Method for presenting a set of herbal medicines, system for presenting a set of herbal medicines, device for presenting a set of herbal medicines, program for presenting a set of herbal medicines, and storage medium on which the program is recorded.

Abstract

The presenter provides a Kampo medicine set presentation system that can present an appropriate set of Kampo medicines for a given individual. The presentation system S comprises a first main symptom recognition unit 1b and a second main symptom recognition unit 1d that recognize the first and second main symptoms to be addressed; an attribute recognition unit 1f that recognizes the attributes of the individual, including physical information; a secondary symptom recognition unit 1h that recognizes secondary symptoms that are recommended to be considered based on the individual's attributes; a first candidate Kampo medicine recognition unit 1c and a second candidate Kampo medicine recognition unit 1e that recognize multiple first candidate Kampo medicines and second candidate Kampo medicines that correspond to the first and second main symptoms based on the effects of each of the multiple Kampo medicines; a Kampo medicine set recognition unit 1i that recognizes a set of Kampo medicines that is a combination of one of the first candidate Kampo medicines and one of the second candidate Kampo medicines, and that does not or does not have much effect on secondary symptoms when taken together; and a presentation unit 1j that presents the Kampo medicine set to the user.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a Chinese herbal medicine set presentation method, a Chinese herbal medicine set presentation system, a Chinese herbal medicine set presentation device, a Chinese herbal medicine set presentation program, and a storage medium storing the program, which present a plurality of Chinese herbal medicines assumed to be ingested by a target person to a user.

Background Art

[0002] Conventionally, a system has been proposed that proposes a supplement blended with a plurality of components in consideration of information on the user's health based on the user's answer to a predetermined question (see, for example, Patent Document 1).

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] By the way, among Chinese herbal medicines, which are also listed as one of the supplements in Patent Document 1, there are some that act similarly on a certain symptom but have different effects on other symptoms. For example, as Chinese herbal medicines that act on anemia, both Angelica sinensis and Rehmanniae Radix Recens are used, but Angelica sinensis may cause gastrointestinal upset, and Rehmanniae Radix Recens may cause flushing. That is, when ingesting Chinese herbal medicines, it is preferable to also consider the effects on symptoms other than the target symptom.

[0005] Furthermore, while some herbal medicines produce an effect on the person who takes them due to a single specific ingredient, others produce an effect due to the balance of their ingredients. The effects resulting from this balance of ingredients are extremely diverse. Moreover, even with the same balance of ingredients, the effects can vary depending on the physical characteristics of the person taking the medicine.

[0006] Therefore, when proposing multiple herbal medicines, there was a problem in that, compared to supplements with a single main ingredient, it was necessary to consider numerous and complex factors, such as the multiple effects of the candidate herbal medicines, the balance with the ingredients of other herbal medicines, and the physical characteristics of the person taking them, in order to make an appropriate recommendation.

[0007] The present invention has been made in view of the above points, and aims to provide a method for presenting a set of herbal medicines appropriate for a target person, a system for presenting a set of herbal medicines, a device for presenting a set of herbal medicines, a program for presenting a set of herbal medicines, and a storage medium on which the program is recorded. [Means for solving the problem]

[0008] The present invention's method for presenting a set of herbal medicines is A computer system comprising a first main symptom recognition unit, a second main symptom recognition unit, an attribute recognition unit, a secondary symptom recognition unit, a first candidate herbal medicine recognition unit, a second candidate herbal medicine recognition unit, an herbal medicine set recognition unit, and a presentation unit is executed. A method for presenting a set of herbal medicines to a user, which presents the user with multiple herbal medicines intended to be taken simultaneously by the target individual, The aforementioned The first primary symptom recognition unit recognizes, based on the user's input, the first primary symptom which is the symptom that the subject should address. The aforementioned The second primary symptom recognition unit recognizes, based on the user's input, a second primary symptom that is a symptom the subject should address and is different from the first primary symptom. The aforementioned The attribute recognition unit recognizes subject attributes, which are attributes of the subject including physical information, based on the user's input. The aforementionedThe secondary symptom recognition unit recognizes secondary symptoms that are recommended for the subject to consider, based on the subject's attributes. The aforementioned The first candidate herbal medicine recognition unit recognizes multiple first candidate herbal medicines that correspond to the first main symptom, based on the effects of each of the multiple herbal medicines that can be provided to the user. The aforementioned The second candidate herbal medicine recognition unit recognizes multiple second candidate herbal medicines that correspond to the second main symptom, based on the effects of each of the multiple herbal medicines that can be provided to the user. The aforementioned The herbal medicine set recognition unit recognizes a herbal medicine set that is a combination of one of the multiple first candidate herbal medicines and one of the multiple second candidate herbal medicines, and that does not or does not have much effect on the aforementioned side symptoms when taken together. The aforementioned The presenting unit is characterized by comprising the step of presenting the herbal medicine set to the user.

[0009] In this invention, the "user" is a person who is presented with a set of herbal medicines using the method according to the present invention, and the "subject" is a person who takes the presented set of herbal medicines. Therefore, the user and the subject may be the same person, or they may be different people. For example, the user may be a guardian, and the subject may be a person protected and supervised by the guardian.

[0010] When selecting a combination of herbal medicines (hereinafter referred to as a "herbal medicine set"), as mentioned above, it is impossible to select an appropriate set without considering numerous and complex factors, including the multiple effects of the candidate herbal medicines, the balance with the components of other herbal medicines, and the physical characteristics of the subject. Furthermore, the physical characteristics of the subject are not always consciously recognized by the user or the subject themselves.

[0011] Therefore, the herbal medicine set presentation method of the present invention, through systematic processing, derives the secondary symptoms of the user or subject from the attributes of the subject, including physical information, and recognizes and presents a set of herbal medicines that does not act on or has little effect on the secondary symptoms from among the sets of herbal medicines that act on each of the multiple primary symptoms that the subject or user is aware of.

[0012] In other words, based on the premise of a large number of herbal medicine sets that cannot be fully covered by human knowledge and experience alone, it becomes possible to select an appropriate set of herbal medicines from among those sets, taking into account symptoms that the subject or user themselves may not be aware of.

[0013] Therefore, the method for presenting herbal medicine sets according to the present invention makes it possible to easily present an appropriate herbal medicine set for a target person while taking into account numerous and complex factors.

[0014] Furthermore, in the method for presenting a set of herbal medicines according to the present invention, Preferably, the herbal medicine set recognition unit recognizes the herbal medicine set using a generation model that outputs the herbal medicine set when it receives the first candidate herbal medicine and the second candidate herbal medicine as input, based on the secondary symptoms.

[0015] There are many methods for recognizing sets of herbal medicines, such as using data tables. However, by configuring the system to use a generative model like this for recognition, it becomes possible to recognize more appropriate sets of herbal medicines, even when the number of available herbal medicines increases.

[0016] Furthermore, in the method for presenting a set of herbal medicines according to the present invention, The constitution type recognition unit includes a step of recognizing the constitution type to which the subject belongs based on the subject's attributes, It is preferable that the secondary symptom recognition unit recognizes the secondary symptoms based on the constitution type.

[0017] Since there are a wide variety of secondary symptoms that can be recognized based on the physical characteristics of the subject, if the Chinese herbal medicine set is recognized using them as individual data, the processing may become extremely large. On the other hand, while categorizing the secondary symptoms simplifies the processing, if the categorization is inappropriate, there is a risk that the Chinese herbal medicine set cannot be recognized appropriately.

[0018] Therefore, by categorizing the secondary symptoms of a predetermined constitution type in this way, the processing can be facilitated, and it also becomes easier to appropriately recognize the Chinese herbal medicine set.

[0019] In addition, in the method for presenting a Chinese herbal medicine set of the present invention, when configured to recognize the constitution type of the subject, the constitution type may adopt a type classified based on the state related to the physical and mental energy, the state related to the amount and circulation of water in the blood or body, and the state related to body temperature.

[0020] In addition, in the method for presenting a Chinese herbal medicine set of the present invention, when configured to recognize the constitution type of the subject, the constitution type may adopt a type consisting of qi deficiency, blood deficiency, yang deficiency, yin deficiency, qi stagnation, damp pathogen, and blood stasis.

[0021] In addition, in the method for presenting a Chinese herbal medicine set of the present invention, it is preferable that the presenting unit presents the secondary symptoms to the user together with the Chinese herbal medicine set.

[0022] With this configuration, a sense of acceptance can be given to the user. As a result, when the subject ingests Chinese herbal medicine, a sense of security can also be given.

[0023] In addition, the Chinese herbal medicine set presenting system of the present invention is a Chinese herbal medicine set presenting system that presents a plurality of Chinese herbal medicines assumed to be ingested by the subject simultaneously to the user, characterized in that it is configured to execute any of the above Chinese herbal medicine set presenting methods.

[0024] Furthermore, the herbal medicine set presentation device of the present invention is A herbal medicine set presentation device that presents a user with multiple herbal medicines intended to be taken simultaneously by the target person, It is characterized by being configured to perform one of the above methods for presenting a set of herbal medicines.

[0025] Furthermore, the herbal medicine set presentation program of the present invention is A herbal medicine set presentation program that causes a computer to execute a method for presenting a set of herbal medicines to a user, which presents the user with multiple herbal medicines that are intended to be taken simultaneously by the target person, It is characterized by being configured to perform one of the above methods for presenting a set of herbal medicines.

[0026] Furthermore, the recording medium of the present invention is The above-mentioned herbal medicine set presentation program is recorded, and the computer is capable of reading the herbal medicine set presentation program. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0027] [Figure 1] An explanatory diagram showing the schematic configuration of the presentation system according to the embodiment. [Figure 2] A block diagram showing the configuration of the processing unit of the presentation system in Figure 1. [Figure 3] Figure 1 is an illustrative diagram showing an example of the screen displayed on a user's terminal when conducting a survey using the presentation system. [Figure 4] This figure shows some of the data on the effects of herbal medicines presented by the display system in Figure 1. [Figure 5] Figure 1 shows the constitutional types and their characteristics referenced by the presentation system. [Figure 6] Figure 1 shows an example of constitutional types and their characteristics that the presentation system can refer to. [Figure 7] This figure shows another example of constitutional types and their characteristics that the presentation system in Figure 1 can refer to. [Figure 8] Figure 1 is an illustrative image showing an example of the screen displayed on the user's terminal when the presentation system presents a set of herbal medicines to the user. [Figure 9] Figure 1 shows the correspondence between the primary symptom, secondary symptom, and secondary symptom in the presentation system, as well as specific examples of herbal medicine sets corresponding to them. [Figure 10] Figure 1 is a flowchart showing the process that the presentation system executes when presenting a set of herbal medicines. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0028] The following describes a presentation system S according to an embodiment and a presentation method using the same, with reference to Figures 1 to 10.

[0029] The presentation system S described below is a computer system for presenting multiple herbal medicines that are intended to be taken simultaneously by user U.

[0030] Here, "user" refers to the person who is presented with a combination of herbal medicines (i.e., a "herbal medicine set") using the presentation system, and "subject" refers to the person who takes the presented herbal medicine set. Therefore, the user and the subject may be the same person, or they may be different people. However, in this embodiment, we will explain the case where user U and the subject are the same person.

[0031] When selecting a combination of herbal medicines (hereinafter referred to as a "herbal medicine set"), it is impossible to select an appropriate set without considering numerous and complex factors, such as the multiple effects of the candidate herbal medicines, the balance with the components of other herbal medicines, and the physical characteristics of the subject. Furthermore, the subject's physical characteristics are not always consciously recognized by the user. The presentation system S is designed to present an appropriate set of herbal medicines for the subject while taking these numerous and complex factors into consideration.

[0032] [System Outline] The following describes the general configuration of the presentation system S with reference to Figures 1 and 2.

[0033] As shown in Figure 1, the presentation system S is comprised of a server 1 owned by the provider of the services provided by the presentation system S. This server 1 is configured to communicate with user terminals 2, such as smartphones and tablets, owned by user U, via the internet, public telephone lines, etc.

[0034] Furthermore, the herbal medicine set presentation system of the present invention is not limited to being composed of a single server; it is sufficient if any of the terminals constituting the herbal medicine set presentation system are equipped with the processing unit described later.

[0035] Therefore, for example, the entire herbal medicine set presentation system may be configured using multiple servers. Alternatively, the user terminal may implement at least one processing unit or at least part of the functions of that processing unit, and the herbal medicine set presentation system may be configured through cooperation between the user terminal and the server, or solely by the user terminal.

[0036] Furthermore, in the presentation system S of this embodiment, functions corresponding to the input unit 2a and output unit 2b described later, which are provided on the user terminal 2, may be provided on a terminal having a processing unit provided on the server 1, and configured as an independent herbal medicine set presentation device.

[0037] As shown in Figure 2, the user terminal 2, which can communicate with the server 1, which is the presentation system S, includes an input unit 2a and an output unit 2b as functions (processing units) realized by at least one of the implemented hardware configuration and program.

[0038] In this embodiment, the input unit 2a and output unit 2b of the user terminal 2 are described as touch panels. However, the user terminal is not limited to such a configuration; it can be any device that can receive information input from the user and output information to the user. For example, the user terminal may be configured to enable input and output using a keyboard, microphone, camera, speaker, etc., in addition to a touch panel.

[0039] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the server 1 and user terminal 2 are described as being composed of real-world objects. However, the devices constituting the herbal medicine set presentation system of the present invention, or the devices that input or output information to the herbal medicine set presentation system, are not limited to real-world objects.

[0040] Therefore, for example, these devices may be constructed using items in virtual space, or they may be constructed by combining items in real space and items in virtual space. Specifically, at least one of the input unit 2a and output unit 2b of the user terminal 2 in this embodiment may be made virtual, and the user terminal 2 may be configured to be operable by a user in virtual space or a space that combines virtual space and real space.

[0041] [Configuration of each processing unit] Next, the processing units that constitute the presentation system S will be described with reference to Figures 2 to 8.

[0042] In the following explanation, the term "recognition" is used, and this "recognition" includes not only the process of directly acquiring the target information, but also various processes for obtaining the target information, such as processes that generate the target information by performing some kind of processing on the underlying information. Furthermore, some or all of the processes necessary for such recognition may be performed by the recognition processing unit itself, or they may be performed by other systems, processing units, databases, etc., that are separately provided inside or outside the equipment or system equipped with the processing unit.

[0043] As shown in Figure 2, Server 1 includes, as a function (processing unit) realized by at least one of the implemented hardware configuration and program, a questionnaire implementation unit 1a, a first main symptom recognition unit 1b, a first candidate herbal medicine recognition unit 1c, a second main symptom recognition unit 1d, a second candidate herbal medicine recognition unit 1e, an attribute recognition unit 1f, a constitution type recognition unit 1g, a secondary symptom recognition unit 1h, an herbal medicine set recognition unit 1i, and a presentation unit 1j.

[0044] As shown in Figure 3, the survey implementation unit 1a presents a predetermined survey to user U via user terminal 2 in an answerable format and recognizes the user's response to the survey.

[0045] The presentation system S recognizes the first primary symptom, the second primary symptom, and the subject's attributes, as described later, based on the responses to the questionnaire.

[0046] However, information such as the primary symptom, secondary symptom, and target person attributes does not necessarily have to be recognized through questionnaire responses. For example, the system may be configured to recognize at least one of the primary symptom, secondary symptom, and target person attributes by referring to information that has been obtained in advance about user U. Here, "information that has been obtained in advance" refers to, for example, information entered by user U in a service provided by another system provided by the provider of the service presented by system S.

[0047] The first primary symptom recognition unit 1b recognizes the first primary symptom, which is the symptom that user U should address, based on the answers to the questionnaire entered by user U.

[0048] Here, the symptoms that "should be addressed" include not only symptoms that user U directly wishes to improve, but also symptoms that user U is unaware of, but which, if improved, would improve user U's physical condition.

[0049] Specifically, the first primary symptom recognition unit 1b recognizes the first primary symptom by using a generative model that outputs the first primary symptom when it receives answers to a predetermined questionnaire.

[0050] However, the first main symptom recognition unit of the present invention is not limited to this configuration, and only needs to recognize the first main symptom based on user input. For example, the first main symptom recognition unit may be configured to directly confirm the symptoms the user wishes to improve and recognize that answer as the first main symptom. Alternatively, for example, the first main symptom recognition unit may be configured to prepare a data table in advance that shows the correspondence between the answers to the questionnaire and the main symptoms, and to recognize the first main symptom by referring to that data table.

[0051] The first candidate herbal medicine recognition unit 1c recognizes multiple first candidate herbal medicines that correspond to the first main symptom, based on the effects of each of the multiple herbal medicines that can be provided to the user U.

[0052] Specifically, the first candidate herbal medicine recognition unit 1c recognizes the first candidate herbal medicine by using a generative model that, upon input of the first main symptom, outputs an herbal medicine that acts on the first main symptom. As training data for this generative model, for example, as shown in Figure 4, data is used that associates available herbal medicines with information such as the symptoms they act on, their mechanism of action, precautions for use, and alternative herbal medicines. Although not shown in Figure 4, this data also includes the effects when taken in combination with other herbal medicines.

[0053] However, the first candidate herbal medicine recognition unit of the present invention is not limited to this configuration, and is sufficient if it recognizes the first main symptom based on the effects of each of the multiple herbal medicines that can be provided to the user. For example, the first candidate herbal medicine recognition unit may be configured to recognize the first candidate herbal medicine using data such as the aforementioned learning data as a data table.

[0054] The second primary symptom recognition unit 1d recognizes, based on the answers to the questionnaire entered by user U, the second primary symptom which is a symptom that user U should address and is different from the first primary symptom.

[0055] Specifically, the second primary symptom recognition unit 1d, like the first primary symptom recognition unit 1b, recognizes the second primary symptom by using a generative model that outputs the second primary symptom when it receives answers to a predetermined questionnaire.

[0056] However, the second main symptom recognition unit of the present invention, like the first main symptom recognition unit, is not limited to this configuration, and only needs to recognize the second main symptom based on user input.

[0057] The second candidate herbal medicine recognition unit 1e recognizes multiple second candidate herbal medicines that correspond to the second main symptom, based on the effects of each of the multiple herbal medicines that can be provided to user U.

[0058] Specifically, the second candidate herbal medicine recognition unit 1e recognizes the second candidate herbal medicine using the same generative model as the first candidate herbal medicine recognition unit 1c.

[0059] The attribute recognition unit 1f recognizes the subject attributes, which include physical information, based on the questionnaire responses entered by user U.

[0060] Here, "attributes" include not only physical information such as the subject's age, gender, presence or absence of food allergies, height, weight, and whether or not they are pregnant, but also the presence and nature of behaviors that affect the subject's health, such as their occupation, eating habits, and exercise habits (whether or not they exercise and how often).

[0061] In the presentation system S, the questionnaire administered by the questionnaire implementation unit 1a includes questions about attributes. Therefore, the attribute recognition unit 1f recognizes the attributes of user U by referring to the answers to the questionnaire.

[0062] However, the attribute recognition unit of the present invention is not limited to such a configuration, and only needs to recognize target attributes based on user input. For example, the attribute recognition unit may be configured to recognize target attributes using a generative model that outputs target attributes when responses to a predetermined questionnaire are input. Alternatively, for example, the attribute recognition unit may be configured to recognize target attributes by pre-preparing a data table that represents the correspondence between questionnaire responses and target attributes and referring to that data table.

[0063] The constitution type recognition unit 1g recognizes the constitution type to which user U belongs, based on the target person attributes recognized by the attribute recognition unit 1f.

[0064] Specifically, the constitution type recognition unit 1g recognizes the constitution type by using a generative model that outputs the constitution type when the subject's attributes are input. As training data for this generative model, for example, as shown in Figure 5, data is used that associates the constitution type with its main characteristics (symptoms).

[0065] Furthermore, the constitution recognized by the constitution type recognition unit (1g) is a constitution consisting of one or more combinations of the seven patterns used in traditional Chinese medicine: qi deficiency, blood deficiency, yang deficiency, yin deficiency, qi stagnation, dampness, and blood stasis (see Figure 8).

[0066] However, the constitution type recognition unit of the present invention is not limited to this configuration, and any unit that recognizes a constitution type based on the subject's attributes is acceptable. For example, the constitution type recognition unit may be configured to prepare a data table in advance that shows the correspondence between subject attributes and constitution types, and to recognize the constitution type by referring to that data table.

[0067] The secondary symptom recognition unit 1h recognizes secondary symptoms that are recommended for user U to consider, based on the constitution type recognized by the constitution type recognition unit 1g based on the subject's attributes.

[0068] Here, "symptoms that are recommended to be considered" refer to symptoms that User U does not actively desire to improve, but for which improvement or maintenance would be beneficial to User U. Such symptoms include, for example, symptoms that User U is not aware of, as well as physical conditions that User U is aware of but does not recognize as something to be improved (e.g., pregnancy).

[0069] Specifically, the secondary symptom recognition unit 1h recognizes secondary symptoms by using a generative model that outputs secondary symptoms when a constitution type is input.

[0070] Incidentally, as mentioned above, the presentation system S recognizes the constitution type (a constitution consisting of one or more combinations of any of the following: qi deficiency, blood deficiency, yang deficiency, yin deficiency, qi stagnation, dampness, and blood stasis) based on the subject's attributes, and recognizes secondary symptoms based on that constitution type. Then, as will be described later, the presentation system S recognizes a set of herbal medicines based on those secondary symptoms.

[0071] However, since secondary symptoms are diverse, using them as individual data points to recognize sets of herbal medicines could result in an enormous amount of processing. On the other hand, categorizing secondary symptoms simplifies processing, but if the categorization is inappropriate, it may prevent the herbal medicine sets from being recognized correctly.

[0072] Therefore, the presentation system S is configured to facilitate processing while also appropriately recognizing sets of herbal medicines by categorizing secondary symptoms using constitutions, which are classifications used in traditional Chinese medicine, consisting of Qi deficiency, blood deficiency, Yang deficiency, Yin deficiency, Qi stagnation, dampness, and blood stasis.

[0073] However, the secondary symptom recognition unit of the present invention is not limited to such a configuration, and only needs to recognize secondary symptoms based on the subject's attributes. For example, the secondary symptom recognition unit may be configured to recognize secondary symptoms using the subject's attributes directly without using the constitution type. Alternatively, for example, the secondary symptom recognition unit may be configured to recognize secondary symptoms by referring to a data table that shows the correspondence between the subject's attributes or the constitution type recognized based on the subject's attributes and the secondary symptoms, which may be prepared in advance.

[0074] Furthermore, the constitutional types of the present invention are not limited to this configuration, and the constitutional types do not necessarily have to consist of the seven conditions of qi deficiency, blood deficiency, yang deficiency, yin deficiency, qi stagnation, dampness, and blood stasis.

[0075] For example, one could adopt six constitutional types, excluding blood stasis, consisting of blood deficiency, yang deficiency, yin deficiency, qi stagnation, and dampness.

[0076] Alternatively, for example, a classification system based on fundamental issues in the human body, such as the state of mental and physical energy, the state of blood or bodily fluid volume and circulation, and the state of body temperature, may be adopted. Specifically, these are types 1 to 7 as shown in Figure 6. These seven types are higher-level concepts than the aforementioned six or seven patterns.

[0077] The types 1 to 7 shown in Figure 6 have the following characteristics. The constitution type recognition unit may be configured to recognize the constitution type by referring to the characteristics described below.

[0078] "1. Qi Type (Type related to energy abnormalities)" is a type in which energy (qi) is not properly generated or circulated in the body, resulting in deficiency or stagnation. In traditional Chinese medicine, this type is considered to be deeply related to physical activity, immunity, and mental state. This type is associated with qi deficiency (energy deficiency) and qi stagnation (stagnation of qi circulation) in the 6th or 7th syndrome. Examples of symptoms of this type include chronic fatigue, irritability, depression, mental instability, loss of appetite, stomach upset, indigestion, susceptibility to colds, and weakened immunity.

[0079] "2. Blood Type (Type related to blood and nutritional abnormalities)" is a type in which there is a deficiency or stagnation of blood, which nourishes and moisturizes the body. In traditional Chinese medicine, it is considered to be deeply related to the moisture of the skin and hair, menstruation, and emotional stability. This type is related to blood deficiency (insufficient blood) and blood stasis (blood stagnation) in the 6th or 7th syndrome. Examples of symptoms of this type include paleness of the face, anemia, dizziness, lightheadedness, palpitations, irregular menstruation, menstrual cramps, infertility, stiff shoulders, headaches, and cold hands and feet.

[0080] "3. Water Type (Type related to abnormalities in bodily fluids)" is a type in which the balance of bodily fluids is disrupted, leading to dryness or fluid retention (water toxicity). In traditional Chinese medicine, this type is considered to be deeply involved in heaviness and edema in the body. This type is related to blood deficiency (tendency to dryness due to lack of fluids) and dampness (a state in which excess fluid accumulates in the body) in the 6th or 7th syndrome. Examples of symptoms of this type include edema, general heaviness and drowsiness, dry skin and mucous membranes, a heavy feeling in the head, dizziness, loss of appetite, and a tendency towards diarrhea or loose stools. This type encompasses both aspects: a tendency to dryness due to a deficiency of yin fluids and blood (blood deficiency) and a tendency to edema due to fluid retention (dampness).

[0081] "4. Yin type (type characterized by fluid deficiency and heat retention)" is a type characterized by a lack of moisture and bodily fluids (yin fluids) in the body, leading to a feeling of heat retention. It is characterized by chronic heat and flushing due to lack of moisture. This type is related to yin deficiency (deficient heat associated with lack of moisture in the body) in patterns 6 or 7. Examples of symptoms of this type include thirst, dry skin and mucous membranes, flushing, hot flashes, five-center vexation heat (hot hands and feet), night sweats, insomnia, palpitations, and mental instability.

[0082] "5. Yang type (cold type with insufficient body warming power)" is a type in which the body lacks warming energy (yang energy), making it prone to low body temperature, coldness, and poor circulation. This type is related to yang deficiency (coldness due to insufficient warming energy) in patterns 6 or 7. Examples of symptoms of this type include coldness (especially in the hands, feet, lower back, and abdomen), frequent urination, nocturia, diarrhea, indigestion due to coldness in the gastrointestinal tract, fatigue, and decreased activity level.

[0083] "6. Qi Stagnation Type (Stress-Induced Abnormal Qi Circulation Type)" is a type in which the circulation of qi (energy) becomes stagnant due to stress and mental tension, causing mental and physical ailments. This type is associated with qi stagnation (stagnation of qi due to mental stress) and liver stagnation (emotional instability, mental depressive state) in patterns 6 or 7. Examples of symptoms of this type include irritability, feelings of depression, a feeling of tightness in the chest and throat (gluteal pharyngeal qi), stomach pain, abdominal bloating, and sleep disorders (insomnia).

[0084] "7. Dampness Type (Type where excess fluid is excessively retained)" is a type in which the body does not properly expel fluids, leading to excess fluid accumulation and poor health, often accompanied by edema and a tendency towards obesity. This type is related to dampness (excessive fluid retention / water toxicity) and phlegm-dampness (a state where mucus is excessively retained) in patterns 6 or 7. Examples of symptoms of this type include edema, general heaviness and fatigue, stomach upset, indigestion, loss of appetite, headache, dizziness, cough and phlegm, and difficulty breathing.

[0085] Alternatively, for example, one may adopt a constitutional type that is a sub-concept of the aforementioned 6 or 7 patterns, as shown in Figure 7.

[0086] The herbal medicine set recognition unit 1i recognizes a set of herbal medicines that is a combination of one of several first-choice herbal medicines and one of several second-choice herbal medicines, and that, when taken together, does not affect or has little effect on side symptoms.

[0087] Specifically, the herbal medicine set recognition unit 1i recognizes a set of herbal medicines by referring to secondary symptoms and using a generative model that outputs a set of herbal medicines when it receives input of a first candidate herbal medicine and a second candidate herbal medicine.

[0088] There are many methods for recognizing sets of herbal medicines, such as using data tables. However, by configuring the system to use a generative model like this for recognition, it becomes possible to recognize more appropriate sets of herbal medicines, even when the number of available herbal medicines increases.

[0089] As shown in Figure 8, the presentation unit 1j presents the constitution type recognized by the constitution type recognition unit 1g, the secondary symptoms recognized by the secondary symptom recognition unit 1h, and the herbal medicine set recognized by the herbal medicine set recognition unit 1i to the user U via the output unit 2b of the user terminal 2.

[0090] By presenting not only the herbal medicine set but also the user's constitution type and potential side effects, it is possible to give the user a sense of satisfaction. Ultimately, this can also give the user a sense of security when taking the herbal medicine.

[0091] However, the presenting unit of the present invention is not limited to such a configuration, and only needs to present a set of herbal medicines to the user. For example, the presenting unit does not need to present at least one of the constitution type and secondary symptoms to the user.

[0092] For reference, Figure 9 shows the correspondence between the subject's attributes and constitution type, the primary symptom, secondary symptom, and secondary symptom, as well as specific examples of herbal medicine sets for each.

[0093] In the example shown in Figure 9, the primary and secondary primary symptoms are recognized as "fatigue and shortness of breath" and "anemia and dry skin." Furthermore, the constitutional type (diagnosis) is recognized as "Qi deficiency + Blood deficiency."

[0094] In this example, "strengthening the immune system" is recognized as a secondary symptom, as stated in the reason for selecting the prescribed herbal medicine. This is because individuals with a constitution type known as "Qi deficiency" tend to be more susceptible to catching colds (see Figure 5).

[0095] As a result, among the various herbal medicines included in prescription herbal medicine sets that have the effect of improving qi deficiency, Astragalus membranaceus (Huangqi) is recognized for its effect of improving immunity.

[0096] Although the example shown in Figure 9 does not include a description of how the balance between herbal medicines affects their effects, the training data for the generative model that generates the herbal medicine set includes the effects when taken together with other herbal medicines. Therefore, the herbal medicine set recognized using a generative model trained with this data will take that balance into consideration.

[0097] Furthermore, I will describe other cases regarding the recognition of herbal medicine sets. In the first case, the subject is a woman who is 32 years old, female, and in the early stages of pregnancy.

[0098] In this subject, the primary symptom was coldness (cold hands and feet, coldness around the waist), and the associated constitutional type was identified as Yang deficiency (insufficient ability to warm the body) and Blood deficiency (poor blood circulation and nutritional deficiencies). The secondary symptom was insomnia (difficulty falling asleep and waking up in the middle of the night), and the associated constitutional type was identified as Qi stagnation (stagnation of Qi flow and stress). In addition, the secondary symptom was identified as being in the early stages of pregnancy (requiring consideration of safety).

[0099] In this case, potential herbal medicines for the first main symptom include Angelica sinensis (promotes blood circulation), Evodia rutaecarpa (warming effect), Zingiber officinale (warming effect), and Atractylodes macrocephala (strengthens the digestive system and replenishes qi). For the second main symptom, potential herbal medicines include Ziziphus jujuba (strong sedative effect) or Bupleurum chinense (mild calming effect), Poria cocos (promotes diuresis and calms the mind), and Glycyrrhiza uralensis (harmonizing effect).

[0100] Furthermore, when recognizing a set of herbal medicines, it should be noted that because jujube seed may have adverse effects on the fetus in early pregnancy, milder herbs such as bupleurum root, poria root, and licorice root should be chosen. As a result, the presented set of herbal medicines will be recognized as containing angelica root, evodia fruit, ginger, and atractylodes macrocephala to address the first main symptom, coldness, and bupleurum root, poria root, and licorice root to address the second main symptom, insomnia.

[0101] In the second case, the subject is a 50-year-old male with the following characteristics: high blood pressure.

[0102] In this individual, the primary symptom was chronic fatigue (decreased physical strength), and the associated constitutional type was identified as qi deficiency (insufficient energy). The secondary symptom was indigestion and stomach upset, and the associated constitutional type was identified as dampness (retention of fluids) and qi stagnation (stagnation of qi circulation). Furthermore, hypertension (considering its impact on blood pressure) was identified as a secondary symptom.

[0103] In this case, potential herbal medicines for the first main symptom include ginseng (strengthens physical strength and replenishes qi), astragalus (replenishes energy and gently stabilizes blood pressure), Atractylodes macrocephala (strengthens gastrointestinal function), and Poria cocos (improves water metabolism). For the second main symptom, potential herbal medicines include Magnolia officinalis (improves gastrointestinal function and promotes the circulation of qi) or ginger (warms the gastrointestinal tract), dried tangerine peel (promotes digestive function), and licorice (harmonizes the effects).

[0104] Furthermore, when recognizing a set of herbal medicines, it should be noted that Magnolia bark may raise blood pressure due to its sympathetic nerve stimulating effect, so ginger, dried tangerine peel, and licorice should be selected instead. As a result, the presented set of herbal medicines will be recognized as containing ginseng, astragalus, atractylodes macrocephala, and Poria cocos to address the first main symptom, fatigue, and ginger, dried tangerine peel, and licorice to address the second main symptom, indigestion.

[0105] In the third case, the subject is a woman aged 45 with allergies.

[0106] In this individual, the primary symptom was edema (fluid retention), and the associated constitutional type was identified as dampness (fluid retention). The secondary symptom was chronic fatigue, and the associated constitutional type was identified as qi deficiency (energy deficiency / weakened immunity). Furthermore, a secondary symptom was identified as an allergic tendency (prevention of symptom exacerbation).

[0107] In this case, potential herbal medicines for the first main symptom include Poria cocos (promotes fluid metabolism), Alisma orientale (diuretic effect), Atractylodes macrocephala (strengthens spleen and stomach, removes excess fluid), and Citrus reticulata (promotes qi circulation and digestion). For the second main symptom, Astragalus membranaceus (strengthens immunity) or Ginseng (tonifies qi and strengthens physical strength), and Glycyrrhiza uralensis (harmonizes effect).

[0108] Furthermore, when recognizing a set of herbal medicines, it should be noted that ginseng may rarely stimulate allergic symptoms, so safer herbs such as Astragalus and licorice should be chosen. As a result, the set of herbal medicines presented will be one that includes Poria cocos, Alisma orientale, Atractylodes macrocephala, and Citrus reticulata to address the primary symptom of edema, and Astragalus and licorice to address the secondary symptom of fatigue.

[0109] In the fourth case, the subject is a 60-year-old male with a tendency toward diabetes.

[0110] In this individual, the primary symptom was poor peripheral circulation (cold extremities), and the associated constitutional type was identified as Yang deficiency (insufficient warming) and Blood deficiency (poor blood circulation). The secondary symptom was sleep disturbance (insomnia), and the associated constitutional type was identified as Qi stagnation (stagnation of Qi flow and stress). Furthermore, a secondary symptom was identified as a tendency toward diabetes (considering its impact on blood glucose levels).

[0111] In this case, potential herbal medicines for the first main symptom include cinnamon twig (promotes blood circulation and warms the body), peach kernel (improves blood circulation), safflower (promotes blood circulation), and angelica root (replenishes blood and improves blood flow). For the second main symptom, options include jujube kernel (strong sedative effect) or Poria cocos (mild calming effect) and licorice root (harmonizing effect).

[0112] Furthermore, when recognizing a set of herbal medicines, it should be noted that since jujube seeds may have concerns regarding their impact on blood sugar levels, Poria cocos and licorice, which are safe for diabetes, should be selected. As a result, the set of herbal medicines presented will be one that includes cinnamon twig, peach kernel, safflower, and angelica root to address the first main symptom, improved peripheral circulation, and Poria cocos and licorice root to address the second main symptom, improved sleep.

[0113] [Processing performed in each processing unit] Next, with reference to Figures 2, 3, 8, and 10, the processes executed by the presentation system S (i.e., the method for presenting a set of herbal medicines) will be explained.

[0114] In this process, first, as shown in Figure 3, the survey implementation unit 1a presents a predetermined survey to user U via user terminal 2 in an answerable format and recognizes the user's response to the survey (Figure 10 / STEP01).

[0115] Next, the first primary symptom recognition unit 1b recognizes the primary symptom that user U should address, based on the answers to the questionnaire entered by user U (Figure 10 / STEP02).

[0116] Next, the first candidate herbal medicine recognition unit 1c recognizes multiple first candidate herbal medicines that correspond to the first main symptom, based on the effects of each of the multiple herbal medicines that can be provided to user U (Figure 10 / STEP03).

[0117] Next, the second primary symptom recognition unit 1d recognizes, based on the answers to the questionnaire entered by user U, the second primary symptom which is a symptom that user U should address and is different from the first primary symptom (Figure 10 / STEP04).

[0118] Next, the second candidate herbal medicine recognition unit 1e recognizes multiple second candidate herbal medicines that correspond to the second main symptom, based on the effects of each of the multiple herbal medicines that can be provided to user U (Figure 10 / STEP05).

[0119] Next, the attribute recognition unit 1f recognizes the subject attributes, which include physical information, based on the questionnaire responses entered by user U (Figure 10 / STEP06).

[0120] Next, the constitution type recognition unit 1g recognizes the constitution type to which user U belongs, based on the target person attributes recognized by the attribute recognition unit 1f (Figure 10 / STEP07).

[0121] Next, the secondary symptom recognition unit 1h recognizes secondary symptoms that user U is recommended to consider, based on the constitution type recognized by the constitution type recognition unit 1g based on the subject's attributes (Figure 10 / STEP08).

[0122] Next, the herbal medicine set recognition unit 1i recognizes a set of herbal medicines that is a combination of one of several first-choice herbal medicines and one of several second-choice herbal medicines, and that, when taken together, does not or does not have much effect on secondary symptoms (Figure 10 / STEP09).

[0123] Next, as shown in Figure 8, the presentation unit 1j presents the constitution type recognized by the constitution type recognition unit 1g, the secondary symptoms recognized by the secondary symptom recognition unit 1h, and the herbal medicine set recognized by the herbal medicine set recognition unit 1i to the user U via the output unit 2b of the user terminal 2 (Figure 10 / STEP09), and then terminates this process.

[0124] As explained above, the method for presenting sets of herbal medicines using the presentation system S, through systemic processing, derives the user's secondary symptoms from the user's attributes, including physical information, and recognizes and presents sets of herbal medicines that do not act on or are less effective against the secondary symptoms from among sets of herbal medicines that act on each of the multiple primary symptoms the user is aware of.

[0125] In other words, based on the premise of a large number of herbal medicine sets that cannot be fully covered by human knowledge and experience alone, it becomes possible to select an appropriate herbal medicine set from among these sets, taking into account symptoms that the user themselves may not be aware of.

[0126] Therefore, this method of presenting herbal medicine sets makes it easy to present a set of herbal medicines appropriate for the individual, while taking into account numerous and complex factors.

[0127] [Other embodiments] Although the illustrated embodiments have been described above, the present invention is not limited to these embodiments.

[0128] For example, in the above embodiment, the case in which the presentation system S is a single computer system was described. However, the present invention also includes a presentation program for causing any one or more computers to execute the above-mentioned herbal medicine set presentation method, and a recording medium for recording the program and which can be read by a computer used by a user or the like. [Explanation of symbols]

[0129] 1 server 1a Survey Implementation Department 1b 1st main symptom recognition unit 1c First Candidate Kampo Medicine Recognition Department 1d Second main symptom recognition unit 1e Second Candidate Kampo Medicine Recognition Department 1f Attribute recognition section 1g Body type recognition unit 1h Sub-symptom recognition section 1i Herbal Medicine Set Recognition Unit 1j presentation part 2 User terminals 2a Input section 2b Output section S Presentation System (Traditional Chinese Medicine Set Presentation System) U User

Claims

1. A method for presenting a set of herbal medicines, which is executed by a computer system comprising a first main symptom recognition unit, a second main symptom recognition unit, an attribute recognition unit, a secondary symptom recognition unit, a first candidate herbal medicine recognition unit, a second candidate herbal medicine recognition unit, an herbal medicine set recognition unit, and a presentation unit, and which presents to a user a plurality of herbal medicines that are assumed to be taken simultaneously by a subject, The first primary symptom recognition unit recognizes, based on the user's input, the first primary symptom which is the symptom that the subject should address, The second main symptom recognition unit recognizes, based on the user's input, a second main symptom that is a symptom the person in question should address and is different from the first main symptom; The attribute recognition unit performs the step of recognizing the subject attributes, which are the attributes of the subject, including physical information, based on the user's input. The secondary symptom recognition unit recognizes secondary symptoms that are recommended for the subject to consider, based on the subject's attributes. The first candidate herbal medicine recognition unit recognizes multiple first candidate herbal medicines that correspond to the first main symptom, based on the effects of each of the multiple herbal medicines that can be provided to the user. The second candidate herbal medicine recognition unit recognizes multiple second candidate herbal medicines that correspond to the second main symptom, based on the effects of each of the multiple herbal medicines that can be provided to the user. The step of the herbal medicine set recognition unit recognizes a herbal medicine set that is a combination of one of the multiple first candidate herbal medicines and one of the multiple second candidate herbal medicines, and that does not or does not have much effect on the aforementioned side symptoms when taken together, A method for presenting a set of herbal medicines, characterized in that the presenting unit comprises the step of presenting the set of herbal medicines to the user.

2. In the method for presenting a set of herbal medicines according to claim 1, The method for presenting a set of herbal medicines is characterized in that the herbal medicine set recognition unit recognizes the herbal medicine set by referring to the secondary symptoms and inputting the first candidate herbal medicine and the second candidate herbal medicine, and then using a generation model that outputs the herbal medicine set.

3. In the method for presenting a set of herbal medicines according to claim 1, The constitution type recognition unit includes a step of recognizing the constitution type to which the subject belongs based on the subject's attributes, The method for presenting a set of herbal medicines is characterized in that the secondary symptom recognition unit recognizes the secondary symptoms based on the constitution type.

4. In the method for presenting a set of herbal medicines according to claim 3, The method for presenting a set of herbal medicines is characterized in that the aforementioned constitution type is classified based on the state of mental and physical energy, the state of the amount and circulation of blood or bodily fluids, and the state of body temperature.

5. In the method for presenting a set of herbal medicines according to claim 3, A method for presenting a set of herbal medicines, characterized in that the aforementioned constitutional types consist of qi deficiency, blood deficiency, yang deficiency, yin deficiency, qi stagnation, dampness, and blood stasis.

6. In the method for presenting a set of herbal medicines according to claim 1, The method for presenting a set of herbal medicines is characterized in that the presentation unit presents the set of herbal medicines along with the side symptoms to the user.

7. A system for presenting sets of herbal medicines that are intended to be taken simultaneously by the target individual, A system for presenting herbal medicine sets, characterized in that it is configured to perform the method for presenting herbal medicine sets described in any one of claims 1 to 6.

8. A herbal medicine set presentation device that presents a user with multiple herbal medicines intended to be taken simultaneously by the target person, A herbal medicine set presentation device characterized by being configured to perform the herbal medicine set presentation method described in any one of claims 1 to 6.

9. A herbal medicine set presentation program that causes a computer to execute a method for presenting a set of herbal medicines to a user, which presents the user with multiple herbal medicines that are intended to be taken simultaneously by the target person, A herbal medicine set presentation program characterized by being configured to perform the herbal medicine set presentation method described in any one of claims 1 to 6.

10. A recording medium characterized by recording the herbal medicine set presentation program described in claim 9, and the computer being able to read the herbal medicine set presentation program.

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