Information processing device, information processing system, information processing method, and program

Abstract

An information processing device 20 is provided with a control unit 21 which repeats a series of cycles of: acquiring a measured value, measured in a prescribed measurement period, of biometric information thought to be associated with the lifestyle of a user; determining whether the measured value measured in the measurement period satisfies a prescribed determination condition; and notifying the user about whether, in accordance with the result of the determination, limitation with respect to the lifestyle of the user may be relaxed. When notifying the user about whether the limitation with respect to the lifestyle of the user may be relaxed in accordance with the result of the determination, the control unit 21 receives from the user a selection as to whether the measurement period should be extended.

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present disclosure relates to an information processing device, an information processing system, an information processing method, and a program. [Background technology]

[0002] In order to prevent the onset and progression of complications associated with lifestyle-related diseases such as diabetes, it is necessary to continuously manage one's lifestyle through exercise, dietary management, drug therapy, etc. As a technology for supporting the treatment of lifestyle-related diseases, Patent Document 1 describes a configuration for predicting how blood glucose levels will change due to diet and exercise. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2012-88947 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] However, because the treatment and improvement of lifestyle-related diseases requires long-term self-management, even patients who are highly conscious about their treatment often find it difficult to continue treatment due to so-called treatment fatigue.

[0005] An object of the present disclosure is to provide an information processing device, an information processing system, an information processing method, and a program that support patients with lifestyle-related diseases in continuing their treatment. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] An information processing device according to one embodiment of the present disclosure includes a control unit that repeatedly executes a series of cycles: acquiring measurement values ​​of biometric information that are considered to be relevant to a user's lifestyle habits, measured during a predetermined measurement period; determining whether the measurement values ​​measured during the measurement period satisfy predetermined judgment conditions; and notifying the user whether restrictions on the user's lifestyle habits can be relaxed based on the results of the judgment; and when notifying the user whether restrictions on the user's lifestyle habits can be relaxed based on the results of the judgment, the control unit accepts from the user a choice of whether to extend the measurement period.

[0007] In one embodiment, when the user selects to extend the measurement period, the control unit extends the measurement period in the cycle in which the user selected to extend the measurement period, acquires the measurement values ​​measured during the extended measurement period, determines whether the measurement values ​​satisfy the predetermined judgment conditions, and notifies the user again whether restrictions on the user's lifestyle habits can be relaxed based on the results of the judgment.

[0008] In one embodiment, when the control unit notifies the user in the cycle in which the measurement period is extended whether or not restrictions on the user's lifestyle habits can be relaxed based on the results of the judgment on the measurement values ​​measured during the extended measurement period, the control unit accepts a choice from the user as to whether or not to further extend the extended measurement period.

[0009] In one embodiment, the control unit determines whether the measurement values ​​obtained in the previous cycle satisfy a long-term judgment condition, which is a judgment condition set separately from the predetermined judgment condition, and if the measurement values ​​obtained in the previous cycle do not satisfy the long-term judgment condition, in the currently running cycle, does not perform the process of determining whether the measurement values ​​measured during the measurement period satisfy the predetermined judgment condition, and the process of notifying the user whether restrictions on the user's lifestyle habits can be relaxed depending on the result of the determination.

[0010] In one embodiment, when it is determined that the measurement values ​​measured during the measurement period satisfy predetermined judgment conditions, the control unit further notifies the user of lifestyle-related actions that the user can select.

[0011] In one embodiment, a first judgment condition and a second judgment condition are predefined as the predetermined judgment conditions, and if the control unit determines that the measurement values ​​measured during the measurement period satisfy the first judgment condition, it notifies the user of a first behavior related to a lifestyle habit that the user can select, and if the control unit determines that the measurement values ​​satisfy the second judgment condition, it notifies the user of a second behavior related to a lifestyle habit that the user can select.

[0012] In one embodiment, the control unit acquires the measurement values ​​from a measurement device that measures the biometric information of the user.

[0013] In one embodiment, the control unit determines whether or not at least one of a TIR and an average value of the measurement values ​​during the measurement period satisfies the determination condition.

[0014] In one embodiment, the biological information is the blood glucose level of the user.

[0015] An information processing system according to one embodiment of the present disclosure includes a measurement device that measures biometric information that is considered to be relevant to a user's lifestyle habits, and an information processing device that can communicate with the measurement device. The information processing device includes a control unit that repeatedly executes a series of cycles: acquiring measurement values ​​of the biometric information that is considered to be relevant to the user's lifestyle habits, measured during a predetermined measurement period; determining whether the measurement values ​​measured during the measurement period satisfy predetermined judgment conditions; and notifying the user whether restrictions on the user's lifestyle habits can be relaxed based on the results of the judgment; and when notifying the user whether restrictions on the user's lifestyle habits can be relaxed based on the results of the judgment, the control unit accepts from the user a choice of whether to extend the measurement period.

[0016] An information processing method as one embodiment of the present disclosure is an information processing method of an information processing device, in which a control unit of the information processing device repeatedly executes a series of cycles: acquires measurement values ​​of biometric information that are measured during a predetermined measurement period and are considered to be relevant to a user's lifestyle habits; determines whether the measurement values ​​measured during the measurement period satisfy predetermined judgment conditions; and notifies the user whether restrictions on the user's lifestyle habits can be relaxed depending on the judgment results; and when notifying the user whether restrictions on the user's lifestyle habits can be relaxed depending on the judgment results, the control unit accepts from the user a choice of whether to extend the measurement period.

[0017] A program as one embodiment of the present disclosure is a program for a computer that causes the computer to repeatedly execute a process including a series of cycles: acquiring measurement values ​​of biometric information that are considered to be relevant to a user's lifestyle habits, measured during a predetermined measurement period; determining whether the measurement values ​​measured during the measurement period satisfy predetermined judgment conditions; and notifying the user whether restrictions on the user's lifestyle habits can be relaxed based on the result of the judgment; and, when notifying the user whether restrictions on the user's lifestyle habits can be relaxed based on the result of the judgment, causes the computer to execute a process of accepting from the user a choice of whether to extend the measurement period. [Effects of the Invention]

[0018] According to one embodiment of the present disclosure, it is possible to support patients with lifestyle-related diseases in continuing their treatment. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0019] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating an example of the configuration of a support system according to an embodiment. [Figure 2] FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating an example of the configuration of the measurement device shown in FIG. [Figure 3] FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating an example of the configuration of a patient terminal illustrated in FIG. [Figure 4] FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating an example of the configuration of a medical staff terminal illustrated in FIG. [Figure 5] FIG. 10 is a diagram illustrating an example of a reward cycle in the support system. [Figure 6] FIG. 10 is a diagram showing an example of a condition for determining a reward. [Figure 7A] FIG. 10 is a diagram illustrating the determination of a reward based on the blood glucose level measurement value. [Figure 7B] FIG. 10 is a diagram illustrating the determination of a reward based on the blood glucose level measurement value. [Figure 7C] FIG. 10 is a diagram illustrating the determination of a reward based on the blood glucose level measurement value. [Figure 8]FIG. 10 is a diagram showing an example of a reward. [Figure 9] FIG. 10 is a diagram illustrating an example of presenting a reward by the support system. [Figure 10] FIG. 10 is a diagram illustrating an example of presenting a reward by the support system. [Figure 11A] FIG. 10 is a diagram illustrating an example of presenting a reward by the support system. [Figure 11B] FIG. 10 is a diagram illustrating an example of presenting a reward by the support system. [Figure 12] 2 is a diagram showing an example of a display screen of the patient terminal shown in FIG. 1. FIG. [Figure 13] 2 is a diagram showing an example of a display screen of the patient terminal shown in FIG. 1. FIG. [Figure 14A] 2 is a flowchart showing a processing procedure of the patient terminal shown in FIG. [Figure 14B] 2 is a flowchart showing a processing procedure of the patient terminal shown in FIG. [Figure 14C] 2 is a flowchart showing a processing procedure of the patient terminal shown in FIG. [Figure 14D] 2 is a flowchart showing a processing procedure of the patient terminal shown in FIG. [Figure 15] 2 is a flowchart showing a processing procedure of the medical staff terminal shown in FIG. 1. [Figure 16] 2 is a flowchart showing a processing procedure of the measurement device shown in FIG. [Figure 17] FIG. 10 is a diagram showing an example of a condition for determining a reward. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0020] Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present disclosure will be described with reference to the drawings. In each drawing, the same or corresponding parts are designated by the same reference numerals. In the description of this embodiment, the description of the same or corresponding parts will be omitted or simplified as appropriate.

[0021] First Embodiment (Support system) 1 is a diagram showing an example of the configuration of a support system 1 as an information processing system according to an embodiment. The support system 1 includes a measurement device 10, a patient terminal 20, a medical staff terminal 30, and a cloud 40.

[0022] The measuring device 10 is a device that measures biological information that is thought to be related to the lifestyle habits of a patient (user) 91. As an example of such biological information, this embodiment will describe a case where the measuring device 10 measures the blood glucose level of the patient 91. The measuring device 10 is attached to the arm, abdomen, etc. of the patient 91, and measures the blood glucose level of the patient 91 in real time. In this embodiment, an example will be described in which blood glucose level measurement by the measuring device 10 is achieved by CGM (Continuous Glucose Monitoring), but this may also be achieved by other methods such as FGM (Flash Glucose Monitoring).

[0023] The patient terminal 20 as an information processing device according to this embodiment is a terminal device operated by a patient 91 as a user. In this embodiment, an example in which the patient terminal 20 is realized by a smartphone will be described, but it may also be realized by any information processing device such as a tablet terminal or a PC (Personal Computer). The patient terminal 20 receives blood glucose level measurements from the measuring device 10 via a communication path such as Bluetooth (registered trademark), and displays a screen related to lifestyle management according to the blood glucose level measurements. The patient 91 performs lifestyle management by referring to the screen displayed on the measuring device 10.

[0024] The medical worker terminal 30 is a terminal device operated by a medical worker 92, such as a doctor or a nurse. In this embodiment, an example in which the medical worker terminal 30 is realized by a PC will be described, but it may also be realized by any information processing device such as a tablet terminal or a smartphone. The medical worker 92 operates the medical worker terminal 30 to set information such as the determination conditions for the reward to be applied to the patient 91 and the content of the reward.

[0025] The cloud 40 is an information processing device that communicates with the patient terminal 20 and the medical staff terminal 30 and manages information such as measurement values ​​of biological information such as blood glucose levels, reward determination conditions, reward contents, and rewards selected by the patient 91. The cloud 40 may be realized by an information processing device such as a WS (Workstation) or PC. The cloud 40 communicates with the patient terminal 20 and the medical staff terminal 30 using the Internet or a carrier network, and synchronizes information such as measurement values ​​of biological information such as blood glucose levels, determination conditions for rewards (described below), reward contents, and rewards selected by the patient 91 between these terminals.

[0026] In this embodiment, patient 91 suffers from diabetes, and as part of his treatment, he receives and implements lifestyle management guidance from medical professional 92 regarding calorie intake, carbohydrate restriction, exercise, and other aspects of his lifestyle. If the patient's blood glucose level measured by measurement device 10 during the measurement period satisfies preset criteria, patient terminal 20 notifies patient 91 that a break with reduced intensity of treatment is permitted as a reward. The reward may be, for example, permission to eat staple foods or snacks with low carbohydrate restriction, or to reduce the intensity of exercise. By repeatedly performing a cycle of obtaining blood glucose level measurements during the measurement period and providing rewards based on the measurements, patient terminal 20 increases and maintains patient 91's motivation for treatment and prevents interruptions to treatment.

[0027] Furthermore, when notifying the patient terminal 20 of the result of the determination of whether or not to grant a reward, the patient terminal 20 accepts from the patient 91 a choice of whether or not to extend the measurement period. As a result, even if a reward was not granted based on the determination based on the measurement values ​​of the measurement period before the extension, the extended measurement period may result in a reward being granted if the measurement results for the entire measurement period improve. Furthermore, if a reward was granted based on the determination based on the measurement values ​​of the measurement period before the extension, a reward with a less intense treatment may be granted if the measurement results for the entire measurement period after the extension become even better. Therefore, by selecting to extend the measurement period and properly managing one's lifestyle, the patient 91 may be granted a reward that was not granted before or a more advantageous reward, thereby increasing their motivation for treatment. Therefore, according to this embodiment, the patient 91's motivation for treatment can be further increased and maintained, preventing treatment interruptions and supporting the patient 91's continuation of treatment.

[0028] (Measuring equipment) Fig. 2 is a diagram showing an example of the configuration of the measurement device 10 shown in Fig. 1. The measurement device 10 includes a control unit 11, a clock 12, a sensor 13, a measurement unit 14, a communication unit 15, a storage unit 16, and a power supply unit 17.

[0029] The control unit 11 is one or more processors. The control unit 11 is realized by a dedicated processor specialized for processing such as measuring the blood glucose level of the patient 91 and communicating with the patient terminal 20 via the communication unit 15, but may also be realized by a general-purpose processor such as a CPU (Central Processing Unit). The control unit 11 may include one or more dedicated circuits, or one or more processors in the control unit 11 may be replaced with one or more dedicated circuits. The dedicated circuits are, for example, FPGAs (Field-Programmable Gate Arrays) or ASICs (Application Specific Integrated Circuits). The control unit 11 controls each part of the measuring device 10 and executes information processing related to the operation of the measuring device 10.

[0030] The clock 12 is a clock generating circuit that generates a clock signal that determines the timing of each operation of the measurement device 10. The clock 12 is realized by, for example, a crystal oscillator, but may also be realized on a silicon basis. The clock 12 may be provided inside the control unit 11, for example.

[0031] The sensor 13 is a detection device that measures the blood glucose level of the patient 91. For example, the sensor 13 reacts glucose in the interstitial fluid of the subcutaneous tissue of the patient 91 with a glucose oxidase enzyme to convert it into an electrical signal, and outputs it to the measurement unit 14.

[0032] The measuring unit 14 measures the glucose concentration in the interstitial fluid based on the electrical signal output from the sensor 13. In this way, the blood glucose level of the patient 91 is measured.

[0033] The communication unit 15 is a communication interface for communicating with the patient terminal 20. The communication unit 15 communicates with the patient terminal 20 and transmits the blood glucose level measured by the sensor 13 and the measurement unit 14 to the patient terminal 20. The communication unit 15 communicates with the patient terminal 20 via Bluetooth (registered trademark), for example, but is not limited to this, and communication may also be via other wireless communication paths such as a wireless LAN (Local Area Network) or a wired cable, for example.

[0034] The storage unit 16 includes any storage module including, for example, a RAM (Random Access Memory) and a ROM (Read-Only Memory). The storage unit 16 may function as, for example, a main storage device or cache memory that stores information such as blood glucose level measurements. The storage unit 16 stores any information used in the operation of the measuring device 10. For example, the storage unit 16 may store system programs, application programs, and various information received by the communication unit 15.

[0035] The power supply unit 17 provides power for driving the measurement device 10. The power supply unit 17 may be realized by a rechargeable battery such as a lithium ion battery.

[0036] (Patient device) Fig. 3 is a diagram showing an example of the configuration of the patient terminal 20 shown in Fig. 1. The patient terminal 20 includes a control unit 21, a storage unit 22, a communication unit 23, an input unit 24, and an output unit 25.

[0037] The control unit 21 is one or more processors. The processor may be a general-purpose processor such as a CPU or a GPU (Graphics Processing Unit), or a dedicated processor specialized for a specific process. The control unit 21 may include one or more dedicated circuits, or one or more processors in the control unit 21 may be replaced with one or more dedicated circuits. The dedicated circuits are, for example, FPGAs or ASICs. The control unit 21 controls each part of the patient terminal 20 and executes information processing related to the operation of the patient terminal 20.

[0038] The storage unit 22 is one or more semiconductor memories, one or more magnetic memories, one or more optical memories, or a combination of at least two of these. The semiconductor memory is, for example, a RAM or a ROM. The RAM is, for example, a static RAM (SRAM) or a dynamic RAM (DRAM). The ROM is, for example, an electrically erasable programmable ROM (EEPROM). The storage unit 22 functions as, for example, a main storage device, an auxiliary storage device, or a cache memory. The storage unit 22 stores information used in the operation of the patient terminal 20, information obtained by the operation of the patient terminal 20, etc.

[0039] The communication unit 23 is one or more communication interfaces. The communication interface may be a wired LAN interface, a wireless LAN interface, a Bluetooth (registered trademark) communication interface, or the like. The communication unit 23 receives information used in the operation of the patient terminal 20 and transmits information obtained by the operation of the patient terminal 20. In this embodiment, the communication unit 23 receives the blood glucose level measurement value of the patient 91 from the measurement device 10, and transmits and receives information such as the measurement value of biological information such as blood glucose level, the reward determination conditions, the content of the reward, and the reward selected by the patient 91 to and from the cloud 40.

[0040] The input unit 24 includes one or more input interfaces that accept an input operation by the patient 91 and acquire input information based on the operation by the patient 91. The input unit 24 is, for example, but is not limited to, a physical key, a capacitance key, a pointing device, a touch screen that is provided integrally with the display of the output unit 25, or a microphone that accepts voice input.

[0041] The output unit 25 includes one or more output interfaces that output information to the patient 91 and notify the patient 91. For example, the output unit 25 is a display that outputs information as an image, but is not limited to this.

[0042] The functions of the patient terminal 20 are realized by executing a program (computer program) according to this embodiment on a processor included in the control unit 21. That is, the functions of the patient terminal 20 are realized by software. The program causes a computer to execute processing of steps included in the operation of the patient terminal 20, thereby causing the computer to realize functions corresponding to the processing of those steps. That is, the program is a program for causing a computer to function as the patient terminal 20.

[0043] The program can be recorded on a computer-readable recording medium. Examples of the computer-readable recording medium include a magnetic recording device, an optical disc, a magneto-optical recording medium, and a semiconductor memory. The program can be distributed by selling, transferring, or lending a portable recording medium, such as a USB (Universal Serial Bus) memory, a Blu-ray Disc, a DVD-ROM (Digital Versatile Disc ROM), or a CD-ROM (Compact Disc ROM), on which the program is recorded. The program can be stored in a server's storage and distributed by being transferred from the server to other computers via a network. The program can also be provided as a program product.

[0044] A computer temporarily stores a program recorded on a portable recording medium or transferred from a server in its main storage device. The computer then reads the program stored in the main storage device with a processor and executes processing in accordance with the read program. The computer may also read the program directly from a portable recording medium and execute processing in accordance with the program. The computer may also execute processing in accordance with the received program each time a program is transferred from a server to the computer. Processing may also be executed through a so-called ASP (Application Service Provider) type service that realizes functions simply by issuing execution instructions and obtaining results, without transferring a program from a server to the computer. Programs include information used for processing by a computer that is equivalent to a program. For example, data that is not a direct instruction to a computer but has properties that define computer processing falls under the category of "information equivalent to a program."

[0045] Some or all of the functions of the patient terminal 20 may be realized by a dedicated circuit included in the control unit 21. That is, some or all of the functions of the patient terminal 20 may be realized by hardware. Furthermore, the patient terminal 20 may be realized by a single information processing device, or may be realized by the cooperation of multiple information processing devices.

[0046] (Medical staff terminal) FIG. 4 is a diagram showing an example of the configuration of the medical staff terminal 30 shown in FIG. 1. The medical staff terminal 30 includes a control unit 31, a storage unit 32, a communication unit 33, an input unit 34, and an output unit 35. The functions and roles of the control unit 31, storage unit 32, communication unit 33, input unit 34, and output unit 35 of the medical staff terminal 30 are equivalent to those of the control unit 21, storage unit 22, communication unit 23, input unit 24, and output unit 25 of the patient terminal 20, and detailed description thereof will be omitted. The functions of the medical staff terminal 30 are realized by software, but some or all of the functions may be realized by hardware. Furthermore, the medical staff terminal 30 may be realized by a single information processing device or by multiple information processing devices working together.

[0047] (Cloud) The cloud 40 may be realized by an information processing device such as a workstation or a PC, and may be realized by a configuration equivalent to the configuration of the medical staff terminal 30 shown in Fig. 4. The functions of the cloud 40 are realized by software, but some or all of the functions may be realized by hardware. Furthermore, the cloud 40 may be realized by a single information processing device, or may be realized by the cooperation of multiple information processing devices.

[0048] (Present reward)

[0049] As described above, the patient terminal 20 repeats a series of cycles (reward cycles) of obtaining blood glucose level measurements during the measurement period and providing a reward based on the measurements. Furthermore, when notifying the patient terminal 20 of the result of the determination as to whether or not to allow a reward, the patient terminal 20 accepts from the patient 91 a choice as to whether or not to extend the measurement period. The presentation of rewards by the support system 1 according to this embodiment will be described with reference to FIGS. 5 to 10. FIG. 5 is a diagram illustrating an example of a reward cycle in the support system 1.

[0050] During ongoing treatment using the support system 1 according to this embodiment, the patient 91 constantly wears the measuring device 10. The measuring device 10 measures the blood glucose level of the patient 91 at predetermined measurement intervals, for example, every five minutes. The measuring device 10 transmits the blood glucose measurement value to the patient terminal 20 when it is able to communicate with the patient terminal 20. The patient terminal 20 automatically uploads the blood glucose measurement value to the cloud 40 when it is able to communicate with the cloud 40, such as while it is connected to a carrier line or the Internet. The medical staff terminal 30 automatically downloads the blood glucose measurement value from the cloud 40 when it is able to communicate with the cloud 40, and acquires the blood glucose measurement value of the patient 91.

[0051] In the example of FIG. 5, the patient terminal 20 determines on the fifth day, based on the blood glucose levels measured from the first day to the fourth day in the reward cycle, with the measurement period before extension being four days, whether to award a reward to the patient 91, and if so, what kind of reward to award. The conditions for these determinations are set in advance by the medical professional 92 who examined the patient 91. The patient terminal 20 displays the determination result on the output unit 25. When notifying the patient 91 of the determination result regarding the award of a reward, the patient terminal 20 further receives from the patient 91 a selection of whether to extend the measurement period.

[0052] In this embodiment, on the fifth day of the reward cycle, the patient terminal 20 displays on the output unit 25 the reward determination result based on the measurement values ​​from the first to fourth days, and accepts from the patient 91 a selection as to whether to extend the measurement period by one day. If an extension of the measurement period is not selected, the patient terminal 20 ends processing of the reward cycle and starts processing of a new reward cycle from the next day. That is, the next reward cycle will start on the sixth day. If an extension of the measurement period is selected, the patient terminal 20 determines on the sixth day whether to grant a reward to the patient 91 based on the blood glucose levels measured from the first to fifth days of the reward cycle, and if so, what kind of reward to grant. The patient terminal 20 further accepts from the patient 91 a selection as to whether to extend the measurement period by one day. Thus, in the example of FIG. 5, the patient terminal 20 sets the initial measurement period to four days, and accepts a selection as to whether to extend the measurement period by one day when displaying the determination result regarding the granting of a reward. If extension is selected, a new judgment result is displayed based on the measurement results for the measurement period extended by one day. The patient terminal 20 repeats this process, controlling the measurement period to be extended up to a maximum of six days.

[0053] The reward cycle described with reference to FIG. 5 is merely an example, and the initial measurement period, the maximum extendable measurement period, and the number of days extended when the measurement period is extended once may be other numbers of days or hours. For example, the initial measurement period may be three days or less, or five days or more. The maximum extendable measurement period may be longer, such as 10 days, two weeks, or one month, or shorter than six days, such as five days. The number of days extended when the measurement period is extended once may be, for example, 0.5 days (12 hours) or two days. Here, the case where the patient 91 has one day of time during which the reward can be implemented when a reward is selected has been described. However, this period is not limited to one day, and may be other numbers of days or hours, such as two days. Furthermore, the patient terminal 20 may not have a period during which the reward can be implemented. In other words, after displaying the judgment result based on the measurement values ​​during the measurement period, if the patient 91 does not select to extend the measurement period, the patient terminal 20 may terminate processing of that reward cycle and start processing of a new reward cycle on that day as the first day.

[0054] Based on the change in the blood glucose level of the patient 91 after the reward is given, the criteria for determining the reward and the content of the reward in the next reward cycle may be modified as appropriate. The criteria for determining the reward may be modified by the medical worker 92 with reference to the blood glucose level measurement value notified to the medical worker terminal 30 via the cloud 40. Alternatively, the patient terminal 20 may automatically modify the criteria for determining the reward according to rules preset by the medical worker 92 or the like. The content of the modification may be, for example, as follows: The reward selected by Patient 91 will not be available for selection from the next time onwards. All items in the grade that includes the reward selected by Patient 91 will be unavailable for selection from the next time onwards. All items of a grade higher than the reward selected by Patient 91 will be unavailable for selection. -Items for all grades cannot be selected.

[0055] FIG. 6 is a diagram showing an example of a condition for determining whether to award a reward. In this embodiment, the patient terminal 20 uses the blood glucose TIR (Time in Range) as an example of an index for determining whether to award a reward. The TIR refers to the number of measurements or the time during which the blood glucose measurement value during the measurement period falls within a therapeutic range (target range, e.g., 70 to 180 mg / dL). As shown in FIG. 6, in this embodiment, the blood glucose range is divided into three ranges (TIR bins): (1) a range greater than 250 mg / dL, (2) a range greater than 180 mg / dL but not greater than 250 mg / dL, and (3) a range less than 180 mg / dL. The patient terminal 20 determines whether to award a reward based on the number of measurements or the proportion of time within each range.

[0056] The "recommended percentage" in Figure 6 indicates how the blood glucose levels of patient 91 should be distributed within each of the ranges (1) to (3). The recommended percentages may be, for example, as shown in Figure 6, (1) less than 5% of the measured values ​​fall within the range greater than 250 mg / dL, (2) less than 25% of the measured values ​​fall within the range greater than 180 mg / dL and equal to or less than 250 mg / dL, and (3) more than 75% of the measured values ​​fall within the range equal to or less than 180 mg / dL. If the measured blood glucose levels of patient 91 are distributed at a better rate than the recommended percentage requirements, patient terminal 20 will award a reward according to that value.

[0057] In FIG. 6, three grades, Reward 1 to Reward 3, are defined as an example of blood glucose level conditions for awarding a reward. The three grades of reward are Reward 1, Reward 2, and Reward 3 in descending order, with Reward 1 being awarded when the blood glucose level is the best. In the example of FIG. 6, the determination ratios for Reward 1 are: (1-1) the proportion of all measurements that fall within the range greater than 250 mg / dL is less than 5%, (1-2) the proportion of all measurements that fall within the range greater than 180 mg / dL but not greater than 250 mg / dL is less than 25%, (1-3) the proportion of all measurements that fall within the range not greater than 180 mg / dL is greater than 85%, and (1-4) the proportion of all measurements that fall within the range not greater than 150 mg / dL is greater than 70% of the measurements that fall within the range not greater than 180 mg / dL. The criteria for reward 2 are: (2-1) less than 5% of all measurements in the range greater than 250 mg / dL, (2-2) less than 25% of all measurements in the range greater than 180 mg / dL, (2-3) more than 85% of all measurements in the range less than 180 mg / dL, and (2-4) less than 70% of all measurements in the range less than 150 mg / dL. The criteria for reward 3 are: (3-1) less than 5% of all measurements in the range greater than 250 mg / dL, (3-2) less than 25% of all measurements in the range greater than 180 mg / dL, and (3-3) more than 80% of all measurements in the range less than 180 mg / dL. If the patient 91 receives a higher-grade reward, the patient 91 can also choose from lower-grade rewards. For example, if the patient 91 receives reward 1, the patient 91 can also choose from lower-grade rewards, such as reward 2 or reward 3.

[0058] 7A to 7C are diagrams illustrating the determination of rewards based on blood glucose measurement values. FIG. 7A shows an example in which, of all measurements, 2% of measurements fall within the range greater than 250 mg / dL, 30% fall within the range greater than 180 mg / dL but less than 250 mg / dL, and 68% fall within the range less than 180 mg / dL. The measurements in this example satisfy both the recommended percentage and the rewards 1 to 3 for the range greater than 250 mg / dL. However, the measurements in this example do not satisfy either the recommended percentage or the rewards 1 to 3 for the range less than 250 mg / dL. Therefore, the patient terminal 20 may display, for example, a message indicating that good blood glucose control has not been achieved.

[0059] FIG. 7B shows an example in which the proportion of all measurements in the range greater than 250 mg / dL is 3%, the proportion of all measurements in the range greater than 180 mg / dL but less than 250 mg / dL is 21%, and the proportion of all measurements in the range less than 180 mg / dL is 76%. The measurements in this example satisfy both the recommended proportion and the rewards 1 to 3 requirements for the range greater than 250 mg / dL and the range greater than 180 mg / dL but less than 250 mg / dL. However, while the measurements in this example satisfy the recommended proportion requirement for the range less than 180 mg / dL, they do not satisfy the rewards 1 to 3 requirements. Therefore, the patient terminal 20 may, for example, not award a reward and may display a message indicating that good blood glucose control has been achieved.

[0060] Figure 7C shows an example in which the proportion of all measurements in the range greater than 250 mg / dL is 2%, the proportion of all measurements in the range greater than 180 mg / dL but less than 250 mg / dL is 14%, the proportion of all measurements in the range less than 180 mg / dL is 84%, and the proportion of all measurements in the range less than 150 mg / dL is 75%. The measurements in this example satisfy all the requirements for the recommended proportion and rewards 1 to 3 for the proportion of measurements in each range. Therefore, the patient terminal 20 displays a message indicating that reward 1 will be awarded.

[0061] FIG. 8 is a diagram showing examples of rewards for each grade. In the example of FIG. 8, when "Reward 3" is awarded, patient 91 can select and execute one of the following: "1 donut," "5 cookies," "1 staple meal (20% more carbohydrates)," and "reduced exercise (5,000 steps / day)." Here, "reduced exercise" means reducing the amount of exercise compared to the amount of exercise in a regular exercise regimen (e.g., reducing the amount of exercise by 50%). "Increasing the carbohydrate content of a staple food" means increasing the carbohydrate content of a regular carbohydrate-restricted diet (e.g., by 20%).

[0062] When "Reward 2" is given, patient 91 can select and execute one of the following: "1 donut + reduced exercise (walking 5,000 steps / day)," "5 cookies + reduced exercise (walking 5,000 steps / day)," "1 staple meal (20% more carbohydrates) + reduced exercise (walking 5,000 steps / day)," and "reduced exercise (walking 1,000 steps / day)." When "Reward 1" is given, patient 91 can select and execute one of the following: "2 donuts + reduced exercise (walking 5,000 steps / day) + oral hypoglycemic agent," "10 cookies + reduced exercise (walking 5,000 steps / day) + oral hypoglycemic agent," and "1 staple meal (40% more carbohydrates) + reduced exercise (walking 5,000 steps / day) + oral hypoglycemic agent." Here, the oral hypoglycemic agent may be administered in combination with a staple meal or a snack, for example, and may be administered as a safety measure by a doctor, taking into consideration the condition of the patient 91 as well as the patient 91's past selection results and subsequent blood glucose rise. The contents of the reward are set by the medical professional 92, taking into consideration the condition and preferences of the patient 91, as well as a preliminary questionnaire given to the patient 91 and the patient 91's past selection results, etc., as appropriate.

[0063] The reward determination conditions in FIG. 6 are one example, and determination conditions other than those in FIG. 6 may be selected depending on standard values ​​set by various organizations such as academic societies, the Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare, or international organizations, or the pathological condition, personality, living environment, etc. of the patient 91 to be treated. For example, while three grades of rewards are specified in the example of FIG. 6, the number of grades of rewards may be fewer or more than three. Furthermore, a range other than the numerical range exemplified in FIG. 6 may be selected as the determination ratio of the measurement value. The rewards in FIG. 8 are also one example, and other rewards may be selected depending on the pathological condition and preferences of the patient 91, the nutritional components of the food, etc.

[0064] 9 and 10 are diagrams illustrating an example of reward presentation by the support system 1. In Fig. 9, in reward cycle 71, reward 2 is presented on the fifth day based on the blood glucose level measurements on days 1 to 4. The presented reward 2 is selected by the patient 91, and reward cycle 71 ends on the fifth day.

[0065] The day after the final day of reward cycle 71, a new reward cycle 72 begins. In reward cycle 72, reward 2 is presented based on the blood glucose measurement values ​​from days 1 to 4. Patient 91 does not select the presented reward 2 and instead chooses to extend the measurement period. Measurement data collection then continues, and on day 6, a higher-grade reward 1 is presented based on the blood glucose measurement values ​​from days 1 to 5, which is the extended measurement period. In this case, since the measurement results on day 5 were good, it is thought that the overall results from days 1 to 5 improved, and the grade of the reward was therefore higher. Reward 1 was selected by patient 91, and reward cycle 72 ended on day 6.

[0066] The day after the final day of reward cycle 72, a new reward cycle 73 begins. In reward cycle 73, reward 2 is presented based on the blood glucose measurement values ​​from days 1 to 4. Patient 91 does not select reward 2 and instead chooses to extend the measurement period. Measurement data collection then continues, and a reward is determined based on the blood glucose measurement values ​​from days 1 to 5, which is the extended measurement period. However, reward 2 is presented again on day 6. Patient 91 does not select reward 2 and instead chooses to extend the measurement period. In reward cycle 72, measurement data collection continues, and a higher-grade reward 1 is presented on day 7 based on the blood glucose measurement values ​​from days 1 to 6. In this case, because the measurement results from days 5 to 6 were good, the overall results from days 1 to 6 improved, and it is thought that the grade of the reward was higher. Reward 1 is selected by patient 91, and reward cycle 72 ends on day 7.

[0067] Figure 9 shows an example where the grade of the reward increases as the measurement period is extended, but extending the measurement period does not necessarily result in an increase in the grade of the reward. Extending the measurement period may also result in a decrease in the grade of the reward or the cancellation of the reward.

[0068] 10, in reward cycle 75, no reward is presented on day 5 based on the blood glucose level measurements on days 1 to 4. Patient 91 extended the measurement period twice, but no reward was presented on both days 6 and 7, and reward cycle 75 ended.

[0069] The day after the final day of reward cycle 75, a new reward cycle 76 begins. In reward cycle 76, reward 2 is presented based on the blood glucose measurement values ​​from days 1 to 4. Patient 91 chooses to extend the measurement period rather than selecting reward 2 in order to receive a higher-grade reward. Measurement data collection then continues, and a reward is determined based on the blood glucose measurement values ​​from days 1 to 5, which is the extended measurement period. However, reward 3 is presented on day 6. In this case, it is believed that the measurement results on day 5 were poor, resulting in a lower overall result for days 1 to 5 and a lower grade reward. Patient 91 chooses to extend the measurement period rather than selecting reward 3 in order to receive a higher-grade reward again. In reward cycle 76, measurement data collection continues, and no reward is presented on day 7 based on the blood glucose measurement values ​​from days 1 to 6. In this case, the measurement results on Day 6 were even worse, which is thought to have caused the overall results from Days 1 to 6 to decline, resulting in the reward not being awarded. With the expiration of Day 7, Reward Cycle 76 has ended.

[0070] The day after the final day of reward cycle 76, a new reward cycle 77 begins. In reward cycle 77, reward 2 is presented based on the blood glucose measurement values ​​from days 1 to 4. Patient 91 chooses to extend the measurement period rather than selecting reward 2 in order to receive a higher-grade reward. Measurement data collection then continues, and a reward is determined based on the blood glucose measurement values ​​from days 1 to 5, which is the extended measurement period. However, reward 3 is presented on day 6. Again, because the measurement results on day 5 were poor, the overall results for days 1 to 5 are lower, and the reward grade is thought to have been lowered. Patient 91 chooses to extend the measurement period rather than selecting reward 3 in order to receive a higher-grade reward again. In reward cycle 77, measurement data collection continues, and reward 3 is presented on day 7 based on the blood glucose measurement values ​​from days 1 to 6. Here, the measurement results on Day 6 were not necessarily good, and it is thought that the overall results from Days 1 to 6 did not improve the grade of the reward. In Reward Cycle 77, Patient 91 was not satisfied with Reward 3, and no reward was selected, and Reward Cycle 76 ended.

[0071] As described with reference to FIGS. 9 and 10 , by selecting an extension of the measurement period and properly managing one's lifestyle, the patient 91 may receive a reward that had not been provided or a higher-grade reward. On the other hand, even if the patient 91 selects an extension of the measurement period, if the measured values ​​deteriorate due to improper lifestyle management, the grade of the reward may be lowered or the previously provided reward may no longer be provided. Therefore, according to this embodiment, by allowing the measurement period to be extended, the patient 91 can be motivated to properly manage one's lifestyle. Furthermore, by setting the initial measurement period to a short value, the patient 91 can receive rewards at short intervals depending on his or her health condition. Furthermore, even if a reward is provided, the patient 91 can adjust the timing of receiving the reward at his or her own will depending on circumstances and convenience, such as physical condition, mood, weather, or events (e.g., birthdays). Therefore, according to this embodiment, the patient 91's motivation for treatment can be further increased and maintained, treatment interruption can be prevented, and the patient 91's continuation of treatment can be supported.

[0072] 5, 9, and 10 illustrate an example in which the patient terminal 20 determines whether or not to award a reward based on blood glucose measurement values ​​over a relatively short measurement period, such as four to six days. However, the reward determination may also reflect measurement results over a longer period. For example, the patient terminal 20 may determine whether or not the blood glucose measurement values ​​acquired in a previous reward cycle satisfy certain conditions, and if they do not, may not perform a reward determination for the current reward cycle. FIGS. 11A and 11B are diagrams illustrating an example of reward presentation by the support system 1 that performs such processing.

[0073] In FIG. 11A, on the first day of the current reward cycle 81, the patient terminal 20 first acquires blood glucose level measurements from the most recent reward cycle 82 over a certain period of time. For example, the patient terminal 20 acquires blood glucose level measurements from the most recent N reward cycles (e.g., N=6) or from a certain number of days (e.g., 30 days). Here, the patient terminal 20 may acquire not only measurements from the measurement period of each cycle but also measurements from a period during which a reward can be implemented. The patient terminal 20 then determines whether the acquired blood glucose level measurements from the reward cycle 82 over a certain period of time of the past satisfy a certain condition. Such a condition may be, for example, that the TIR of blood glucose levels over the entire past certain period of time or the average blood glucose level described later with reference to FIG. 17 satisfies a recommended percentage. Alternatively, such a condition may be that the TIR of blood glucose levels or the average blood glucose level, etc., is calculated for each of the most recent N reward cycles, and the number of reward cycles in which the recommended percentage has been satisfied is M or more. The criteria for determining whether or not to grant such a reward (long-term criteria) are set separately from the criteria for determining whether or not to grant a reward in each reward cycle, but the content of both may end up being the same.

[0074] If the patient terminal 20 determines that the blood glucose level measurement values ​​in a past reward cycle of a certain period satisfy a certain condition, the patient terminal 20 determines whether to award a reward to the patient 91 based on the measurement values ​​in the measurement period of the current reward cycle. On the other hand, if the blood glucose level measurement values ​​in a past reward cycle of a certain period do not satisfy a certain condition, the patient terminal 20 does not determine whether to award a reward based on the measurement values ​​in the measurement period of the current reward cycle. In the example of FIG. 11A, the blood glucose level measurement values ​​in a past reward cycle 82 are determined to satisfy a certain condition, and reward 2 is presented on the fifth day based on the measurement values ​​on days 1 to 4 of the current reward cycle 81, and the patient 91 selects this. In contrast, in the example of FIG. 11B, the blood glucose level measurement values ​​in a past reward cycle 85 are determined to not satisfy a certain condition. Therefore, the patient terminal 20 does not determine whether to award a reward for the measurement period of the current reward cycle 84.

[0075] From the perspective of diabetes treatment and prevention, blood glucose control is necessary over the long term. Therefore, lifestyle habits such as neglecting proper lifestyle management on a regular basis and implementing lifestyle management only in the short term when craving foods that raise blood glucose levels are undesirable. By performing the above-described process, the patient terminal 20 determines whether to award a reward based on blood glucose measurements during reward cycles over a certain period of time over a long period of time, thereby promoting long-term lifestyle management. Such processing may prevent the awarding of a reward to a patient 91 if the patient's average blood glucose level is poor, potentially reducing the patient's motivation for treatment. Therefore, for a patient 91 whose reward determination has been suspended for a certain number of consecutive cycles, the patient terminal 20 may temporarily reduce the number of cycles N in the reward determination implementation condition so that the patient's most recent efforts are linked to the reward. Alternatively, for such a patient 91, a reward may be awarded as appropriate at the discretion of the medical professional 92.

[0076] FIG. 12 is a diagram illustrating an example of the display screen of the patient terminal 20 shown in FIG. 1. In FIG. 12, the display serving as the output unit 25 displays information regarding the patient 91's blood glucose level change and rewards. The output unit 25 displays a trend graph 51 showing the time progression of blood glucose levels, the most recent blood glucose measurement value 52, and a scroll bar 53 for scrolling the trend graph 51 on the output unit 25. The output unit 25 also displays a TIR observation period 54, a TIR measurement value ratio 55, and a scroll bar 56 for scrolling the TIR measurement value ratio 55. The output unit 25 also displays a reward selection GUI (Graphical User Interface) 57, which is a user interface for information related to rewards, and an alert box 61 presenting a message to the patient 91. The output unit 25 also displays a reward judgment status 62 indicating whether a reward judgment is being implemented in the current cycle based on blood glucose measurement values ​​in reward cycles over a certain period of time in the past. In the example of FIG. 12, the reward judgment is set to "Implementation."

[0077] If a reward is available, a reward selection button 60 is displayed on the reward selection GUI 57. In response to the patient 91 pressing the reward selection button 60, the patient terminal 20 displays a reward selection screen.

[0078] FIG. 13 is a diagram showing an example of a screen displayed on the output unit 25 of the patient terminal 20 in response to pressing the reward selection button 60. FIG. 13 shows an example of a screen when it has been decided that reward 2 will be given. In FIG. 13, the selection button 63 for reward 1 cannot be selected, and the selection button 64 for reward 2 and the selection button 65 for reward 3, which is of a lower grade than reward 2, are displayed as selectable. When the patient 91 selects either of the selection buttons 64 or 65, the patient terminal 20 accepts the selection of the specific content of the reward (e.g., "one donut"). Once the specific content of the reward is selected, the patient terminal 20 displays the selected reward 58 and the reward implementation deadline 59 in the reward selection GUI 57.

[0079] (Operation of patient device) Figures 14A to 14D are flowcharts showing an example of the operation of the patient terminal 20 shown in Figure 1. The operation of the patient terminal 20 described with reference to Figures 14A to 14D corresponds to the information processing method according to this embodiment. The operation of each step in Figures 14A to 14D is executed under the control of the control unit 21.

[0080] In step S1, the control unit 21 establishes wireless communication with the measurement device 10.

[0081] Next, in step S2, the control unit 21 resets the reward cycle and the TIR bin frequencies (number of measurements). This sets the number of days elapsed in the maximum seven-day reward cycle to the first day. Also, the frequencies of measurements in each TIR bin in the ranges (1) greater than 250 mg / dL, (2) greater than 180 mg / dL but less than 250 mg / dL, and (3) less than 180 mg / dL are set to 0.

[0082] Next, in step S3, the control unit 21 executes an execution determination process to determine whether or not to execute a reward award determination in the ongoing reward cycle based on the measurement values ​​acquired in the previous reward cycle. Figure 14B shows the flow of the execution determination process.

[0083] In step S31, the control unit 21 determines whether the reward determination-related data in the cloud 40 has been updated from the data stored in the memory unit 22 of the patient terminal 20. The reward determination-related data may include, for example, a reward list, a determination ratio for each reward, and conditions for making a reward determination. The conditions for making a reward determination may include a certain period in the past (e.g., the most recent N reward cycles or a certain number of days) for which measurement values ​​are referenced when determining whether to make a reward determination. An example of determining whether to make a reward determination based on the measurement values ​​of the most recent N reward cycles is described below. If the data has been updated (YES in step S31), the control unit 21 proceeds to step S32; if not (NO in step S31), the control unit 21 proceeds to step S33.

[0084] Next, in step S32, the control unit 21 downloads the updated reward determination related data from the cloud 40 and updates the reward determination related data stored in the storage unit 22.

[0085] Next, in step S33, the control unit 21 determines whether the TIR of the measurement values ​​for the past N reward cycles satisfies the recommended ratio. If it does (YES in step S33), the control unit 21 proceeds to step S34; if it does not (NO in step S33), the control unit 21 proceeds to step S35.

[0086] In step S34, the control unit 21 sets the reward determination status to “in progress.” Then, the control unit 21 ends the implementation determination process and proceeds to step S4 in FIG. 14A.

[0087] In step S35, the control unit 21 sets the reward determination status to “stopped.” Then, the control unit 21 ends the implementation determination process and proceeds to step S4 in FIG. 14A.

[0088] In step S4, the control unit 21 disables the reward selection GUI 57 and makes it impossible to select the reward selection button 60. Furthermore, the control unit 21 clears the previously selected reward 58 and reward implementation deadline 59.

[0089] Next, in step S5, the control unit 21 determines whether the measuring device 10 stores any measurement values ​​that have not yet been received by the patient terminal 20. This determination is made by, but is not limited to, querying the measuring device 10. For example, the control unit 21 may determine whether any measurement values ​​have not yet been received based on whether the measurement interval has elapsed since the measurement time of the previously acquired measurement value, noting that blood glucose level measurements are taken at predetermined measurement intervals (for example, every 5 minutes). If there are any measurement values ​​that have not yet been received (YES in step S5), the control unit 21 proceeds to step S6; if not (NO in step S5), the control unit 21 continues the processing of S5.

[0090] In step S6, control unit 21 receives the measurement values ​​that have not yet been received from measurement device 10 and stores them in storage unit 22.

[0091] Next, in step S7, the control unit 21 causes the output unit 25 to display the received measurement value as the latest measurement value 52, and updates the trend graph 51.

[0092] Next, in step S8, the control unit 21 increases the frequency of the TIR bin corresponding to the received measurement value by 1. That is, the control unit 21 determines to which of TIR bins (1) to (3) the received measurement value belongs, and increases the frequency of the determined TIR bin by 1. If the control unit 21 receives multiple measurement values ​​in step S6 because communication with the measurement device 10 has not been possible for a while, for example, the control unit 21 performs the processes of steps S7 and S8 for each of the received measurement values.

[0093] Next, in step S9, the control unit 21 determines whether the time elapsed since the start or reset of the reward cycle is less than 96 hours. If it is less than 96 hours (YES in step S9), the control unit 21 proceeds to step S10, and if not (NO in step S9), the control unit 21 proceeds to step S12 in FIG. 14C.

[0094] In step S10, the control unit 21 determines whether the time elapsed since the start or reset of the reward cycle is 24 hours, 48 ​​hours, or 72 hours. If the time elapsed is 24 hours, 48 ​​hours, or 72 hours (YES in step S10), the control unit 21 proceeds to step S11; otherwise (NO in step S10), the control unit 21 returns to step S5.

[0095] In step S11, the control unit 21 calculates the TIR of the measurement values ​​acquired from the start or reset of the reward cycle based on the frequency of the TIR bin during the measurement period, updates the display of the TIR observation period 54, and updates the display of the TIR measurement value ratio 55 based on the calculated TIR. Then, the control unit 21 returns to step S5.

[0096] 14C, the control unit 21 determines whether the elapsed time from the start or reset of the reward cycle is 96 hours, 120 hours, or 144 hours. If the elapsed time is 96 hours, 120 hours, or 144 hours (YES in step S12), the control unit 21 proceeds to step S13; otherwise (NO in step S12), the control unit 21 proceeds to step S15.

[0097] In step S13, the control unit 21 determines whether or not a reward was obtained on the previous day. If a reward was obtained (YES in step S13), the control unit 21 proceeds to step S16, and if not (NO in step S13), the control unit 21 proceeds to step S14. If a reward was obtained, the reward cycle is reset at the start of the next day (after processing steps S16 to S19, the control unit 21 proceeds to step S2 in FIG. 14A).

[0098] In step S14, the control unit 21 determines whether the reward determination status is set to “in progress.” If it is set to “in progress” (YES in step S14), the control unit 21 proceeds to step S20 in Fig. 14D, and if not (NO in step S14), the control unit 21 returns to step S5 in Fig. 14A.

[0099] In step S15, the control unit 21 determines whether the elapsed time since the start or reset of the reward cycle is 168 hours. 168 hours corresponds to the maximum period of the reward cycle, which is 7 days. If the elapsed time is 168 hours (YES in step S15), the control unit 21 proceeds to step S16. If the elapsed time is not 168 hours (NO in step S15), the control unit 21 returns to step S5 in FIG. 14A. In step S15, it is determined that the elapsed time is not 168 hours if the elapsed time since the start or reset of the reward cycle is 96 hours (4 days) or more, but is not 96 hours, 120 hours, 144 hours, or 168 hours. Furthermore, regardless of whether a reward was obtained the previous day, if the maximum period of the reward cycle, which is 7 days, is reached, the reward cycle is reset (after processing steps S16 to S19, the control unit 21 proceeds to step S2 in FIG. 14A).

[0100] In step S16, the control unit 21 determines whether the TIR calculated based on the frequency of the TIR bin during the measurement period satisfies the recommended ratio described with reference to Fig. 6. This TIR corresponds to the measurement value ratio reflecting the measurement value from the start or reset of the reward cycle. If the recommended ratio is satisfied (YES in step S16), the control unit 21 proceeds to step S17; if not (NO in step S16), the control unit 21 proceeds to step S18.

[0101] In step S17, the control unit 21 displays a message such as "The reward cycle has been reset. Good control was achieved in the previous cycle" in the alert box 61. This notifies the patient 91 that the reward cycle has been reset and that good blood sugar control has been achieved. Then, the control unit 21 proceeds to step S19.

[0102] In step S18, the control unit 21 displays a message such as "The reward cycle has been reset. In the previous cycle, you were one step away from achieving good control" in the alert box 61. This notifies the patient 91 that the reward cycle has been reset and that good blood glucose control has not been achieved. The control unit 21 then proceeds to step S19.

[0103] In step S19, the control unit 21 uploads the related data to the cloud 40. The related data here includes the TIR, the measurement values, and the contents of the reward selected by the patient 91. Then, the control unit 21 returns to step S2 in Fig. 14A.

[0104] In step S20 of Fig. 14D, the control unit 21 determines whether the TIR calculated based on the frequency of the TIR bin during the measurement period satisfies the determination ratio of reward 1 described with reference to Fig. 6. If the determination ratio of reward 1 is satisfied (YES in step S20), the control unit 21 proceeds to step S21, and if not (NO in step S20), the control unit 21 proceeds to step S22.

[0105] In step S21, the control unit 21 sets Reward 1 as the reward and displays a message in the alert box 61 indicating that Reward 1 will be given, such as "Good control. You have Reward 1." Then, the control unit 21 proceeds to step S26.

[0106] In step S22, the control unit 21 determines whether the TIR calculated based on the frequency of the TIR bin during the measurement period satisfies the determination ratio of reward 2 described with reference to Fig. 6. If the determination ratio of reward 2 is satisfied (YES in step S22), the control unit 21 proceeds to step S23, and if not (NO in step S22), the control unit 21 proceeds to step S24.

[0107] In step S23, the control unit 21 sets Reward 2 as the reward and displays a message in the alert box 61 indicating that Reward 2 will be given, such as "Good control. Reward 2 is available." Then, the control unit 21 proceeds to step S26.

[0108] In step S24, the control unit 21 determines whether the TIR calculated based on the frequency of the TIR bin during the measurement period satisfies the determination ratio of reward 3 described with reference to Fig. 6. If the determination ratio of reward 3 is satisfied (YES in step S24), the control unit 21 proceeds to step S25, and if not (NO in step S24), the control unit 21 proceeds to step S27.

[0109] In step S25, the control unit 21 sets Reward 3 as the reward and displays a message in the alert box 61 indicating that Reward 3 will be awarded, such as "Good control. Reward 3 is available." Then, the control unit 21 proceeds to step S26.

[0110] In step S26, the control unit 21 enables the reward selection GUI 57 to allow selection of the reward selection button 60. Then, the control unit 21 returns to step S5 in FIG. 14A.

[0111] In step S27, the control unit 21 determines whether the TIR calculated based on the frequency of the TIR bin during the measurement period satisfies the recommended ratio described with reference to Fig. 6. If the recommended ratio is satisfied (YES in step S27), the control unit 21 proceeds to step S29, and if not (NO in step S27), the control unit 21 proceeds to step S28.

[0112] In step S28, the control unit 21 displays a message indicating that good blood sugar control has not been achieved, such as "You are one step away from good blood sugar control," in the alert box 61. Then, the control unit 21 proceeds to step S30.

[0113] In step S29, the control unit 21 displays a message in the alert box 61 indicating that good blood glucose control has been achieved, without awarding a reward, such as "Good control is being achieved. You are one step away from receiving a reward." Then, the control unit 21 proceeds to step S30.

[0114] In step S30, the control unit 21 disables the reward selection GUI 57 and makes it impossible to select the reward selection button 60. Furthermore, the control unit 21 clears the previously selected reward 58 and reward implementation deadline 59. Then, the control unit 21 returns to step S5 in FIG. 14A.

[0115] (Operation of medical staff terminal) Fig. 15 is a flowchart showing an example of the operation of the medical staff terminal 30 shown in Fig. 1. The operation of each step in Fig. 15 is executed under the control of the control unit 31.

[0116] In step S41, the control unit 31 establishes a connection to the cloud 40 so as to enable communication therebetween.

[0117] In step S42, the control unit 31 downloads the related data from the cloud 40 and displays it on the output unit 35. The related data here includes the TIR, the measurement values, the reward list, the contents of the reward selected by the patient 91, and the like.

[0118] In step S43, the control unit 31 determines whether or not the reward determination-related data needs to be corrected. Whether or not the reward determination-related data needs to be corrected may be determined, for example, by whether or not the reward determination has been stopped for a certain number of consecutive cycles. Alternatively, the medical professional 92 may make the determination by referring to the related data and inputting the result of the determination into the medical professional terminal 30. If the reward determination-related data needs to be corrected (YES in step S43), the control unit 31 proceeds to step S44; otherwise, the control unit 31 ends the processing of the flowchart.

[0119] In step S44, the control unit 31 changes the reward determination-related data. For example, the control unit 31 may change the number of cycles N of the reward determination implementation condition to be smaller. Alternatively, the control unit 31 may change the reward determination-related data based on an instruction from the medical worker 92 via the input unit 34.

[0120] In step S45, the control unit 31 uploads the reward determination-related data changed in step S44 to the cloud 40. The reward determination-related data uploaded to the cloud 40 is transmitted to the patient terminal 20 at a timing when communication between the cloud 40 and the patient terminal 20 is possible, and is reflected in the patient terminal 20. Then, the control unit 31 ends the processing of the flowchart.

[0121] (Operation of the measuring device) Fig. 16 is a flowchart showing an example of the operation of the measurement device 10 shown in Fig. 1. The operation of each step in Fig. 16 is executed under the control of the control unit 11.

[0122] In step S51, the control unit 11 establishes a connection with the patient terminal 20 so as to enable communication therebetween.

[0123] In step S52, the control unit 11 starts measuring the blood glucose level of the patient 91.

[0124] In step S53, control unit 11 determines whether the sampling period has been reached. For example, if measurements are taken every five minutes, it determines whether five minutes have passed. If it is determined that the sampling period has been reached (YES in step S53), control unit 11 proceeds to step S54; otherwise, it repeats the processing of step S53.

[0125] In step S54, the control unit 11 transmits the measurement value to the patient terminal 20. Then, the control unit 11 ends the processing of the flowchart.

[0126] 16 shows an example in which the blood glucose level of a patient 91 is measured when the measuring device 10 is connected to the patient terminal 20, but the timing at which the measuring device 10 performs measurements is not limited to when it is connected to the patient terminal 20. For example, the measuring device 10 may measure blood glucose levels even when not connected to the patient terminal 20 and store the measurement results in the storage unit 16, and when communication with the patient terminal 20 becomes possible, the measurement results stored in the storage unit 16 may be transmitted together to the patient terminal 20.

[0127] As described above, the patient terminal 20 acquires measurements of biological information considered to be related to the user's lifestyle habits measured during a predetermined measurement period and determines whether the measurements satisfy predetermined criteria. Based on the results of the determination, the patient terminal 20 notifies the user whether restrictions on the user's lifestyle habits can be relaxed, i.e., whether a reward should be awarded. The patient terminal 20 repeatedly executes a cycle of acquiring measurements during the measurement period, determining a reward based on the acquired measurements, and notifying the user. Here, when notifying the user that restrictions on the user's lifestyle habits can be relaxed based on the determination results, the patient terminal 20 accepts a choice from the user as to whether to extend the measurement period. If an extension of the measurement period is selected, the patient terminal 20 determines whether to award a reward based on the measurements during the measurement period before the extension. In this case, the patient terminal 20 may accept a choice to extend the measurement period up to the predetermined maximum value. By choosing to extend the measurement period and properly managing their lifestyle, the patient 91 may receive rewards that they had not received before or may receive more advantageous rewards, thereby increasing their motivation for treatment. The patient 91 can also select the day to receive the reward according to their own convenience. Furthermore, by setting a short measurement period before extension, it is possible to provide rewards in short cycles depending on the patient 91's condition. Therefore, according to this embodiment, the patient 91's motivation for treatment can be further increased and maintained, treatment interruptions can be prevented, and the patient 91's continuation of treatment can be supported.

[0128] Furthermore, the patient terminal 20 determines whether the measurement values ​​acquired in the previous cycle satisfy long-term determination conditions, which are determination conditions established separately from the predetermined determination conditions for the measurement period of each cycle. If the measurement values ​​acquired in the previous cycle do not satisfy the long-term determination conditions, the patient terminal 20 does not execute the process of determining whether to award a reward based on the measurement values ​​for the evaluation period of the current cycle and notifying the patient of the determination result. Since the patient terminal 20 determines whether to award a reward based on the blood glucose level measurement values ​​in a reward cycle over a long period of time in the past, it is possible to promote long-term lifestyle management. The determination conditions for awarding a reward for the measurement period of each cycle and the long-term determination conditions may be the same.

[0129] Furthermore, when it is determined that the measurement value satisfies the determination condition, the patient terminal 20 further notifies the user of lifestyle-related behaviors (rewards) that the user can select, thereby enabling the user to understand specifically what behaviors are permissible.

[0130] Furthermore, the patient terminal 20 has a first judgment condition and a second judgment condition predefined as judgment conditions. When the patient terminal 20 determines that the measurement value satisfies the first judgment condition, it notifies the user of a first lifestyle behavior that the user can select. When the patient terminal 20 determines that the measurement value satisfies the second judgment condition, it notifies the user of a second lifestyle behavior that the user can select. In this way, by enabling the relaxation of restrictions on lifestyle habits according to multiple judgment conditions, detailed lifestyle management according to the user's pathological condition becomes possible. Here, the first judgment condition may be, for example, a strict judgment condition with a large degree of relaxation of restrictions, and the second judgment condition may be, for example, a judgment condition that is easier to achieve than the first judgment condition and with a smaller degree of relaxation of restrictions than when the first judgment condition is achieved.

[0131] Furthermore, the patient terminal 20 acquires measurement values ​​from the measurement device 10 that measures the user's biological information. Therefore, it is possible to acquire the measurement values ​​measured by the measurement device 10 in real time. If the patient terminal 20 and the measurement device 10 cannot communicate directly, the patient terminal 20 may acquire the measurement values ​​of the biological information via a storage medium such as a USB (Universal Serial Bus) memory or another device.

[0132] In the present embodiment, an example has been described in which blood glucose levels are used as biological information considered to be related to the lifestyle habits of the user, but this is not limiting, and for example, information such as weight, blood pressure, heart rate, etc. Also, in the present embodiment, an example has been described in which the user is notified that restrictions on the user's lifestyle habits can be relaxed by displaying on the output unit 25 of the patient terminal 20, but the user may also be notified that restrictions on the lifestyle habits can be relaxed by another method such as audio. Second Embodiment In the first embodiment, an example has been described in which it is determined whether the TIR of the measurement values ​​of the patient 91 during the measurement period satisfies a predetermined determination condition, and the patient is notified that restrictions on lifestyle habits can be relaxed, but the determination of such notification does not have to be based on the TIR of the measurement values. For example, the notification that restrictions on lifestyle habits can be relaxed may be based on the average value of the measurement values ​​of the patient 91 during the measurement period.

[0133] FIG. 17 is a diagram showing an example of a condition for determining a reward. In this embodiment, the patient terminal 20 uses the average blood glucose level as an example of an index for determining a reward. For example, when the reward cycle is as shown in FIG. 5, the average blood glucose level is the average of the blood glucose levels measured during the reward cycle. As shown in FIG. 17, if the average blood glucose level is less than 110 mg / dL, reward 1 is awarded. If the average blood glucose level is 110 mg / dL or more but less than 120 mg / dL, reward 2 is awarded. If the average blood glucose level is 120 mg / dL or more but less than 130 mg / dL, reward 3 is awarded. In this embodiment, the recommended average blood glucose level is less than 140 mg / dL. If the average blood glucose level is 130 mg / dL or more, no reward is awarded.

[0134] The relationship between the average blood glucose level range and the reward in FIG. 17 is one example, and judgment conditions other than those in FIG. 17 may be selected depending on standard values ​​set by various organizations such as academic societies, the Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare, or international organizations, or the pathological condition, personality, living environment, etc. of the patient 91 to be treated. For example, although three grades of rewards are specified in the example of FIG. 17, the number of grades of rewards may be fewer or more than three. Furthermore, a range other than the numerical range exemplified in FIG. 17 may be selected as the judgment ratio of the measurement value. Furthermore, the relationship between the average blood glucose level range and the reward may be modified by the medical professional 92 based on the pathological condition of the patient 91.

[0135] The process performed by the patient terminal 20 when notifying the patient 91 that lifestyle restrictions can be relaxed based on the average values ​​of the patient's measurements during the measurement period is similar to the process based on the TIR, and therefore a detailed description of the process will be omitted. Even when using the average values ​​of the measurements instead of the TIR, the patient terminal 20 repeatedly executes a series of steps, including obtaining measurements during the measurement period, determining a reward based on the obtained measurements, and notifying the user, as in the case of using the TIR. Furthermore, when notifying the user that lifestyle restrictions can be relaxed based on the determination results, the patient terminal 20 accepts from the user a choice of whether to extend the measurement period. Therefore, according to this embodiment, the patient 91's motivation for treatment can be further increased and maintained, treatment interruption can be prevented, and the patient 91's continuation of treatment can be supported.

[0136] In the first and second embodiments, an example was described in which it was determined whether to notify the user that restrictions on their lifestyle habits could be relaxed based on the TIR or average value of the biological information measured during the measurement period, but the determination may be made based on both the TIR and the average value. This makes it possible to provide a detailed reward according to the pathological condition of the patient 91.

[0137] In the first and second embodiments, the patient terminal 20 accepts from the patient 91 the choice of whether to extend the measurement period when notifying the patient of the result of the judgment as to whether to allow a reward. However, this is not limited to this, and after notifying the patient of the result of the judgment as to whether to allow a reward, the patient may be allowed to choose whether to extend the measurement period if the reward is granted but not selected.

[0138] The present disclosure is not limited to the above-described embodiments. For example, multiple blocks shown in the block diagrams may be integrated, or one block may be divided. Multiple steps shown in the flowcharts may be executed in parallel or in a different order depending on the processing capabilities of the device executing each step, or as needed, instead of being executed in chronological order as described. Other modifications are possible without departing from the spirit of the present disclosure. [Explanation of symbols]

[0139] 1. Support System 10. Measuring equipment 11 Control section 12 Clock 13 Sensors 14 Measuring part 15 Communications Department 16 Memory section 17 Power supply section 20 Patient terminal 21 Control Unit 22 Memory section 23 Communications Department 24 Input section 25 Output section 30 Medical staff terminals 31 Control Unit 32 Storage section 33 Communications Department 34 Input section 35 Output section 40 Cloud 91 patients 92 Healthcare workers

Claims

1. acquiring measurement values ​​of biological information that are considered to be related to the lifestyle habits of the user, measured during a predetermined measurement period; determining whether the measurement values ​​measured during the measurement period satisfy a predetermined determination condition; notifying the user whether or not restrictions on the user's lifestyle habits can be relaxed according to the result of the determination; A control unit that repeatedly executes a series of cycles described above is provided. the control unit, when notifying the user of whether or not restrictions on the user's lifestyle can be relaxed according to the result of the determination, accepts a selection from the user of whether or not to extend the measurement period. Information processing device.

2. The control unit If the user selects to extend the measurement period, extend the measurement period in the cycle in which the user selected to extend the measurement period, obtain the measurement values ​​measured during the extended measurement period, determine whether or not the measurement values ​​satisfy the predetermined determination condition, and notify the user again whether or not restrictions on the user's lifestyle habits can be relaxed based on the result of the determination. The information processing device according to claim 1 .

3. The control unit and accepting, from the user, a selection as to whether or not to further extend the extended measurement period when notifying the user of whether or not restrictions on the user's lifestyle can be relaxed depending on the result of the determination on the measurement values ​​measured during the extended measurement period in the cycle in which the measurement period is extended. The information processing device according to claim 2 .

4. The control unit determining whether the measurement value acquired in the previous cycle satisfies a long-term determination condition that is a determination condition set separately from the predetermined determination condition; If the measurement values ​​acquired in the previous cycle do not satisfy the long-term judgment condition, the process of determining whether or not the measurement values ​​measured in the measurement period satisfy a predetermined judgment condition and the process of notifying the user whether or not restrictions on the user's lifestyle habits can be relaxed according to the result of the determination are not executed in the currently executing cycle. The information processing device according to claim 1 .

5. 4. The information processing device according to claim 1, wherein the control unit further notifies the user of lifestyle-related actions that the user can select when it is determined that the measurement values ​​measured during the measurement period satisfy a predetermined determination condition.

6. a first determination condition and a second determination condition are previously determined as the predetermined determination condition, the control unit notifies the user of a first behavior related to a lifestyle habit that can be selected by the user when it is determined that the measurement values ​​measured during the measurement period satisfy the first determination condition, and notifies the user of a second behavior related to a lifestyle habit that can be selected by the user when it is determined that the measurement values ​​satisfy the second determination condition. The information processing device according to claim 5 .

7. The information processing device according to claim 1 , wherein the control unit acquires the measurement value from a measurement device that measures the biometric information of the user.

8. The information processing device according to claim 1 , wherein the control unit determines whether or not at least one of a TIR and an average value of the measurement values ​​in the measurement period satisfies the determination condition.

9. The information processing device according to claim 1 , wherein the biological information is a blood glucose level of the user.

10. a measurement device for measuring biological information considered to be related to a user's lifestyle; an information processing device capable of communicating with the measurement device; An information processing system having: The information processing device includes: acquiring measurement values ​​of biological information that are considered to be related to the lifestyle habits of the user, measured during a predetermined measurement period; determining whether the measurement values ​​measured during the measurement period satisfy a predetermined determination condition; notifying the user whether or not restrictions on the user's lifestyle habits can be relaxed according to the result of the determination; A control unit that repeatedly executes a series of cycles described above is provided. the control unit, when notifying the user of whether or not restrictions on the user's lifestyle can be relaxed according to the result of the determination, accepts a selection from the user of whether or not to extend the measurement period. Information processing system.

11. An information processing method for an information processing device, a control unit of the information processing device, acquiring measurement values ​​of biological information that are considered to be related to the lifestyle habits of the user, measured during a predetermined measurement period; determining whether the measurement values ​​measured during the measurement period satisfy a predetermined determination condition; notifying the user whether or not restrictions on the user's lifestyle habits can be relaxed according to the result of the determination; This series of cycles is repeated, the control unit, when notifying the user of whether or not restrictions on the user's lifestyle can be relaxed according to the result of the determination, accepts a selection from the user of whether or not to extend the measurement period. Information processing methods.

12. A program for a computer, comprising: acquiring measurement values ​​of biological information that are considered to be related to the lifestyle habits of the user, measured during a predetermined measurement period; determining whether the measurement values ​​measured during the measurement period satisfy a predetermined determination condition; notifying the user whether or not restrictions on the user's lifestyle habits can be relaxed according to the result of the determination; causing the computer to repeatedly execute a process including a series of cycles of causing the computer to execute a process of receiving from the user a selection of whether or not to extend the measurement period when notifying the user of whether or not restrictions on the user's lifestyle can be relaxed based on the result of the determination; program.

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