Inspection Equipment

Abstract

To perform a test desired by a user by using results of plural times of measurement of biological information in a test device.SOLUTION: A processor obtains a determination result whether first biological information determined on the basis of a monitoring result of the first biological information of a user has an abnormal tendency or not, and presents at least one test candidate for obtaining second biological information related to the first biological information to the user when the determination result has the abnormal tendency. The processor receives specification of at least one item which is an index when the user selects the presented test candidate and presents the test candidate in a display mode in accordance with the specified item.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 6

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The technology of the present disclosure relates to an inspection device. [Background technology]

[0002] In recent years, wearable devices such as smartwatches have become increasingly popular for monitoring vital signs such as pulse, blood pressure, respiration, electrocardiograms, maximum oxygen intake, blood glucose equivalents, and body temperature, and for managing health promotion and disease prevention based on the monitored vital signs. Furthermore, big data on vital signs is being used to train artificial intelligence (AI) to identify illnesses and potential illnesses with high accuracy.

[0003] Furthermore, methods have been proposed for providing health management information to users using biological information. For example, Patent Document 1 proposes a method for presenting a recommended action plan including exercise and dietary details when abnormalities are detected in blood glucose monitoring results obtained by a wearable device.

[0004] Meanwhile, an automated testing machine that automatically performs biological testing has been proposed, as described in Patent Document 2. The automated testing machine described in Patent Document 2 is provided with a removable test kit, and a user uses the test kit to collect a sample such as blood. When the user sets the sample in the automated testing machine, the automated testing machine performs a test using the sample and transmits the test results to the user's computer or mobile device. If such an automated testing machine is installed in a company, pharmacy, convenience store, or the like, users can perform tests at their desired time without having to go to a hospital. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0005] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2006-259827 [Patent Document 2] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2012-068155 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0006] Here, although wearable devices can monitor biological information, the accuracy of the acquired biological information is lower than that of biological information based on blood tests, etc. In the method described in Patent Document 1, only a recommended action plan is presented to the user. Therefore, the method described in Patent Document 1 cannot accurately grasp the current state of biological information when an abnormal trend is observed in the monitoring results. Furthermore, the method described in Patent Document 2 involves the user voluntarily conducting a specific test using a test kit, and does not conduct tests based on biological information acquired by a wearable device, etc.

[0007] The present disclosure has been made in consideration of the above circumstances, and aims to enable a user to perform a desired test using the monitoring results of biological information. [Means for solving the problem]

[0008] The testing device according to the present disclosure includes at least one processor, which obtains a determination result of whether the first biometric information of a user is prone to abnormality, based on the monitoring results of the first biometric information, and if the determination result indicates an abnormality, presents the user with at least one test candidate for obtaining second biometric information related to the first biometric information, accepts specification of at least one item that serves as an indicator for the user to select from the presented test candidates, and presents the test candidates in a display format corresponding to the specified item.

[0009] In the inspection device according to the present disclosure, the processor may present the test candidates to the user in a display format that presents the test candidates to the user in a manner that asks the user questions to determine the display position of the test candidates on at least one scale corresponding to at least one specified item, determines the display position of the test candidates on the scale according to the answer to the questions, and displays an icon representing the test candidate at the determined display position on the scale.

[0010] In the inspection device according to the present disclosure, the processor may display an icon representing a candidate inspection item and then accept a user's specification of an additional item, and when an additional item is specified, the display format of the icon representing the candidate inspection item may be updated.

[0011] In the inspection device according to the present disclosure, the processor may repeatedly accept the specification of additional items, present questions according to the added items, and update the display mode of the inspection candidates until the user selects an inspection candidate.

[0012] In the testing device according to the present disclosure, the items may include at least one of the cost of the test, the sense of security when collecting the sample, the degree of restriction during the test, whether the test is invasive or non-invasive, the time required to obtain test results, whether risk checks for various diseases are included, and the accuracy of the test.

[0013] In the testing device according to the present disclosure, the processor may include specifying the type of subject and selectively determine a candidate test from among a plurality of testing methods for acquiring second biological information from the subject.

[0014] In the testing device according to the present disclosure, the processor may present test candidates for collecting a sample from a user to obtain second biometric information, and when the test candidate is selected, the processor may present the user with instructions for collecting the sample and obtain second biometric information based on the sample collected by the user.

[0015] In the testing device according to the present disclosure, the processor may present the second biological information to the user.

[0016] In the testing device according to the present disclosure, the candidate tests may include candidate tests from which second biological information can be obtained with higher accuracy than the first biological information.

[0017] In the inspection device according to the present disclosure, the processor may determine the candidate inspections according to the degree of abnormality tendency.

[0018] In the testing device according to the present disclosure, the processor may determine the test candidate according to the amount of time that has elapsed since the first biological information was determined to be prone to abnormality until the present time.

[0019] In the testing device according to the present disclosure, the processor may determine candidate tests according to risk factors possessed by the user.

[0020] In the testing device according to the present disclosure, the processor may present statistical information of previously selected test candidates to the user.

[0021] In the testing device according to the present disclosure, the first biological information may be a blood glucose equivalent value correlated with the blood glucose level, and the second biological information may include at least one of the blood glucose level and HbA1c.

[0022] In the testing device according to the present disclosure, the abnormal tendency may be a postprandial hyperglycemic spike.

[0023] In the testing device according to the present disclosure, the processor may determine test candidates based on the contents of the user's diet.

[0024] In the testing device according to the present disclosure, the processor may determine test candidates based on the user's mealtimes.

[0025] In the testing device according to the present disclosure, the processor may present test suggestions including the act of drinking a glucose drink if the time elapsed since a meal based on the meal time has exceeded a predetermined time.

[0026] In the examination device according to the present disclosure, the first biological information may be at least one of heart rate, blood pressure, respiration, electrocardiogram, maximum oxygen uptake, arterial oxygen saturation, and body temperature, and the second biological information may be a diagnosis result of the user's illness.

[0027] In the testing device according to the present disclosure, when a determination result indicating that the first biological information does not tend to be abnormal is obtained, the processor may give a notification to that effect.

[0028] In the inspection device according to the present disclosure, the processor may obtain the determination result via wireless communication.

[0029] In the testing device according to the present disclosure, the determination result may be derived by a measuring device worn by the user, and the processor may acquire the determination result from the measuring device.

[0030] In the testing device according to the present disclosure, the first biological information may be measured multiple times by a measuring device worn by the user, and the processor may acquire the multiple measurement results of the first biological information from the measuring device, and based on the acquired multiple measurement results of the first biological information, determine whether the first biological information is prone to abnormality and acquire a determination result.

[0031] In this case, the meter may be wearable.

[0032] In the testing device according to the present disclosure, when it cannot be determined whether the first biological information is showing a tendency toward abnormality, the processor may issue a notification to increase the wearing time of the measuring device.

[0033] In the testing device according to the present disclosure, the processor may acquire second biological information, and determine whether or not to continue measuring the first biological information based on the acquired second biological information.

[0034] In the testing device according to the present disclosure, the processor may, after presenting instructions to the user according to the selected test candidate, further present instructions according to another test candidate that performs a test that is a step above the selected test candidate. [Effects of the Invention]

[0035] According to the present disclosure, a user can perform an examination based on the results of multiple measurements of biological information. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0036] [Figure 1] 1 is a schematic diagram illustrating a configuration of an inspection support system to which an inspection device according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is applied; [Figure 2] 1 is a diagram showing the hardware configuration of an inspection device according to the present embodiment. [Figure 3] Mobile device hardware configuration diagram [Figure 4] Hardware configuration diagram of a wristwatch-type measuring device [Figure 5] Hardware configuration diagram of a meter that measures glucose in interstitial fluid [Figure 6] 1 is a functional configuration diagram of an inspection device according to this embodiment. [Figure 7] Diagram showing the diurnal blood glucose fluctuations of a type 2 diabetes patient [Figure 8] Table showing testing methods for biological information related to blood glucose equivalent values [Figure 9] A flowchart showing the processing performed in this embodiment [Figure 10] A flowchart showing the processing performed in this embodiment [Figure 11] A diagram showing a notification screen when the blood glucose equivalent value is not showing an abnormal trend [Figure 12] A diagram showing a screen presenting test candidates [Figure 13] A diagram showing a screen presenting test candidates [Figure 14] A diagram showing a screen presenting test candidates [Figure 15] A diagram showing a screen presenting test candidates [Figure 16] A diagram showing a test candidate presentation screen displaying a description of the selected test candidate. [Figure 17] FIG. 10 is a diagram showing a screen displaying candidate examinations, on which statistical information on candidate examinations previously selected is displayed. [Figure 18] A diagram showing a list screen of items that can be used as a guide when a user selects candidate examinations. [Figure 19] A diagram showing a question presentation screen [Figure 20] FIG. 10 is a diagram showing a presentation screen that presents candidate examinations to a user in a display format in which icons of candidate examinations are displayed on a scale. [Figure 21] FIG. 10 is a diagram showing a presentation screen that presents candidate examinations to a user in a display format in which icons of candidate examinations are displayed on a scale. [Figure 22] A diagram showing a list screen of items that can be used as a guide when a user selects candidate examinations. [Figure 23] A diagram showing a question presentation screen [Figure 24] FIG. 10 is a diagram showing a presentation screen that presents candidate tests to a user in a display format in which icons of candidate tests are displayed on a scale when two items are selected. [Figure 25] A diagram showing the information screen for booking an examination [Figure 26] A diagram showing the analysis results display screen [Figure 27] A diagram showing a guide screen for a website selling blood glucose monitors. [Figure 28] FIG. 10 is a diagram showing a guidance screen that guides the user to hospitals where glucose tolerance tests can be performed. [Figure 29] A diagram showing the guidance screen for the next test [Figure 30] A diagram showing a notification screen for encouraging the user to increase the amount of time the measuring device is worn. [Figure 31]A diagram showing the comparison of blood glucose equivalent monitoring results with test results obtained by the user's blood sampling. [Figure 32] A diagram showing the delivery procedure guide screen [Figure 33] Schematic diagram showing changes in heart rate variability, etc. in patients with COVID-19 [Figure 34] Table showing testing methods related to COVID-19 [Figure 35] FIG. 10 is a diagram showing a presentation screen that presents candidate tests to a user in a display format in which icons of candidate tests are displayed on a scale when two items are selected. [Figure 36] FIG. 10 is a diagram showing a presentation screen that presents candidate tests to a user in a display format in which icons of candidate tests are displayed on a scale when two items are selected. [Figure 37] A diagram showing a question presentation screen DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0037] [First embodiment]

[0038] A first embodiment of the present disclosure will be described below with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram showing the configuration of an inspection support system to which an inspection device according to the first embodiment of the present disclosure is applied. As shown in FIG. 1, an inspection support system 10 includes an inspection device 1 according to this embodiment, a mobile terminal 2 such as a smartphone, and measuring devices 3 and 4. The mobile terminal 2 and the measuring devices 3 and 4 are capable of communicating with each other via short-range wireless communication such as Bluetooth (registered trademark). The inspection device 1 and the measuring devices 3 and 4 are also capable of communicating with each other via short-range wireless communication. The inspection device 1 is also capable of communicating with the mobile terminal 2 via short-range wireless communication. The inspection device 1 is connected to an inspection server 6 via a wired or wireless network 5 in a communicable state.

[0039] Testing device 1 is installed in places where people gather, such as convenience stores, shopping malls, train stations, airports, companies, pharmacies, community centers, elderly care centers, and hot spring facilities. Alternatively, testing device 1 is mounted on a mobile vehicle and moved to desired locations for use. Testing device 1 determines whether a user's blood glucose equivalent value is abnormal based on the monitoring results of the blood glucose equivalent value transmitted by the user from a meter 3 or the like, as described below, and presents the user with candidate tests for acquiring biometric information related to the blood glucose equivalent value based on the determination results. Testing device 1 also presents the user with guidance corresponding to the candidate tests selected by the user to assist the user in performing the test. Note that blood glucose equivalent values ​​are biometric information that correlate with blood glucose levels and are measured by a method that does not involve blood sampling. The testing device 1 shown in FIG. 1 also includes an analyzer 18 and a storage case 20, which will be described later.

[0040] Meter 3 is a wristwatch-type wearable device such as a smartwatch, and has the function of monitoring a blood glucose equivalent value that correlates with the user's blood glucose level. "Monitoring" means that the blood glucose equivalent value is automatically measured continuously at predetermined time intervals, such as every 15 or 30 minutes, without the user issuing a measurement command. Note that meter 3 may also measure the blood glucose equivalent value when instructed by the user, while also continuously measuring the blood glucose equivalent value. Meter 3 may also be a type that is worn by the user only during measurement, such as a finger clip.

[0041] The measuring device 3 is a non-invasive measuring device for measuring blood glucose equivalent values, and derives a blood glucose equivalent value by, for example, irradiating the user with infrared light and analyzing signals emitted by glucose in the blood. Alternatively, the measuring device 3 measures the user's electrocardiogram and derives a blood glucose equivalent value that correlates with changes in the electrocardiogram. The measuring device 3 transmits the derived blood glucose equivalent value to the testing device 1.

[0042] Meter 4 is an invasive device for measuring blood glucose equivalent values. For example, meter 4 is worn by a user to monitor the glucose concentration in interstitial fluid beneath the user's epidermis and transmit the measured glucose concentration to testing device 1. For this purpose, meter 4 has a needle-shaped filament 4A that is inserted beneath the user's epidermis. Since the glucose concentration correlates with the blood glucose level, it serves as a blood glucose equivalent value.

[0043] The blood glucose equivalent value measured by the measuring devices 3 and 4 is an example of first biological information. Note that a user only needs to have one of the measuring devices 3 and 4.

[0044] In this embodiment, the testing device 1 determines whether the blood glucose equivalent value is trending abnormally based on the monitoring results of the blood glucose equivalent value. In this embodiment, the abnormal trend of the blood glucose equivalent value is determined by determining whether the user is in a state of postprandial hyperglycemic spike. A postprandial hyperglycemic spike is a symptom seen in the early stages of diabetes, in which blood glucose levels rise significantly approximately 1 to 2 hours after a meal, even if fasting blood glucose levels are within the normal range. If a postprandial hyperglycemic spike is left untreated, it can damage blood vessels, facilitating the progression of arteriosclerosis and diabetic complications. It is also believed to increase the progression of complications such as myocardial infarction, angina pectoris, and stroke. This embodiment monitors blood glucose equivalent values, and if it is determined that the blood glucose equivalent value is trending abnormally, it presents the user with recommended test candidates, encouraging the user to undergo a test that can acquire biometric information for accurately identifying a postprandial hyperglycemic spike.

[0045] The network 5 is a wide area network (WAN: Wide Area Network) that connects the inspection device 1 and the inspection server 6 over a wide area via a public line network or a dedicated line network.

[0046] The test server 6 is installed in a test center that supports blood glucose level tests. The test server 6 has the function of providing the test program according to this embodiment to the test device 1 and providing the test device 1 with information required for the test device 1 to execute the test program. The test server 6 is a general-purpose computer on which a software program that provides server functions has been installed.

[0047] The testing center provides various support to the user regarding blood glucose level testing. For example, by providing the testing program according to this embodiment, the testing center supports the user in selecting a testing method. Furthermore, once the user selects a testing method, the testing center supports the purchase of equipment and testing kits necessary for the selected test and supports the user in booking a test at a hospital. The testing center also performs testing using blood samples delivered by the user that the user has collected themselves. A testing center is an example of an external testing organization.

[0048] Next, an inspection device according to this embodiment will be described. First, with reference to FIG. 2, the hardware configuration of the inspection device according to this embodiment will be described. As shown in FIG. 2, inspection device 1 according to this embodiment includes a CPU (Central Processing Unit) 11, non-volatile storage 13, and memory 16 as a temporary storage area. Furthermore, inspection device 1 includes a touch panel 14, a communication I / F (Interface) 15 for short-range wireless communication, and a network I / F 17 wirelessly connected to network 5. Furthermore, inspection device 1 includes an analysis device 18. Furthermore, inspection device 1 includes a housing case 20. CPU 11, storage 13, touch panel 14, communication I / F 15, memory 16, network I / F 17, and analysis device 18 are connected to a bus 19. Note that CPU 11 is an example of a processor in the present disclosure.

[0049] The storage 13 is realized by an SSD (Solid State Drive), a flash memory, etc. The storage 13 as a storage medium stores the inspection program 12 installed in the inspection device 1. The CPU 11 reads out the inspection program 12 from the storage 13, loads it into the memory 16, and executes the loaded inspection program 12.

[0050] The touch panel 14 is made up of a liquid crystal display, an organic EL display, or the like, and displays various information related to the processing performed by the inspection device 1. The touch panel 14 also functions as an input device for inputting various information to the inspection device 1.

[0051] The inspection program 12 is stored in the inspection server 6 in a state where it can be accessed from the outside, and is downloaded to the inspection device 1 and installed in response to a request.

[0052] Analysis device 18 analyzes the user's blood to derive biological information such as blood glucose level, HbA1c (hemoglobin A1c), etc. To this end, analysis device 18 has a mechanism for collecting the user's blood and a mechanism for obtaining blood from a test kit, which will be described later.

[0053] The storage case 20 contains multiple test kits 20A for calculating the user's blood. The test kits 20A include a blood collection device and a glucose drink for the user to drink before the test. If the user selects a test that requires self-blood collection as described below, the user can remove the test kit from the storage case, drink the glucose drink if necessary, and then use the blood collection device to collect their own blood.

[0054] Next, the mobile terminal 2 will be described. Fig. 3 is a hardware configuration diagram of the mobile terminal 2. As shown in Fig. 3, the mobile terminal 2 is a portable computer such as a smartphone, and includes a CPU 21, non-volatile storage 23, and memory 26 as a temporary storage area. The mobile terminal 2 also includes a touch panel 24, a communication I / F (Interface) 25 that performs short-range wireless communication, and a network I / F 27 that is wirelessly connected to the network 5. The mobile terminal 2 also includes a camera 28. The CPU 21, storage 23, touch panel 24, communication I / F 25, memory 26, network I / F 27, and camera 28 are connected to a bus 29.

[0055] The storage 23 is realized by an SSD (Solid State Drive), a flash memory, etc. The storage 23 as a storage medium stores the analysis program 22 installed in the mobile terminal 2. The CPU 21 reads the analysis program 22 from the storage 23, expands it in the memory 26, and executes the expanded analysis program 22.

[0056] The touch panel 24 is made up of a liquid crystal display, an organic EL display, or the like, and displays various information related to the processes performed by the mobile terminal 2. The touch panel 24 also functions as an input device for performing various inputs to the mobile terminal 2.

[0057] The camera 28 photographs the user's meal, for example, in response to a user instruction, thereby acquiring an image of the meal. The acquired image of the meal is saved in the storage 23. Alternatively, in response to a user instruction or without waiting for a user instruction, the image is sent to the testing device 1 together with the monitoring results of blood glucose equivalent values, as will be described later.

[0058] The analysis program 22 is stored in the test server 6 in a state accessible from the outside, and is downloaded and installed in the mobile terminal 2 upon request. The analysis program 22 analyzes the monitoring results of the blood glucose equivalent values ​​transmitted from the measuring devices 3 and 4 to determine whether the blood glucose equivalent values ​​are tending to be abnormal. The analysis program 22 may only execute the process of saving the blood glucose equivalent values ​​transmitted from the measuring devices 3 and 4 in the storage 23. When the monitoring results of the blood glucose equivalent values ​​are transmitted from the measuring devices 3 and 4 to the testing device 1, the mobile terminal 2 is not used.

[0059] In this embodiment, it is assumed that the user has completed user registration with the testing center. By authenticating themselves using the testing device 1, the user is able to transmit the monitoring results of blood glucose equivalent values ​​to the testing device 1 and perform tests using the testing device 1.

[0060] Next, the measuring device will be described. Figure 4 illustrates the hardware configuration of measuring device 3. Metering device 3 is a wristwatch-type computer, and as shown in Figure 4, includes a CPU 31, non-volatile storage 33, and memory 36 as a temporary storage area. Metering device 3 also includes a touch panel 34, a communication I / F 35 for short-range wireless communication, a network I / F 37 that is wirelessly connected to an external network (not shown), and a sensor 38. CPU 31, storage 33, touch panel 34, communication I / F 35, memory 36, network I / F 37, and sensor 38 are connected to a bus 39.

[0061] Storage 33 is realized by an SSD, flash memory, etc. Storage 33 as a storage medium stores a measurement program 32 for measuring a blood glucose equivalent value that is installed in measuring device 3. CPU 31 reads measurement program 32 from storage 33, loads it into memory 36, and executes the loaded measurement program 32.

[0062] Touch panel 34 is made up of a liquid crystal display, organic EL display, or the like, and displays various information related to the processing performed by measuring instrument 3. Touch panel 34 also functions as an input device for performing various inputs to measuring instrument 3.

[0063] Sensor 38, which may be composed of an infrared light source and an infrared detector, irradiates the user wearing measuring device 3 with infrared light and detects signals emitted by glucose in the blood. The signals detected by sensor 38 are analyzed by CPU 31, which executes measurement program 32, to derive a blood glucose equivalent value. Sensor 38 may also measure an electrocardiogram. In this case, measurement program 32 analyzes the electrocardiogram to derive a blood glucose equivalent value.

[0064] The measurement program 32 is stored in the inspection server 6 in a state where it can be accessed from the outside, and is downloaded and installed in the measuring instrument 3 upon request. Alternatively, the measurement program 32 is downloaded to the inspection device 1 or the portable terminal 2, and then downloaded and installed in the measuring instrument 3 via short-range wireless communication with the inspection device 1 or the portable terminal 2.

[0065] In the measuring device 3, the sensor 38 detects signals emitted by glucose in the blood at predetermined time intervals. The CPU 31 executes the measurement program 32 to analyze the signals and derive a blood glucose equivalent value. The CPU 31 then stores the derived blood glucose equivalent value in storage 33 in association with the measurement time. The blood glucose equivalent value associated with the measurement time becomes the monitoring result of the blood glucose equivalent value. When the user uses the testing device 1, the CPU 31 transmits the monitoring result of the blood glucose equivalent value from the communication I / F 35 to the testing device 1, either in response to a user instruction or without waiting for a user instruction.

[0066] Next, the meter 4 will be described. Figure 5 is a hardware configuration diagram of the meter 4. As shown in Figure 5, the meter 4 is a meter that is worn on the human body and measures the glucose concentration in interstitial fluid under the epidermis as a blood glucose equivalent value, as described in, for example, JP 2016-520379 A. The meter 4 includes a processor 41, a memory 42 as a temporary storage area, a communication I / F 43 that performs short-range wireless communication, and a sensor 44. A needle-shaped filament 4A that is inserted under the epidermis is connected to the sensor 44. The processor 41, memory 42, communication I / F 43, and sensor 44 are composed of an integrated circuit (ASIC (Application Specific Integrated Circuit)) 45 for measuring glucose in interstitial fluid.

[0067] In the measuring device 4, the sensor 44 detects a signal representing the glucose concentration in the interstitial fluid under the epidermis at predetermined time intervals or in response to a measurement instruction from the user. The processor 41 analyzes the signal to derive the glucose concentration. The processor 41 then stores the derived glucose concentration in memory 42 in association with the measurement time. The blood glucose equivalent value associated with the measurement time becomes the monitoring result of the blood glucose equivalent value. When the user uses the testing device 1, the processor 41 transmits the monitoring result of the blood glucose equivalent value from the communication I / F 43 to the testing device 1, either in response to a user instruction or without waiting for a user instruction.

[0068] Next, the functional configuration of the testing device according to this embodiment will be described. Fig. 6 is a diagram showing the functional configuration of the testing device according to this embodiment. As shown in Fig. 6, testing device 1 includes an acquisition unit 51, a determination unit 52, a decision unit 53, and a presentation unit 54. CPU 11 executes testing program 12 to function as acquisition unit 51, determination unit 52, decision unit 53, and presentation unit 54. In the following description, it is assumed that a user has a measuring device 3, and testing device 1 directly acquires the monitoring results of the blood glucose equivalent value from measuring device 3.

[0069] The acquisition unit 51 acquires the monitoring results of the blood glucose equivalent values ​​by receiving them via the communication I / F 15 and transmitted from the communication I / F 35 of the measuring device 3. In this embodiment, the monitoring results acquired are those of blood glucose equivalent values ​​measured over the most recent 24 hours, for example.

[0070] The determination unit 52 determines whether or not the blood glucose equivalent value tends to be abnormal based on the monitoring result of the blood glucose equivalent value acquired by the acquisition unit 51. Specifically, the determination unit 52 determines whether or not the blood glucose equivalent value tends to be abnormal, indicating a postprandial hyperglycemic spike.

[0071] Here, we will explain postprandial hyperglycemia. Figure 7 shows the diurnal fluctuation of blood glucose in a type 2 diabetes patient. In Figure 7, the horizontal axis represents time of day (24 hours) and the vertical axis represents blood glucose level (mg / dL). The solid line represents the blood glucose level of a patient with an HbA1c (hemoglobin A1c) of 9% or higher. The dashed line represents the blood glucose level of a patient with an HbA1c of 7 to less than 8%. The dashed-dotted line represents the blood glucose level of a patient with an HbA1c of 6.5 to less than 7%. Figure 7 also shows the fluctuation of blood glucose levels when breakfast is eaten around 8:00 a.m., lunch around 12:00 p.m., and dinner around 7:00 p.m. HbA1c is glucose bound to hemoglobin, a component of red blood cells in the blood. HbA1c represents the fluctuation of blood glucose over a period of 1 to 2 months.

[0072] As shown in Figure 7, regardless of the HbA1c value, blood glucose levels rise after meals, but the higher the HbA1c, the more pronounced the postprandial hyperglycemic spike, in which blood glucose levels rise significantly, especially after breakfast. To make the postprandial hyperglycemic spike after breakfast easier to see, a line is added at the 8 o'clock position in Figure 7.

[0073] The user also transmits the most recent meal time from the measuring device 3 to the inspection device 1. Alternatively, the meal time may be input using the touch panel 14 of the inspection device 1. Alternatively, the meal may be photographed using the camera 28 of the mobile terminal 2, and the photographed image of the meal may be transmitted to the inspection device 1. In this case, the information on the date and time of the photograph included in the header information of the photographed image of the meal can be used as the meal time.

[0074] The determination unit 52 determines that the blood glucose equivalent value is tending to be abnormal if the blood glucose equivalent value monitoring results transmitted from the measuring device 3 show that the time variation in the blood glucose equivalent value after a meal is equal to or greater than a predetermined threshold value Th1. In this embodiment, the time variation refers to, for example, the variation in blood glucose level per hour.

[0075] In this embodiment, the determination unit 52 further determines whether there was a situation in which the fluctuation in the blood glucose equivalent value was equal to or greater than the threshold value Th2, and if the determination is affirmative, the determination unit 52 determines that the postprandial hyperglycemic spike is large (Th2>Th1). If the determination is negative, the determination unit 52 determines that the postprandial hyperglycemic spike is small.

[0076] If the determining unit 52 determines that the blood glucose equivalent value is not showing an abnormal tendency, it notifies the user of this fact. Notification will be described later.

[0077] The determination unit 53 determines candidate tests to be recommended to the user when the determination unit 52 determines that the blood glucose equivalent value tends to be abnormal. Furthermore, the determination unit 53 determines the candidate tests depending on the degree of the tendency to abnormality.

[0078] Fig. 8 is a table showing test methods for biological information related to blood glucose equivalent values. In Fig. 8, for four types of test methods (1) to (4), the test method, the biological information to be measured, the cost, and the required time are shown as test information. Test methods (1) to (4) are all test methods that involve drawing blood from the user.

[0079] Test method (1) is a test method that measures only blood glucose levels. Test method (2) is a test method that performs several tests in addition to blood glucose levels. In Figure 8, several test methods are indicated with "+α". Test method (3) is a test method that tests blood glucose levels, HbA1c, and multiple other items. Test method (4) is a test method that measures HbA1c only. In Figure 8, multiple items other than blood glucose levels and HbA1c are indicated with "+other multiple items". Note that test methods (1), (2), and (4) can be performed by the analysis device 18 of the testing device 1, in which case test results can be obtained in a relatively short time. The obtained test results are displayed on the touch panel 14. Test method (3) involves shipping a sample to an external testing center.

[0080] The blood glucose level, HbA1c, and other biological information obtained by the test methods (1) to (4) are examples of second biological information.

[0081] Figure 8 also shows various items that can be used as indicators when the user selects from the presented test candidates. Specifically, the items shown are the cost of the test (cost), the time required to obtain test results (time required), whether or not risk checks for various diseases are included (risk check), and the accuracy of the test (accuracy). Each item column shows the degree of desirability for each test method. The degree of desirability is represented by the symbols A, B, C, and D in order of desirability. A represents very preferred, B represents preferred, C represents neutral, and D represents unpreferred.

[0082] Regarding cost, the cheaper it is, the more preferable it is. Regarding the time required, the shorter it is, the more preferable it is. Regarding risk checks for various diseases, the more test items there are and the more tests for diseases other than diabetes are included, the more preferable it is. Regarding accuracy, the higher the accuracy in detecting postprandial hyperglycemia in particular, the more preferable it is.

[0083] In addition to cost, time required, risk assessment, and accuracy, other items may include the sense of security when collecting a sample, the degree of restriction during the test, and whether the test is invasive or non-invasive. The sense of security increases the less anxious a user is about collecting a sample (e.g., blood). For example, if the test method involves blood collection at a hospital, users feel more secure when blood is collected by a medical professional. The degree of preference for restriction varies depending on whether or not the user has to go out and the waiting time, and increases the more the user does not have to go out and the shorter the waiting time. The degree of preference for invasiveness increases when a sample can be obtained without pain. For example, if the test method involves a glucose tolerance test, the degree of preference for invasiveness decreases because blood must be collected three times after the glucose load.

[0084] 8 also shows various abnormal trends in blood glucose equivalent values. Specifically, it shows that the postprandial hyperglycemic spike is large and that the postprandial hyperglycemic spike is small.

[0085] In addition, in Figure 8, for each abnormal tendency, a circle is marked in the column for the test method that should be considered as a test candidate. That is, when the postprandial hyperglycemic spike is large, a circle is marked for test methods (1) to (3). Note that for test methods (1) to (3), postprandial blood sampling is required to determine the postprandial hyperglycemic spike. When the postprandial hyperglycemic spike is small, a circle is marked for all test methods (1) to (4).

[0086] In this embodiment, the table shown in FIG. 8 is stored as a table in storage 13. The determination unit 53 refers to the table stored in storage 13 and determines candidate tests according to the abnormal tendency of the blood glucose equivalent value determined by the determination unit 52. Specifically, if the abnormal tendency determined by the determination unit 52 is a large postprandial hyperglycemic spike, the determination unit 53 refers to the table and determines test methods (1) to (3) as candidate tests. On the other hand, if the abnormal tendency determined by the determination unit 52 is a small postprandial hyperglycemic spike, the determination unit 53 determines test methods (1) to (4) as candidate tests. Note that for all of test methods (1) to (4), blood can be collected using the testing device 1, and the collected blood sample can also be delivered to a testing center for testing. On the other hand, test method (3) requires that the sample be delivered to a testing center, which is an external testing institution, for testing.

[0087] The presentation unit 54 presents to the user the candidate tests determined by the determination unit 53. In the present embodiment, the presentation unit 54 presents the candidate tests determined by the determination unit 53 to the user by displaying the candidate tests on the touch panel 14.

[0088] The processing performed in this embodiment will be described below. FIGS. 9 and 10 are flowcharts showing the processing performed in this embodiment. To determine whether the blood glucose equivalent value is trending abnormally, the acquisition unit 51 monitors whether the communication I / F 15 has received the monitoring results of the blood glucose equivalent value sent from the measuring device 3 (step ST1). If step ST1 is positive, the determination unit 52 determines whether the blood glucose equivalent value is trending abnormally based on the monitoring results of the blood glucose equivalent value (step ST2). If step ST2 is negative, the determination unit 52 notifies the user that the blood glucose equivalent value is not trending abnormally (step ST3) and returns to step ST1. FIG. 11 is a diagram showing a notification screen displayed when the blood glucose equivalent value is not trending abnormally. As shown in FIG. 11, a notification 61 stating, "Your blood glucose level is not trending abnormally. Please continue your current lifestyle habits" is displayed on the notification screen 60.

[0089] If step ST2 is positive, the determination unit 52 determines the degree of abnormal tendency of the blood glucose equivalent value. First, the determination unit 52 determines whether or not there was a situation in which the fluctuation of the blood glucose equivalent value was equal to or greater than the threshold value Th2, based on the monitoring result of the blood glucose equivalent value (step ST4). If step ST4 is positive, the determination unit 53 determines, as the candidate test, a test method for a large postprandial hyperglycemic spike from among the test methods included in the table shown in FIG. 8 (step ST5). If step ST4 is negative, the determination unit 53 determines, as the candidate test, a test method for a small postprandial hyperglycemic spike from among the test methods included in the table shown in FIG. 8 (step ST6).

[0090] Following steps ST5 and ST6, the determination unit 52 determines whether the current time is within two hours after the meal based on the meal time (step ST7). If step ST7 is positive, the presentation unit 54 does not add drinking a glucose drink to the candidate tests (no drink added; step ST8) and presents the determined candidate tests to the user (step ST10). On the other hand, if step ST7 is negative, the presentation unit 54 adds drinking a glucose drink to the candidate tests (add drink; step ST9) and presents the determined candidate tests to the user (step ST10).

[0091] FIG. 12 is a diagram showing a screen displaying candidate tests. As shown in FIG. 12, the candidate test display screen 62 displays candidate tests 63 for tests with large postprandial blood glucose spikes and tests that include a drink. Specifically, for each of test method (1) "blood glucose only," test method (2) "blood glucose + α," and test method (3) "blood glucose + HbA1c + other parameters," a total of six candidate tests are displayed, including tests with a drink and tests for which the blood collection container will be delivered later. Tests with a drink are displayed as "drink &," and tests for which the blood collection container will be delivered later are displayed as "blood collection container delivery &." The display screen 62 also includes a statistical information reference button 64, an item selection button 65, and a decision button 66. The statistical information reference button 64 is used to display statistical information, as described below. The item selection button 65 is used to display a list screen of items that serve as a guide for the user when selecting candidate tests, as described below. The decision button 66 is used to confirm the candidate test.

[0092] A presentation screen 62A of test candidates for when the postprandial hyperglycemic spike is large and does not include a drink is shown in FIG. 13. A presentation screen 62B of test candidates for when the postprandial hyperglycemic spike is small and includes a drink is shown in FIG. 14. A presentation screen 62C of test candidates for when the postprandial hyperglycemic spike is small and does not include a drink is shown in FIG. 15. The presentation screen 62A shown in FIG. 13 displays a candidate test 63A for when the postprandial hyperglycemic spike is large and does not include a drink. The presentation screen 62B shown in FIG. 14 displays a candidate test 63B for when the postprandial hyperglycemic spike is small and includes a drink. The presentation screen 62C shown in FIG. 15 displays a candidate test 63C for when the postprandial hyperglycemic spike is small and does not include a drink. If the postprandial hyperglycemic spike is small, the following test candidates are selected: test method (1) "blood glucose only," test method (2) "blood glucose + α," test method (3) "blood glucose + HbA1c + other items," and test method (4) "HbA1c only." In the following explanation, it is assumed that the display screen 62 shown in Figure 12 is displayed.

[0093] Each candidate test included in candidate test 63 is selectable, and when the user selects a candidate test from the candidate test list, a description of the selected candidate test is displayed. For example, if the user selects "Drink & Blood Glucose Only" from the six candidate test lists, a description 67 stating "This is a test in which blood is drawn 60 minutes after drinking a glucose drink" is displayed between item selection button 65 and decision button 66, as shown in FIG. 16. When the user selects decision button 66 in this state, the selected candidate test is determined as the test method to be performed by the user. The processing that follows after the test method is determined will be described later.

[0094] Additionally, when the user selects the statistical information reference button 64, statistical information on previously selected candidate tests is displayed. Multiple candidate tests are selected and presented to the user based on the user's tendency toward abnormal blood glucose equivalent values, and the user selects one of the multiple candidate tests to perform the test. The statistical information indicates the percentage of each of the multiple candidate tests that has been selected in the past by the user currently performing the test or by other users. The statistical information is derived by tallying up which candidate tests have been selected in the past among candidate tests with similar abnormal tendencies to the user's blood glucose equivalent values. For example, if the user's tendency toward abnormal blood glucose equivalent values ​​is a large postprandial hyperglycemic spike, statistical information on the six presented candidate tests is displayed.

[0095] Fig. 17 is a diagram showing a screen presenting test candidates on which statistical information about the test candidates is displayed. As shown in Fig. 17, statistical information 68 for each of the six presented test candidates is displayed between an item selection button 65 and a decision button 66. As shown in Fig. 17, the statistical information 68 indicates the proportion of times each test candidate has been selected in the past, expressed as a percentage. The statistical information 68 is stored in the test server 6, and when the statistical information reference button 64 is selected, the mobile terminal 2 accesses the test server 6 to obtain the statistical information 68 and presents it to the user.

[0096] Even when the statistical information 68 is displayed, if the user selects one of the candidate examinations and selects the decision button 66, the selected candidate examination is decided as the examination method to be performed by the user.

[0097] After presenting the test candidates, the determination unit 53 determines whether or not the determination button 66 has been selected (step ST11), and if the result of step ST11 is affirmative, the process proceeds to step ST19, which will be described later. If the result of step ST11 is negative, the determination unit 53 determines whether or not the item selection button 65 has been selected (item selection; step ST12). If the result of step ST12 is negative, the process returns to step ST10. If the result of step ST12 is affirmative, the presentation unit 54 displays a list of items (step ST13).

[0098] FIG. 18 is a diagram showing a list screen displaying a list of items. As shown in FIG. 18, the item list screen 70 displays the text "Which item do you prioritize?". The list screen 70 also displays the cost of the test, the time required to obtain test results, risk checks for various diseases, and the accuracy of the test as indicators for selecting candidate tests. Each item is also provided with a check box 71. The user specifies an item by checking the check box of any item that the user wants to prioritize when selecting test information, and then selects an item specification button 72. To do this, the determination unit 53 determines whether the item specification button 72 has been selected (step ST14). If step ST14 is negative, the process returns to step ST13. If step ST14 is positive, the determination unit 53 presents the user with a question for determining the display position of the candidate test on a scale, which will be described later, according to the specified item (step ST15).

[0099] FIG. 19 is a diagram showing a question presentation screen. For the sake of explanation, it is assumed here that the user has selected "the time required to obtain test results" as an indicator for selecting candidate tests. As shown in FIG. 19, question presentation screen 75 displays two questions Q1 and Q2. Question Q1 is "If you were to drink a drink, would you like to drink it now?" and question Q2 is "If I were to have my blood drawn at home, when will the blood collection container be delivered?" The user answers question Q1 with either YES or NO. For question Q2, the user enters the date and time the blood collection container will be delivered in input box 76. Here, it is assumed that the user answers YES to question Q1 and enters tomorrow's date for question Q2.

[0100] When the user selects the answer end button 77 after answering, the determination unit 53 determines the position on the scale corresponding to the specified item at which to display the candidate tests. The presentation unit 54 then presents the candidate tests to the user in a display format in which icons representing the candidate tests are displayed at the determined display position on the scale (presentation of candidate test scale; step ST16). In this embodiment, "time required until test results are obtained" is selected as the item that serves as an index for selecting candidate tests. Therefore, the determination unit 53 derives the time required until test results are obtained based on the answer to the question, and determines the display position of the candidate tests on the scale representing the required time. The presentation unit 54 then presents the candidate tests to the user in a display format in which icons representing the candidate tests are displayed at the determined display position on the scale.

[0101] FIG. 20 is a diagram showing a presentation screen that presents candidate test icons to a user in a display format that displays candidate test icons on a scale. As shown in FIG. 20, presentation screen 78 displays a scale 79 representing the required time, and six candidate test icons 80A-80F are displayed along scale 79 according to the required time. As shown in FIG. 20, candidate test icon 80A corresponding to "Drink & Blood Glucose Only" is displayed at "65 minutes later" on scale 79. This is because the user answers question Q1 by drinking a drink now, blood is drawn 60 minutes later, and the results are available 5 minutes after the start of the test. Also, candidate test icon 80B corresponding to "Drink & Blood Glucose + α" is displayed at "75 minutes later" on scale 79. This is because the user answers question Q1 by drinking a drink now, blood is drawn 60 minutes later, and the results are available 15 minutes after the start of the test. Also, candidate test icon 80C corresponding to "Drink & Blood Glucose + HbA1c + Other Items" is displayed at "3 days later" on scale 79. This is because, although the respondent answered that they would drink the drink now in response to question Q1, it will take three days for all test results to be available.

[0102] The display position on scale 79 of candidate test icon 80D corresponding to "Blood collection container delivery & blood glucose level only" and candidate test icon 80E corresponding to "Blood collection container delivery & blood glucose level + α" is "tomorrow." This is because the answer to question Q2 was that the blood collection container will be delivered tomorrow. The display position on scale 79 of candidate test icon 80F corresponding to "Blood collection container delivery & blood glucose level + HbA1c + many other items" is "4 days later." This is because the answer to question Q2 was that the blood collection container will be delivered tomorrow, and it will take another 3 days for all test results to be available.

[0103] 21 shows the candidate test presentation screen for when the user answers YES to a question about whether or not to have blood drawn immediately after a meal within two hours of eating. The candidate test 63A on the presentation screen 62A shown in FIG. 13 does not indicate that the user will not have a drink, but the icon shown in FIG. 21 indicates that the user will not have a drink. On the presentation screen 78A shown in FIG. 21, the candidate test icon 80G corresponding to "No drink & blood glucose only" is displayed at "5 minutes later" on the scale 79. This is because the results are available 5 minutes after the start of the test. The candidate test icon 80H corresponding to "No drink & blood glucose + α" is displayed at "15 minutes later" on the scale 79. This is because the results are available 15 minutes after the start of the test. The candidate test icon 80I corresponding to "No drink & blood glucose + HbA1c + other items" is displayed at "3 days later" on the scale 79. This is because it takes three days for all test results to be available.

[0104] The user can instantly recognize the required dates and times for the presented candidate examinations on the presentation screen 78. This allows the user to easily compare candidate examinations according to the items that the user values.

[0105] The user can select an icon of a candidate test on the presentation screen 78 and select the decision button 81 to decide the test method desired by the user. In addition, by selecting the item selection button 82, the user can additionally specify an item that will be used as an index when selecting a candidate test. For this purpose, following step ST16, the decision unit 53 determines whether or not the item selection button 82 has been selected (step ST17). If the result of step ST17 is positive, the process returns to step ST13, and the processes of steps ST13 to ST17 are repeated. If the result of step ST17 is negative, the decision unit 53 determines whether or not the decision button 81 has been selected (step ST18). If the result of step ST18 is positive, the process proceeds to step ST19, which will be described later. If the result of step ST18 is negative, the process returns to step ST16.

[0106] FIG. 22 is a diagram showing the item list screen that is displayed for the second time when step ST17 is determined to be positive. As shown in FIG. 22, among the check boxes 71 displayed on the item list screen 70, the check box for "time required to obtain test results" is already checked. The user can select further items on the item list screen 70. Here, it is assumed that the user further selects "cost required for test." The determination unit 53 presents the user with a question for determining the display position of the candidate test on the scale according to the "cost required for test."

[0107] FIG. 23 is a diagram showing a question presentation screen regarding "test costs." As shown in FIG. 23, one question Q3 is presented on the question presentation screen 84. Question Q3 is "Would you like to order a drink?" The user answers the question with YES or NO. Here, it is assumed that the user answers YES. After answering, when the user selects the answer end button 85, the presentation unit 54 updates the display format of the icon representing the candidate test. That is, the determination unit 53 determines the display position of the candidate test on an additional scale according to the additionally specified item, and the presentation unit 54 presents the candidate test to the user in a display format in which the icon representing the candidate test is displayed at the determined display position on the previously presented scale and the additional scale.

[0108] Specifically, the determination unit 53 derives the cost of the test based on the answer to the question and determines the display position of the candidate test on a scale representing the cost of the test. The presentation unit 54 then displays the scale of the required time and the scale of the cost of the test so that they intersect at right angles, and presents the candidate test to the user by displaying icons of the candidate test at positions on the two orthogonal scales.

[0109] FIG. 24 shows a presentation screen that presents candidate test icons to the user on a scale when two items are selected. As shown in FIG. 24, presentation screen 86 displays scale 87, which represents cost, perpendicular to scale 79, which represents required time, and six candidate test icons 80A-80F are displayed in a two-dimensional arrangement according to required time and cost. As shown in FIG. 24, candidate test icon 80A, which corresponds to "drink & blood glucose only," is displayed at "65 minutes later" on scale 79, and at 600 yen on scale 87. The cost is the cost of the blood glucose test alone plus the cost of the glucose drink.

[0110] Additionally, the display position on scale 79 of icon 80B, a test candidate corresponding to "Drink & Blood Glucose Level + α," is "75 minutes later," and the display position on scale 87 is 2,300 yen. The cost is the cost of the blood glucose level + α test plus the cost of the glucose drink. Additionally, the display position on scale 79 of icon 80C, a test candidate corresponding to "Drink & Blood Glucose Level + HbA1c + other items," is "3 days later," and the display position on scale 87 is 4,300 yen. The cost is the cost of the blood glucose level + HbA1c + other items test plus the cost of the glucose drink.

[0111] Furthermore, the display position on scale 79 of candidate test icon 80D corresponding to "Blood Collection Container Delivery & Blood Glucose Level Only" and candidate test icon 80E corresponding to "Blood Collection Container Delivery & Blood Glucose Level + α" is "tomorrow," and their display positions on scale 87 are slightly higher than icons 80A and 80B. This is because the cost of "Drink & Blood Glucose Level Only" and "Drink & Blood Glucose Level + α" includes the transportation cost (e.g., 300 yen) for delivering the blood collection container back to the testing device 1. Furthermore, the display position on scale 79 of candidate test icon 80F corresponding to "Blood Collection Container Delivery & Blood Glucose Level + HbA1c + Other Items" is "4 Days Later," and their display position on scale 87 is slightly higher than icon 80C. This is because the cost of "Drink & Blood Glucose Level + HbA1c + Other Items" and "Drink & Blood Glucose Level + α" includes the transportation cost for delivering the blood collection container back to the testing device 1.

[0112] The user can see at a glance the required dates and costs for the proposed examinations on the presentation screen 86. This makes it easy to compare the proposed examinations taking into account both the required dates and costs.

[0113] On the presentation screen 86, the user can select the icon of a candidate test and select the decision button 81 to decide on the test method they desire. Furthermore, by further selecting the item selection button 82, they can specify additional items that will be used as indicators when selecting candidate tests. This allows them to add more items and compare candidate tests until they are satisfied.

[0114] If step ST11 and step ST18 are determined to be positive, the presentation unit 54 displays on the touch panel 14 guidance regarding the test method selected by the user (step ST19). For example, if the user selects "drink & blood glucose level only" on the presentation screen 62, etc., blood sampling is required 60 minutes later, and therefore the presentation unit 54 displays a guidance screen for making a test reservation. FIG. 25 is a diagram showing the guidance screen for making a test reservation. On the reservation guidance screen 89 shown in FIG. 25, the user inputs the desired reservation time in the input box 90. Thereafter, by selecting the reservation button 91, the reservation is completed. The testing device 1 is controlled so as not to acquire monitoring results of blood glucose equivalent values ​​of other users and not to perform tests for them from several minutes before the time the user made the reservation.

[0115] Following step ST19, the decision unit 53 stores the acquired monitoring results of the user's blood glucose equivalent value in the storage 13 in association with the acquisition date and time and the abnormal tendency (step ST20). Furthermore, the decision unit 53 associates the acquired monitoring results of the user's blood glucose equivalent value with the acquisition date and time, the abnormal tendency, and the selected test candidate, processes the results so that the user cannot be identified, and transmits them to the test server 6 (step ST21), thereby ending the process. Note that if an image of the meal is acquired, the image is also transmitted to the test server 6. The test server 6 stores the acquired information.

[0116] The user goes to the location where the testing device 1 is installed at the scheduled time and either draws blood in the analysis device 18, or loads a blood collection container containing blood drawn using a test kit into the analysis device 18. The analysis device 18 then analyzes the blood according to the test method selected by the user and derives the analysis results. The analysis results are displayed on the touch panel 14. Figure 26 is a diagram showing the display screen for the analysis results. As shown in Figure 26, the analysis result display screen 92 displays, as an example, the blood glucose analysis result of "150 mg / dL."

[0117] As described above, in this embodiment, when the monitoring results of a user's blood glucose equivalent value indicate an abnormal trend, candidate tests for acquiring biological information related to the blood glucose equivalent value are presented to the user, and guidance corresponding to the candidate test selected by the user is presented to the user. Therefore, the user can use the testing device according to this embodiment to perform a test corresponding to the monitoring results of the blood glucose equivalent value. Furthermore, the user will not perform a test that is inappropriate for the abnormal trend of their own blood glucose level. Therefore, personalized medicine that is tailored to the user can be promoted.

[0118] Furthermore, by presenting candidate tests that can acquire biometric information related to blood glucose equivalent values ​​with greater accuracy than measuring devices 3 and 4, the user can select a test that will enable them to accurately understand their own blood glucose status. Therefore, by taking the selected test, the user can more accurately understand their own blood glucose status.

[0119] Furthermore, by accepting the specification of at least one item that will be used as an index when the user selects candidate tests and presenting the candidate tests in a display format that corresponds to the specified item, the candidate tests can be presented in a display format that reflects the items that the user wants to prioritize when selecting candidate tests, thereby enabling the user to easily select candidate tests.

[0120] Furthermore, by presenting the user with questions to determine the display positions of the candidate tests on a scale according to the specified items, determining the display positions of the candidate tests on the scale according to the answers to the questions, and presenting the candidate tests to the user in a display format that displays icons representing the candidate tests at the determined display positions on the scale, the candidate tests can be presented to the user in a display format that reflects the items that serve as indicators for selecting the candidate tests. This allows the user to select candidate tests taking into account the items that they consider important.

[0121] Furthermore, by accepting the specification of at least one additional item that serves as an index for selecting candidate tests and updating the display format of the icons representing the candidate tests in accordance with the additionally specified item, the candidate tests can be presented to the user in a display format that takes into account multiple items that serve as indexes for selecting candidate tests, thereby enabling the user to easily select candidate tests.

[0122] Furthermore, by presenting the user with statistical information on candidate tests that have been selected in the past, the user can more easily select a test method that is suitable for him or her.

[0123] Furthermore, by storing blood glucose equivalent values, abnormal trends, selected test candidates, meal images, etc. in the test server 6, the stored information can be used as big data. The stored big data can be used for learning AI that provides information related to blood glucose levels, or as statistical information.

[0124] In the first embodiment, a test method that cannot be performed by the testing device 1 may be presented as a test candidate. For example, a test in which the user periodically draws their own blood or a test method in which blood is drawn at a hospital may be presented as a test candidate. When such a test method is presented as a test candidate, for example, if the user selects a test method of self-drawing blood glucose at home because they want to check their blood glucose level periodically in the future, the presentation unit 54 will guide the user to a website that sells blood glucose meters (SMBG: Self Monitoring of Blood Glucose). FIG. 27 is a diagram showing a guide screen of a website that sells blood glucose meters. As shown in FIG. 27, guide screen 93 displays multiple websites where blood glucose meters can be purchased. The user can purchase a blood glucose meter by accessing the displayed website.

[0125] On the other hand, when a test method performed at a hospital is presented as a test candidate, if the user desires to accurately grasp the current state of their blood glucose level and selects a glucose tolerance test at a hospital, the presentation unit 54 guides the user to hospitals near the user's home or workplace that can perform a glucose tolerance test. FIG. 28 is a diagram showing a guidance screen that guides the user to hospitals that can perform a glucose tolerance test. As shown in FIG. 28, a guidance screen 94 displays hospitals near the user's workplace that can perform a glucose tolerance test. The presented hospital names are selectable, and when a hospital name is selected, a list 95 of available dates and times for booking a glucose tolerance test is displayed. FIG. 28 shows a state in which Hospital A has been selected and a list of available dates and times for booking at Hospital A is displayed. The user can select a date and time marked with a circle and select a booking button 96 to book a glucose tolerance test at the selected hospital.

[0126] In the first embodiment, guidance is provided and processing ends when the user selects a test from the candidate tests. However, candidate tests that are a step up from the test selected by the user may also be proposed. For example, as shown in FIG. 12, six candidate tests for cases of large postprandial hyperglycemic spikes are presented. After the user selects one of the candidate tests, guidance may be provided to select a test at a hospital as the next candidate test. FIG. 29 is a diagram showing a guidance screen for the next test. As shown in FIG. 29, the guidance screen 97 presents two test methods as the next step: a GA test and a 1,5AG test at a hospital, and a glucose tolerance test at a hospital. By referring to the guidance screen 97, the user can recognize that it is preferable to perform a GA test and a 1,5AG test at a hospital or a glucose tolerance test at a hospital.

[0127] The GA test is a test for glycoalbumin, and the 1,5AG test is a test for 1,5-anhydro-D-glucitol. Glucoalbumin is a combination of albumin, a type of serum protein, and glucose, and is biometric information that can tell you the state of your blood sugar levels from one to two weeks ago. 1,5AG is a type of sugar in the blood, and is the second most abundant sugar after glucose. Measuring 1,5AG as biometric information can tell you the state of your blood sugar levels over the past few days. A glucose tolerance test is a test that measures blood sugar levels by taking blood samples three times after a glucose load.

[0128] Furthermore, in the first embodiment, for example, there may be cases where it is not possible to determine whether the blood glucose level is trending abnormally due to an insufficient measurement of the blood glucose equivalent value. For example, the user may have worn the meter 3 for a short period of time, and the blood glucose equivalent value may not be monitored sufficiently to determine a postprandial hyperglycemic spike. In such cases, the judgment unit 52 is unable to determine whether the blood glucose level is trending abnormally. For this reason, if the judgment unit 52 is unable to determine whether the blood glucose level is trending abnormally, it is preferable to issue a notification urging the user to increase the wearing time of the meter 3. Figure 30 is a diagram showing a notification screen. As shown in Figure 30, the notification screen 98 displays a notification 99 stating, "Please increase the wearing time of the meter." The notification screen 98 allows the user to take action to increase the wearing time of the meter 3, thereby making it possible to determine whether subsequent blood glucose equivalent values ​​are trending abnormally.

[0129] Furthermore, in the first embodiment, the user may photograph the meal contents using the camera 28 of the mobile terminal 2 and transmit the image of the meal contents to the testing device 1 together with the monitoring results of the blood glucose equivalent value. In this case, if the meal is eaten within two hours after the meal, the testing device 1 may determine the meal contents based on the image of the meal contents and determine test candidates according to the meal contents. For example, if the abnormal tendency determined by the determining unit 52 is a small postprandial hyperglycemic spike, and the determined meal contents are low in sugar, it is considered that the postprandial hyperglycemic spike is small due to the influence of the meal. Therefore, the abnormal tendency of the blood glucose equivalent value may be changed to a large postprandial hyperglycemic spike, and testing methods (1) to (3) may be determined as test candidates.

[0130] In the first embodiment, the candidate tests are presented to the user in a display format using a scale each time an item serving as an index for selecting a candidate test is selected on the item list screen 70. However, this is not limited to this. Multiple items may be selected at once on the item list screen 70. In this case, the display positions of the candidate tests on the scale for each of the selected items are determined, and the candidate tests are presented to the user in a display format in which icons of the candidate tests are displayed at the determined display positions.

[0131] Furthermore, in the first embodiment, when the item selection button 65 is selected, an item list screen 70 is displayed, allowing the user to select an item that will serve as an indicator for selecting candidate tests. However, this is not limited to this. Before the testing device of this embodiment determines an abnormal tendency based on the monitoring results of blood glucose equivalent values, the user may be prompted to select an item that will serve as an indicator for selecting candidate tests in advance. Alternatively, the measuring device 3 may transmit the item that will serve as an indicator for selecting candidate tests to the testing device 1. In this case, a button instead of the item selection button 65 is displayed on the candidate test presentation screen 62, and by selecting this button, candidate tests are presented to the user in the display format shown in FIG. 21, FIG. 22, or FIG. 24.

[0132] In addition, when the user is prompted to select items in advance that will serve as indicators for selecting candidate tests, the user may select items that include risk checks for various diseases. In such cases, the determination unit 53 may determine a test method that includes multiple other tests as candidate tests. For example, the determination unit 53 may determine test methods (2) and (3) shown in FIG. 8 as candidate tests.

[0133] Furthermore, in the first embodiment, when an item that serves as an index for selecting a candidate test is selected on the item list screen 70, a question is asked to the user, and the display position of the candidate test on the scale is determined based on the answer to the question. However, this is not limited to this. The display position of the candidate test on the scale may be determined based on the degree of desirability of the selected item without asking a question. For example, when the user selects test accuracy, the display position is determined so that the icon of the candidate test with higher test accuracy is displayed in a position with higher accuracy on the scale representing test accuracy.

[0134] In the first embodiment, when the blood glucose equivalent value is not showing an abnormal trend, the notification "The blood glucose value is not showing an abnormal trend. Please continue with the current lifestyle habits" is given as shown in Fig. 11, but the content of the notification is not limited to this. When the blood glucose equivalent value is not showing an abnormal trend but is showing a trend toward an increase in the blood glucose equivalent value, it is preferable to give a notification that includes advice to be careful about lifestyle habits.

[0135] Furthermore, in the first embodiment, the blood glucose equivalent value is measured by the measuring devices 3 and 4, but this is not limited to this. Instead of measuring the blood glucose equivalent value by the measuring devices 3 and 4, the urine sugar may be measured by performing a urine sugar test. In this case, the measured urine sugar value is an example of the first biological information. In the case of a urine sugar test, a urine sugar value can be obtained by using a urine sugar testing device, and this can be used as the blood glucose equivalent value. The urine sugar testing device is an example of a measuring device. In this case, the urine sugar testing device can be equipped with a communication function with the portable terminal 2, the measured urine sugar value can be transmitted to the portable terminal 2, and the blood glucose equivalent value can be monitored on the portable terminal 2 based on the urine sugar value.

[0136] On the other hand, when a urine sugar test is performed using test paper, the color of the test paper changes depending on the urine sugar level. In this case, the test paper is photographed using the camera 28 of the portable terminal 2 to obtain an image of the test paper, and the portable terminal 2 stores the urine sugar value by recognizing the color of the test paper from the image of the test paper. The stored urine sugar value is then sent from the portable terminal 2 to the testing device 1 as the monitoring result of the blood glucose equivalent value. In this case, a measuring device is not required, and the user does not need to prepare the measuring devices 3 and 4 or a urine sugar testing device. In this case, an abnormal tendency of the blood glucose equivalent value may be determined from the urine sugar value obtained by the portable terminal 2.

[0137] Alternatively, blood glucose equivalent values ​​may be monitored using an ambulatory glucose profile (AGP) instead of blood glucose equivalent values ​​measured by the measuring devices 3 and 4. AGP is a useful analytical method for determining blood glucose fluctuation trends, i.e., blood glucose trends, from blood glucose levels or interstitial fluid glucose levels obtained by continuous measurement over several days (https: / / dm-net.co.jp / trend / agp / 001.php). AGP makes it easy to identify time periods during the day when hypoglycemia or hyperglycemia is likely to occur, as well as time periods with large fluctuations in blood glucose levels. Therefore, monitoring blood glucose equivalent values ​​using AGP makes it easy to determine whether blood glucose equivalent values ​​are abnormal.

[0138] Furthermore, in the first embodiment, the blood glucose equivalent values ​​measured by the measuring devices 3 and 4 may be monitored, and the results of comparing the monitored blood glucose equivalent values ​​with the test results obtained by the user through blood sampling may be presented to the user. FIG. 31 is a diagram showing the results of comparing the monitored blood glucose equivalent values ​​with the test results obtained by the user through blood sampling. In FIG. 31, the solid line indicates the monitored blood glucose equivalent values, and the dashed line indicates the test results obtained through blood sampling. As shown in FIG. 31, the blood glucose equivalent values ​​measured by the measuring devices 3 and 4 tend to be higher than the actual blood glucose level. As shown in FIG. 31, by presenting the user with the results of comparing the monitored blood glucose equivalent values ​​with the test results obtained by the user through blood sampling, the user can determine the discrepancy between the current blood glucose equivalent value and the actual blood glucose level.

[0139] Furthermore, in the first embodiment, if the user selects test method (3), the user will deliver the collected blood to a testing center. Even if the user selects test methods (1), (2), or (4), the user may still wish to have the collected blood delivered to a testing center for testing. In this case, the presentation unit 54 of the testing device 1 displays a guide screen for completing the delivery procedures on the touch panel 14. FIG. 32 is a diagram showing the guide screen for completing the delivery procedures for the test results. As shown in FIG. 32, the guide screen 100 displays boxes for entering the user's name, address, telephone number, and email address. The user enters the necessary information and selects the confirm button 101. The sample destination is then emailed to the user's email address. The user then delivers the sample to the email address. The test results will be delivered to the user at a later date. Meanwhile, the test results can also be confirmed on the testing device 1. In this case, the testing center sends the test results to the testing device 1, and the user can display the test results on the testing device 1 by entering their ID or other information on the testing device 1.

[0140] Note that the user has performed user registration in order to use the inspection device 1. If the user has notified the inspection center of user information such as name, address, and telephone number for user registration, the inspection device 1 may access the inspection server 6 to acquire the user information, and may display on the touch panel 14 guidance for confirming the user's name, address, telephone number, etc. based on the acquired user information.

[0141] Furthermore, when delivering the sample, a storage box for storing the sample can be provided in the testing device 1, the sample can be stored in the storage box, and the sample can be collected from the storage box at a set time and delivered to the testing center.

[0142] In the first embodiment, a postprandial hyperglycemic spike is detected as an abnormal tendency in blood glucose equivalent values, but this is not limited thereto. Abnormal tendencies detected by monitoring blood glucose equivalent values ​​may also include fasting hyperglycemia, hypoglycemia, or nocturnal hyperglycemia. For example, in the case of hypoglycemia, suggested test options include a 5-hour tolerance test, a salivary cortisol test, a salivary cortisol + DHEA test, a delayed food allergy test, and an organic aciduria test. The 5-hour tolerance test is an almost essential test for hypoglycemia. The salivary cortisol test is a test to determine whether a subject is in a state of fatigue due to stress. The DHEA test is a test for dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate. Dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate is a type of male hormone. The delayed food allergy test is a test to determine the severity of intestinal disorders. The organic aciduria test is a test to determine whether fungi are growing in the intestinal tract and releasing toxins.

[0143] [Second embodiment] In the first embodiment, guidance is presented to a user according to candidate tests for acquiring biometric information related to blood glucose equivalent values ​​in response to an abnormal trend in blood glucose equivalent values. However, the present disclosure is not limited to this. For example, the technology of the present disclosure may be applied to a configuration in which guidance is presented to a user according to candidate tests for acquiring biometric information required for diagnosing various diseases, such as infectious diseases and cancer. It is known that some diseases, when contracted, can cause abnormal trends in physiological information, such as heart rate, blood pressure, respiration, electrocardiogram, maximum oxygen intake, arterial oxygen saturation, and body temperature. In particular, if the technology of this embodiment can be used to determine abnormal trends in various physiological information before the user becomes aware of symptoms of the disease and recommend various tests to the user if abnormal trends are detected, this can contribute to early detection of diseases.

[0144] Below, an example will be described in which the novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) is applied as a specific example of such a disease. In this embodiment, heart rate is applied as the first biological information instead of the blood glucose equivalent value in the first embodiment. The heart rate is acquired by a sensor provided in the measuring device 3. Furthermore, test results regarding the presence or absence of novel coronavirus infection are applied as the second biological information instead of the glucose, urinary sugar, blood glucose level, HbA1c, glycoalbumin, and 1,5AG in the first embodiment. In this embodiment, some overlapping descriptions of the configuration and operation similar to those of the first embodiment will be omitted.

[0145] Figure 33 is a schematic diagram showing an example of the changes in heart rate variability (HRV), viral load, antibody load, and viral excretion levels of a patient infected with COVID-19. In Figure 33, HRV is shown as a thick solid line, viral load as a thin solid line, antibody load as a dashed line, and viral excretion as a dashed line. The horizontal axis of Figure 33 represents the day of onset of symptoms such as fever and cough, with positive values ​​representing days after onset and negative values ​​representing days before onset. HRV is a value representing the fluctuations in the time interval between heartbeats (RR interval). Specifically, HRV can be expressed as the standard deviation of the RRI (SDNN) over a predetermined period and / or the root mean square of the difference between two consecutive RRIs (rMSSD).

[0146] As shown in Figure 33, in the case of COVID-19, the amount of virus in the body begins to increase rapidly approximately five days before the onset of symptoms, and an abnormal trend is observed in which heart rate variability decreases accordingly. This is because, while non-infected individuals experience fluctuations such as an increase in heart rate during exercise or when under stress, and a decrease in heart rate when relaxed, infected individuals have poor heart rate tracking, resulting in a smaller increase or decrease in heart rate. Thereafter, the amount of virus in the body reaches its maximum and heart rate variability reaches its minimum around the day of onset. Approximately 10 days after the onset of symptoms, the amount of antibodies in the body increases, the amount of virus in the body begins to decrease, and heart rate variability gradually returns to normal.

[0147] In tests related to coronavirus disease, nasal washings, saliva, and blood are used as specimens that can be self-collected by users (details will be described later). Therefore, the analysis device 18 in the present embodiment derives a test result regarding the presence or absence of coronavirus infection as the second biological information by analyzing the nasal washings, saliva, and blood of the user. For this purpose, the analysis device 18 has a mechanism for collecting the nasal washings, saliva, and blood of the user and a mechanism for obtaining the nasal washings, saliva, and blood from a test kit 20A described later.

[0148] The storage case 20 in the present embodiment houses a plurality of test kits 20A for collecting the nasal washings, saliva, and blood of the user, respectively. The test kit 20A includes, for example, a cotton swab for collecting nasal washings, a container for collecting saliva, and a blood collection device.

[0149] The acquisition unit 51 acquires the heart rate monitoring result transmitted from the communication I / F 35 of the measuring device 3 by receiving it through the communication I / F 15. In the present embodiment, for example, the heart rate monitoring result measured in the most recent 24 hours is acquired.

[0150] The determination unit 52 determines whether the heart rate has an abnormal tendency based on the heart rate monitoring result acquired by the acquisition unit 51. Specifically, the determination unit 52 calculates the heart rate variation from the heart rate monitoring result transmitted from the measuring device 3, and determines that the heart rate has an abnormal tendency when there is a situation where the heart rate variation is less than or equal to a predetermined threshold Th11. In addition, the determination unit 52 determines that the degree of the abnormal tendency of the heart rate is large when the heart rate variation is less than or equal to a threshold Th12 (where Th12 < Th11), and determines that the degree of the abnormal tendency of the heart rate is small when the heart rate variation is less than or equal to Th11 and exceeds Th12.

[0151] The determination unit 52 may also determine whether the heart rate is abnormal by using representative values ​​such as the average and median of the heart rate variability per unit time over a predetermined period (for example, the most recent 24 hours). This is because it is preferable not to regard a temporary increase in heart rate variability during exercise or when under stress as an abnormal trend.

[0152] Furthermore, when there is a situation in which heart rate variability is increasing (greater than or equal to threshold value Th11), determination unit 52 may determine whether the increase is temporary due to exercise, tension, or the like, and if it is determined to be temporary, may exclude the period of increase and determine whether the heart rate is showing an abnormal trend. Determination of whether the heart rate variability is a temporary increase may be made by comparing the heart rate variability with a temporary increase trend in heart rate variability in a previous similar situation. Specifically, for example, a pattern of temporary increases in heart rate variability may be stored in storage 13 in advance, and determination unit 52 may determine whether the heart rate variability is a temporary increase by comparing the stored increase pattern with the heart rate monitoring results.

[0153] The determining unit 53 determines candidate tests to be recommended to the user when the determining unit 52 determines that the heart rate is prone to abnormality.

[0154] A specific example of a method for determining candidate tests by the determining unit 53 will be described with reference to FIG. 34. FIG. 34 is a table showing test methods related to COVID-19 infection. In FIG. 34, the test information for six types of test methods (C1) to (C6) includes the specimen type, acquired biological information, cost, and required time. The table shown in FIG. 34 is stored, for example, as a table in the storage 13. Note that the contents of FIG. 34 are an example, and the test information, evaluations and conditions for each item may be updated as appropriate depending on the COVID-19 infection epidemic situation, treatment status, progress in test methods, etc.

[0155] Test methods (C1) to (C2) are PCR (Polymerase Chain Reaction) tests using nasal swabs and saliva as the specimens, respectively. Test methods (C3) to (C4) are antigen quantitative tests using nasal swabs and saliva as the specimens, respectively. Test method (C5) is an antigen qualitative test using nasal swabs as the specimen. Test methods (C1) to (C5) can acquire test results on whether the subject is currently infected with COVID-19 as the second biological information. Test method (C6) is an antibody test using blood as the specimen, and can acquire test results on whether the subject has been infected with COVID-19 in the past as the second biological information. The determination unit 53 selectively determines test candidates from among a plurality of test methods (C1) to (C6) that include designation of the type of specimen and are used to acquire second biological information from the specimen.

[0156] 34 also shows various items that serve as indicators for the user when selecting from the presented test candidates. The definitions and evaluation methods of the various items are the same as those in the first embodiment, and therefore will not be described here. However, with regard to accuracy, the higher the degree to which a positive individual can be detected as positive (so-called sensitivity), the greater the degree of desirability.

[0157] FIG. 34 also shows various conditions that the determination unit 53 uses to determine test candidates. Specifically, it shows conditions regarding the testable period and the suitability of testing for individuals with a low tendency to be abnormal, asymptomatic individuals, and high-risk individuals. The "testable period" refers to a period during which the degree of detection of a positive result (i.e., sensitivity) is relatively high and the test results are reliable. "Individuals with a low tendency to be abnormal" refers to individuals determined by the determination unit 52 to have a low degree of abnormality. "Asymptomatic individuals" refer to individuals who do not exhibit symptoms such as fever or cough. For individuals with a low tendency to be abnormal and asymptomatic individuals, a highly sensitive test method should be adopted to prevent false negatives, so a test method with a relatively low sensitivity is not permitted. "High-risk individuals" refer to individuals with risk factors such as severe disease and high treatment difficulty, such as the elderly, individuals with underlying diseases, and pregnant women. For high-risk individuals, a more accurate test is required to ensure prompt and appropriate treatment, so a test method with a relatively low sensitivity is not permitted.

[0158] The determination unit 53 refers to the table in FIG. 34 and determines, as a candidate test method, a test method suitable for various conditions from among the test methods (C1) to (C6). As shown in FIG. 34, in the case of COVID-19, the testable period is determined based on the onset date. Therefore, first, the determination unit 53 estimates the onset date based on heart rate variability, and determines the candidate test method based on whether the current time is included in the testable period based on the estimated onset date. For example, if the current time is estimated to be two days before the onset date, the determination unit 53 determines the candidate test methods (C1) to (C3). Alternatively, if the current time is estimated to be four days after the onset date, the determination unit 53 determines the candidate test methods (C1) to (C5). Alternatively, if the current time is estimated to be 15 days or more after the onset date, the determination unit 53 determines the candidate test method (C6).

[0159] As a method for estimating the onset date, for example, based on the fact that there is a time lag of about five days between when heart rate variability begins to show an abnormal trend and when the onset occurs (see FIG. 33), the onset date may be estimated to be about five days after the determination unit 52 determines that the heart rate is abnormal. Also, for example, a learning model may be used that is trained using a pair of transition data of heart rate variability of a COVID-19 patient and the actual onset date as learning data, and that takes the transition data of heart rate variability as input and outputs an estimated onset date.

[0160] Second, the determination unit 53 determines the candidate tests according to the degree of abnormal tendency of the heartbeat determined by the determination unit 52. For example, if the determination unit 52 determines that the abnormal tendency is small, the determination unit 53 determines the test methods (C2), (C4), and (C6) as the candidate tests. The determination unit 53 also determines the candidate tests in the same manner when the user is asymptomatic. On the other hand, if the determination unit 52 determines that the abnormal tendency is large, the determination unit 53 determines the candidate tests among the test methods (C1) to (C6).

[0161] Third, the determination unit 53 determines candidate tests according to the risk factors possessed by the user. For example, if the user is a high-risk individual, the determination unit 53 determines the test methods (C1) to (C4) and (C6) as candidate tests. On the other hand, if the user is not a high-risk individual, the determination unit 53 determines the test methods (C1) to (C6) as candidate tests.

[0162] The determination unit 53 determines the final candidate tests according to the first to third determinations. For example, if the current time is four days after the onset date, the determination unit 52 determines that there is a high tendency toward abnormality, and the user is symptomatic but not a high-risk individual, the determination unit 53 determines the test methods (C1) to (C5) as the candidate tests. Also, if the current time is four days after the onset date, the determination unit 52 determines that there is a high tendency toward abnormality, and the user is asymptomatic but a high-risk individual, the determination unit 53 determines the test methods (C2) and (C4) as the candidate tests.

[0163] The presentation unit 54 presents the candidate tests determined by the determination unit 53 to the user. Figures 35 and 36 show an example of a presentation screen that presents candidate tests to the user in a display format that displays icons of candidate tests on a scale when the user selects two items, "cost" and "accuracy." A presentation screen 86X in Figures 35 and 36 displays a scale 88 representing accuracy that is perpendicular to a scale 87 representing cost, and displays candidate test icons 801 to 805 that are arranged two-dimensionally according to cost and accuracy. The icons 801 to 805 correspond to the test methods (C1) to (C5), respectively.

[0164] FIG. 35 shows a display screen when the current time is four days after the onset date, the determination unit 52 has determined that there is a high tendency toward abnormality, and the user is symptomatic but not high-risk. FIG. 36 shows a display screen when the current time is four days after the onset date, the determination unit 52 has determined that there is a high tendency toward abnormality, and the user is asymptomatic but high-risk. Display screen 86X allows the user to recognize at a glance the cost and accuracy of the presented candidate tests. This makes it easy to compare candidate tests taking both cost and accuracy into consideration.

[0165] The presentation unit 54 accepts the user's selection from the presented candidate tests. Then, using the touch panel 14, the user is presented with guidance corresponding to the selected candidate test. For example, the user is guided to remove from the storage case 20 a test kit 20A for self-collection of one of a nasal swab, saliva, or blood, depending on the selected candidate test. The presentation unit 54 also presents the user with guidance on how to self-collect the test. Information regarding these guidance may be stored in the storage 13. The presentation unit 54 may read guidance corresponding to the candidate test selected by the user from the storage 13 and display the read guidance on the touch panel 14. The user follows the guidance to self-collect one of a nasal swab, saliva, or blood.

[0166] The presentation unit 54 may also present, as guidance, support information that assists in the implementation of the selected candidate test, which support information is transmitted in real time from a remote location. Furthermore, the testing device 1 may be equipped with a camera that captures the user, and the presentation unit 54 may transmit to the remote location video images captured by the camera showing the user performing the selected candidate test. Specifically, by connecting the testing device 1 to a computer owned by a medical professional via a network, the medical professional at the remote location may be able to provide the user with real-time guidance on how to self-collect samples. In this case, the camera equipped in the testing device 1 may capture footage of the user self-collecting nasal swabs, saliva, and blood, and transmit the footage to the medical professional's computer at the remote location. The testing device 1 may also be equipped with a speaker, which may play audio guidance from the medical professional.

[0167] Furthermore, when the determination unit 53 determines that none of the test methods are suitable, for example, when the current time is three days or earlier than the onset date, the presentation unit 54 may present a message to that effect. For example, the message may read, "Your heart rate is showing signs of abnormality, but a test will not provide accurate results at this time. Continue monitoring your heart rate." Furthermore, when the determination unit 52 determines that your heart rate is not showing signs of abnormality, the presentation unit 54 may present a message to that effect. For example, the message may read, "Your heart rate is not showing signs of abnormality at present. Continue taking precautions against infection."

[0168] As described above, in this embodiment, if the user's heart rate monitoring results indicate an abnormal trend, candidate tests for obtaining heart rate-related test results regarding the presence or absence of COVID-19 infection are presented to the user, and guidance is provided to the user according to the candidate test selected by the user. Therefore, the user can use the testing device according to this embodiment to conduct a test according to the heart rate monitoring results. In particular, in the case of COVID-19, the amount of virus excreted from an infected person, i.e., infectivity to others, peaks around the time of onset (see FIG. 33). Therefore, determining whether the heart rate is abnormal before the onset date and suggesting that the user undergo testing can contribute to preventing the spread of infection.

[0169] In the second embodiment, the determination unit 52 determines whether the heart rate is abnormal based on heart rate variability. However, the present invention is not limited to this. The determination unit 52 may determine that the heart rate is abnormal when the heart rate value is equal to or greater than a predetermined threshold value for a predetermined period (e.g., three days) instead of heart rate variability. This configuration can contribute to the early detection of diseases that cause the heart rate to remain high during illness. Furthermore, the determination unit 52 may determine that the heart rate is abnormal when the time variation of the heart rate (the difference between the maximum and minimum heart rate values ​​over a predetermined period (e.g., three days)) is equal to or greater than a predetermined threshold value instead of heart rate variability. This configuration can contribute to the early detection of diseases that cause the heart rate to rise sharply during illness.

[0170] In the second embodiment, the first biological information is based on heart rate, but the present invention is not limited to this. In the second embodiment, the first biological information may be at least one of physiological information such as heart rate, blood pressure, respiration, electrocardiogram, maximum oxygen intake, arterial oxygen saturation, and body temperature. This physiological information is acquired by a sensor included in a wearable device such as a smartwatch.

[0171] Furthermore, in the second embodiment, the second biometric information is described as being based on a test result regarding the presence or absence of COVID-19 infection. However, this is not limiting. In the second embodiment, the second biometric information related to physiological information may be based on a diagnosis of a user's illness. Examples of the "diagnosis of a disease" include the analysis results of components of bodily fluids such as the user's blood, urine, feces, nasopharyngeal swabs, nasal swabs, and saliva, as well as the detection results of pathogens such as viruses and bacteria. Furthermore, examples of the image interpretation results of images captured by techniques such as computed tomography (CT), magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), and ultrasound, using the user's organs such as the stomach, colon, lungs, uterus, and breasts, as subjects, may also be applied.

[0172] In addition, in the second embodiment, the diagnosis results of a plurality of different types of diseases may be applied as the second biological information related to the physiological information. For example, a test related to COVID-19 and a test related to influenza virus infection may both be presented as test candidates. Also, a guide to simultaneously undergoing tests related to such a plurality of different types of diseases may be presented. In these cases, diagnoses for various diseases can be recommended, which can contribute to the early detection of diseases.

[0173] In the second embodiment, the onset date and information on whether the user is an asymptomatic or high-risk individual may be input by the user via, for example, the touch panel 14. FIG. 37 is a diagram showing a question presentation screen for inputting these information. As shown in FIG. 37, four questions Q1 to Q4 are displayed on the question presentation screen 75X. The user answers the questions Q1 to Q4 with YES or NO. If the answer to question Q1 is YES, the determining unit 53 identifies the onset date by having the user input the onset date in the input box 76X. If the answer to question Q1 is NO, the determining unit 53 identifies the user as an asymptomatic individual. If the answer to at least one of questions Q2 to Q4 is YES, the determining unit 53 identifies the user as a high-risk individual. When the user selects the answer end button 77 after answering, the determining unit 53 determines test candidates according to the answer results to the four questions Q1 to Q4.

[0174] Furthermore, in the second embodiment, the determination unit 53 may estimate whether the user is asymptomatic based on the fact that there is a time lag of about five days between when the heart rate shows an abnormal tendency and when the user develops symptoms (see FIG. 33). For example, if the current time is the second day after the heart rate shows an abnormal tendency, the determination unit 53 may estimate that the user is asymptomatic and has not yet developed symptoms. Furthermore, for example, the determination unit 53 may determine whether or not the user has a fever by measuring body temperature with the measuring device 3, and may estimate that the user is asymptomatic if the user does not have a fever.

[0175] In the second embodiment, the determining unit 53 estimates the onset date in accordance with the fact that the testable period for COVID-19 infection is determined based on the onset date. However, this is not limiting. For example, when testing for influenza virus infection, the time from infection to onset is short, about one to two days, and the difference between the onset date and the date onset is small. Therefore, estimating the onset date is not significant. Furthermore, when testing for various lifestyle-related diseases, it is difficult to accurately estimate the onset date. However, even for these diseases, the appropriate test method may differ depending on the elapsed time since the onset of abnormal trends. Therefore, the determining unit 53 may determine candidate tests based on the elapsed time from when the first biological information was determined to be abnormal to the present time.

[0176] Furthermore, in the second embodiment, whether the user is a close contact may be applied as a condition for determining test candidates. Since close contacts are relatively likely to be positive, it is considered that a highly sensitive test method should be adopted to prevent false negatives from being overlooked. Therefore, test methods with relatively low sensitivity may be prohibited. Whether a user is a close contact may be detected, for example, by a known COVID-19 contact confirmation app.

[0177] Furthermore, in the second embodiment, after conducting a test for the presence or absence of COVID-19 infection, the test device 1 may determine whether to continue monitoring the heartbeat by feeding back the test result. For example, if the determination unit 52 determines that the heartbeat is abnormal and therefore a COVID-19 test is conducted, but the test result is negative, it may be determined that heartbeat monitoring should be continued. In particular, if the user falls into any of the following categories: a person with a small tendency toward abnormalities, an asymptomatic person, a high-risk person, and a close contact, there is a high risk of overlooking a false negative and a sudden change in the user's condition, so it is preferable to determine that heartbeat monitoring should be continued.

[0178] Specifically, the acquisition unit 51 acquires test results regarding the presence or absence of COVID-19 infection. The test results may be transmitted to the acquisition unit 51 from the analysis device 18, for example, or may be input by the user via the touch panel 14. If the acquired test results are negative, the presentation unit 54 determines that heart rate monitoring should be continued and presents a message to that effect to the user. As heart rate monitoring continues, the determination unit 52 determines whether the abnormal heart rate trend has become more pronounced and whether the abnormal heart rate trend continues. If the determination unit 52 determines that the abnormal heart rate trend has become more pronounced or continues, the determination unit 53 again determines candidate tests to recommend to the user.

[0179] Furthermore, in the second embodiment, the test methods (C1) to (C6) in Figure 34 do not include PCR tests, antigen quantitative tests, and antigen qualitative tests using nasopharyngeal swabs as specimens, which are commonly used as test methods for COVID-19. This is because it is difficult to collect nasopharyngeal swabs yourself. However, for example, by placing a medical professional near the test device 1 and having the medical professional collect the user's nasopharyngeal swabs, PCR tests, antigen quantitative tests, and antigen qualitative tests using nasopharyngeal swabs as specimens can also be included as test candidates.

[0180] Furthermore, in the second embodiment, in any of the test methods (C1) to (C6) in FIG. 34, the user may be prompted to deliver the sample collected using the test kit 20A to a test center, and the test of the sample may be performed at the test center. In this case, the presenting unit 54 may transmit the user's heart rate data and the candidate tests determined by the determining unit 53 to the test center. This configuration can assist medical personnel at the test center in determining whether the test method selected by the user is appropriate. In these cases, the test device 1 does not need to include the analyzing device 18.

[0181] In addition, in each of the above-described embodiments, the presentation unit 54 presents candidate tests to the user by displaying them on the touch panel 14, but this is not limiting. The presentation unit 54 may also present candidate tests to the user by voice.

[0182] Furthermore, in each of the above embodiments, the test device 1 may be provided with a mechanism for cleaning areas that the user may come into contact with, such as the touch panel 14, the housing of the test device 1, and the area around the installation location of the test device 1, each time the user finishes using the test device 1. Examples of cleaning methods include wiping with a cloth, spraying with a disinfectant, and irradiating with ultraviolet light. In this manner, even if the user's self-collected nasal swab, saliva, blood, etc. adheres to these areas, they do not become unsanitary, and the spread of infectious diseases can be prevented.

[0183] Furthermore, in the above embodiments, the monitoring results of the first biological information measured by the measuring devices 3 and 4 are transmitted to the testing device 1, but this is not limited to this. The first biological information measured by the measuring devices 3 and 4 may be transmitted to the mobile terminal 2, and the monitoring results of the first biological information may be transmitted from the mobile terminal 2 to the testing device 1.

[0184] Furthermore, in each of the above embodiments, the measuring devices 3 and 4 transmit the monitoring results of the first biological information measured to the testing device 1, and the determination unit 52 determines whether the first biological information has an abnormal tendency based on the monitoring results of the first biological information, but this is not limited to this. The measuring devices 3 and 4 may determine whether the first biological information has an abnormal tendency based on the monitoring results of the first biological information, and transmit the determination results to the testing device 1. In this case, the measurement program 32 performs the process of determining the abnormal tendency. Furthermore, in the testing device 1, the determination unit 53 determines the test candidates based on the received determination results, without the determination unit 52 performing a determination.

[0185] Alternatively, the first biological information measured by the measuring devices 3 and 4 may be transmitted to the portable terminal 2, and the portable terminal 2 may determine whether the first biological information has an abnormal tendency based on the monitoring results of the first biological information, and the determination result may be transmitted from the portable terminal 2 to the testing device 1. In this case, the analysis program 22 performs the process of determining the abnormal tendency. Furthermore, in the testing device 1, the determination unit 53 may determine the candidate test based on the received determination result, without the determination unit 52 performing a determination.

[0186] Furthermore, in each of the above embodiments, the following various processors can be used as the hardware structure of a processing unit that executes various processes, such as the acquisition unit 51, the determination unit 52, the decision unit 53, and the presentation unit 54. As described above, the various processors include a CPU, which is a general-purpose processor that executes software (programs) and functions as various processing units, as well as dedicated electrical circuits that are processors having a circuit configuration specifically designed to execute specific processes, such as a programmable logic device (PLD) that is a processor whose circuit configuration can be changed after manufacture, such as an FPGA (Field Programmable Gate Array), and an ASIC (Application Specific Integrated Circuit).

[0187] A single processing unit may be configured with one of these various processors, or may be configured with a combination of two or more processors of the same or different types (for example, a combination of multiple FPGAs or a combination of a CPU and an FPGA). Also, multiple processing units may be configured with a single processor.

[0188] Examples of configuring multiple processing units with a single processor include, first, a form in which one processor is configured with a combination of one or more CPUs and software, and this processor functions as multiple processing units, as typified by computers such as client and server. Second, a form in which a processor is used to realize the functions of an entire system including multiple processing units with a single IC (Integrated Circuit) chip, as typified by systems on chips (SoCs). In this way, various processing units are configured using one or more of the above-mentioned various processors as a hardware structure.

[0189] Furthermore, more specifically, the hardware structure of these various processors can be an electric circuit that combines circuit elements such as semiconductor elements. [Explanation of symbols]

[0190] 1. Inspection equipment 2. Mobile devices 3,4 Measuring instruments 4A filament 5. Network 6 Inspection Server 10 Inspection support system 11,21,31 CPU 12 Inspection Program 13,23,33 Storage 14, 24, 34 Touch Panel 15, 25, 35, 43 Communication I / F 16, 26, 36, 42 memory 17, 27, 37 Network I / F 18 Analyzer 19, 29, 39 buses 20. Expropriation Case 22 Analysis Program 28 Camera 32 Measurement Program 41 processors 44 sensors 51 Acquisition Department 52 Judgment section 53 Decision Section 54 Presentation section 60 Notification screen 61 Notification 62,62A,62B,62C Presentation screen 63, 63A, 63B, 63C Test Candidates 64 Statistics reference button 65 Item selection button 66 Decision button 67 Explanation 68 Statistics 69 Action Plan 70 List screen 71 Checkboxes 72 Item specification button 75,75X,84 Question presentation screen 76,76X,90 Input box 77,85 Answer end button 78,78A,86,86X Presentation screen 79, 87, 88 scale 80A~80I,801~805 Test candidate icons 81 Confirm button 82 Item selection button 89,93,94,97 Guide screen 91,96 Reservation button 92 Analysis result display screen 98 Notification screen 99 notifications 100 Shipping procedure guide screen 101 Decision button

Claims

1. at least one processor; The processor: acquiring a determination result as to whether or not the first biological information of the user is showing an abnormal tendency, the determination result being determined based on a monitoring result of the first biological information of the user; If the determination result indicates the tendency toward abnormality, presenting at least one candidate test to the user for acquiring second biological information related to the first biological information; Accepting designation of at least one item that serves as an indicator for the user to select the presented candidate examinations; The examination candidates are presented in a display format according to the specified items. Inspection equipment.

2. The processor: presenting the user with a question for determining a display position of the candidate test on at least one scale according to the at least one specified item; determining a display position of the candidate test on the scale in response to the answer to the question; The candidate examinations are presented to the user in a display format in which an icon representing the candidate examination is displayed at the determined display position on the scale. The inspection device according to claim 1 .

3. The processor: After displaying the icon representing the candidate test, it is possible to accept a designation by the user to add the item; When the specification of the item is added, the display form of the icon representing the examination candidate is updated. The inspection device according to claim 2 .

4. The processor repeats accepting the specification of the additional items, presenting questions according to the added items, and updating the display mode of the candidate tests until the user selects a candidate test. The inspection device according to claim 3 .

5. The items include at least one of the following: cost required for the test, sense of security when collecting the specimen, degree of restriction during the test, whether the test is invasive or non-invasive, time required to obtain test results, whether risk checks for various diseases are included, and accuracy of the test. The inspection device according to any one of claims 1 to 4.

6. The processor selectively determines the candidate test from among a plurality of test methods including a designation of a type of subject and for acquiring the second biological information from the subject. The inspection device according to any one of claims 1 to 5.

7. The processor presents candidate tests for collecting a sample from the user to obtain the second biological information, and when the candidate test is selected, the processor presents guidance for collecting the sample to the user; Acquiring the second biological information based on the sample collected by the user The inspection device according to any one of claims 1 to 6.

8. The processor presents the second biometric information to the user. The inspection device according to claim 7.

9. The candidate tests include candidate tests that can acquire the second biometric information with higher accuracy than the first biometric information. The inspection device according to any one of claims 1 to 8.

10. The processor determines the test candidates according to the degree of the abnormal tendency. The inspection device according to any one of claims 1 to 9.

11. The processor determines the candidate test depending on the elapsed time from the time when the first biological information was determined to be prone to abnormality to the present time. The inspection device according to any one of claims 1 to 10.

12. The processor determines the test candidates according to risk factors possessed by the user. The inspection device according to any one of claims 1 to 11.

13. The processor presents statistical information of previously selected candidate tests to the user. The inspection device according to any one of claims 1 to 12.

14. the first biological information is a blood glucose equivalent value correlated with a blood glucose level, The second biological information includes at least one of a blood glucose level and HbA1c. The inspection device according to any one of claims 1 to 13.

15. The abnormal tendency is a postprandial hyperglycemic spike The inspection device according to any one of claims 1 to 14.

16. The processor determines the test candidates based on the user's diet.

16. The inspection device according to claim 15.

17. The processor determines the test candidates based on the user's mealtimes.

17. The inspection device according to claim 15 or 16.

18. The processor presents a test candidate including an act of drinking a glucose drink when the time elapsed since a meal based on the meal time has passed a predetermined time.

18. The inspection device according to claim 17.

19. the first biological information is at least one of heart rate, blood pressure, respiration, electrocardiogram, maximum oxygen intake, arterial blood oxygen saturation, and body temperature; The second biological information is a diagnosis of a disease of the user. The inspection device according to any one of claims 1 to 13.

20. When the processor obtains a determination result indicating that the first biological information does not tend to be abnormal, the processor notifies the user of the result.

20. An inspection device according to any one of claims 1 to 19.

21. The processor obtains the determination result via wireless communication.

21. The inspection device according to any one of claims 1 to 20.

22. the determination result is derived by a measuring device worn by the user; The processor acquires the determination result from the measuring device.

22. The inspection device according to any one of claims 1 to 21.

23. the first biological information is measured a plurality of times by a measuring device attached to the user; the processor acquires multiple measurement results of the first biological information from the measurement device; Based on the results of multiple measurements of the acquired first biological information, it is determined whether the first biological information is prone to abnormality, and the determination result is acquired.

23. An inspection device according to any one of claims 1 to 22.

24. The measuring device is wearable 24. The inspection device according to claim 22 or 23.

25. If it cannot be determined whether the first biological information is showing an abnormal tendency, The processor issues a notification to increase the wearing time of the measuring device.

25. The inspection device according to any one of claims 22 to 24.

26. The processor: acquiring the second biometric information; Determining whether to continue measuring the first biological information according to the acquired second biological information.

26. An inspection device according to any one of claims 1 to 25.

27. The processor, after presenting the user with guidance according to the selected candidate test, further presents guidance according to another candidate test that performs a step-up test compared to the selected candidate test.

27. An inspection device according to any one of claims 1 to 26.

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