In other words, the acquisition unit 11 may always acquire the target detection signal output by the odor measuring device 30, or it may acquire it at regular intervals. The acquisition unit 11 may be configured to acquire the target detection signal stored on the wide-area communication network 40 at regular intervals. The acquisition unit 11 may store the acquired target detection signal in the storage unit 2.

[0058] In one embodiment, the acquisition unit 11 may further acquire other measurement data related to the target space other than the target detection signal. Examples of other measurement data related to the target space include the following: • Gas chromatography measurement results of the gas in the target space • Odor intensity or concentration in the target space as measured by an odor assessor. • Photographs of the target space taken with a camera • Recording results of the target space using a recording device • Detection results of people in the target space using motion sensors • Weather data measurements within the target space using various sensors (temperature, humidity, wind direction, wind speed, and atmospheric pressure, etc.) • Location information of the odor measuring device 30 installed in the target space (e.g., signals from GPS satellites) • Infrared spectral data of the image taken in the target space, etc. In one embodiment, the acquisition unit 11 may further acquire data other than the target detection signal. This other data may be, for example, data related to the odor measuring device 30, such as the device number and location information (device location information) indicating the installation location of the device, or it may be time information such as the measurement start time and measurement end time by the odor measuring device 30.

[0059] The estimation unit 12 uses the estimation model 21 to estimate the cause of the odor in the target space from the target detection signal output from the odor measuring device 30 at regular intervals. The estimation unit 12 may perform estimations at intervals of, for example, every hour, every 30 minutes, every 10 minutes, every 5 minutes, every minute, every 30 seconds, or every second. In one embodiment, the time interval at which the estimation unit 12 performs estimations may be longer than or the same as the time interval at which the acquisition unit 11 acquires the target detection signal. In other words, the estimation unit 12 may use the estimation model 21 to estimate the cause of the odor in the target space from the acquired target detection signal after the acquisition unit 11 has acquired the target detection signal multiple times. Alternatively, the estimation unit 12 may use the estimation model 21 to estimate the cause of the odor in the target space from the acquired target detection signal each time the acquisition unit 11 acquires the target detection signal.

[0060] The estimation unit 12 may store the estimated odor cause in the storage unit 2. In one embodiment, the estimation unit 12 may further estimate the odor intensity in the target space in addition to the odor cause in the target space. The estimation unit 12 may estimate the odor intensity in the target space based on the intensity of the target detection signal. The estimation unit 12 can estimate the odor intensity using the estimation model 21. If the acquisition unit 11 has acquired other measurement data, the estimation unit 12 may also use such other measurement data for estimation.

[0061] The first control unit 13 controls the operation of the first device 50 according to the cause of the odor estimated by the estimation unit 12. The first control unit 13 activates the first device 50 if the cause of the odor in the target space is a cause that generates an unpleasant odor. The first control unit 13 stops the first device 50 if the cause of the odor in the target space is a cause that does not produce an unpleasant odor, or if there is no cause of odor.

[0062] In one embodiment, when the estimation unit 12 further estimates the odor intensity in the target space, the first control unit 13 may further control the operation of the first device 50 according to the estimated cause and the estimated odor intensity. For example, if the estimated odor intensity is high, the first control unit 13 may increase the intensity of the air supply and exhaust by the first device 50. Conversely, if the estimated odor intensity is low, the first control unit 13 may decrease the intensity of the air supply and exhaust by the first device 50. By adjusting the air supply and exhaust intensity according to the odor intensity, the information processing system 100 can preferentially supply and exhaust air to spaces with high odor intensity.

[0063] The first control unit 13 may be comprised of another device that has the function of controlling the first device 50, which is a device capable of acquiring estimated values ​​from the estimation device 10. In this case, the estimation device 10 may transmit the target information estimated by the estimation unit 12 via the other device. In one embodiment, the first control unit 13 may further include a communication unit function.

[0064] (Processing performed by the information processing system 100) A control method for an information processing system 100 according to one embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to Figure 5. Figure 5 is a flowchart showing an overview of the control method for the information processing system 100. The information processing system 100 may include one or more computers, and each of these computers may be capable of executing some or all of the functions of the estimation device 10. That is, the processing shown in Figure 5 can be executed by one or more computers.

[0065] In step S1, the acquisition unit 11 acquires a target detection signal corresponding to the odor of the target space from one or more odor measuring devices 30 (detection signal acquisition step). In step S1, the acquisition unit 11 may further acquire other measurement data in addition to the target detection signal.

[0066] In step S2, the estimation unit 12 estimates the cause of the odor in the target space from the target detection signal output from the odor measuring device 30 within a certain period of time, using the estimation model (estimation step). If the acquisition unit 11 has acquired other measurement data in step S1, it may further use that measurement data to estimate the target information in order to improve the estimation accuracy.

[0067] In step S3, the first control unit 13 controls the operation of the first device 50, which is capable of supplying and exhausting air to the target space, according to the cause estimated by the estimation unit 12 (first control step). When controlling the operation of the first device 50, the first control unit 13 may refer to the target detection signal 22, which includes the device ID or location information of the odor measuring device 30, and the first device information 24, which includes the device ID or location information of the first device 50. Since the device ID of the odor measuring device 30 and the device ID of the first device 50 are linked, the first control unit 13 can control the first device 50 corresponding to a specific odor measuring device 30. The first control unit 13 can also control the first device 50 present in the target space where the odor measuring device 30 is installed, based on the location information of the odor measuring device 30 and the location information of the first device 50. As a result, the first control unit 13 can control the appropriate first device 50 corresponding to a specific odor measuring device 30 from among a plurality of first devices 50.

[0068] According to the information processing system 100, the cause of the odor in the target space can be estimated based on the target detection signal output by the odor measuring device 30, and the first device 50 can be controlled according to that cause.

[0069] [Embodiment 2] Other embodiments of the present invention are described below. For the sake of clarity, components having the same function as those described in the above embodiments will be denoted by the same reference numerals, and their descriptions will not be repeated.

[0070] In a target space, there may be separate devices installed for supplying air to the space (e.g., the first device 50 described below) and for exhausting air from the space (e.g., the second device 60 described below). In such cases, it is preferable to control both devices rather than just one of them in order to manage the odor within the target space.

[0071] The second device 60 may also have at least one of the following functions in addition to air supply and exhaust: deodorization, cleaning, and odor removal. With this configuration, the information processing system 100 can manage the odor of the target space using the functions of the second device 60 other than air supply and exhaust.

[0072] Therefore, the information processing system 100a can control both the first device 50 and the second device 60. Below, an overview of the information processing system 100a according to another embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to Figure 6. Figure 6 is a schematic diagram showing an example of the configuration of the information processing system 100a, which is different from Embodiment 1.

[0073] The information processing system 100a includes an estimation device 10a, an odor measuring device 30, a wide-area communication network 40, a first device 50, and a second device 60. In the information processing system 100a, the estimation device 10a, the odor measuring device 30, the first device 50, and the second device 60 may be connected via the wide-area communication network 40. Alternatively, the first device 50, the second device 60, and the estimation device 10a may be connected via a local area network connection without an internet service provider, a telephone network, or via serial communication, a mobile phone network including a 5G communication network, LPWA (Low Power Wide Area-network), Wi-Fi (registered trademark), PAN (Personal Area Network), Bluetooth (registered trademark), etc.

[0074] (Estimation device 10a) Below, an overview of an estimation device 10a according to another embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to Figure 7. The estimation device 10a includes a control unit 1a that controls all parts of the estimation device 10a, and a storage unit 2 that stores various data used by the estimation device 10a, but is not limited to this configuration.

[0075] <Storage section 2a> The second device information 25 includes information about a second device 60 installed in one or more target spaces controllable by the estimation device 10a. The second device information 25 includes the device ID or location information of the second device 60. Specifically, the second device information 25 may be information linking the device ID of the odor measuring device 30 and the device ID of the second device 60, both located in the same target space. Alternatively, the second device information 25 may be information that pre-links the device ID of the odor measuring device 30 and the device ID of the second device 60 with the location information of the target space. In this case, the device ID of the second device 60 and the device ID of the odor measuring device 30 can be said to be linked via the location information of the target space.

[0076] If the estimation device 10 can control the operation of multiple second devices 60, the second device information 25 includes information about the destination to which the estimation device 10 transmits control signals for controlling the operation of each of the multiple second devices 60. The second device information 25 allows the estimation device 10 to operate only the second device 60 corresponding to a specific odor measuring device 30, even if the information processing system 100 includes multiple odor measuring devices 30 and multiple second devices 60. This allows the second control unit 14 to operate multiple second devices 60 efficiently.

[0077] <Control Unit 1a> The second control unit 14, provided in the control unit 1a, controls the operation of the second device 60. The second control unit 14 may control the second device 60 independently of the first control unit 13. By reading the second device information 25 from the storage unit 2a, the second control unit 14 can efficiently control multiple second devices 60. In one embodiment, the second control unit 14 may control the operation of the second device 60 under the same conditions as the first control unit 13.

[0078] With the above configuration, the information processing system 100a can control multiple types of devices, and therefore the information processing system 100a can operate the ventilation equipment more efficiently.

[0079] [Examples of implementation using software] The functions of the estimation devices 10 and 10a (hereinafter referred to as "devices") are programs that cause a computer to function as the device, and these can be realized by programs that cause a computer to function as each control block of the device (especially each part included in the control unit 1).

[0080] In this case, the device includes a computer having at least one control device (e.g., a processor) and at least one storage device (e.g., memory) as hardware for executing the program. By executing the program using this control device and storage device, the functions described in each of the embodiments are realized.

[0081] The above program may be recorded on one or more computer-readable recording media, not temporary ones. These recording media may or may not be provided by the above device. In the latter case, the program may be supplied to the above device via any wired or wireless transmission medium.

[0082] Furthermore, some or all of the functions of each of the above control blocks can also be realized by logic circuits. For example, an integrated circuit in which logic circuits functioning as each of the above control blocks are formed is also included in the scope of the present invention. In addition, it is also possible to realize the functions of each of the above control blocks by, for example, a quantum computer.

[0083] Furthermore, each process described in the above embodiments may be performed by AI (Artificial Intelligence). In this case, the AI ​​may operate on the control device described above, or it may operate on other devices (for example, an edge computer or a cloud server).

[0084] The present invention is not limited to the embodiments described above, and various modifications are possible within the scope of the claims. Embodiments obtained by appropriately combining the technical means disclosed in different embodiments are also included in the technical scope of the present invention.

[0085] 〔summary〕 An information processing system according to embodiment 1 of the present invention comprises one or more odor measuring devices that output an object detection signal corresponding to the odor of a target space; an estimation unit that, at regular intervals, uses an estimation model to estimate the cause of the odor in the target space from the object detection signals output from the odor measuring devices within the regular interval; and a first control unit that controls the operation of a first device capable of supplying and exhausting air to the target space according to the estimated cause.

[0086] In the information processing system according to aspect 2 of the present invention, the estimation model in aspect 1 may be generated by machine learning using training data that includes explanatory variables including sample detection signals output from the odor measuring device during the sampling period, and a target variable including causal information indicating the cause of the odor actually identified for the odor in the target space corresponding to the target detection signal during the sampling period.

[0087] In the information processing system according to embodiment 3 of the present invention, in embodiments 1 and 2, the estimation unit further estimates the odor intensity in the target space from the detection signal, and the first control unit controls the operation of the first device according to the estimated cause and the estimated odor intensity.

[0088] In the information processing system according to aspect 4 of the present invention, in any of aspects 1 to 3, the first control unit may operate the first device if the cause generates an unpleasant odor, and stop the first device if the cause does not generate an unpleasant odor.

[0089] The information processing system according to aspect 5 of the present invention is the information processing system according to claim 1, wherein in any of aspects 1 to 4, the target space is a toilet.

[0090] An information processing method according to aspect 6 of the present invention is an information processing method performed by one or more computers, comprising: a detection signal acquisition step of acquiring an object detection signal corresponding to the odor of a target space from one or more odor measuring devices; an estimation step of estimating the cause of the odor in the target space from the object detection signals output from the odor measuring devices within the specified period of time, using an estimation model, at regular intervals; and a first control step of controlling the operation of a first device capable of supplying and exhausting air to the target space according to the estimated cause.

[0091] A control program according to embodiment 7 of the present invention is a control program for causing a computer to function as an information processing system in any of embodiments 1 to 5, wherein the computer functions as the acquisition unit, the estimation unit, and the first control unit.

[0092] The recording medium according to embodiment 8 of the present invention is a computer-readable recording medium on which the control program of embodiment 7 is recorded. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0093] 10 Estimation device 11 Acquisition Department 12 Estimation part 13. First Control Unit 30 Odor measuring device 40 Wide-area telecommunications network 50 1st device 100, 100a Information Processing System

Claims

1. One or more odor measuring devices that output a target detection signal corresponding to the odor in the target space, An estimation unit that, at regular intervals, estimates the cause of the odor in the target space from the target detection signal output from the odor measuring device within the aforementioned time period, using an estimation model. A first control unit controls the operation of a first device capable of supplying air and exhausting air to the target space, according to the estimated cause, An information processing system equipped with the following features.

2. The estimation model is generated by machine learning using training data that includes an explanatory variable containing a sample detection signal output from the odor measuring device during the sampling period, and a target variable containing causal information indicating the cause of the odor actually identified for the odor in the target space corresponding to the target detection signal during the sampling period. The information processing system according to claim 1.

3. The estimation unit further estimates the odor intensity in the target space from the detection signal, The first control unit controls the operation of the first device according to the estimated cause and the estimated intensity of the odor. The information processing system according to claim 1.

4. The first control unit operates the first device if the cause generates an unpleasant odor, and stops the first device if the cause does not generate an unpleasant odor. The information processing system according to claim 1.

5. The aforementioned space is a toilet. The information processing system according to claim 1.

6. An information processing method performed by one or more computers, A detection signal acquisition step involves obtaining a target detection signal corresponding to the odor of the target space from one or more odor measuring devices, An estimation step is performed in which, at regular intervals, an estimation model is used to estimate the cause of the odor in the target space from the target detection signal output from the odor measuring device within the aforementioned time interval, A first control step controls the operation of a first device capable of supplying air and exhausting air to the target space according to the estimated cause, Information processing methods including

7. A control program for causing a computer to function as an information processing system according to claim 1, wherein the computer functions as the acquisition unit, the estimation unit, and the first control unit.

8. A computer-readable recording medium having the control program described in claim 7 recorded on it.

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