excrement detection device

Abstract

To provide an excrement detection device which reduces a load of processing about the presence / absence of excrement and saves a storage capacity of a storage unit.SOLUTION: An excrement detection device comprises: an optical sensor 14 which images the inside of a bowl part 22 that receives excrement in a prescribed cycle; a storage unit 16 which stores captured image data; and an image processing unit 15 which determines the presence / absence of excrement being dropping into the bowl part based on the image data in each fixed time. The image processing unit stores the image data used for determination of the presence of excrement and the subsequent image data for the fixed time in the storage unit when there is excrement, and does not store the image data used for determination of the absence of excrement and the subsequent image data for the fixed time in the storage unit when there is no excrement.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present disclosure relates to an excrement detection device. [Background technology]

[0002] 2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, toilets are known that collect image data relating to a user's excrement and store the collected image data in a storage unit.

[0003] An example of this type of device is that described in Patent Document 1. The device in Patent Document 1 stores image data received by a light receiving unit installed inside the toilet bowl, and then deletes the stored image data if it is analyzed to determine that the stored image data is not image data based on light reflected from falling feces. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0004] [Patent Document 1] Patent No. 6773187 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0005] In Patent Document 1, the image data of received light is temporarily stored and then analyzed to determine whether the image data is reflected light from feces, and if the result shows that the light is not reflected light from feces, the image data is deleted. In Patent Document 1, all image data of received light is analyzed, so there is a concern that the analysis process is burdensome and it takes time to accumulate the image data. In addition, since the data size of image data is large, there is a concern that if all captured image data is stored in a storage unit, the storage capacity of the storage unit will quickly run out.

[0006] The present disclosure has been proposed in consideration of the above circumstances, and aims to provide an excrement detection device that reduces the burden of processing whether or not excrement is present and saves the storage capacity of a memory unit. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] In order to achieve the above object, the excrement detection device of the present disclosure has a bowl portion for receiving excrement. The electronic shutter is controlled to open and capture an image, and the image data is temporarily stored in a temporary memory. an optical sensor, a storage unit in which the image data is stored, stored in the temporary memory and determining whether or not there is any excrement falling into the bowl portion based on the image data. A picture that repeats the cycle an image processing unit, , in the previous cycle If excrement is present, the image data used to determine whether excrement is present and the image data for a certain period of time thereafter are stored in the storage unit. , in the previous cycle If no excrement is found, the image data used to determine whether or not there is excrement and the image data for a certain period of time thereafter are not stored in the storage unit. [Effects of the Invention]

[0008] The excrement detection device of the present disclosure has the above-described configuration, which reduces the burden of processing the presence or absence of excrement and can save storage capacity of the memory unit. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0009] [Figure 1] 1 is a basic block diagram of an excrement detection device according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 2] FIG. 2 is a schematic vertical cross-sectional view of the excrement detection device. [Figure 3] 1A and 1B are diagrams showing two examples of the installation position of the optical sensor in the excrement detection device, where FIG. 1A is a schematic plan view and FIG. 1B is a schematic side view. [Figure 4] FIG. 2 is a diagram showing a flow of basic processing in the excrement detection device. [Figure 5] FIG. 1A is a basic block diagram of an excrement detection device according to another embodiment of the present disclosure and a toilet apparatus in which the same is used, and FIG. 1B is a schematic side view showing the interior of the toilet apparatus. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0010] Hereinafter, embodiments of the present disclosure will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings. An excrement detection device 1 according to an embodiment shown in Fig. 1 incorporates a configuration for detecting excrement into a toilet apparatus 1. Furthermore, an excrement detection device 40 according to an embodiment shown in Fig. 5 incorporates a configuration for detecting excrement into a toilet seat apparatus 40 that is detachable from the toilet body of a toilet apparatus 4. Note that the excrement detection devices 1 and 40 may be retrofittable to a toilet apparatus or a toilet seat apparatus.

[0011] First, the basic configuration of the excrement detection device 1 will be described with reference to FIGS. The excrement detection device 1 includes an optical sensor 14 that periodically captures images of the inside of a bowl 22 that receives excrement, and a storage unit 16 that stores image data of the captured images. , painting Based on the image data, it is determined whether or not there is any excrement falling into the bowl portion 22. A picture that repeats the cycle The image processing unit 15 has an image processing unit 15. When excrement is present, the image processing unit 15 stores the image data used to determine whether excrement is present and image data for a certain period of time thereafter in the storage unit 16. On the other hand, when excrement is not present, the image processing unit 15 is configured not to store the image data used to determine whether excrement is present and image data for a certain period of time thereafter in the storage unit 16. Next, the detailed configuration of the excrement detection device (toilet device) 1 will be described.

[0012] As shown in Figure 1, the toilet device 1 is equipped with a control unit 11 that controls the execution of various programs. The control unit 11 is composed of a CPU and the like, and controls and monitors the operation of each part of the toilet device 1 together with the various programs.

[0013] The toilet device 1 includes a timing unit 12, a human presence sensor 13, an optical sensor 14, an image processing unit 15, and a memory unit 16. The toilet device 1 also includes a toilet flushing unit 23, a toilet lid open / close detection unit 31, a toilet lid driving unit 32, a toilet lid operation unit 33, a toilet seat open / close detection unit 35, a toilet seat driving unit 36, a toilet seat operation unit 37, a seating sensor 38, a flushing operation unit 39, etc.

[0014] The timing unit 12 is a timing at which the image processing unit 15 determines the presence or absence of excrement from the image data captured by the optical sensor 14. Good Measure various times.

[0015] The human presence sensor 13 is a sensor that detects the presence or absence of a person in the toilet room, and can detect the timing of entry / exit by detecting a change in the signal state. Examples of the human presence sensor 13 include an infrared sensor, ultrasonic sensor, or radio wave sensor installed near the axis of the toilet seat 34.

[0016] The optical sensor 14 periodically captures images of the interior of the bowl portion 22 that receives the excrement. The optical sensor 14 includes a control circuit (not shown) that controls the capture of images. The control circuit of the optical sensor 14 is configured to capture images by controlling the opening of an electronic shutter of a light-receiving element (not shown) at intervals of 20 to 240 times per second, preferably 20 to 120 times per second. The optical sensor 14 also includes a temporary memory (not shown), such as a volatile memory, for temporarily storing captured image data. The temporary memory of the optical sensor 14 is configured to sequentially delete image data, starting with the oldest, each time new image data is captured or after a certain amount of image data has been stored. The optical sensor 14 may also be configured to delete all image data in the temporary memory when the image processing unit 15, described below, determines that no excrement is falling. When the image processing unit 15, described below, determines that there is excrement falling, the optical sensor 14 stores image data captured over a certain period of time in the storage unit 16. The image data stored in the storage unit 16 may be deleted from the temporary memory of the optical sensor 14 .

[0017] The image processing unit 15 determines the presence or absence of excrement falling into the bowl portion 22 based on the image data captured by the optical sensor 14. In this embodiment, the image processing unit 15 determines the presence or absence of excrement by comparing the image data captured by the optical sensor 14 with threshold data for determining the presence or absence of excrement stored in the toilet apparatus 1. The threshold data may, for example, be image data captured by the optical sensor 14 provided in the toilet apparatus 1 to show the state inside the bowl portion 22 when no excrement (feces A or urine) has fallen, both when a person is sitting on the toilet seat 34 and when they are not. In this embodiment, the image data used by the image processing unit 15 to determine the presence or absence of excrement is the most recent image data temporarily stored in the temporary memory of the optical sensor 14. The image processing unit 15 compares the threshold data with the image data, and determines that there is excrement falling if the difference is large (if the difference is equal to or greater than a predetermined value), and determines that there is no excrement falling if the difference is small (if the difference is less than the predetermined value). The presence or absence of falling excrement may also be determined based on color information, for example. If the image data for determination contains a predetermined amount of color information related to excrement, such as yellow or brown, the image processing unit 15 may determine that falling excrement is present.

[0018] The storage unit 16 is configured to include, for example, a nonvolatile memory (not shown) for storing image data captured by the optical sensor 14. The storage unit 16 also stores threshold data used by the image processing unit 15 to determine the presence or absence of excrement. The threshold data may be stored in a nonvolatile memory provided in the image processing unit 15 separately from the storage unit 16.

[0019] The toilet flushing unit 23 supplies flushing water into the bowl 22 to clean the inside of the bowl 22. The detailed configuration of the toilet flushing unit 23 will be described later.

[0020] The toilet lid opening / closing detection unit 31 is a sensor that detects the open / closed state of the toilet lid 30. The toilet lid driving unit 32 opens and closes the toilet lid 30 automatically according to the opening / closing instruction of the toilet lid 30 by the toilet lid operation unit 33 or various timings. Also, the toilet seat opening / closing detection unit 35 is a sensor that detects the open / closed state of the toilet seat 34. The toilet seat driving unit 36 opens and closes the toilet seat 34 automatically according to the opening / closing instruction of the toilet seat 34 by the toilet seat operation unit 37 or various timings.

[0021] The seating sensor 38 is a sensor that detects a person's sitting / standing up on the toilet seat 34, and can detect the sitting / standing up timing by detecting the state change of the signal. Note that a configuration may be adopted in which the automatic cleaning of the bowl part 22 is performed by detecting the standing up timing.

[0022] The cleaning operation unit 39 includes a large bowel cleaning button 39a and a small bowel cleaning button 39b that output an instruction for cleaning the bowl part 22 to the toilet cleaning unit 23 via the control unit 11. The toilet device 1 includes a main body operation unit (not shown) provided on the toilet main body 20 and a remote control (not shown) provided at a position separated from the toilet main body 20, and it is desirable that the cleaning operation unit 39 is arranged on either the main body operation unit or the remote control. These are also provided with operation switches, operation buttons, etc. that can perform various operations and settings. As the remote control, an infrared communication type is preferably used. A transmission unit (not shown) is provided in the remote control, and a reception unit (not shown) is provided in the toilet main body 20.

[0023] Also, a configuration may be adopted in which only one cleaning button is provided without providing both the large bowel cleaning button 39a and the small bowel cleaning button 39b, and a cleaning instruction is output by the one cleaning button. In that case, as the amount of cleaning water to the bowl part 22, there is no distinction between a large capacity for large bowel and a small capacity for small bowel, and only one type of large capacity for large bowel is provided.

[0024] The instruction for cleaning the bowl part 22 may be configured such that, in addition to the operation of the cleaning operation unit 39, the state change from sitting to standing up detected by the seating sensor 38 is also used as an instruction for cleaning. In that case, when a person stands up from the toilet seat 34 while sitting, automatic cleaning is performed instead of operating the cleaning button.

[0025] Next, the toilet cleaning unit 23 and each part of the internal and external structures of the toilet will be described while referring to FIG. 2. The toilet device 1 is a wall-mounted Western-style toilet device fixed to the floor 9 and walls in the toilet space. The toilet body 20 of this toilet device 1 is installed such that the bowl portion 22 opening upward is surrounded by the skirt portion 21, and on the upper side of the bowl portion 22, there are provided a toilet seat 34 and a toilet lid 30 that can be tilted with respect to the opening surface of the bowl portion 22 and have the same rotation axis.

[0026] In the internal space of the skirt portion 21, there is arranged a toilet cleaning unit 23 that discharges the sewage in the bowl portion 22 and supplies cleaning water from the water supply port 24 into the bowl portion 22 to clean the inside of the bowl portion 22. This toilet cleaning unit 23 has a water supply mechanism and a drainage mechanism.

[0027] The water supply mechanism includes a water supply port 24, a cleaning water supply path 25 that supplies the cleaning water supplied from a water pipe (not shown) into the bowl portion 22 through the water supply port 24, and a water supply valve 26 arranged in the middle of the cleaning water supply path 25 to supply or cut off the water supply to the bowl portion 22.

[0028] The toilet device 1 has a movable trap 27 shown in FIG. 2 as a drainage mechanism. This trap 27 is rotated by a drive unit 270 to form a drainage state or a water sealing state. The trap 27 in the illustrated example is in the position in the water sealing state, and in the drainage state, the open end 27a of the trap 27 rotates so as to face the drain port 28. Note that the trap 27 is surrounded by a trap case 271 so that sewage and odors do not leak to the surroundings. Alternatively, as the drainage mechanism, a siphon type, a siphon jet type, a siphon vortex type, a wash-down type, etc. may be used. Also, in the illustrated example, an example of a direct water supply tankless type toilet device 1 without a flushing tank (low tank) is shown, but a configuration with a flushing tank may also be used.

[0029] The aforementioned optical sensor 14 may be disposed, for example, in or near the cavity of the rim 29 (see FIG. 2) on the lower surface side of the toilet seat 34 so that it can image the excrement falling into the bowl portion 22. Also, as shown in FIG. 3(b), the optical sensor 14 may be embedded in the rear wall of the bowl portion 22, and thereby may image the feces and urine falling therein. In addition to the optical sensor 14, the bowl portion 22 may be provided with an odor sensor, a radio wave sensor, etc. so that various information on excrement can be detected. In FIGS. 3(a) and 3(b), feces A is illustrated as excrement, but urine may also be the excrement.

[0030] In addition, near the shaft portion of the toilet seat 34, a nozzle (not shown) that can project and retract toward the central portion of the bowl portion 22 is provided, and water is discharged from the nozzle, and the toilet device 1 includes a local cleaning device (not shown) that cleans a local part of the human body with the discharged water.

[0031] Next, an example of the operation of processing the image data captured by the optical sensor 14 by the image processing unit 15 will be described along the flowcharts S100 to S105 in FIG. 4. In the following description, the operation steps in FIG. 4 that are described as "step Sxxx" will be abbreviated as only the reference numeral "Sxxx". Also, the operation example of the flowchart in FIG. 4 is an example and is not limited to the operation of the flowchart in FIG. 4.

[0032] First, the optical sensor 14 is driven triggered by the state change from non-detection to detection of an entering person by the human presence sensor 13, and repeatedly captures images at a predetermined period such as 20 to 120 times per second as described above. Then, the optical sensor 14 stops triggered by the state change from detection to non-detection of an entering person by the human presence sensor 13. The flowchart shown in FIG. 4 executes the operations shown in the flowchart in FIG. 4 at a fixed time period such as 5 seconds while the optical sensor 14 is driven, that is, from when an entering person enters until they leave the room.

[0033] Note that the detection of an intruder is not limited to that by the human presence sensor 13. For example, it may be configured to detect an intruder by the lighting of the toilet room. Also, it may be configured to detect an intruder by the detection unit 31 for detecting the state change of the toilet lid 30 from the closed state to the open state. Further, if the excrement detection device 1 targets only the feces A as excrement, the detection of the intruder may be performed by the detection of sitting by the sitting sensor 38. If the detection of the intruder is by means other than the human presence sensor 13, the non-detection of the intruder is of course also by means other than the human presence sensor 13.

[0034] When the imaging by the optical sensor 14 is started, the image processing unit 15 is based on the cooperation of the control unit 11 and the timing unit 12 for the surrounding early start movement by , Book In the embodiment, every 5 seconds, the operation shown in the flowchart of FIG. 4 is executed (S100). Cycle period and Although it is not particularly limited, the range of 1 second to 10 seconds is desirable, and more preferably about 5 seconds as in this embodiment.

[0035] First, the image processing unit 15 refers to the on / off information of the flag indicating the presence of excrement during falling (S101). The flag indicating the presence of excrement referred to in S101 is the on / off of the flag determined according to the presence or absence of excrement during falling in the step of S103 described later. That is, in S101, the on / off of the flag indicating the presence of excrement determined at the time of executing the operation of FIG. 4 in the previous cycle is referred to. Therefore, when the flowchart of FIG. 4 is first executed after the detection of an intruder, the flag indicating the presence of excrement is off (N in S101). When the flag indicating the presence of excrement during falling is on, the image data used for determining the presence of excrement during falling and the image data captured during a certain period after the determination of the presence of excrement during falling are stored in the storage unit 16 (Y in S101, S102).

[0036] Next, the image processing unit 15 determines whether there is excrement falling into the bowl unit 22 (S103). The image processing unit 15 in the present embodiment compares the image data temporarily stored in the temporary memory of the optical sensor 14 with the threshold data stored in the storage unit 16 to determine whether there is excrement. By determining whether there is excrement falling in this step, it is determined whether the image data captured by the optical sensor 14 is stored in the storage unit 16 when the operation of FIG. 4 in the next cycle is executed.

[0037] If there is no excrement falling, the flag indicating that there is excrement falling is turned off (N in S103, S105). Then, the image data used to determine whether there is excrement falling and the image data captured during a certain period of time (5 seconds in the present embodiment) thereafter are not stored in the storage unit 16 in the next cycle (N in S101). That is, the image data used to determine whether there is excrement falling and the image data captured between the execution of the operation of FIG. 4 that is executed again 5 seconds later are not stored in the storage unit 16.

[0038] When the image processing unit 15 determines that there is excrement falling into the bowl unit 22, the flag indicating that there is excrement falling is turned on (Y in S103, S104). Then, the image data used to determine whether there is excrement falling and the image data captured between the execution of the operation of FIG. 4 that is executed again 5 seconds later are stored in the storage unit 16 because the flag indicating that there is excrement is on (Y in S101, S102).

[0039] In addition, when it is determined that there is excrement falling, all the image data captured during a certain period of time thereafter is stored in the storage unit 16. Even if some of those image data do not have excrement falling, they are stored in the storage unit 16.

[0040] When the departure of the occupant (state change from detection to non-detection of the occupant) is detected by the human presence sensor 13 or the like, the toilet device 1 stops driving the optical sensor 14 and further stops starting the operation of FIG. 4.

[0041] In this way, from the time when an intruder enters the room until they leave, the toilet device 1 repeatedly performs the operations of S100 to S105 in FIG. 4, and the image processing unit 15 determines whether it is necessary to save the captured image data in the storage unit 16 according to the presence or absence of excrement during the fall.

[0042] In addition, when the image data of the excrement to be saved is limited to that of the large stool A, cycle it does not have to be during the period from when a person enters the room until they leave. In FIG. 4 The cycle of it may be activated only during the period from sitting on the toilet seat 34 (activation of the sitting sensor 38) to getting up from the toilet seat (deactivation of the sitting sensor 38).

[0043] The toilet device 1 of this embodiment continuously captures images at the aforementioned predetermined cycle after detecting the entry of a person. The toilet device 1 does not save all the image data captured by this continuous imaging in the storage unit 16, but only saves the image data used for the determination and the image data captured during a certain period of time thereafter in the storage unit 16 when it is determined that there is excrement. Therefore, it is possible to save the storage capacity of the storage unit 16 and avoid the storage capacity of the storage unit 16 being quickly exhausted. Also, the storage capacity of the storage unit 16 installed in the toilet device 1 can be made small.

[0044] Also, the toilet device 1 of this embodiment does not determine the presence or absence of excrement for all the image data captured by the optical sensor 14, , per cycle period but only determines the presence or absence of excrement for the image data captured at

[0045] In addition, the image data stored in the memory unit 16 may be stored with information such as the imaging date and time associated therewith. Further, the toilet device 1 may have a function of analyzing the state of the excrement imaged in the stored image data and storing the analyzed information (analysis information) in the memory unit 16. Further, if the toilet device 1 includes various sensors such as an odor sensor and a radio wave sensor, it may analyze the excrement in combination with the information detected by them. By analyzing the excrement, the health condition of the person entering the room can be analyzed.

[0046] In addition, the toilet device 1 may be provided with a long-distance communication unit that transmits the image data, analysis information, etc. stored in the memory unit 16 to an external storage device via a network, and a short-distance communication unit that transmits them to a terminal device such as the smartphone of the person entering the room by infrared communication or the like. Further, it may be provided with a connection terminal for connecting to a connector of an external storage medium such as a USB memory. Further, the function of analyzing the excrement described above may not be provided in the toilet device 1, and an app provided in an external storage device or terminal device may analyze the excrement imaged in the image data. Note that the short-distance communication unit and the connection terminal may be provided in a main body operation unit provided in the toilet main body 20 or a remote control provided at a position separated from the toilet main body 20.

[0047] The excrement detection device 1 is not limited to the above, and the toilet seat device in which the toilet seat 34 and the toilet lid 30 of the toilet device 1 can be integrally replaced may be configured as the excrement detection device 40. Based on FIGS. 5(a) and 5(b), the basic configuration of the toilet device 4 incorporating the excrement detection device (toilet seat device) 40 according to another embodiment of the present invention will be described. In this embodiment, the movable trap 27 is illustrated in FIG. 5(b), but the present invention is also applicable to a toilet main body having a siphon trap or other types.

[0048] The toilet seat device 40 is a separate body that can be detached from the toilet body (the part excluding the toilet seat device 40) of the toilet device 4. The toilet seat device 40 includes a toilet lid 50, a toilet lid opening / closing detection unit 51, a toilet lid driving unit 52, a toilet lid operation unit 53, a toilet seat 54, a toilet seat opening / closing detection unit 55, a toilet seat driving unit 56, a toilet seat operation unit 57, a seating sensor 58, and a cleaning operation unit 59. Furthermore, the toilet seat device 40 includes a toilet seat side control unit 41, a toilet seat side timing unit 42, an optical sensor 43, a human presence sensor 44, an image processing unit 45, and a storage unit 46. Also, signal transmission and reception are possible between the toilet seat device 40 and the toilet body. Note that the toilet seat device 40 may be configured not to include the human presence sensor 44. In that case, the toilet body's human presence sensor may be used to detect an entering person. Also, the detection of an entering person is not limited to being performed by a human presence sensor. For example, it may be configured to detect an entering person by the lighting of the toilet room's illumination, or it may be configured to detect an entering person by the toilet lid opening / closing detection unit 51 detecting a state change to the open state of the toilet lid 50.

[0049] Note that since the configuration of the toilet device 4 (the toilet body) excluding the toilet seat device 40 is generally the same as that in FIG. 1, a detailed description is omitted. Also, the toilet lid 50, toilet lid opening / closing detection unit 51, toilet lid driving unit 52, toilet lid operation unit 53, toilet seat 54, toilet seat opening / closing detection unit 55, toilet seat driving unit 56, toilet seat operation unit 57, and seating sensor 58 included in the toilet seat device 40 are generally the same as those in FIG. 1, and their description is omitted.

[0050] The toilet seat device 40 in FIG. 5 is configured to be able to output a cleaning instruction for the bowl part 22 to the toilet cleaning part 23 of the toilet device 4. Specifically, when a cleaning instruction is given from the cleaning operation unit 59, the toilet seat side control unit 41 of the toilet seat device 40 receives this and controls the toilet cleaning part 23 through the control unit 11 on the toilet body side so that the bowl part 22 can be cleaned. Also, the toilet seat side control unit 41 may be directly configured to control the toilet cleaning part 23.

[0051] This toilet device 4 can also perform the operations shown in Fig. 4, similar to the toilet device 1 in Fig. 1. That is, when an occupant is detected by a human presence sensor 44 or the like, continuous imaging is performed by an optical sensor 43, and an image processing unit 45 determines whether there is excrement falling. When there is excrement, the image data used for the determination and the image data captured in a certain period of time thereafter are stored in a storage unit 46. When there is no excrement, the image data used for the determination and the image data captured in a certain period of time thereafter are not stored in the storage unit 46. When the occupant leaves the room, the drive of the optical sensor 43 is stopped.

[0052] Note that the toilet seat device 40 is not limited to the one shown in Fig. 5. For example, the toilet seat device 40 may have a configuration including a local cleaning device, or may have a configuration having an operation unit for the toilet seat (not shown) that can perform various (e.g., local cleaning device) operations and settings.

Explanation of Reference Numerals

[0053] 1 Excrement detection device (toilet device) 11 Control unit 12 Timing unit 13 Human presence sensor 14 Optical sensor 15 Image processing unit 16 Storage unit 20 Toilet body 22 Bowl part 4 Toilet device 40 Excrement detection device (toilet seat device) 41 Toilet seat side control unit 42 Toilet seat side timing unit 43 Optical sensor 44 Human presence sensor 45 Image processing unit 46 Storage unit

Claims

1. an optical sensor configured to capture an image of the inside of the bowl portion that receives the excrement by controlling the opening of an electronic shutter, and having a temporary memory for temporarily storing the captured image data; a storage unit in which the image data is stored; an image processing unit that repeats a cycle of determining whether or not excrement is falling into the bowl portion based on the image data stored in the temporary memory, The excrement detection device is characterized in that, if excrement is present in the previous cycle, the image processing unit stores the image data used to determine whether excrement is present and the image data for a certain period of time thereafter in the memory unit, and, if excrement is not present in the previous cycle, the image data used to determine whether excrement is present and the image data for a certain period of time thereafter are not stored in the memory unit.

2. In claim 1, It has threshold data for determining whether or not there is excrement, The image processing unit determines whether or not the excrement is present by comparing the image data captured by the optical sensor with the threshold data. Excrement detection device.

3. In claim 1 or claim 2, The cycle is performed every 1 to 10 seconds. Excrement detection device.

Images