Seat System

The seat system uses multiple sensors to accurately determine seating status and time, enhancing precision in detecting sitting and standing, and preventing prolonged sitting through precise threshold-based detection.

JP7617366B2Active Publication Date: 2025-01-20TS TECH CO LTD
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Patent Information

Application Number
JP2020160776
Authority / Receiving Office
JP · JP
Patent Type
Patents
Current Assignee / Owner
Filing Date
2020-09-25
Publication Date
2025-01-20
Estimated Expiration
2040-09-25

AI Technical Summary

Technical Problem

Conventional seat systems use a single sensor to detect whether a person is sitting or standing, leading to inaccurate determination of seating status.

Method used

A seat system with multiple sensors, including first and second sensors positioned at different body parts, such as buttocks and thighs, to accurately determine seating status, using threshold values for precise detection and time measurement.

Benefits of technology

Accurately determines sitting and standing with high precision, enabling accurate time measurement from sitting to standing and vice versa, and prevents prolonged sitting by executing predetermined actions.

✦ Generated by Eureka AI based on patent content.

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Abstract

To provide a seat system that allows seating and standing to be determined accurately.SOLUTION: A seat system SYS includes: a seat body C0 on which a person is seated; a plurality of sensors for detecting a person seated on the seat body C0, including first sensors (S1, S2, S4, and S5), and second sensors (S3 and S6) disposed at positions different from the positions of the first sensors; and a seating determination part (terminal M) for determining whether or not a person is seated on the seat body C0 on the basis of a result of the detection by the sensors. The seating determination part determines that a person is seated on the seat body C0 on condition that the first sensor detects the person seated on the seat body C0, and the second sensor detects the person seated on the seat body C0. The seating determination part determines that a person stands up from the seat body C0 on condition that the first sensor no longer detects the person seated on the seat body C0, and the second sensor no longer detects the person seated on the seat body C0.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1
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Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a seat system including a seat body on which a person sits and a sensor that detects a person sitting in the seat body. [Background technology]

[0002] Conventionally, a system for measuring time is known in which a sensor is provided to detect whether or not a person is sitting on the seat of a chair, and this sensor is connected to a timing device (Patent Document 1). In this technology, the sensor detects when a person stands up from the chair, and the timing device starts measuring time in response to this detection signal, and detects when the person sits down in the chair, and the timing device ends measuring time in response to this detection signal, measuring the time between these two times. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] JP 2011-115362 A Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] However, conventional systems only used one sensor to detect whether a person was sitting or standing, and were therefore unable to accurately determine whether a person was sitting or standing.

[0005] Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide a seat system that can accurately determine whether a person is sitting or standing. Another object of the present invention is to measure time with high accuracy. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] A seat system for achieving the above-mentioned object includes a seat body on which a person sits, a plurality of sensors for detecting a person sitting on the seat body, the sensors including a first sensor and a second sensor arranged at a position different from the first sensor, and a seating determination unit for determining whether a person has sat on the seat body based on the detection results of the sensors, wherein the seating determination unit determines that a person has sat on the seat body when the first sensor detects a person sitting on the seat body and the second sensor detects a person sitting on the seat body, and determines that a person has stood up from the seat body when the first sensor no longer detects the person sitting on the seat body and the second sensor no longer detects the person sitting on the seat body.

[0007] According to such a configuration, since a plurality of sensors are used to determine whether a person is sitting down or standing up, it is possible to accurately determine whether a person is sitting down or standing up.

[0008] In the above-described seat system, the first sensor and the second sensor are pressure sensors, and the seating determination unit can be configured to determine that a person has sat in the seat body when the measurement value of the first sensor is equal to or greater than a first seating threshold and the measurement value of the second sensor is equal to or greater than a second seating threshold, and to determine that a person has stood up from the seat body when the measurement value of the first sensor is equal to or less than a first standing threshold that is smaller than the first seating threshold and the measurement value of the second sensor is equal to or less than a second standing threshold that is smaller than the second seating threshold.

[0009] In the above-mentioned seat system, the seat body can be configured to have a seat on which a person sits, the first sensor can be positioned at a position corresponding to the buttocks of the person sitting in the seat, and the second sensor can be configured to be positioned at a position corresponding to the thighs of the person sitting in the seat.

[0010] According to this, the sensor is disposed at a position where a large pressure is applied when a person sits on the seat body, so that sitting and standing can be determined with greater accuracy.

[0011] In the above-mentioned seat system, the first sensor may include at least one right first sensor and at least one left first sensor, and the second sensor may include at least one right second sensor and at least one left second sensor.

[0012] According to this, since more sensors can be used to determine whether the person is sitting down or standing up, it is possible to more accurately determine whether the person is sitting down or standing up.

[0013] The seat system described above may include a time measurement unit that measures time based on the judgment result of the seating judgment unit, and the time measurement unit may be configured to start measuring time when the seating judgment unit determines that a person has stood up from the seat body, and to end measuring time when the seating judgment unit determines that a person has sat down in the seat body, and to calculate the elapsed time from the start of measuring time to the end of measuring time.

[0014] This makes it possible to accurately determine whether a person has sat down or stood up, and therefore to accurately measure the time from when a person stands up from the seat body to when he or she sits down on the seat body.

[0015] The seat system described above includes a time measurement unit that measures time based on the judgment result of the seating judgment unit, and the time measurement unit can be configured to start measuring time when the seating judgment unit judges that a person has sat in the seat body, to execute a predetermined action for encouraging the person sitting in the seat body to stand up when a predetermined time has elapsed since the start of the time measurement, and to stop the predetermined action when the seating judgment unit judges that a person has stood up from the seat body.

[0016] According to this, by being able to accurately determine whether a person has sat down or stood up, it is possible to accurately measure the time since the person sat down on the seat body. This allows a predetermined action to be executed at a precise timing. And, by having the person who sat on the seat body stand up as a result of the execution of the predetermined action, it is possible to prevent the person from continuing to sit for a long period of time.

[0017] In the seat system described above, the predetermined operation is, for example, an operation of playing a predetermined sound, including music.

[0018] The seat system described above includes a time measurement unit that measures time based on the judgment result of the seating judgment unit, and the time measurement unit starts measuring time when the seating judgment unit determines that a person has sat in the seat body, and ends measuring time when the seating judgment unit determines that the person has stood up from the seat body, and can be configured to calculate the elapsed time from the start of measuring time to the end of measuring time.

[0019] This allows accurate determination of sitting and standing, thereby enabling accurate measurement of the time from when a person sits on the seat body to when they stand up from the seat body.

[0020] In the above-described seat system, the seating determination unit can be configured to determine that a person has stood up from the seat body when a first time has elapsed since the first sensor stopped detecting a person sitting in the seat body and the second sensor stopped detecting a person sitting in the seat body.

[0021] According to this, since the seat body determines that the person has stood up only after the person has properly stood up, it is possible to more accurately determine that the person has stood up.

[0022] In the above-described seat system, the seating determination unit can be configured to determine that a person has sat in the seat body when a second time has elapsed since the first sensor detected a person sitting in the seat body and the second sensor detected a person sitting in the seat body.

[0023] According to this, it is determined that a person is sitting in the seat body only after the person is properly seated, so that it is possible to more accurately determine whether or not a person is sitting. Effect of the Invention

[0024] According to the present invention, sitting and standing can be determined with high accuracy.

[0025] In addition, by arranging the first sensor, which is a pressure sensor, at a position corresponding to the buttocks and the second sensor at a position corresponding to the thighs, it is possible to more accurately determine whether the user is sitting down or standing up.

[0026] Furthermore, by providing first sensors on the left and right sides corresponding to the buttocks and providing second sensors on the left and right sides corresponding to the thighs, sitting and standing can be determined with even greater accuracy.

[0027] In addition, by starting time measurement when it is determined that a person has stood up and ending time measurement when it is determined that the person has sat down, it is possible to accurately measure the time from when a person stands up from the seat body to when they sit down on the seat body.

[0028] In addition, by starting time measurement when it is determined that a person has sat down, it is possible to measure the time since the person sat down on the seat body with high accuracy. In addition, by executing a predetermined action when a predetermined time has elapsed since the start of measurement, and stopping the predetermined action when it is determined that the person has stood up, it is possible to prevent the person from continuing to sit for a long period of time.

[0029] In addition, by starting time measurement when it is determined that a person has sat down and ending time measurement when it is determined that a person has stood up, it is possible to accurately measure the time from when a person sits down on the seat body to when they stand up from the seat body.

[0030] In addition, by determining that a person has stood up from the seat body when a first time has elapsed since each sensor stopped detecting a person sitting in the seat body, it is possible to more accurately determine whether or not a person has stood up.

[0031] In addition, by determining that a person has sat in the seat body when a second time has elapsed since each sensor detected a person sitting in the seat body, it is possible to more accurately determine whether a person has sat in the seat body. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0032] [Figure 1] 1 is a diagram showing an overall configuration of a seat system according to an embodiment; [Diagram 2] 1 is a block diagram of a seat system according to a first embodiment. [Diagram 3] 6 is a flowchart showing an example of a process of a terminal in the first embodiment. [Figure 4] FIG. 11 is a block diagram of a seat system according to a second embodiment. [Diagram 5] 13 is a flowchart showing an example of processing of a terminal in the second embodiment. [Figure 6] 13 is a flowchart showing an example of a process of a terminal in the third embodiment. [Figure 7] FIG. 13 is a diagram showing a modified example of a sheet. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0033] [First embodiment] Next, a first embodiment of the invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. In this specification, the terms front, back, left, right, top and bottom are based on the front, back, left, right, top and bottom as seen by a person sitting in the seat.

[0034] As shown in FIG. 1, the seat system SYS includes a seat C and a terminal M. The seat C includes a seat body C0 on which a person sits, a plurality of detection sensors S1 to S10, and a communication control unit CN. The seat body C0 has a seat portion CA on which a person sits and a backrest CB.

[0035] The detection sensors S1 to S10 are sensors that detect a person sitting on the seat main body C0. In this embodiment, the detection sensors S1 to S10 are pressure sensors that obtain pressure measurements from a person sitting on the seat main body C0. In the following, the pressure measurement value of the detection sensor S1 is indicated as P1, the pressure measurement value of the detection sensor S2 is indicated as P2, the pressure measurement value of the detection sensor S3 is indicated as P3, and the pressure measurement value of the detection sensor Sn is indicated as Pn.

[0036] The detection sensors S1 to S10 are provided on the seat body C0. The detection sensors S1 to S10 are disposed at positions facing a person sitting on the seat body C0. Specifically, the detection sensors S1 to S6 are provided on the seat portion CA of the seat body C0. The detection sensors S1 to S3 and the detection sensors S4 to S6 are arranged symmetrically with respect to the left-right center of the seat body C0.

[0037] The detection sensors S1, S2, S4, and S5 are disposed at the rear of the seat CA, specifically at positions corresponding to the buttocks of a person sitting on the seat CA. More specifically, the detection sensors S1 and S4 are disposed at a position below the lowest part of the ischial bones of a person sitting on the seat CA, where the weight from the person sitting on the seat CA is the greatest. The detection sensors S2 and S5 are disposed at a position slightly forward of the detection sensors S1 and S4. The detection sensors S1, S2, S4, and S5 obtain pressure measurements P1, P2, P4, and P5 from the buttocks of the person sitting on the seat CA. Hereinafter, a person sitting on the seat CA (seat body C0) is also referred to as a "seater."

[0038] The detection sensors S3 and S6 are arranged at positions different from the detection sensors S1, S2, S4, and S5, specifically, at positions forward and away from the detection sensors S1, S2, S4, and S5. More specifically, the detection sensors S3 and S6 are arranged at positions corresponding to the thighs of a person sitting on the seat CA. More specifically, the detection sensors S3 and S6 are arranged at positions below the thighs of the seated person. More specifically, the detection sensor S3 is arranged at a position below the right thigh of the seated person, and the detection sensor S6 is arranged at a position below the left thigh of the seated person. The detection sensors S3 and S6 acquire pressure measurements P3 and P6 from the thighs of the seated person.

[0039] The detection sensors S7 to S10 are provided on the backrest CB of the seat body C0. The detection sensors S7, S8 and the detection sensors S9, S10 are arranged symmetrically with respect to the left-right center of the seat body C0.

[0040] The detection sensors S7 and S9 are disposed at positions corresponding to the lumbar region of the seated person. More specifically, the detection sensors S7 and S9 are disposed at positions behind the lumbar region of the seated person. The detection sensors S7 and S9 obtain pressure measurements P7 and P9 from the lumbar region of the seated person.

[0041] The detection sensors S8 and S10 are disposed at positions above and away from the detection sensors S7 and S9, specifically, at positions corresponding to the upper part of the back of the seated person. More specifically, the detection sensors S8 and S10 are disposed behind the upper part of the back of the seated person. The detection sensors S8 and S10 obtain pressure measurements P8 and P10 from the upper part of the back of the seated person.

[0042] In this embodiment, the detection sensors S1, S2, S4, and S5 correspond to the "first sensor," and the detection sensors S3 and S6 correspond to the "second sensor." That is, the detection sensors S1 to S10 include the detection sensors S1, S2, S4, and S5 as the first sensors, and the detection sensors S3 and S6 as the second sensors. Furthermore, the detection sensors S1, S2, S4, and S5 include two right detection sensors S1 and S2, and two left detection sensors S4 and S5. Furthermore, the detection sensors S3 and S6 include one right detection sensor S3 and one left detection sensor S6.

[0043] The communication control unit CN is connected to the detection sensors S1 to S10. The communication control unit CN is capable of communicating with the terminal M via the network 20, and transmits pressure measurement values ​​P1 to P10 acquired by the detection sensors S1 to S10 to the terminal M. The communication control unit CN is disposed, for example, on the underside of the seat CA or inside the backrest CB. The network 20 is, for example, the Internet or a LAN (Local Area Network). Note that the communication between the communication control unit CN and the terminal M via the network 20 may be wireless communication or wired communication.

[0044] The terminal M is a computer equipped with a CPU, a ROM, a RAM, and the like. Specifically, the terminal M is, for example, a personal computer, a tablet computer, or a smartphone. The terminal M has a display DSP. As shown in FIG. 2, the terminal M includes a seating determination unit 11, a time measurement unit 12, and a memory unit 19. The memory unit 19 stores data necessary for calculations, processing, and the like. The terminal M realizes functions such as the seating determination unit 11 by installing and executing a predetermined program.

[0045] The seating determination unit 11 determines whether or not a person has sat on the seat body C0 based on the detection results of the detection sensors S1 to S10. In detail, in this embodiment, the seating determination unit 11 determines whether a person has sat on the seat body C0 (hereinafter also referred to as "sitting") or whether a person has stood up from the seat body C0 (hereinafter also referred to as "standing up") based on the detection results of the detection sensors S1 to S6.

[0046] The seating determination unit 11 determines that a person has sat on the seat body C0 on the condition that the detection sensors S1, S2, S4, and S5 detect a person sitting on the seat body C0 and the detection sensors S3 and S6 detect a person sitting on the seat body C0. Specifically, the seating determination unit 11 determines that a person has sat on the seat body C0 on the condition that the measurement values ​​P1, P2, P4, and P5 of the detection sensors S1, S2, S4, and S5 are equal to or greater than a first seating threshold value Pth1 and the measurement values ​​P3 and P6 of the detection sensors S3 and S6 are equal to or greater than a second seating threshold value Pth2.

[0047] More specifically, in this embodiment, the seating determination unit 11 determines that a person has sat on the seat body C0 when the detection sensors S1, S2, S4, and S5 detect a person sitting on the seat body C0 and the detection sensors S3 and S6 detect the person sitting on the seat body C0 and a second time T2 has elapsed since the detection sensors S3 and S6 detected the person sitting on the seat body C0. Specifically, the seating determination unit 11 determines that a person has sat on the seat when the second time T2 has elapsed since the measurement values ​​P1, P2, P4, and P5 became equal to or greater than the first seating threshold Pth1 and the measurement values ​​P3 and P6 became equal to or greater than the second seating threshold Pth2.

[0048] The second time T2 is a preset time and is stored in the storage unit 19. The second time T2 is set, for example, to the time from when each of the measured values ​​P1 to P6 becomes equal to or greater than the seating thresholds Pth1, Pth2 until the person is properly seated.

[0049] The first seating threshold Pth1 and the second seating threshold Pth2 are preset thresholds and are stored in the memory unit 19. The first seating threshold Pth1 and the second seating threshold Pth2 may be the same value or different values. The first seating threshold Pth1 may be the same value or different values ​​for each of the detection sensors S1, S2, S4, and S5. The same is true for the second seating threshold Pth2. As an example, the first seating threshold Pth1 and the second seating threshold Pth2 are all 10.

[0050] On the other hand, the seating determination unit 11 determines that a person has stood up from the seat body C0 on the condition that the detection sensors S1, S2, S4, and S5 no longer detect the person sitting on the seat body C0 and the detection sensors S3 and S6 no longer detect the person sitting on the seat body C0. Specifically, the seating determination unit 11 determines that a person has stood up from the seat body C0 on the condition that the respective measurement values ​​P1, P2, P4, and P5 of the detection sensors S1, S2, S4, and S5 are equal to or less than the first standing threshold Pth3 and the respective measurement values ​​P3 and P6 of the detection sensors S3 and S6 are equal to or less than the second standing threshold Pth4.

[0051] The first standing threshold Pth3 and the second standing threshold Pth4 are preset thresholds and stored in the storage unit 19. The first standing threshold Pth3 is a value smaller than the first sitting threshold Pth1, and the second standing threshold Pth4 is a value smaller than the second sitting threshold Pth2. The first standing threshold Pth3 and the second standing threshold Pth4 may be the same value or different values. The first standing threshold Pth3 may be the same value or different values ​​for each of the detection sensors S1, S2, S4, and S5. The same is true for the second standing threshold Pth4. As an example, the first standing threshold Pth3 and the second standing threshold Pth4 are all 5.

[0052] In this embodiment, the seating determination unit 11 determines that a person has stood up from the seat body C0 when the first time T1 has elapsed since the detection sensors S1, S2, S4, and S5 stopped detecting the person sitting on the seat body C0 and the detection sensors S3 and S6 stopped detecting the person sitting on the seat body C0. Specifically, the seating determination unit 11 determines that a person has stood up when the first time T1 has elapsed since the measurement values ​​P1, P2, P4, and P5 became equal to or smaller than the first standing threshold Pth3 and the measurement values ​​P3 and P6 became equal to or smaller than the second standing threshold Pth4.

[0053] The first time T1 is a preset time and is stored in the storage unit 19. The first time T1 is set, for example, to the time from when each of the measured values ​​P1 to P6 becomes equal to or lower than the standing thresholds Pth3, Pth4 until the person properly stands up. The first time T1 and the second time T2 may be the same or different.

[0054] The time measurement unit 12 measures time based on the judgment result of the seating judgment unit 11. Specifically, the time measurement unit 12 starts measuring time when the person seated on the seat body C0 stands up and the seating judgment unit 11 judges that the person has stood up, and ends measuring time when the person sits on the seat body C0 again and the seating judgment unit 11 judges that the person is seated. Then, the time measurement unit 12 calculates the elapsed time T from the start of measuring time to the end of measuring time. Specifically, the time measurement unit 12 calculates the elapsed time T based on the time when the time measurement started and the time when the time measurement ended. The time measurement unit 12 displays the measurement result, i.e., the calculated elapsed time T, on the display DSP of the terminal M.

[0055] The seat system SYS of this embodiment can be used, for example, in measuring the TUG test (Timed Up and Go Test). The TUG test is a test for evaluating the physical functions of elderly people and the like by measuring the time it takes to stand up from a chair, go around a marker (cone) 3 m away, and sit back down in the chair. By using the seat system SYS of this embodiment in the TUG test, it is possible to measure the time it takes to stand up from a chair and sit back down in the chair without using a stopwatch.

[0056] Next, an example of the processing of the terminal M in the first embodiment will be described. In this embodiment, the terminal M first judges whether or not a person is sitting on the seat body C0. Specifically, as shown in FIG. 3, it judges whether or not all of the measured values ​​P1 to P6 of the detection sensors S1 to S6 are equal to or greater than the seating threshold value 10 (Pth1, Pth2) (S101). If all of the measured values ​​P1 to P6 are equal to or greater than the seating threshold value 10 (S101, Yes), the terminal M judges whether or not a second time T2 has elapsed since all of the measured values ​​P1 to P6 became equal to or greater than the seating threshold value 10 (S102, Yes). If the second time T2 has elapsed since all of the measured values ​​P1 to P6 became equal to or greater than the seating threshold value 10 (S102, Yes), the terminal M judges that a person is sitting (seated) on the seat body C0 (S103).

[0057] Next, terminal M determines whether all of the measured values ​​P1 to P6 are equal to or less than the standing threshold 5 (Pth3, Pth4) (S111). If all of the measured values ​​P1 to P6 are equal to or less than the standing threshold 5 (S111, Yes), terminal M determines whether or not a first time T1 has elapsed since all of the measured values ​​P1 to P6 became equal to or less than the standing threshold 5 (S112). If the first time T1 has elapsed since all of the measured values ​​P1 to P6 became equal to or less than the standing threshold 5 (S112, Yes), terminal M determines that the user has stood up (S113) and starts measuring time (S114).

[0058] Next, terminal M determines whether all of the measured values ​​P1 to P6 are equal to or greater than the seating threshold 10 (S121). If all of the measured values ​​P1 to P6 are equal to or greater than the seating threshold 10 (S121, Yes), terminal M determines whether a second time T2 has elapsed since all of the measured values ​​P1 to P6 became equal to or greater than the seating threshold 10 (S122). If the second time T2 has elapsed since all of the measured values ​​P1 to P6 became equal to or greater than the seating threshold 10 (S122, Yes), terminal M determines that the person has sat down (S123) and ends the time measurement (S124).

[0059] Thereafter, the terminal M calculates the elapsed time T (S131), displays the calculated elapsed time T on the display DSP (S132), and ends the process.

[0060] According to the first embodiment described above, since the plurality of detection sensors S1 to S6 are used to determine whether the person is sitting down or standing up, it is possible to accurately determine whether the person is sitting down or standing up.

[0061] In addition, since the detection sensors S1, S2, S4, and S5 are disposed at positions corresponding to the buttocks of the seated person, and the detection sensors S3 and S6 are disposed at positions corresponding to the thighs of the seated person, the detection sensors S1 to S6 are disposed at positions where a large pressure is applied when a person sits on the seat body C0. This makes it possible to more accurately determine whether the person is sitting or standing using the detection sensors S1 to S6.

[0062] In addition, since the detection sensors S1, S2, S4, and S5 corresponding to the buttocks of the seated person are arranged in pairs on each side, and the detection sensors S3 and S6 corresponding to the thighs of the seated person are arranged in pairs on each side, it is possible to determine whether the person is sitting or standing up using more sensors, which allows the person to determine whether the person is sitting or standing up with even greater accuracy.

[0063] Furthermore, by being able to accurately determine whether a person has sat down or stood up, the time measurement unit 12 can accurately measure the time from when a person stands up from the seat body C0 to when he or she sits down on the seat body C0.

[0064] Furthermore, the seating determination unit 11 determines that the person has stood up when the first time T1 has elapsed since all of the measured values ​​P1 to P6 of the detection sensors S1 to S6 became equal to or less than the standing threshold value 5 (Pth3, Pth4), and can therefore determine that the person has stood up from the seat body C0 only after the person has properly stood up. This allows for more accurate determination of whether the person has stood up.

[0065] Furthermore, the seating determination unit 11 determines that a person is seated when the second time T2 has elapsed since all of the measured values ​​P1 to P6 became equal to or greater than the seating threshold value 10 (Pth1, Pth2), and can therefore determine that a person is seated on the seat body C0 only after the person is properly seated. This allows for more accurate determination of whether a person is seated.

[0066] The seat system SYS according to the first embodiment can also be used for a game in which participants compete to see who can stand up from the seat body C0, walk around a landmark several meters away, and sit back down on the seat body C0 in the shortest time. In this case, when a person is sitting on the seat body C0 and starts the game by starting a game application program on the terminal M, a countdown starts, and when the count reaches 0, the person stands up from the seat body C0, so that the time measurement starts.

[0067] In addition, the countdown may be set to start when, for example, 5 seconds have elapsed since a person sits on the seat body C0 after the game application program has been launched on terminal M and the game has begun, and the measured values ​​P1 to P6 of the detection sensors S1 to S6 exceed the seating threshold value 10 (Pth1, Pth2).

[0068] Alternatively, the time measurement may be started when the count reaches 0, and then the time measurement may be ended when the person stands up from the seat body C0, walks around the marker, and sits on the seat body C0 again (when it is determined that the person is seated). Also, if the measured values ​​P1 to P6 become less than the seating threshold value 10 before the count reaches 0, the display DSP of the terminal M may display "Premature".

[0069] [Second embodiment] Next, a second embodiment will be described. In the following, the same components as those in the previously described embodiment will be denoted by the same reference numerals, and the description thereof will be omitted as appropriate. As shown in FIG. 4, the terminal M includes a seating determination unit 11, a time measurement unit 12, a music playback unit 13, and a storage unit 19.

[0070] The seating determination unit 11 determines that the person has sat down when the measured values ​​P1, P2, P4, and P5 of the detection sensors S1, S2, S4, and S5 are equal to or greater than the first seating threshold Pth1 and the measured values ​​P3 and P6 of the detection sensors S3 and S6 are equal to or greater than the second seating threshold Pth2. On the other hand, the seating determination unit 11 determines that the person has stood up when the measured values ​​P1, P2, P4, and P5 are equal to or less than the first standing threshold Pth3 and the measured values ​​P3 and P6 are equal to or less than the second standing threshold Pth4 and a first time T1 has elapsed since these values.

[0071] The time measurement unit 12 starts measuring time (seating time Ts) when the seating determination unit 11 determines that the person is seated. Then, when a predetermined time Tsth has elapsed since the start of measurement of the seating time Ts, the time measurement unit 12 executes a predetermined action for encouraging the person sitting in the seat body C0 to stand up. The predetermined action is an action of playing a predetermined sound, including music. In this embodiment, the predetermined action is an action of playing music. That is, the time measurement unit 12 causes the music playback unit 13 to play music when the seating time Ts becomes equal to or longer than the predetermined time Tsth.

[0072] The predetermined time Tsth is, for example, 30 minutes or 1 hour. Note that the predetermined time Tsth may be freely set by a user who uses the seat system SYS.

[0073] After performing a predetermined action, if the seating determination unit 11 determines that the user has stood up, the time measurement unit 12 stops the predetermined action. Specifically, after causing the music playback unit 13 to play music, if the seating determination unit 11 determines that the user has stood up, the time measurement unit 12 causes the music playback unit 13 to stop playing music.

[0074] On the other hand, if the seating determination unit 11 determines that the person has stood up before the seating time Ts reaches the predetermined time Tsth after the seating determination unit 11 determines that the person has sat down, the timer 12 does not execute the predetermined action (playback of music). In this case, the timer 12 resets the seating time Ts to 0.

[0075] The seat system SYS of this embodiment can be used as a system that prevents a person from sitting in the seat body C0 for a long period of time, or that notifies a person sitting in the seat body C0 that a certain time has passed.

[0076] Next, an example of the processing of the terminal M in the second embodiment will be described. 5, the terminal M determines whether all of the measured values ​​P1 to P6 of the detection sensors S1 to S6 are equal to or greater than the seating threshold value 10 (Pth1, Pth2) (S211). If all of the measured values ​​P1 to P6 are equal to or greater than the seating threshold value 10 (S211, Yes), the terminal M determines that the person is seated (S212) and starts measuring the seating time Ts (S213).

[0077] Next, the terminal M determines whether the sitting time Ts is equal to or longer than a predetermined time Tsth (S221). If the sitting time Ts is equal to or longer than the predetermined time Tsth (Yes in S221), the terminal M plays music (S231).

[0078] Next, terminal M determines whether all of the measured values ​​P1 to P6 are equal to or less than the standing threshold 5 (Pth3, Pth4) (S241). If all of the measured values ​​P1 to P6 are equal to or less than the standing threshold 5 (S241, Yes), terminal M determines whether or not a first time T1 has elapsed since all of the measured values ​​P1 to P6 became equal to or less than the standing threshold 5 (S242). If the first time T1 has elapsed since all of the measured values ​​P1 to P6 became equal to or less than the standing threshold 5 (S242, Yes), terminal M determines that the user has stood up (S243) and stops playing music (S251).

[0079] Thereafter, the terminal M resets the sitting time Ts (S271) and ends the process.

[0080] Meanwhile, in step S221, if all of the measured values ​​P1 to P6 become equal to or less than the standing threshold 5 (S261, Yes) before the sitting time Ts becomes equal to or more than the predetermined time Tsth (S221, No), the terminal M determines whether or not the first time T1 has elapsed since all of the measured values ​​P1 to P6 became equal to or less than the standing threshold 5 (S262). Then, if the first time T1 has elapsed since all of the measured values ​​P1 to P6 became equal to or less than the standing threshold 5 (S262, Yes), the terminal M determines that the user has stood up (S263), resets the sitting time Ts (S271) without playing music, and ends the process.

[0081] According to the second embodiment described above, as in the first embodiment, the plurality of detection sensors S1 to S6 are used to determine whether the user is sitting or standing, so that the user can accurately determine whether the user is sitting or standing.

[0082] Furthermore, by being able to accurately determine whether a person has sat down or stood up, it is possible to accurately measure the time (sitting time Ts) after the person has sat down on the seat body C0. This allows a specific action (playing music) to be performed at a precise timing. And, by having the person who sat on the seat body C0 stand up as a result of the execution of the specific action, it is possible to prevent the person from continuing to sit for a long period of time.

[0083] In the second embodiment, the predetermined action is exemplified as an action of playing music, but is not limited thereto. For example, the predetermined action may be an action of playing a sound other than music, such as a voice urging the user to stand up, a warning sound, the sound of ocean waves, the sound of a babbling brook, or the chirping of birds. The predetermined action is not limited to an action of playing a sound, and may be, for example, an action of driving a vibration generating device provided in the seat body to vibrate the seat body. The execution of the predetermined action is not limited to the execution of one action, and may be the execution of multiple actions. For example, the action of playing a predetermined sound and the action of vibrating the seat body may be executed simultaneously.

[0084] The seat system SYS according to the second embodiment can also be used in a game in which participants compete to see how many times music is played within a unit time, such as three minutes. In this case, the predetermined time Tsth is set to 10 seconds, for example. Then, when the game application program is started on the terminal M and the game is started, the user sits on the seat body C0. Then, music is played after 10 seconds, so the user stands up from the seat body C0 and stops the music playback. The user can increase the number of times music is played within the unit time by quickly sitting down or standing up.

[0085] [Third embodiment] Next, a third embodiment will be described. As shown in FIG. 2, the terminal M includes a seating determination unit 11, a time measurement unit 12, and a storage unit 19.

[0086] The seating determination unit 11 determines that the person is seated when the measured values ​​P1, P2, P4, and P5 of the detection sensors S1, S2, S4, and S5 are equal to or greater than the first seating threshold Pth1 and the measured values ​​P3 and P6 of the detection sensors S3 and S6 are equal to or greater than the second seating threshold Pth2. On the other hand, the seating determination unit 11 determines that the person is standing up when the measured values ​​P1, P2, P4, and P5 are equal to or less than the first standing threshold Pth3 and the measured values ​​P3 and P6 are equal to or less than the second standing threshold Pth4.

[0087] The timer 12 starts measuring time when the seating determination unit 11 determines that the person has sat down, and ends measuring time when the seating determination unit 11 determines that the person has stood up. The timer 12 then calculates the elapsed time T from the start of measuring time to the end of measuring time.

[0088] The seat system SYS of this embodiment can be used to measure the time spent sitting in the seat body C0. The seat system SYS of this embodiment can be used like a stopwatch.

[0089] Next, an example of the processing of the terminal M in the third embodiment will be described. 6, terminal M determines whether all of the measured values ​​P1 to P6 of detection sensors S1 to S6 are equal to or greater than seating threshold value 10 (Pth1, Pth2) (S311). If all of the measured values ​​P1 to P6 are equal to or greater than seating threshold value 10 (S311, Yes), terminal M determines that a person is seated (S312) and starts measuring time (S313).

[0090] Next, terminal M determines whether all of the measured values ​​P1 to P6 are equal to or less than the standing threshold 5 (Pth3, Pth4) (S321). If all of the measured values ​​P1 to P6 are equal to or less than the standing threshold 5 (S321, Yes), terminal M determines that the user has stood up (S322) and ends the time measurement (S323). Thereafter, the terminal M calculates the elapsed time T (S331), displays the calculated elapsed time T on the display DSP (S332), and ends the process.

[0091] According to the third embodiment described above, as in the first and second embodiments, sitting and standing are determined using a plurality of detection sensors S1 to S6, so that sitting and standing can be determined with high accuracy.

[0092] Furthermore, by being able to accurately determine whether a person has sat down or stood up, the time measurement unit 12 can accurately measure the time from when a person sits on the seat body C0 to when he or she stands up from the seat body C0.

[0093] Although the embodiment of the invention has been described above, the present invention is not limited to the above embodiment, and can be modified as appropriate as exemplified below.

[0094] For example, in the above embodiment, the seat system SYS has the detection sensors S1 to S6 provided on the seat portion CA of the seat body C0, but the present invention is not limited to this, and the seat body itself may not be provided with the detection sensors. Specifically, as shown in Fig. 7, the seat system (seat C) may include a seat body C0 and a seat cushion 30 placed on the seat portion CA of the seat body C0, and the detection sensors S1 to S6 may be provided on the seat cushion 30.

[0095] According to this, even if the seat body C0 itself is not provided with a detection sensor, the seat system can be realized by installing the seat cushion 30 provided with the detection sensors S1 to S6 in the seat CA. As a result, for example, the seat system can be easily introduced by placing the seat cushion having the detection sensor on the seat of an existing chair.

[0096] In the above embodiment, the seat system SYS includes one seat C and a terminal M, but is not limited thereto. For example, the seat system may include multiple seats and terminals. That is, the seat system may include a terminal communicably connected to multiple seats, and may acquire detection results from a sensor for each seat to determine whether the user is sitting or standing, measure time, and so on.

[0097] In the above embodiment, the seating determination unit 11 is provided separately from the seat body C0, but this is not limited thereto. For example, the seating determination unit may be provided in the seat body C0, similar to the sensor. That is, the seat system may be configured such that the seat includes the seat body, the sensor, and the seating determination unit. The same applies to the time measurement unit, etc.

[0098] In the above embodiment, the detection sensors S1, S2, S4, and S5 as the first sensors include two right detection sensors S1 and S2 and two left detection sensors S4 and S5, but the present invention is not limited to this. For example, the right first sensor may be one, or may be three or more. The same applies to the left first sensor. Also, the right first sensor and the left first sensor may have different numbers.

[0099] In the above embodiment, the detection sensors S3 and S6 as the second sensors include one right detection sensor S3 and one left detection sensor S6, but this is not limited to this. For example, the right second sensor may be two or more. The same applies to the left second sensor. The right second sensor and the left second sensor may have different numbers.

[0100] In the above embodiment, the detection sensors S1 to S6 provided on the seat CA alone are used to determine whether the person is sitting or standing up, but this is not limiting. For example, the detection sensors S1 to S6 provided on the seat CA and the detection sensors S7 to S10 provided on the backrest CB may both be used to determine whether the person is sitting or standing up.

[0101] In the above embodiment, both the first sensor and the second sensor are disposed on the seat of the seat body, but this is not limited thereto. For example, the first sensor may be disposed on the seat and the second sensor may be disposed on the backrest. As an example, the first sensor may be disposed at a position corresponding to the buttocks of the seated person, and the second sensor may be disposed at a position corresponding to the waist of the seated person.

[0102] In the above embodiment, the detection sensors S1 to S10 are pressure sensors, but are not limited thereto and may be, for example, capacitance sensors, optical sensors, etc. In the above embodiment, only a pressure sensor (one type of sensor) is used to determine whether a person is sitting or standing, but are not limited thereto and may be used to determine whether a person is sitting or standing using two or more types of sensors (for example, a pressure sensor and an optical sensor). The seat body may be provided with sensors other than the sensor that detects a person sitting on the seat body.

[0103] In the above embodiment, the seat body C0 has the seat CA and the backrest CB, but is not limited to this. For example, the seat body may further have a headrest, armrests, etc. in addition to the seat and the backrest. For example, the seat body may have only the seat and not have a backrest.

[0104] Furthermore, the elements described in the above-described embodiment and modified examples may be implemented in any combination. [Explanation of symbols]

[0105] 11. Seating Judgment Section 12 Time measurement section C0 Seat body CA seat S1~S10 Detection sensors SYS Seat System

Claims

1. A seat body on which a person sits; A plurality of sensors for detecting a person sitting in the seat body, the sensors including a first sensor and a second sensor disposed at a position different from that of the first sensor; a seating determination unit that determines whether or not a person is seated on the seat body based on a detection result of the sensor; a time measurement unit that measures a time based on a determination result of the seating determination unit, The seating determination unit is determining that a person has sat in the seat body on the condition that the first sensor detects a person sitting in the seat body and the second sensor detects a person sitting in the seat body; determining that a person has stood up from the seat body when a first time has elapsed since the first sensor stopped detecting a person sitting in the seat body and the second sensor stopped detecting a person sitting in the seat body; The time measurement unit is when the seating determination unit determines that a person is seated on the seat body, the seating time measurement is started; execute a predetermined action to prompt the person sitting in the seat body to stand up when a predetermined time has elapsed since starting to measure the sitting time; A seat system comprising: a seat occupancy determination unit that, when determining that a person has stood up from the seat body, stops the predetermined operation and resets a seating time.

2. the first sensor and the second sensor are pressure sensors; The seating determination unit is determining that a person is sitting on the seat body when a measurement value of the first sensor is equal to or greater than a first seating threshold and a measurement value of the second sensor is equal to or greater than a second seating threshold; The seat system according to claim 1, characterized in that it is determined that a person has stood up from the seat body when the measurement value of the first sensor becomes equal to or less than a first standing threshold which is smaller than the first sitting threshold, and when the measurement value of the second sensor becomes equal to or less than a second standing threshold which is smaller than the second sitting threshold.

3. The seat body has a seat portion on which a person sits, The first sensor is disposed at a position corresponding to the buttocks of a person sitting on the seat, 3. The seat system according to claim 2, wherein the second sensor is disposed at a position corresponding to a thigh of a person sitting on the seat.

4. the first sensors include at least one right first sensor and at least one left first sensor; 4. The seating system of claim 3, wherein the second sensors include at least one right second sensor and at least one left second sensor.

5. 5. The seat system according to claim 1, wherein the predetermined operation is an operation of playing a predetermined sound, including music.

6. 6. The seat system according to claim 1, wherein the seating determination unit determines that a person has sat in the seat body when a second time has elapsed since the first sensor detected a person sitting in the seat body and the second sensor detected a person sitting in the seat body.

Citation Information

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