Eating utensils, meal monitoring system, and meal monitoring method

Abstract

This eating utensil used in eating comprises a first sensor that detects changes in capacitance using a prescribed method, a second sensor that detects changes in capacitance using a method that differs from the prescribed method in terms of the changes in capacitance when water droplets adhere, an assessment unit that assesses the state of the eating utensil on the basis of the detection results from the first and second sensors, and an output unit that outputs the result of assessment by the assessment unit to an external unit.

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] This specification discloses eating utensils, a meal monitoring system and a meal monitoring method. [Background technology]

[0002] Conventionally, there have been proposals for monitoring whether a person being monitored is eating based on the detection results of a sensor equipped in eating utensils used for eating. For example, Patent Document 1 describes a system that includes an acceleration sensor that detects the acceleration of the eating utensils and a touch sensor that detects contact with the tip of the eating utensil based on changes in capacitance, and determines whether the person is eating based on the detection results of the acceleration sensor and the touch sensor. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Publication No. 2020-137927 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] As in the above-mentioned Patent Document 1, some touch sensors that detect changes in capacitance change their capacitance even when water droplets are attached. Furthermore, acceleration sensors may detect the acceleration of eating utensils when they are washed by a user or a dishwasher. For these reasons, there is a risk that movements of the eating utensils being washed may be mistakenly detected as eating movements.

[0005] A primary object of the present disclosure is to more accurately detect the state of eating utensils. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] The present disclosure has adopted the following means to achieve the above-mentioned main object.

[0007] The eating utensils of the present disclosure include: An eating utensil used for eating, a first sensor that detects a change in capacitance by a predetermined method, and a second sensor that detects a change in capacitance when a water droplet adheres by a method different from the predetermined method; a determination unit that determines the state of the eating utensils based on the detection results of the first and second sensors; an output unit that outputs the determination result by the determination unit to an external device; The gist of the project is to provide the following:

[0008] With the eating utensils of the present disclosure, the state of the eating utensils can be detected with greater accuracy. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0009] [Figure 1] 1 is a diagram showing an outline of the configuration of a residence 1 equipped with a monitoring system 10. FIG. [Figure 2] FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing an outline of the configuration of a monitoring system 10. [Figure 3] FIG. 2 is a diagram showing the outline of the configuration of chopsticks 3 and a meal sensor 31. [Figure 4] 10 is a flowchart showing an example of a meal determination process. [Figure 5] 10A and 10B are explanatory diagrams showing the relationship between a detection target, whether a sensor detects the target, and a determination result; [Figure 6] 10 is a flowchart showing an example of a living situation monitoring process. [Figure 7] FIG. 1 is an explanatory diagram showing an example of a living situation. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0010] Next, an embodiment of the present disclosure will be described with reference to the drawings. Fig. 1 is a configuration diagram showing an outline of the configuration of a residence 1 equipped with a monitoring system 10. Fig. 2 is a block diagram showing an outline of the configuration of the monitoring system 10.

[0011] Residence 1 is the residence of a person to be watched over or monitored, such as an elderly person living alone, and is equipped with, for example, a kitchen, table 2, bed 4, and toilet 6. In FIG. 1, residence 1 is illustrated as a room in a one-room apartment building, but it is not limited to this and may have a separate living room, dining room, and kitchen, or may be a detached house. Furthermore, the subject is not limited to elderly people, and may be a student living alone or a person undergoing medical treatment, as long as the person's living situation requires monitoring by a monitor S (see FIG. 2).

[0012] The monitoring system 10 is a system for understanding the living conditions of a monitored person, and is equipped with a monitoring device 20 and various sensors 30 that detect the movements of the monitored person, and is configured to be able to communicate with a management server 40.

[0013] The monitoring device 20 includes a control unit 22 that controls the operation of the monitoring device 20, a memory unit 24 that stores various information, a communication unit 26 that communicates with the outside, a display unit 28 that displays various information, and a speaker 29 that outputs audio.

[0014] The control unit 22 is configured as a microprocessor centered on a CPU and includes a ROM for storing various control programs, a RAM used as a work area, and input / output ports (not shown). The control unit 22 receives detection signals from various sensors 30 and information transmitted from the management server 40 via the communication unit 26. The control unit 22 also outputs display signals for displaying various information from the management server 40 on the display unit 28 and audio signals for outputting audio from the speaker 29, and outputs various information for transmission to the outside via the communication unit 26. The storage unit 24 is configured, for example, with a hard disk drive (HDD), and stores various information related to the grasped situation, as described below. The communication unit 26 can transmit various information from the control unit 22 to the management server 40 via a network 8 such as the Internet.

[0015] The monitoring system 10 includes various sensors 30, such as a meal sensor 31, a sleep sensor 37, a human presence sensor 38, and an excretion sensor 39. The meal sensor 31 is attached to eating utensils such as chopsticks 3, a spoon, and a fork, and detects whether the subject is eating. The sleep sensor 37 is a sheet-type sensor attached, for example, under the mattress of the bed 4, and detects whether the subject is sleeping based on the subject's pulse, breathing, etc., and if so, whether the subject is in light or deep sleep. If the sleep sensor 37 detects sleep, it transmits a detection signal that can distinguish between light and deep sleep. The human presence sensor 38 is attached in the toilet 6 and detects the subject in the toilet 6 in a non-contact manner. The excretion sensor 39 is attached, for example, to the flush lever or flush switch of the toilet 6, and detects the flush operation after excretion and whether the flush operation is a large flush or a small flush. Furthermore, when the excretion sensor 39 detects a flushing operation, it transmits a detection signal that can identify whether it is a large-scale flushing operation or a small-scale flushing operation. The various sensors 30 are capable of transmitting detection results (detection signals) to the monitoring device 20 via short-range wireless communication such as ZigBee (registered trademark), Bluetooth (registered trademark), or wireless LAN.

[0016] Figure 3 is a diagram showing the outline of the configuration of chopsticks 3 and meal sensor 31. Chopsticks 3 are a pair of rod-shaped members tapered from the rear end to the tip, with a tip portion 3a that comes into contact with food and a gripping portion 3b that is held by hand. Meal sensor 31 is attached to the gripping portion 3b of one of the pair of chopsticks 3.

[0017] Meal sensor 31 includes control unit 32, first sensor 33a, second sensor 33b, communication unit 34, battery 35, and charging unit 36. Control unit 32 is configured as a microprocessor centered around a CPU, and includes ROM, RAM, etc. in addition to the CPU.

[0018] The first sensor 33a and the second sensor 33b are capacitance sensors that detect changes in capacitance. The first sensor 33a is a self-capacitance sensor that detects a detection target, such as a hand or finger, by utilizing the increase in the capacitance of the electrode itself when the detection target approaches an electromagnetic field generated by one electrode. The self-capacitance sensor detects water droplets on the chopsticks 3, as the capacitance increases. Therefore, the first sensor 33a detects water droplets without distinguishing them from a hand or finger. The second sensor 33b is a mutual capacitance sensor that detects a detection target by utilizing the decrease in capacitance between the electrodes when a detection target, such as a hand or finger, approaches the electromagnetic field generated between two electrodes, as part of the electromagnetic field is blocked. With the mutual capacitance sensor, water droplets on the chopsticks 3 increase in capacitance, not decrease, and are therefore not detected. Therefore, the second sensor 33b detects hands or fingers, distinguishing them from water droplets.

[0019] The communication unit 34 transmits the detection information (detection signal) output from the control unit 32 to the monitoring device 20 via short-range wireless communication. The battery 35 supplies power to each part of the eating sensor 31, such as the control unit 32, the first sensor 33a, the second sensor 33b, and the communication unit 34. The charging unit 36 ​​controls charging by using power transmitted from a wireless charger (not shown) provided in the kitchen or on the table 2, for example, when the chopsticks 3 are placed on the wireless charger.

[0020] The management server 40 comprises a control unit 42, a storage unit 44, and a communication unit 46. The control unit 42 is configured as a microprocessor centered around a CPU, and in addition to the CPU, also comprises a ROM, a RAM, etc. The storage unit 44 is configured, for example, with an HDD, and receives information transmitted from the monitoring device 20 and stores it for a certain period of time. The communication unit 46 is connected to the communication units 26 of one or more monitoring devices 20 via the network 8, and exchanges information with the communication units 26 of the monitoring devices 20. In addition, the monitor S can access the management server 40 via the network 8 from his / her own mobile terminal P, personal computer, etc.

[0021] The following describes the operation of the meal sensor 31 and the operation of the monitoring device 20. Figure 4 is a flowchart showing an example of a meal determination process. This process is executed by the control unit 32 of the meal sensor 31.

[0022] In the meal determination process, the control unit 32 first determines whether the first sensor 33a has detected a change in capacitance (S100), and if it determines not, ends the meal determination process. On the other hand, if the control unit 32 determines that the first sensor 33a has detected a change in capacitance, it determines whether the second sensor 33b has detected a change in capacitance (S110). If the control unit 32 determines that the second sensor 33b has detected a change in capacitance, it determines that the person is eating (S120), transmits a detection signal to the monitoring device 20 (S130), and ends the meal determination process. On the other hand, if the control unit 32 determines in S110 that the second sensor 33b has not detected a change in capacitance, it determines that the person is not eating but is cleaning the chopsticks 3 (S140), and ends the meal determination process without transmitting a detection signal.

[0023] FIG. 5 is an explanatory diagram showing the relationship between the detection target, whether or not the sensor detects something, and the determination result. For example, if water adheres to chopsticks 3 while they are being washed, the detection target is water, so the first self-induction sensor 33a detects it, but the second mutual induction sensor 33b does not. In this case, the chopsticks are determined to be in the process of being washed in S140. On the other hand, if the gripping portion 3b is held in a hand while using chopsticks 3 to eat, both the first self-induction sensor 33a and the second mutual induction sensor 33b detect it. In this case, the chopsticks are determined to be in the process of being eaten in S120. In this way, based on the combination of whether or not the first sensor 33a and the second sensor 33b detect it, it is possible to prevent the adhesion of water during washing from being mistakenly determined to be the subject's hand, thereby accurately determining whether or not the subject is eating. Furthermore, because the eating sensor 31 determines whether or not the subject is in the process of eating without using an acceleration sensor, the acceleration of the chopsticks 3 when they are being washed is not mistakenly detected as an eating activity.

[0024] Next, a description will be given of the operation of the monitoring device 20. Fig. 6 is a flowchart showing an example of a living situation monitoring process. This process is executed by the control unit 22 of the monitoring device 20.

[0025] In the living status monitoring process, the control unit 22 first checks the detection signals transmitted from the various sensors 30 (S200) and determines whether or not a detection signal has been received from the eating sensor 31 (S210). If the control unit 22 determines that a detection signal has been received from the eating sensor 31, it records the eating behavior in association with the current date and time information (S220) and proceeds to S230. That is, the control unit 22 stores information indicating that the person is eating together with the date and time information in the storage unit 24. If the control unit 22 determines that a detection signal has not been received from the eating sensor 31, it skips S220 and proceeds to S230.

[0026] Next, the control unit 22 determines whether a detection signal has been received from the sleep sensor 37 (S230). If the control unit 22 determines that a detection signal has been received from the sleep sensor 37, the control unit 22 records the sleep state in association with the current date and time information (S240) and proceeds to S250. Note that the sleep sensor 37 transmits a detection signal that allows identification of whether the sleep state is deep or light, so the sleep state is recorded, including whether the sleep state is deep or light. If the control unit 22 determines that a detection signal has not been received from the sleep sensor 37, the control unit 22 skips S240 and proceeds to S250.

[0027] Next, the control unit 22 determines whether or not a detection signal has been received from the human presence sensor 38 or the excretion sensor 39 (S250). When the control unit 22 determines that a detection signal has been received from the human presence sensor 38 or the excretion sensor 39, the control unit 22 records the excretion action in association with the current date and time information (S260) and proceeds to S270. For example, when the control unit 22 receives a detection signal from the human presence sensor 38 in a state where it has not determined that the subject is excreting, the control unit 22 records that excretion has started and determines that the subject is excreting. Furthermore, when the control unit 22 determines that the subject is excreting in a state where it receives a detection signal from the excretion sensor 39 or no longer receives a detection signal from the human presence sensor 38, the control unit 22 records that excretion has ended. Note that the excretion sensor 39 transmits a detection signal that can be identified as either a large flush operation or a small flush operation, and therefore the excretion action is stored, including whether it is defecation or urination. Furthermore, if the control unit 22 determines that it has not received a detection signal from either the human sensor 38 or the excretion sensor 39, it skips S260 and proceeds to S270.

[0028] The control unit 22 then determines whether it is time to transmit the recorded content (S270). The transmission timing may be, for example, every predetermined time interval or when recording is performed in any of S220, S240, and S260. If the control unit 22 determines that it is time to transmit, it transmits the recorded content to the management server 40 (S280) and terminates the living status monitoring process. If the control unit 22 determines that it is not time to transmit, it skips S280 and terminates the living status monitoring process. The control unit 42 of the management server 40 registers the living status of the subject in the storage unit 44 based on the transmitted recorded content. FIG. 7 is an explanatory diagram showing an example of living status. As shown in the figure, the living status of the monitored person, such as eating behavior, excretory behavior, and sleeping state, is registered in chronological order. The monitor S can access the management server 40 via the network 8 from a mobile terminal P or the like to check the living status registered in the storage unit 44. That is, the monitoring system 10 visualizes the living situation for the monitor S, thereby allowing the monitor S to easily understand the living situation of the subject.

[0029] Here, the correspondence between the components of this embodiment and the components of the present disclosure will be clarified. In this embodiment, the chopsticks 3 correspond to eating utensils, the first sensor 33a corresponds to the first sensor, the second sensor 33b corresponds to the second sensor, the control unit 32 corresponds to the determination unit, and the communication unit 34 corresponds to the output unit. Furthermore, the memory unit 24 of the monitoring device 20 and the memory unit 44 of the management server 40 correspond to memory units. Furthermore, in this embodiment, an example of a meal monitoring method of the present disclosure is clarified by explaining the operation of the monitoring system 10.

[0030] As described above, the eating sensor 31 includes the first sensor 33a and the second sensor 33b, which have different capacitance changes when water droplets are attached, and determines whether or not a meal is being eaten based on the detection results of the first sensor 33a and the second sensor 33b, and outputs the determination result to the outside. This allows for more accurate detection of the state of the chopsticks 3. It also prevents the movement of the chopsticks 3 being washed from being mistakenly detected as an eating movement, allowing for more accurate detection of eating movements.

[0031] Furthermore, the meal sensor 31 determines that a person is eating when both the first self-capacitance sensor 33a and the second mutual capacitance sensor 33b detect a change in capacitance. On the other hand, the meal sensor 31 determines that a person is cleaning if the first sensor 33a detects a change in capacitance but the second sensor 33b does not. This allows for more accurate detection of whether a person is eating or cleaning with simple processing. Furthermore, the meal sensor 31 transmits a determination result when it determines that a person is eating, and does not transmit a determination result when it determines that a person is not eating, so it can appropriately output that a person is eating and appropriately record eating behavior.

[0032] Furthermore, if the first sensor 33a and the second sensor 33b are provided at the tip portion 3a of the chopsticks 3, the first sensor 33a may detect water while the second sensor 33b does not, which may result in a false determination that the chopsticks are being washed. In this embodiment, the first sensor 33a and the second sensor 33b are provided at the gripping portion 3b of the chopsticks 3, which can appropriately prevent such a false determination. In other words, it is possible to prevent a false determination that the chopsticks are being washed while the chopsticks are being eaten.

[0033] Furthermore, the management server 40 records the living conditions of the subject, including eating behavior based on the detection results (determination results) of the eating sensor 31, as well as the sleeping state detected by the sleep sensor 37 and excretion behavior detected by the human presence sensor 38 and excretion sensor 39. Therefore, the monitor S can easily grasp the living conditions of the subject by accessing the management server 40.

[0034] It goes without saying that the present disclosure is not limited to the above-described embodiments, and can be embodied in various forms as long as they fall within the technical scope of the present disclosure.

[0035] In the above-described embodiment, the first sensor 33a is a self-capacitance capacitance sensor, and the second sensor 33b is a mutual-capacitance capacitance sensor, but this is not limiting. The first sensor 33a and the second sensor 33b may be sensors that exhibit different capacitance changes when water droplets are attached. The control unit 32 may then determine the state of the eating utensil based on the difference in the degree of capacitance change detected by the first sensor 33a and the second sensor 33b.

[0036] In the embodiment, each component including the first sensor 33a and the second sensor 33b of the meal sensor 31 is disposed in the grip portion 3b, but this is not limited thereto, and some components may be disposed in the tip portion 3a, in an intermediate portion between the tip portion 3a and the grip portion 3b, or in a rear end portion closer to the rear end of the grip portion 3b. However, in order to appropriately detect changes in capacitance, it is preferable to dispose the first sensor 33a and the second sensor 33b in the grip portion 3b.

[0037] In the embodiment, the meal sensor 31 transmits (outputs) a detection signal when the meal determination process determines that a meal is being eaten and does not transmit a detection signal when the process determines that cleaning is being performed. However, this is not limited to this, and the meal sensor 31 may also transmit a detection signal when cleaning is being performed. In this case, the meal sensor 31 only needs to transmit a detection signal that can distinguish between a meal and a cleaning. Alternatively, the meal sensor 31 may simply determine whether a meal is being eaten or not, or whether cleaning is being performed or not, as long as it determines the state of the eating utensils.

[0038] In the embodiment, the meal sensor 31 transmits a detection signal when it is determined that a meal is being eaten in the meal determination process, but this is not limited to this. For example, when it is determined that a meal is being eaten, information to that effect along with date and time information may be stored in a memory unit within the meal sensor 31, and the detection signal may be transmitted at a later timing, such as when the chopsticks 3 are placed on the wireless charger.

[0039] In the embodiment, the meal sensor 31 determines whether or not the person is eating, but this is not limiting. For example, the meal sensor 31 may transmit the detection results of the first sensor 33a and the second sensor 33b to the monitoring device 20, and the monitoring device 20 may determine whether or not the person is eating.

[0040] In the embodiment, the monitoring system 10 includes multiple sensors as the sensor 30, but these sensors are merely examples, and the type and processing of each sensor are not limited to those of the embodiment. For example, the sleep sensor 37 detects whether the subject is in light or deep sleep, but it is sufficient to at least detect whether the subject is asleep. Furthermore, the human presence sensor 38 and the excretion sensor are used to detect excretion behavior, but it is also possible to use only one of the sensors to detect whether excretion has occurred. Furthermore, the excretion sensor 39 detects whether the subject is in a large flush operation or a small flush operation, but it is sufficient to at least detect the flushing operation (whether or not excretion has occurred).

[0041] Furthermore, monitoring system 10 is not limited to having sensors other than meal sensor 31, and it is sufficient to have at least meal sensor 31 to monitor whether or not the subject is eating. Furthermore, information (detection signal) regarding living conditions such as eating is transmitted from meal sensor 31 to management server 40 via monitoring device 20, but this is not limiting. For example, it may be transmitted directly from meal sensor 31 to management server 40, or it may be stored in storage unit 24 of monitoring device 20 and transmitted to management server 40 as needed. Furthermore, information regarding the living conditions may be transmitted directly to mobile device P of monitor S, and the living conditions of the subject may be visualized by application software on mobile device P.

[0042] The meal monitoring system and meal monitoring method of the present disclosure can detect the state of eating utensils with greater accuracy, similar to the eating utensils described above. These meal monitoring systems and meal monitoring methods may employ various aspects of eating utensils, or may include additional configurations or steps that realize the functions of the eating utensils. [Industrial Applicability]

[0043] The present disclosure is applicable to the technical field of monitoring the living conditions of a monitored person, such as the diet of the monitored person. [Explanation of symbols]

[0044] 1 Residence, 2 Table, 3 Chopsticks, 3a Tip part, 3b Holding part, 4 Bed, 6 Toilet, 8 Internet, 10 Monitoring system, 20 Monitoring device, 22 Control unit, 24 Memory unit, 26 Communication unit, 28 Display unit, 29 Speaker, 30 Sensor, 31 Eating sensor, 32 Control unit, 33a First sensor, 33b Second sensor, 34 Communication unit, 35 Battery, 36 Charging unit, 37 Sleep sensor, 38 Human presence sensor, 39 Excretion sensor, 40 Management server, 42 Control unit, 44 Memory unit, 46 Communication unit, P Mobile terminal, S Monitor.

Claims

1. An eating utensil used for eating, a first sensor that detects a change in capacitance using a predetermined method, and a second sensor that detects a change in capacitance when water droplets adhere using a method different from the predetermined method; a determination unit that determines the state of the eating utensils based on the detection results of the first and second sensors; an output unit that outputs the determination result by the determination unit to an external device; Equipped with the first sensor is a self-capacitance type electrostatic capacitance sensor, the second sensor is a mutual capacitance type electrostatic capacitance sensor, The determination unit determines that a meal is being eaten when both the first and second sensors detect a change in capacitance, and determines that the eating utensils are being washed when the first sensor detects a change in capacitance and the second sensor does not detect a change in capacitance. Eating utensils.

2. The eating utensil according to claim 1, The output unit outputs a determination result to an external device when the determination unit determines that the person is eating, and does not output a determination result to an external device when the determination unit determines that the person is not eating. Eating utensils.

3. The eating utensil according to claim 1 or 2, The first and second sensors are provided on a gripping portion of the eating utensil that is gripped by hand. Eating utensils.

4. A meal monitoring system for monitoring whether a person to be monitored is eating, a first sensor provided on an eating utensil used during a meal, the first sensor detecting a change in capacitance by a predetermined method, and a second sensor detecting a change in capacitance by a method different from the predetermined method in that the change in capacitance when a water droplet is attached; a determination unit that determines the state of the eating utensils based on the detection results of the first and second sensors; a storage unit that stores a determination result by the determination unit; Equipped with the first sensor is a self-capacitance type electrostatic capacitance sensor, the second sensor is a mutual capacitance type electrostatic capacitance sensor, The determination unit determines that a meal is being eaten when both the first and second sensors detect a change in capacitance, and determines that the eating utensils are being washed when the first sensor detects a change in capacitance and the second sensor does not detect a change in capacitance. Food monitoring system.

5. A meal monitoring method for monitoring whether a person to be monitored is eating, comprising: (a) acquiring detection results detected by a first sensor provided on an eating utensil used for eating, the first sensor detecting a change in capacitance in a predetermined manner, and a second sensor detecting a change in capacitance when water droplets are attached in a manner different from the predetermined manner; (b) determining the state of the eating utensil based on the detection result obtained in step (a); (c) storing the determination result obtained in step (b) in a storage unit; Including, the first sensor is a self-capacitance type electrostatic capacitance sensor, the second sensor is a mutual capacitance type electrostatic capacitance sensor, In step (b), it is determined that a meal is being eaten when both the first and second sensors detect a change in capacitance, and it is determined that a meal is not being eaten but the eating utensils are being washed when the first sensor detects a change in capacitance and the second sensor does not detect a change in capacitance. Dietary monitoring methods.

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