Information processing device, information processing method, and program

Abstract

The present invention provides an information processing device, an information processing method, and a program that enable the addition of a degradation inhibitor at an appropriate timing according to the degradation of oils and fats being used. [Solution] The information processing device 1 includes a deterioration-related indicator acquisition unit 31 that acquires deterioration-related indicators of oils and fats in use, a determination unit 32 that determines or predicts the timing for adding a deterioration inhibitor to the oils and fats based on the deterioration-related indicators acquired by the deterioration-related indicator acquisition unit 31, and an addition instruction unit 33 that outputs an instruction to add a deterioration inhibitor based on the determination result by the determination unit 32.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to an information processing apparatus, an information processing method, and a program.

Background Art

[0002] Conventionally, techniques for determining deterioration of fats and oils are known. Patent Document 1 is a document describing this type of technique. Patent Document 1 relates to a frying oil management apparatus and a frying oil management method that enable efficient use of frying oil. Patent Document 1 describes that the frying oil management apparatus includes: a deterioration index determination unit that determines a deterioration index of the frying oil; a deterioration threshold database that stores a threshold value for the deterioration index for each type of fried food; a frying oil determination unit that determines, for each type of fried food, whether the frying oil can be used for the frying operation of the fried food, based on the deterioration index determined by the deterioration index determination unit and the threshold value for each type of fried food stored in the deterioration threshold database; and a determination result notification unit that notifies the type of fried food for which the frying oil is determined by the frying oil determination unit to be usable for the frying operation.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Summary of Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] Since vegetable oils contain tocopherols that are antioxidant components, deterioration does not progress immediately in high-temperature cooking such as frying. However, when the tocopherols functioning as a deterioration inhibitor decrease over time, the inhibitory effect is lost and deterioration proceeds.

[0005] This invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and aims to provide an information processing device, an information processing method, and a program that enable the addition of a deterioration inhibitor at an appropriate timing according to the deterioration of oils and fats in use. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] To achieve the above objective, one aspect of the present invention is an information processing apparatus comprising: a deterioration-related indicator acquisition means for acquiring deterioration-related indicators of oils and fats in use; a determination means for determining or predicting the timing for adding a deterioration inhibitor to the oils and fats based on the deterioration-related indicators acquired by the deterioration-related indicator acquisition means; and an addition instruction means for outputting an instruction to add the deterioration inhibitor based on the determination result by the determination means.

[0007] Furthermore, one aspect of the present invention is an information processing method for an information processing device, which includes: a deterioration-related indicator acquisition step for acquiring deterioration-related indicators of oils and fats in use; a determination step for determining or predicting the timing for adding a deterioration inhibitor to the oils and fats based on the deterioration-related indicators acquired in the deterioration-related indicator acquisition step; and an addition instruction step for outputting an instruction to add the deterioration inhibitor based on the determination result of the determination step.

[0008] Furthermore, one aspect of the present invention is a program that causes a computer to execute the following steps: a deterioration-related indicator acquisition step for acquiring deterioration-related indicators of oils and fats in use; a determination step for determining or predicting the timing for adding a deterioration inhibitor to the oils and fats based on the deterioration-related indicators acquired in the deterioration-related indicator acquisition step; and an addition instruction step for outputting an instruction to add the deterioration inhibitor based on the determination result of the determination step. [Effects of the Invention]

[0009] According to the present invention, it is possible to provide an information processing device, an information processing method, and a program that enable the addition of a deterioration inhibitor at an appropriate timing according to the deterioration of oils and fats in use. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0010] [Figure 1] This figure shows a system for suppressing oil and fat deterioration to which an information processing device according to one embodiment of the present invention is applied. [Figure 2] This is a block diagram showing the hardware configuration of the information processing device according to this embodiment. [Figure 3] This is a functional block diagram showing an example of the functional configuration of the oil and fat deterioration suppression system and information processing device according to the first embodiment. [Figure 4] This graph shows the relationship between the degree of oxidation of oils and fats and the amount of residual deterioration inhibitor. [Figure 5] This flowchart shows an example of the process for determining the timing of adding a degradation inhibitor using an information processing device. [Figure 6] This is a functional block diagram showing an example of the functional configuration of the oil and fat deterioration suppression system and information processing device according to the second embodiment. [Figure 7] This is a functional block diagram showing an example of the functional configuration of the oil and fat deterioration suppression system and information processing device according to the third embodiment. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0011] One embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

[0012] <System Configuration> First, let's describe the overall system configuration. Figure 1 shows an oil and fat deterioration suppression system 100 to which an information processing device 1 according to one embodiment of the present invention is applied. The oil and fat deterioration suppression system 100 provides a service that determines or predicts the timing to add a deterioration suppressant to suppress the deterioration of the oil and fat used by the user and notifies the user. Although not shown in the figure, the oil and fat deterioration suppression system 100 can provide this service to multiple users in parallel. The oil and fat used by the user is, for example, a cooking oil such as frying oil.

[0013] The oil degradation suppression system 100 is implemented by an information processing device 1 that transmits and receives various information with the user terminal 2 and the oil utilization device 3 via a communication network such as the Internet.

[0014] User terminal 2 is an information processing device used by users who use oils and receive services from the oil degradation suppression system 100. User terminal 2 consists of a personal computer, tablet, smartphone, etc. User terminal 2 may exchange various types of information with information processing device 1 using a pre-installed program, or it may exchange various types of information through a web browser.

[0015] The oil and fat utilization device 3 is a cooking device such as a fryer that uses oil and fat by the user. The location of the oil and fat utilization device 3 is not particularly limited, but it can be installed in factories, convenience stores, and other stores, for example. The oil and fat utilization device 3 comprises an oil tank 4 for storing oil and fat and for heating cooking, a heater 5 for heating the oil and fat stored in the oil tank 4, and a deterioration indicator detection device 6 for detecting deterioration indicators of the oil and fat stored in the oil tank 4.

[0016] The deterioration indicator detection device 6 detects the deterioration indicator of the oil stored in the oil tank 4. In this embodiment, the deterioration indicator detection device 6 may be a sensor whose detection part is positioned to be immersed in the oil stored in the oil tank 4, or it may be a camera that captures visual changes or characteristics, or a combination of these. Alternatively, the user may measure the deterioration indicator and input it into the deterioration indicator detection device 6. Furthermore, the deterioration indicator may be measured using a test strip, photographed with a camera, and then the deterioration indicator may be determined (detected).

[0017] The deterioration index acquired by the deterioration index detection device 6 is information related to oils and fats such as acid value, polar compound content, polymer content, viscosity, volatile components, peroxide value (POV: Peroxide Value), color, foaming, and smoking. The acid value, polar compound content, polymer content, viscosity, volatile components, and peroxide value (POV: Peroxide Value) are detected, for example, by the deterioration index detection device 6 constituted by a sensor. In the case of the acid value, the deterioration index can be acquired by a test paper or an immersion type sensor. In the case of the polar compound content, polymer content, viscosity, etc., these can be acquired by an immersion type sensor. In addition, visual information such as color, foaming, and smoking is acquired by a camera. The camera may acquire an image of the determination target in real time to acquire changes in the visual information. Then, a value obtained by converting changes in the visual information, such as color changes and shape changes, into numerical values is acquired by the deterioration index detection device 6 as the deterioration index.

[0018] Note that the deterioration index is not limited to the exemplified ones, and a configuration using at least one of an anisidine value, a carbonyl value, an iodine value, a smoke point, a volatile component composition, and a refractive index may be adopted. A known technique can be applied to the detection of the deterioration index by the deterioration index detection device 6 itself.

[0019] Further, as the deterioration index, it is possible to use information relating to the usage status of the heater 5, or the usage status of fats and oils such as the frying amount, frying time, and heating time. Since these values are recognized to have a certain degree of correlation with the deterioration index of fats and oils, they can be used in place of the above-mentioned deterioration index. For example, information relating to the usage status of fats and oils based on the usage status of the heater 5 is transmitted to the information processing device 1. The method for transmitting the information relating to the usage status of fats and oils to the information processing device 1 is not particularly limited. The fat and oil utilization device 3 may transmit the information relating to the usage status of fats and oils to the information processing device 1 via a communication network, or the information relating to the usage status of fats and oils may be transmitted from the fat and oil utilization device 3 to the information processing device 1 via the user terminal 2. Alternatively, the user may input the information relating to the usage status of fats and oils acquired by the fat and oil utilization device 3 into the user terminal 2, and the information may be transmitted to the information processing device 1 by the user terminal 2. Further, information such as the frying amount and frying time may be acquired by a camera or the like.

[0020] The deterioration index acquired by the deterioration index detection device 6 is transmitted to the information processing device 1. The method for transmitting the deterioration index to the information processing device 1 is not particularly limited. The fat and oil utilization device 3 may transmit the deterioration index to the information processing device 1 via a communication network, or the deterioration index may be transmitted from the fat and oil utilization device 3 to the information processing device 1 via the user terminal 2. Alternatively, the user may input the deterioration index acquired by the fat and oil utilization device 3 into the user terminal 2, and the deterioration index may be transmitted to the information processing device 1 by the user terminal 2.

[0021] The information processing device 1 is a computer that provides various types of information relating to fat and oil deterioration suppression to the user terminal 2, and functions as a server. Next, an example of the hardware constituting the information processing device 1 will be described.

[0022] <Hardware Configuration> Figure 2 is a block diagram showing the hardware configuration of the information processing device 1 according to the first embodiment. The information processing device 1 includes a CPU (Central Processing Unit) 11 as a processor, a ROM (Read Only Memory) 12, a RAM (Random Access Memory) 13, a bus 14, an input / output interface 15, an output unit 16, an input unit 17, a storage unit 18, a communication unit 19, and a drive 20.

[0023] The CPU 11 executes various processes according to the program stored in the ROM 12 or the program loaded from the storage unit 18 into the RAM 13. The RAM 13 also stores data necessary for the CPU 11 to execute various processes. The CPU 11, ROM 12, and RAM 13 are interconnected via a bus 14. An input / output interface 15 is also connected to this bus 14.

[0024] The input / output interface 15 is connected to an output unit 16, an input unit 17, a storage unit 18, a communication unit 19, and a drive 20. The output unit 16 consists of a display, speakers, etc., and outputs various information as images and sounds. The input unit 17 consists of a keyboard, mouse, etc., and inputs various information. The storage unit 18 consists of a hard disk, DRAM (Dynamic Random Access Memory), etc., and stores various data. The communication unit 19 communicates with other devices via a network, including the Internet.

[0025] The drive 20 is appropriately equipped with removable media 21, which may consist of a magnetic disk, optical disk, magneto-optical disk, or semiconductor memory. Programs read from the removable media 21 by the drive 20 are installed in the storage unit 18 as needed. The removable media 21 can also store various types of data stored in the storage unit 18, just like the storage unit 18.

[0026] The hardware configuration described here is merely an example. User terminal 2 is assumed to have the same hardware configuration as information processing device 1. Furthermore, the computer described in this embodiment, including information processing device 1 and user terminal 2, may have the same configuration as that shown in Figure 2, or it may have a different configuration. In addition, the computer may be composed of two or more computers.

[0027] <Functional configuration of the information processing device of the first embodiment> Next, the functional configuration of the oil degradation suppression system 100 and the information processing device 1 will be described. Figure 3 is a functional block diagram showing an example of the functional configuration of the oil degradation suppression system 100 and the information processing device 1 according to the first embodiment.

[0028] As shown in Figure 3, the information processing device 1 includes a usage status acquisition unit 30, a deterioration-related indicator acquisition unit 31, a determination unit 32, and an additive instruction unit 33 as functional units implemented on the processor (CPU 11).

[0029] The usage status acquisition unit 30 is a usage status acquisition means that acquires information regarding the usage status of oils and fats. The usage status of oils and fats includes information such as frying time, heating time, amount of oil, and type of oil. As described above, the information regarding the usage status of oils and fats may be acquired from the oil utilization device 3 based on the usage status of the heater 5, or it may be acquired from the user terminal 2.

[0030] The deterioration-related indicator acquisition unit 31 is a means for acquiring deterioration-related indicators of oils and fats in use. The deterioration-related indicators include deterioration indicators for confirming the degree of deterioration and deterioration-linked indicators that are linked to the deterioration indicators. The deterioration-linked indicators are information related to cooking time and cooking quantity, such as frying time, heating time, and frying quantity, and are information acquired by the usage status acquisition unit 30.

[0031] The determination unit 32 is a determination means that determines or predicts the timing for adding a degradation inhibitor to oils and fats based on degradation-related indicators obtained by the degradation-related indicator acquisition unit 31. The degradation inhibitor includes at least one of an antioxidant and an antifoaming agent. An antioxidant is, for example, tocopherol. A polymerization inhibitor / antifoaming agent is, for example, silicone.

[0032] First, let's refer to Figure 4 and explain an example of determining the timing for adding a degradation inhibitor to oils and fats. Figure 4 is a graph showing the relationship between the degree of degradation (e.g., oxidation) of oils and fats and the remaining amount of degradation inhibitor. In Figure 4, the time change in the amount of tocopherol as a degradation inhibitor is shown by a solid line, and the time change in the degree of degradation is shown by a dashed line. As shown in this graph, as the amount of tocopherol in oils and fats decreases over time, oxidation begins and the oils and fats begin to degrade. By adding a degradation inhibitor at the timing when this oxidation begins, the degradation of oils and fats can be suppressed efficiently and effectively. Note that one or more thresholds for adding the degradation inhibitor can be set.

[0033] An example of the determination method of the determination unit 32 will be described. The determination unit 32 can determine the timing for adding a deterioration inhibitor to the oil or fat based on whether the deterioration-related indicators acquired by the deterioration-related indicator acquisition unit 31 have reached a predetermined threshold. In the example graph in Figure 4, when the degree of deterioration reaches the set threshold, the determination unit 32 determines that it is time to add the deterioration inhibitor.

[0034] Furthermore, the determination unit 32 can also determine the timing for adding a deterioration inhibitor to the oil and fat based on whether the magnitude of the slope of the time change of the deterioration-related indicator acquired by the deterioration-related indicator acquisition unit 31 has reached a predetermined threshold. In the example graph in Figure 4, when the slope of the curve indicating the degree of deterioration reaches the set threshold, the determination unit 32 determines that it is time to add the deterioration inhibitor.

[0035] Furthermore, the determination unit 32 can also determine the timing to add a degradation inhibitor when the degradation-related indicators acquired by the degradation-related indicator acquisition unit 31 reach a predetermined threshold, and the magnitude of the slope of the time change of the degradation-related indicators also reaches a predetermined threshold.

[0036] Next, we will describe an example of determining the timing for adding a deterioration inhibitor to oils and fats based on a deterioration-linked index, which is one of the deterioration-related indicators. In this embodiment, the deterioration-linked index is information related to cooking time and cooking quantity, such as frying time, heating time, and frying quantity, and is also information indicating deterioration due to the use of oils and fats. If the determination unit 32 estimates that the oils and fats have reached the timing for adding a deterioration inhibitor due to use based on the deterioration-linked index, it determines that it is time to add the deterioration inhibitor. For example, if a usage status index is calculated based on frying time, heating time, frying quantity, etc., and the usage status index reaches a threshold, or if the slope of the time change of the indicator reaches a threshold, the determination unit 32 can determine that it is time to add the deterioration inhibitor.

[0037] Furthermore, the degradation-linked index can also be used to determine the threshold for the degradation index described above. For example, if the usage index of the degradation-linked index is large, the determination unit 32 can set a lower threshold for the degradation-related index in order to add the degradation inhibitor earlier. Conversely, if the usage index is small, the threshold for the degradation-related index can be set a higher threshold in order to add the degradation inhibitor later. The same applies to the threshold for the slope of the degradation-related index.

[0038] Furthermore, the information processing device 1 of this embodiment has a database 90 built as a storage means in which various information for determining the timing of adding the degradation inhibitor is registered. The database 90 is built, for example, on the storage unit 18. In this example, the database 90 is built inside the information processing device 1, but the database 90 may be built on an external computer or cloud.

[0039] In this embodiment, the database 90 may contain a degradation-related indicator threshold table in which threshold values ​​for degradation-related indicators are set for each type of oil or fat. Alternatively, a degradation-related indicator threshold table may be registered for each fryer. When monitoring degradation-related indicators and making a determination, the determination unit 32, upon selecting an oil or fat by the user, reads the threshold value for the degradation-related indicator corresponding to the selected oil or fat from the degradation-related indicator threshold table, compares the read threshold value with the degradation-related indicator of the oil or fat to be determined, and determines whether or not it is time to add a degradation inhibitor.

[0040] Furthermore, the database 90 also contains a degradation-related indicator slope threshold table, in which thresholds for determining the magnitude of the slope of the time change of degradation-related indicators are set for each type of oil. When monitoring the slope of the degradation-related indicators to make a determination, the determination unit 32, when an oil is selected by the user, reads the slope threshold of the degradation-related indicator corresponding to the selected oil from the degradation-related indicator slope threshold table, compares the read threshold with the magnitude of the slope of the time change of the degradation-related indicator of the oil to be determined, and determines whether or not it is time to add a degradation inhibitor.

[0041] Furthermore, the database 90 of this embodiment contains an additive amount table (support information) for each type of oil and fat, which shows the correspondence between the value of the degradation-related index and / or the slope of the time change of the degradation-related index and the amount of degradation inhibitor to be added. When the determination unit 32 determines that it is time to add the additive, it refers to the additive amount table corresponding to the selected oil and fat and determines the amount of degradation inhibitor to be added according to the value of the degradation-related index and / or the slope of the time change of the degradation-related index.

[0042] Next, the addition instruction unit 33 will be described. The addition instruction unit 33 is an addition instruction means that outputs an instruction to add a degradation inhibitor based on the determination result by the determination unit 32. In this embodiment, the addition instruction unit 33 outputs an addition instruction that includes the amount of degradation inhibitor to be added determined by the determination unit 32.

[0043] The addition instruction includes outputting notification information to inform a human of the timing for adding the degradation inhibitor through output such as text, light illumination, and sound, and an operation command to a machine or computer that operates an addition device having a mechanism for adding the degradation inhibitor. In this embodiment, the addition instruction unit 33 outputs notification information to the user terminal 2 to notify that it is time to add the degradation inhibitor, and displays on the display screen of the user terminal 2 that it is time to add the degradation inhibitor using text, color, etc. The destination of the notification information output is not limited to a computer such as the user terminal 2, but may also be a light such as a notification light or a speaker that outputs sound, etc.

[0044] <Processing flow> Next, we will explain the flow of the determination process. Figure 5 is a flowchart showing an example of the flow of the information processing device 1's process for determining the timing of adding the degradation inhibitor.

[0045] In step S11, the usage status acquisition unit 30 acquires information indicating the usage status of oils and fats, such as the type of oil, from the user terminal 2 or the oil and fat utilization device 3 via the communication network. Note that if a single oil or fat is used, or if there is no significant difference in the deterioration progression of the oils and fats even when multiple oils or fats are used, step S11 may be omitted.

[0046] In step S12, the deterioration-related indicator acquisition unit 31 acquires deterioration-related indicators of oil and fat from the user terminal 2 or the oil and fat utilization device 3 via the communication network.

[0047] In step S13, the determination unit 32 determines whether or not it is time to add a degradation inhibitor based on degradation-related indicators. For example, if the degradation-related indicators reach a preset threshold or if the magnitude of the slope of the time change of the degradation-related indicators reaches a preset threshold, the determination unit 32 determines that it is time to add a degradation inhibitor. If the determination unit 32 determines that it is time to add a degradation inhibitor, the process proceeds to step S14 (step S13; Yes). If the determination unit 32 determines that it is not time to add a degradation inhibitor, the process returns to step S11 (step S13; No).

[0048] In step S14, the determination unit 32 refers to the database 90 and determines the amount of additive corresponding to the deterioration-related index or the magnitude of the slope of the deterioration-related index's change over time. In this case, the amount of additive can be determined according to the type of oil and / or fryer.

[0049] In step S15, the addition instruction unit 33 outputs an addition instruction to the user terminal 2, indicating the amount to be added and that it is time to add the degradation inhibitor. The user understands on the user terminal 2 that it is time to add the degradation inhibitor and adds the degradation inhibitor based on the instructed amount. After this process, the process returns to step S11.

[0050] As described above, the information processing device 1 of this embodiment includes a deterioration-related indicator acquisition unit 31 that acquires deterioration-related indicators of oils and fats in use, a determination unit 32 that determines or predicts the timing for adding a deterioration inhibitor to the oils and fats based on the deterioration-related indicators acquired by the deterioration-related indicator acquisition unit 31, and an addition instruction unit 33 that outputs an instruction to add a deterioration inhibitor based on the determination result of the determination unit 32. The information processing method of this embodiment includes a deterioration-related indicator acquisition step that acquires deterioration-related indicators of oils and fats in use, a determination step that determines or predicts the timing for adding a deterioration inhibitor to the oils and fats based on the deterioration-related indicators acquired by the deterioration-related indicator acquisition step, and an addition instruction step that outputs an instruction to add a deterioration inhibitor based on the determination result of the determination step. The program of this embodiment causes a computer to execute a deterioration-related indicator acquisition step that acquires deterioration-related indicators of oils and fats in use, a determination step that determines or predicts the timing for adding a deterioration inhibitor to the oils and fats based on the deterioration-related indicators acquired by the deterioration-related indicator acquisition step, and an addition instruction step that outputs an instruction to add a deterioration inhibitor based on the determination result of the determination step.

[0051] It is difficult to determine the remaining amount of degradation inhibitors added to oils and fats. In this regard, the information processing device 1, information processing method, and program of this embodiment allow the user to accurately determine the timing of adding degradation inhibitors based on degradation-related indicators that show the degradation of oils and fats measured over time. This effectively prevents situations in which the degradation of oils and fats progresses due to delays in adding degradation inhibitors. Furthermore, it is possible to avoid situations in which degradation inhibitors are added even when sufficient degradation inhibitors remain, thereby reducing the amount of degradation inhibitors used.

[0052] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the determination unit 32 determines the timing for adding a deterioration inhibitor to the oil and fat based on whether the deterioration-related index acquired by the deterioration-related index acquisition unit 31 has reached a predetermined threshold. This allows for an appropriate determination of the timing for adding the deterioration inhibitor through a simple process of comparing the deterioration-related index indicating the current state with the threshold.

[0053] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the determination unit 32 determines the timing for adding a deterioration inhibitor to the oil and fat based on whether the magnitude of the slope of the time change of the deterioration-related index acquired by the deterioration-related index acquisition unit 31 has reached a predetermined threshold. This makes it possible to appropriately determine the timing for adding the deterioration inhibitor, taking into account the rate of increase of the deterioration-related index.

[0054] Furthermore, the information processing device 1 of this embodiment further includes a database 90 that stores information on threshold values ​​for degradation-related indicators and / or threshold values ​​for the magnitude of the slope of the time change of degradation-related indicators for each type of oil and / or fryer as support information for adding the degradation inhibitor. The determination unit 32 determines the timing for adding the degradation inhibitor to the oil and / or based on the threshold values ​​for degradation-related indicators for each type of oil and / or fryer stored in the database 90 and the degradation-related indicators acquired by the degradation-related indicator acquisition unit 31, and / or determines the timing for adding the degradation inhibitor to the oil and / or based on the information on threshold values ​​for the magnitude of the slope of the time change of degradation-related indicators and the magnitude of the slope of the time change of degradation-related indicators acquired by the degradation-related indicator acquisition unit 31 for each type of oil and / or fryer. This makes it possible to set the threshold values ​​for degradation-related indicators and the threshold values ​​for the magnitude of the slope of the time change of degradation-related indicators according to the type of oil and / or fryer, and to determine the timing for adding the degradation inhibitor more accurately according to the type of oil and / or fryer.

[0055] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the degradation-related indicator acquisition unit 31 acquires at least one of the following as degradation-related indicators: acid value, amount of polar compounds, amount of polymers, viscosity, color, volatile components, and foaming, cooking time, and cooking amount. This allows the condition of the oil and fat to be reflected using information indicating the degree of degradation, and enables a more accurate determination of the timing for adding a degradation inhibitor.

[0056] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the degradation inhibitor includes at least one of an antioxidant and an antifoaming agent. This ensures that the antioxidant and antifoaming agent are added to the oil at the appropriate time, efficiently maintaining the degradation inhibitory function of the oil.

[0057] Furthermore, the information processing device 1 of this embodiment further includes a usage status acquisition unit 30 that acquires information regarding the usage status of oils and fats, and a determination unit 32 further determines the timing for adding a deterioration inhibitor to the oils and fats based on the information regarding the usage status of the oils and fats. This makes it possible to reflect the usage status of oils and fats that affects deterioration in the timing of adding the deterioration inhibitor, and to add the deterioration inhibitor at a more appropriate timing.

[0058] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the database 90 also stores the values ​​of degradation-related indicators and / or the slope of the time change of degradation-related indicators for each type of oil and / or fryer, and the correspondence between the amount of degradation inhibitor to be added and the amount of degradation inhibitor to be added, as an addition amount table. The determination unit 32 further determines the amount of degradation inhibitor to be added based on the stored correspondence, and the addition instruction unit 33 outputs an addition instruction that includes the amount of degradation inhibitor to be added.

[0059] <Second Embodiment> Next, with reference to Figure 6, the configuration of the information processing device 1a of the second embodiment will be described. Figure 6 is a functional block diagram showing an example of the functional configuration of the oil and fat deterioration suppression system 100a and the information processing device 1a according to the second embodiment. In the following description, components common to or similar to those in the above embodiment will be denoted by the same reference numerals, and detailed descriptions may be omitted.

[0060] The hardware and functional configuration of the information processing device 1a of the second embodiment is basically the same as that of the information processing device 1 of the first embodiment.

[0061] In the database 90 of the information processing device 1 of the second embodiment, a deterioration-related indicator trend table is registered, which shows the trend of deterioration-related indicators for each type of oil and / or fryer. The information on the trend of deterioration-related indicators for each type of oil and / or fryer is based, for example, on time-series information of deterioration judgment indicators measured in advance for the same oil or the same type of oil or the same fryer. The information on the trend of deterioration-related indicators is a calculation formula (for example, an approximation formula for measured values) or table that predicts the future trend of deterioration-related indicators based on the current deterioration-related indicators. The determination unit 32 can obtain the future time change (time-series information) of the deterioration inhibitor by acquiring the current deterioration-related indicators and inputting them into the deterioration-related indicator trend information (calculation formula, table).

[0062] When an oil and / or fryer is selected by the user, the determination unit 32 reads the trend information of the degradation-related indicators corresponding to the selected oil and / or fryer from the degradation-related indicator trend table, and predicts the future time change of the degradation-related indicators based on the read trend information of the degradation-related indicators and the degradation-related indicators of the oil and / or fryer being judged. The determination unit 32 then reads the thresholds corresponding to the type of oil and / or fryer from the degradation-related indicator threshold table and predicts the timing at which the predicted future degradation-related indicators will reach the thresholds.

[0063] Furthermore, the database 90 of the information processing device 1 of the second embodiment registers a deterioration-related index slope transition table that shows the change in the magnitude of the slope of the deterioration-related index over time for each type of oil and / or fryer. The information on the change in the slope of the deterioration-related index for each type of oil and / or fryer is based, for example, on the change in the slope over time obtained from time-series information of deterioration judgment indices that have been measured in advance for the same oil or the same type of oil or the same fryer. The information on the change in the slope of the deterioration-related index is a calculation formula (for example, an approximation formula for measured values) or table that predicts the change in the slope of the deterioration-related index in the future based on the current deterioration-related index or the magnitude of the slope of the deterioration-related index. The determination unit 32 can obtain the future change in the slope of the deterioration inhibitor (time-series information) by obtaining the current slope of the deterioration-related index and inputting it into the information on the change in the slope of the deterioration-related index (calculation formula, table).

[0064] When an oil and / or fryer is selected by the user, the determination unit 32 reads information on the slope of the degradation-related indicator corresponding to the selected oil and / or fryer from the degradation-related indicator slope transition table, and predicts the future change in the slope of the degradation-related indicator based on the read-out information on the slope of the degradation-related indicator and the slope of the degradation-related indicator of the oil to be judged. Then, the determination unit 32 reads a threshold corresponding to the type of oil and / or fryer from the degradation-related indicator slope threshold table and predicts the timing at which the predicted future slope of the degradation-related indicator will reach the threshold.

[0065] As described above, the information processing device 1a of the second embodiment further includes a database 90 that stores information on the changes in deterioration-related indicators for each type of oil and / or fryer, and / or the changes in the magnitude of the slope of the change in deterioration-related indicators over time for each type of oil and / or fryer, as support information for adding deterioration inhibitors. The determination unit 32 compares the changes in deterioration-related indicators for each type of oil and / or fryer stored in the database 90 with the deterioration-related indicators acquired by the deterioration-related indicator acquisition unit 31 to predict the timing for adding deterioration inhibitors to oils and / or, and / or compares the changes in the magnitude of the slope of the change in deterioration indicators over time stored in the database 90 with the magnitude of the slope of the change in deterioration-related indicators over time acquired by the deterioration-related indicator acquisition unit 31 to predict the timing for adding deterioration inhibitors to oils and / or.

[0066] This allows for the prediction of the timing for adding degradation inhibitors to oils and fats based on their current condition. This ensures that the additive is added to the oils and fats at a more precise timing without delays due to other processes. Furthermore, knowing the timing for adding the degradation inhibitor in advance avoids situations where the inhibitor cannot be added during the process, and makes it easier to manage the schedule for adding the degradation inhibitor.

[0067] <Third Embodiment> Next, with reference to Figure 7, the configuration of the information processing device 1b of the third embodiment will be described. Figure 7 is a functional block diagram showing an example of the functional configuration of the oil and fat deterioration suppression system 100b and the information processing device 1b according to the third embodiment. In the following description, components common to or similar to those in the above embodiment will be denoted by the same reference numerals, and detailed descriptions may be omitted.

[0068] As shown in Figure 7, the information processing device 1b sends and receives various information to suppress the deterioration of oils and greases via a communication network such as the Internet and the trained model 50.

[0069] The trained model 50 performs the process of outputting the timing for adding a degradation inhibitor to oils and fats based on degradation-related indicators. The trained model 50 is constructed using machine learning, such as supervised learning. The training method for the trained model 50 is not particularly limited. For example, the trained model 50 can be constructed by machine learning training data in which the amount of degradation inhibitor initially added to the oils and fats, degradation-related indicators, etc. are used as input data, and the timing of the addition of the degradation inhibitor is used as output data (ground truth labels).

[0070] The determination unit 32 inputs the degradation-related indicators of the oil to be judged, acquired by the degradation-related indicator acquisition unit 31, into the trained model 50, and causes the trained model 50 to output information indicating the timing of addition. If the output result of the trained model 50 indicates that it is the timing of addition at the present time, the determination unit 32 causes the addition instruction unit 33 to notify the user terminal 2 of the addition instruction. If the output result of the trained model 50 indicates that it is not the timing of addition but a future addition timing, the determination unit 32 causes the addition instruction unit 33 to notify the user terminal 2 of the addition instruction as a predicted addition timing. If the trained model 50 outputs that it is not the timing of addition, the determination unit 32 continues to monitor the degradation-related indicators and inputs the degradation-related indicators into the trained model 50 again at a predetermined timing. The trained model 50 may also be configured to learn the amount of addition as output data during the learning stage and return the amount of addition along with the addition timing to the determination unit 32.

[0071] As described above, in the third embodiment, the determination unit 32 uses a trained model 50 based on the deterioration-related indicators acquired by the deterioration-related indicator acquisition unit 31 and the amount of deterioration inhibitor added to determine the timing for adding the deterioration inhibitor to the oil and fat.

[0072] This allows for accurate determination or prediction of the timing for adding the degradation inhibitor using the trained model 50. However, the configuration of the trained model 50 in the third embodiment is merely an example. The training method for the trained model 50 and the transmission and reception of information with the determination unit 32 are not limited to the configuration of the third embodiment.

[0073] <Variation> In the above embodiment, the amount of additive included in the instruction to add the deterioration inhibitor is set according to the type of oil, fryer, and deterioration-related indicators, but the amount may be constant. In addition to the additive inhibitor, an indicator showing the amount of silicone contained in the oil may be obtained, and the silicone may be added as a deterioration inhibitor based on the determination or prediction of the determination unit 32. Furthermore, the cooking target, such as the ingredients for frying, may also be used as a deterioration-related indicator.

[0074] Furthermore, although the oil degradation suppression system 100 in the above embodiment is composed of an information processing device 1 and multiple computers in the user terminal 2, it is not limited to this configuration. For example, the information processing device 1 and the user terminal 2 may be composed of a single integrated computer, and the timing of adding the degradation suppressant may be determined or predicted without going through a communication network such as the Internet. Alternatively, the user terminal 2 and the oil utilization device 3 may be composed of a single integrated computer, or the information processing device 1, the user terminal 2, and the oil utilization device 3 may be composed of a single integrated computer.

[0075] Although one embodiment of the present invention has been described above, the present invention is not limited to the embodiments described above, and any modifications, improvements, etc. that can achieve the objectives of the present invention are included in the present invention.

[0076] Furthermore, the series of processes described above can be executed by hardware or by software. In other words, the functional configuration described above is merely illustrative and not particularly limiting. That is, it is sufficient that the information processing device 1 is equipped with the functionality to execute the series of processes described above as a whole, and the type of functional block used to realize this functionality is not particularly limited to the example above. Also, the location of the functional block is not particularly limited and can be arbitrary. For example, the functional block of the information processing device 1 may be transferred to another device, etc. Conversely, the functional block of another device may be transferred to a server, etc. Also, a single functional block may be composed of hardware alone, software alone, or a combination of both.

[0077] When a series of processes are executed by software, the programs that make up that software are installed on a computer or other device from a network or storage medium. The computer may be a computer built into dedicated hardware. Alternatively, the computer may be a computer capable of performing various functions by installing various programs, such as a server, a general-purpose smartphone, or a personal computer.

[0078] Such recording media containing programs may consist not only of removable media (not shown) distributed separately from the main device to provide the programs, but also of recording media provided pre-installed in the main device. Since programs can be distributed via a network, the recording media may be installed on or accessible from a computer connected to or capable of connecting to a network.

[0079] In this specification, the step of describing a program to be recorded on a recording medium includes not only processes that are performed chronologically in that order, but also processes that are not necessarily performed chronologically, but are executed in parallel or individually. Furthermore, in this specification, the term "system" refers to an overall system composed of multiple devices, means, etc. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0080] 1, 1a, 1b Information Processing Device 30. Usage Status Acquisition Unit 31. Department for acquiring degradation-related indicators 32 Judgment section 33 Addition instruction section 50 pre-trained models 90 Databases 100, 100a, 100b Oil and Fat Degradation Inhibition System

Claims

1. A means for acquiring degradation-related indicators for acquiring degradation-related indicators of oils and fats in use, A determination means for determining or predicting the timing for adding a deterioration inhibitor to the oil and fat based on the deterioration-related indicators obtained by the deterioration-related indicator acquisition means, An additive instruction means outputs an instruction to add the deterioration inhibitor based on the determination result by the determination means, An information processing device equipped with the following features.

2. The determination means determines the timing for adding the deterioration inhibitor to the oil or fat based on whether the deterioration-related index obtained by the deterioration-related index acquisition means has reached a predetermined threshold. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1.

3. The determination means determines the timing for adding the deterioration inhibitor to the oil or fat based on whether the magnitude of the slope of the time change of the deterioration-related index obtained by the deterioration-related index acquisition means has reached a predetermined threshold. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1.

4. A storage means for storing information as support information for adding the deterioration inhibitor, which includes the threshold value of the deterioration-related indicator for each type of oil and / or fryer, and / or the threshold value of the magnitude of the slope of the deterioration-related indicator over time for each type of oil and / or fryer. Furthermore, The determination means determines the timing for adding the deterioration inhibitor to the oil based on the threshold values ​​of the deterioration-related indicators for each type of oil and / or fryer stored in the storage means and the deterioration-related indicators obtained by the deterioration-related indicator acquisition means, and / or determines the timing for adding the deterioration inhibitor to the oil based on the threshold information of the magnitude of the slope of the time change of the deterioration-related indicator for each type of oil and / or fryer and the magnitude of the slope of the time change of the deterioration-related indicator obtained by the deterioration-related indicator acquisition means. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1.

5. A storage means for storing information regarding the changes in the deterioration-related indicators for each type of oil and / or fryer, and / or the changes in the magnitude of the slope of the change in the deterioration-related indicators over time for each type of oil and / or fryer, as supporting information for the addition of the deterioration inhibitor. Furthermore, The determination means predicts the timing for adding the deterioration inhibitor to the oil by comparing the changes in the deterioration-related indicators for each type of oil and / or fryer stored in the storage means with the deterioration-related indicators obtained by the deterioration-related indicator acquisition means, and / or predicts the timing for adding the deterioration inhibitor to the oil by comparing the changes in the magnitude of the slope of the time change of the deterioration-related indicators for each type of oil and / or fryer stored in the storage means with the magnitude of the slope of the time change of the deterioration-related indicators obtained by the deterioration-related indicator acquisition means. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1.

6. The storage means further stores, as support information, the value of the degradation-related index and / or the slope of the time change of the degradation-related index and the amount of the degradation inhibitor added for each type of oil and / or fryer. The determination means further determines the amount of the degradation inhibitor to be added based on the stored correspondence relationship, The additive instruction means outputs an additive instruction including the amount of the degradation inhibitor to be added. The information processing apparatus according to claim 4 or 5.

7. The determination means determines the timing for adding the deterioration inhibitor to the oil and fat using a trained model based on the deterioration-related index obtained by the deterioration-related index acquisition means and the amount of deterioration inhibitor added. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1.

8. The means for obtaining the degradation-related indicators obtains at least one of the following as the degradation-related indicators: acid value, amount of polar compounds, amount of polymers, viscosity, color, volatile components, and foaming, cooking time, and cooking amount. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1.

9. The aforementioned degradation inhibitor comprises at least one of an antioxidant and an antifoaming agent. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1.

10. A means for acquiring information regarding the usage status of the oil and fat, Furthermore, The determination means further determines the timing for adding the deterioration inhibitor to the oil based on information regarding the usage status of the oil. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1.

11. A step to acquire degradation-related indicators for oils and fats in use, A determination step in which, based on the deterioration-related indicators obtained in the deterioration-related indicator acquisition step, the timing for adding a deterioration inhibitor to the oil and fat is determined or predicted, An addition instruction step outputs an instruction to add the deterioration inhibitor based on the determination result from the determination step, Information processing method for an information processing device including an information processing device.

12. A step to acquire degradation-related indicators for oils and fats in use, A determination step in which, based on the deterioration-related indicators obtained in the deterioration-related indicator acquisition step, the timing for adding a deterioration inhibitor to the oil and fat is determined or predicted, An addition instruction step outputs an instruction to add the deterioration inhibitor based on the determination result from the determination step, A program that causes a computer to execute something.

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