Information providing system, information providing method, and program

Abstract

An information providing system is provided.　The present invention relates to an information providing system comprising a compatibility evaluating unit for evaluating a compatibility level with a predetermined object to be evaluated, on the basis of data regarding at least an intestinal environment pattern of a user, and an information providing unit for presenting information regarding a result of the evaluating by the compatibility evaluating unit. The present invention also relates to an information providing method comprising a compatibility evaluating step for evaluating a compatibility level with a predetermined object to be evaluated, on the basis of data regarding at least an intestinal environment pattern of a user, and an information providing step for presenting information regarding a result of the evaluating by the compatibility evaluating unit. The use of the intestinal environment pattern makes it possible to predict potential compatibility with another person or a meal.

Description

Information provision system, information provision method and program

[0001] The present invention relates to an information providing system, an information providing method, and a program.

[0002] It is known that the human intestinal environment pattern, such as the balance of the intestinal flora and metabolic substances derived from the intestinal flora, is influenced by daily lifestyle habits.

[0003] Patent Document 1 discloses a method of classifying users based on the results of tests on intestinal bacteria, and presenting functional ingredients that may be suitable for the user based on the evaluation results of functional ingredients consumed by other users classified in the same group.

[0004] Patent No. 6245487

[0005] Incidentally, the fact that intestinal environment patterns are influenced by lifestyle habits such as diet can be said to reflect a person's dietary lifestyle. Therefore, by using intestinal environment patterns, it is possible to predict a person's food preferences, and by comparing the intestinal environment patterns of others, it is possible to predict the compatibility of lifestyle habits.

[0006] Therefore, one object of the present invention is to provide an information providing system that can estimate compatibility with other people or dietary information by utilizing intestinal environment pattern information.

[0007] According to the present invention, an information provision system is obtained which includes a compatibility evaluation unit that evaluates the degree of compatibility with a specified evaluation target based on data regarding at least the user's intestinal environment pattern, and an information provision unit that presents information regarding the evaluation results by the compatibility evaluation unit.

[0008] According to the present invention, intestinal environment pattern information can be utilized to estimate compatibility with other people or dietary information.

[0009] FIG. 1 is a diagram showing an example of a system configuration according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a diagram showing an example of a hardware configuration of a server according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 3 is a diagram showing an example of a software configuration of a server according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 4 is a diagram showing an example of a configuration of user information according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 5 is a diagram showing an example of a configuration of meal information according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 6 is a diagram showing an example of a configuration of compatibility information according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 7 is a diagram showing an example of a configuration of an information provision screen according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 8 is a diagram showing an example of a configuration of a user terminal screen according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 9 is a diagram showing an example of a configuration of compatibility information according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 10 is a diagram showing a processing flow according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 11 is a diagram showing a processing flow according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 12 is a diagram showing a processing flow according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0010] The details of embodiments of the present invention will be listed below. The present invention has the following configuration: [Item 1] An information provision system comprising: a compatibility evaluation unit that evaluates a degree of compatibility with a predetermined evaluation target based on data related to at least the user's intestinal environment pattern; and an information provision unit that presents information related to the evaluation results by the compatibility evaluation unit. [Item 2] The information provision system according to item 1, wherein the evaluation target is another user, and the compatibility evaluation unit evaluates the degree of compatibility based on the similarity between the intestinal environment pattern of the user and the intestinal environment patterns of the other users. [Item 3] The information provision system according to item 1 or 2, wherein the evaluation target is another user, and the compatibility evaluation unit evaluates the degree of compatibility between the user and multiple other users, and the information provision unit presents information about the other users who have a high degree of compatibility evaluated by the compatibility evaluation unit. [Item 4] The information providing system according to Item 1, wherein the evaluation target is dietary information, and further comprises a compatibility information storage unit that stores compatibility between features in the intestinal environment pattern and features in the dietary information, and the compatibility evaluation unit evaluates the degree of compatibility based on the intestinal environment pattern of the user and the features in the dietary information. [Item 5] The information providing system according to Item 4, wherein the evaluation target is other users and dietary information, and the compatibility evaluation unit evaluates the degree of compatibility between the user and a plurality of the other users, and further evaluates the degree of compatibility based on the intestinal environment patterns of the user and the other users and the features in the dietary information, and the information providing unit presents the other users and dietary information that have a high degree of compatibility evaluated by the compatibility evaluation unit. [Item 6] An information provision system comprising: a compatibility evaluation unit that evaluates a degree of compatibility with another user based on at least data related to the user's intestinal environment pattern; a feedback receiving unit that receives feedback information on dietary information from the other users; and an information provision unit that provides the user with the feedback information received from other users with a high degree of compatibility evaluated by the compatibility evaluation unit.[Item 7] The information provision system according to Item 6, wherein the information provision unit provides the user with the dietary information for which feedback information received from other users with a high degree of compatibility evaluated by the compatibility evaluation unit was favorable. [Item 8] An information provision method by a computer that causes a computer to perform a compatibility evaluation step of evaluating the degree of compatibility with a predetermined evaluation target based on at least data related to the user's intestinal environment pattern, and an information provision step of presenting information related to the evaluation results by the compatibility evaluation unit. [Item 9] A program that causes a computer to execute a compatibility evaluation step of evaluating the degree of compatibility with a predetermined evaluation target based on at least data related to the user's intestinal environment pattern, and an information provision step of presenting information related to the evaluation results by the compatibility evaluation unit.

[0011] DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Hereinafter, preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0012] <Overview> Based on the fact that intestinal environment patterns are determined to a certain extent by lifestyle habits, the present invention utilizes information about a user's intestinal environment pattern to predict people who are compatible with the user's lifestyle, as well as dietary information such as restaurants, menus, and recipes. In this specification, "intestinal environment pattern" refers to the presence or absence and relative abundance ratio of specific intestinal bacteria, the balance between intestinal bacteria, the presence or absence and relative abundance ratio of specific intestinal bacteria-derived genes, the balance between intestinal bacteria-derived genes, the presence or absence, content, and balance of metabolites derived from intestinal bacteria, the amount of fecal immunoglobulin A, and combinations thereof. In addition, in this specification, "compatibility" refers to an indicator of whether two or more people's respective characteristics and personalities are compatible, particularly whether their lifestyle habits, constitutions, physical conditions, etc., such as dietary habits, are similar. Furthermore, "compatibility" between a person and a food refers to an indicator of whether a person's lifestyle, constitution, and physical condition are compatible with that food, particularly whether the person tends to like that food, whether eating that food improves their physical condition, or whether eating that food does not adversely affect their physical condition.

[0013] <Configuration> As shown in Fig. 1, a system according to an embodiment of the present invention includes a server 1 and a user terminal 2 connected to the server 1 via a network such as the Internet. For ease of explanation, one user terminal 2 is shown in Fig. 1, but multiple terminals can be connected to the network of this system.

[0014] <Hardware Configuration> The server 1 and the user terminal 2 according to this embodiment have the following hardware configuration: Note that the following configuration is an example, and other configurations may also be used.

[0015] 2, the server 1 constitutes part of the system by executing information processing via communication with the user terminal 2. The server 1 may be a general-purpose computer such as a workstation or a personal computer, or may be logically realized by cloud computing.

[0016] The server 1 includes at least a processor 10 , a memory 11 , a storage 12 , a transmitter / receiver 13 , an input / output unit 14 , etc., which are electrically connected to one another via a bus 15 .

[0017] The processor 10 is a computing device that controls the overall operation of the server 1, controls the transmission and reception of data between each element, and performs information processing necessary for executing applications. For example, the processor 10 is a CPU (Central Processing Unit) that executes programs stored in the storage 12 and deployed in the memory 11 to perform various information processing.

[0018] The memory 11 includes a main memory configured with a volatile storage device such as a DRAM (Dynamic Random Access Memory) and an auxiliary memory configured with a non-volatile storage device such as a flash memory or an HDD (Hard Disc Drive). The memory 11 is used as a work area for the processor 10, and also stores a BIOS (Basic Input / Output System) that is executed when the server 1 starts up, various setting information, etc.

[0019] The storage 12 stores various programs such as application programs, etc. A database that stores data used for each process may be constructed in the storage 12.

[0020] The transmitting / receiving unit 13 connects the server 1 to the network 3. The transmitting / receiving unit 13 may include a short-range communication interface for Bluetooth (registered trademark) and BLE (Bluetooth Low Energy).

[0021] The input / output unit 14 is an information input device such as a keyboard and a mouse, and an output device such as a display, which are used as needed.

[0022] The bus 15 is commonly connected to the above elements and transmits, for example, address signals, data signals and various control signals.

[0023] <User Terminal 2> The user terminal 2 constitutes a part of the information providing system by executing information processing via communication with the server 1. The user terminal 2 may be, for example, a general-purpose computer such as a workstation or a personal computer, or may be a mobile communication device such as a smartphone.

[0024] 3 is a diagram showing an example of the software configuration of the server 1 in the system of the present invention. The server 1 can include a data acquisition unit 101, a feature assignment unit 102, a compatibility evaluation unit 103, an information provision unit 104, a feedback reception unit 105, a user information storage unit 111, a feature information storage unit 112, a meal information storage unit 113, and a compatibility information storage unit 114.

[0025] The data acquisition unit 101, the feature assignment unit 102, the compatibility evaluation unit 103, the information provision unit 104, and the feedback reception unit 105 are realized by the processor 10 of the server reading out a program stored in the storage 12 into the memory 11 and executing it, and the user information storage unit 111, the feature information storage unit 112, the meal information storage unit 113, and the compatibility information storage unit 114 are realized as part of the storage area provided by at least one of the memory 11 and the storage 12.

[0026] The user information storage unit 111 stores user information. FIG. 4 shows an example of the configuration of user information stored in the user information storage unit 111. The user information may be linked to a user ID and may include user basic information and the user's intestinal environment pattern information. The user basic information may include information about the user's attributes, such as name, age, gender, address, occupation, and hometown; information about physical condition, such as chronic illnesses, medical history, allergies, constitution (e.g., obesity, frailty), prescription medications, and commonly used medications; and information about lifestyle habits, such as diet, drinking, smoking, and exercise habits. The user basic information may also include information about a specific group to which the user belongs. The information about the group may be, for example, information identifying affiliation with a specific organization (which may be any unit, such as a company, branch, department, or team) for work or hobbies; information about attendance at events or parties; or information about registration in a group established for a specific purpose, such as a desire to date or marry someone of the opposite sex. Furthermore, the user's intestinal environment pattern information is typically obtained by analyzing the user's stool and may be stored together with the sampling date. If sampling and analysis are performed multiple times, multiple sets of intestinal environment pattern information may be stored, each of which may be assigned a sample ID and stored together with the sampling date. The intestinal environment pattern information may include the presence or absence and relative abundance ratio of specific intestinal bacteria, the balance between intestinal bacteria, the presence or absence and relative abundance ratio of specific intestinal bacteria-derived genes, the balance between intestinal bacteria-derived genes, the presence or absence, content, and balance of metabolites derived from intestinal bacteria, the amount of immunoglobulin A in the feces, and combinations thereof. It may also include gene sequence data extracted from the user's stool sample and quantitative data on the metabolites themselves. Furthermore, if a responder assessment has been performed in the past to a specific functional substance, the results (responder / non-responder) and behavioral information suggested in the case of a non-responder may also be stored. The intestinal environment pattern information may also be generated based on the user's answers to questions about lifestyle habits such as diet, and questions about bowel movements, such as bowel movements and stool color.

[0027] Quantification of enterobacteria can be performed, for example, by extracting total DNA from a fecal sample, reading its sequence, and comparing the sequence with a 16S ribosomal RNA database (e.g., SILVA). Alternatively, microorganisms can be quantified using methods using primers or probes specific to specific bacteria (e.g., quantitative PCR) or methods using antibodies specific to specific bacteria. Data on enterobacteria-derived genes can be obtained by extracting total DNA from a user-provided fecal sample, reading its sequence, and quantification based on the sequence and a gene database (e.g., KEGG). The relative abundance ratio of enterobacteria or enterobacteria-derived genes is calculated as follows: if, as a result of sequencing, the total DNA amount is 4, the DNA amount of a certain genus A (or gene A; the same applies below) is 3, and the DNA amount of genus B is 1, the relative abundance ratio of genus A is 0.75 and the relative abundance ratio of genus B is 0.25.

[0028] Furthermore, the metabolite data is data on metabolites in the user's intestinal environment, and includes the type of each compound in the intestinal environment and their quantitative data. Metabolites can be comprehensively quantified from the user's fecal sample, for example, using an analytical device equipped with a mass spectrometer such as CE-MS, LC-MS, or GC-MS. Alternatively, specific metabolites can be quantified using colorimetric methods or antibody-based techniques. The amount of a metabolite can be determined by its content in a predetermined amount of fecal sample. Furthermore, the amount of immunoglobulin A can be quantified using an ELISA method.

[0029] The feature information storage unit 112 stores information regarding rules used when the feature assigning unit 102 assigns feature tags to information including a user's intestinal environment pattern. The feature information storage unit 112 can include identification information (ID or tag name) of the feature tag and feature information represented by the tag. The feature information represented by the feature tag represents, for example, the characteristics of the intestinal environment pattern and may be, for example, a tag related to an intestinal environment type defined based on a predetermined classification method. The intestinal environment type typically refers to an enterotype classified by statistically clustering patterns of intestinal microflora. However, as long as the classification uses a predetermined index related to the intestinal environment, it may also be classified based on other perspectives, such as the presence or absence of specific bacteria or metabolic substances. One example of an enterotype is one that employs three classifications: Ruminococcus enterotype, Bacteroides enterotype, and Prevotella enterotype.

[0030] Other feature tags can be assigned based on the presence of a specific intestinal bacterium above a predetermined level / below a predetermined level, the presence / absence of a specific combination of intestinal bacterium, the presence / absence of a specific intestinal bacterium at a predetermined ratio / outside a predetermined range, the presence / absence of a specific intestinal bacterium-derived gene above a predetermined level / below a predetermined level, the presence / absence of a specific combination of intestinal bacterium-derived genes, the presence / absence of a specific intestinal bacterium-derived gene at a predetermined ratio / outside a predetermined range, the presence / absence of a specific metabolite above a predetermined level / below a predetermined level, the presence / absence of a specific combination of metabolites, the presence / absence of a specific ratio of a specific metabolite to another metabolite above a predetermined level / below a predetermined level, good bowel movements / tendency to constipation, etc. Note that the intestinal bacterium can be identified by any genus (e.g., Prevotella bacteria) or species (e.g., Prevotella copri). A specific genus (or species) may be selected, or a functionally aggregated population such as lactic acid bacteria or butyric acid-producing bacteria may be used. The metabolites may be selected from specific types, or may be a group aggregated by physical properties, such as short-chain fatty acids, bile acids, and amino acids.

[0031] In addition to the intestinal bacteria pattern, feature tags may be assigned to other information such as the user's lifestyle information and disease information. Weighting information may also be added to each feature tag. By adding weighting information, feature tags related to items that have a particularly large impact on the compatibility evaluation described below will be given more weight in the compatibility evaluation than other feature tags.

[0032] The meal information storage unit 113 includes meal information such as restaurant information, menu information, recipe information, ingredients, food items, supplements, and ingredients contained in the food items. The restaurant information may be a store-based restaurant or a restaurant that specializes in home delivery or takeout. Delivery services may provide prepared meals or ingredients for users to cook themselves. A database of meal information for each restaurant registered in a service that comprehensively searches restaurants specializing in home delivery and / or takeout may be created. The meal information may also include meal feature tag information linked to information such as the restaurant information, menu information, recipe information, ingredients, food items, supplements, and ingredients contained in the food items. The meal feature tag assigned to the meal information represents the characteristics of the meal, such as high / low vegetable content, high / low meat content, high / low fat content, high / low salt content, high / low sugar content, and whether or not a specific ingredient or ingredient is included. In the case of a restaurant, these meal feature tags may be assigned to reflect the overall trend of the menu items offered at the restaurant, or each individual menu item may be assigned to a specific menu item. Furthermore, the meal information may be assigned a feature tag that is the same as or corresponds to the feature tag assigned to the user. In this case, for example, the same or corresponding feature tag is assigned to a meal that the person who has the feature tag tends to like. For example, a feature tag that is often assigned to people who eat a lot of vegetables is assigned to restaurants, menus, and recipes that serve meals that use a lot of vegetables. Figure 5 shows an example of the configuration of meal information stored in the meal information storage unit 113. Restaurant information is used as an example of meal information. The meal information may include basic information such as the restaurant's name, address, and telephone number, as well as meal feature tags registered with the restaurant, linked to identification information (ID). It may also include information about the menus served at the restaurant. Furthermore, meal information may be created for each menu or each ingredient used. Furthermore, meal information may be related to recipes. Similarly, when the meal information is related to a recipe, the meal information may include basic information such as ingredients and processes, as well as feature tags registered with the recipe, linked to identification information (ID) assigned to each recipe.

[0033] The data acquisition unit 101 acquires data related to the user's intestinal environment pattern. The data acquisition unit 101 may acquire analyzed intestinal bacteria pattern information from the user terminal 2 or the server 1, or via another data server. The data acquisition unit 101 may acquire data related to the user's own intestinal environment pattern, or may accept input of data from a person other than the user, such as the user's family or friends, or may accept input of data from two or more people.

[0034] The data acquisition unit 101 can also acquire information about lifestyle habits. The information about lifestyle habits can include, but is not limited to, eating habits (usual meal content, number of meals, meal times, drinking habits, frequency of eating out, etc.), exercise habits (usual exercise time, frequency, content, etc.), smoking habits (whether or not smoking, frequency, amount, etc.), and sleep habits (usual sleep time, bedtime / wake-up times, etc.). The information about lifestyle habits may be acquired by having the user answer a questionnaire. In addition, the data acquisition unit 101 may acquire additional information about the user's diet (food and taste preferences, dietary restrictions due to illness, calorie restrictions, dietary restrictions due to allergies, etc., and other restrictions), information about personal preferences (favorite type, important points, etc.), and information about physical condition such as health checkup results. The information acquired by the data acquisition unit 101 is stored in the user information storage unit 111.

[0035] The feature assigning unit 102 assigns feature tags to the user's intestinal environment pattern information and other information. The feature assigning unit 102 reads the user's intestinal environment pattern and other information from the user information storage unit 111, and if there is a feature that matches the feature information registered in the feature information storage unit 112, assigns a corresponding feature tag. The assigned feature tag information can be recorded in the user information storage unit 111. In addition, a meal feature tag is assigned to meal information.

[0036] The compatibility evaluation unit 103 evaluates the compatibility between a user and an evaluation target based on the user's intestinal environment pattern. The evaluation target may be another user or food information such as a restaurant, menu, or recipe.

[0037] The information providing unit 104 provides information about the compatibility calculated by the compatibility evaluation unit 103 to a predetermined terminal. The information providing unit 104 may present the information to a terminal of a third party other than the user who received the compatibility evaluation or other users of the evaluation targets. The information providing unit 104 may also extract and present evaluation targets with particularly high compatibility from multiple evaluation targets, or conversely, evaluation targets with particularly low compatibility. Specific examples of compatibility evaluation will be described below.

[0038] (First embodiment) The compatibility evaluation unit 103 can evaluate the compatibility between a user and another user. When evaluating the compatibility between a user and another user, the evaluation is performed based on each user's intestinal environment pattern information.

[0039] In the first embodiment, the compatibility evaluation unit 103 evaluates the compatibility level so that the higher the similarity between the intestinal environment pattern information, the higher the degree of compatibility. The similarity between the intestinal environment pattern information can be calculated using any statistical method. For example, the similarity may be evaluated by calculating the distance between the features of the intestinal environment pattern using a cluster analysis method. As an example, the UniFrac distance, which is a value calculated as the distance between the intestinal microbiota profiles, can be used as an index. The compatibility evaluation unit 103 calculates the UniFrac distance for the user and the other user being evaluated based on the types of bacteria present in the intestines of each user and the abundance ratio of each bacterium. The compatibility is then evaluated so that the smaller the UniFrac distance, the higher the degree of compatibility. Note that an index other than the UniFrac distance may be used as long as it is possible to calculate the distance between the features of the intestinal microbiota profiles. The index can be calculated using a method known to those skilled in the art, such as a correlation coefficient.

[0040] (Embodiment 2) The compatibility evaluation unit 103 may evaluate the compatibility between a user and another user based on feature tags. Feature tags related to other information such as intestinal environment patterns and lifestyle habit information assigned to the user and the other user being evaluated are read from the user information storage unit 111, and the compatibility is evaluated. The compatibility may be evaluated based on the number or percentage of matching feature tags. Furthermore, if weighting information is added to the feature tags, the compatibility is evaluated taking the weighting information into account.

[0041] An example of a compatibility evaluation method using feature tags is shown below. In this embodiment 2, the server device is equipped with a compatibility information storage unit 114. The compatibility information storage unit 114 includes evaluation values ​​between feature tags. FIG. 6 shows an example of the configuration of compatibility information in this embodiment 2. For simplicity, each feature tag is denoted as tag A, tag B, etc. However, these refer to feature tags assigned to other information, such as each user's actual intestinal environment pattern, lifestyle information, and disease information. "Feature tag 1" indicates a feature tag assigned to a user, and "Feature tag 2" indicates a feature tag assigned to another user being evaluated. For example, if a user is assigned feature tag A and another user is assigned the same feature tag A, the compatibility evaluation value is +3 points. On the other hand, if another user is assigned feature tag D, the compatibility evaluation value is +1 point. Furthermore, if a user is assigned feature tag B and another user is assigned the same feature tag B, the compatibility evaluation value is +3 points. On the other hand, if the other user has been assigned feature tag E, the compatibility evaluation value is minus 1 point. In this way, for a combination of feature tags, if it is estimated that the compatibility is good, a positive compatibility evaluation value is set, and if it is estimated that the compatibility is bad, a negative compatibility evaluation value is set. The compatibility evaluation values ​​of the assigned feature tags between a user and the other user being evaluated can be added up to calculate the final compatibility level.

[0042] The evaluation values ​​of the feature tags can be, for example, high scores for combinations of the same tags and low scores for combinations of different tags. Furthermore, even if the combination of feature tags is different, a tag combination that is determined to have similar intestinal environments can be set to a high score. Alternatively, the evaluation values ​​can be adjusted depending on the purpose of the compatibility evaluation. These evaluation value adjustments can also be set based on known academic reports or feedback from actual actions taken based on the evaluation values.

[0043] The compatibility evaluation unit 103 may evaluate the compatibility between the user and a specific specified other user, or may evaluate the compatibility between the user and multiple other users. The multiple other users are typically users registered in the user information storage unit 111, and a predetermined number of users may be randomly selected, or users belonging to a predetermined group may be selected. For example, in cases where there are many other users whose compatibility can be evaluated, such as other users who work in the same workplace, other users attending the same party, or other users registered in a group established for the purpose of dating or marrying someone of the opposite sex, the evaluation targets may be narrowed down based on other information about the user, such as age, place of residence, occupation, and preferred type, in addition to compatibility.

[0044] The information providing unit 104 provides information including the evaluation results by the compatibility evaluation unit 103. FIG. 7 shows an example of a screen configuration displayed on a user terminal. FIG. 7(a) shows an example of a screen displaying the results when the compatibility between a user (you) and a specified specific other user (Mr. A) is evaluated. FIG. 7(b) shows an example of a screen displaying the results when the compatibility between a user (you) and multiple other users is evaluated. The results are displayed in descending order of compatibility. Alternatively, the compatibility with multiple other users may be evaluated and only those with high compatibility may be extracted and displayed. Conversely, the compatibility may be displayed in descending order of compatibility, or only those with low compatibility may be extracted and displayed. While FIG. 7 shows the compatibility expressed as a numerical value from 1 to 100, the display of the compatibility is not limited to this and may be expressed in any manner, such as a five-level or three-level scale. Furthermore, there are no limitations on the display method. The information providing unit 104 may also provide information including the evaluation results to third parties other than the user who underwent the compatibility evaluation and the other users.

[0045] When evaluating the compatibility between a user and another user, the methods described in embodiment 1 and embodiment 2 may be combined. That is, the final compatibility may be evaluated by comprehensively evaluating the results of the evaluation by calculating the statistical similarity of the intestinal environment patterns as described in embodiment 1 and the results of the compatibility evaluation based on the characteristics of the intestinal environment patterns as described in embodiment 2. Furthermore, when combining the evaluation values ​​according to embodiment 1 and embodiment 2, weighting may be applied to either one. By combining the two, a more accurate compatibility evaluation is possible.

[0046] Next, a case where the first and second embodiments are realized by an application on a user terminal will be described. A user uses the service according to the first embodiment by downloading a predetermined application onto their own terminal or by accessing a web browser. The user inputs information such as their own intestinal environment pattern and other lifestyle habits into the application and registers as a member.

[0047] If a user wishes to know his or her compatibility with a specific other user, the user sends a compatibility determination request to the server along with information identifying the other user (e.g., the other user's user ID). As an example, a case where a two-dimensional code is used will be described. FIG. 8( a) is an example of a screen display on a user terminal. The screen shows a state in which the other user's two-dimensional code can be read. FIG. 8( b) is an example of a screen display on the other user's terminal. The screen shows a state in which information including the user's own user ID has been generated as a two-dimensional code. By reading the two-dimensional code containing the other user's information with the user's own terminal, the user can obtain information identifying the other user and send a compatibility determination request to the server. The acquisition of user information is not limited to this mode; the user may directly input the information using the input means of the user terminal.

[0048] When the server receives the compatibility determination request, it performs the compatibility determination as described above based on the information about the user and other users included in the compatibility determination request, and outputs the result to the user terminal. The result may also be output to other user terminals.

[0049] (Embodiment 3) The compatibility evaluation unit 103 can evaluate the compatibility between a user and meal information such as restaurants, menus, recipes, etc. The compatibility evaluation unit 103 reads feature tags assigned to the user from the user information storage unit 111, and reads meal feature tags assigned to each piece of meal information from the meal information storage unit 113. Then, the compatibility evaluation unit 103 evaluates the compatibility based on the feature tags assigned to the user and the meal feature tags assigned to the meal information.

[0050] An example of a compatibility evaluation method using feature tags and meal feature tags is shown below. In this embodiment 3, the server device is equipped with a compatibility information storage unit 114. The compatibility information storage unit 114 includes evaluation values ​​associated with combinations of feature tags and meal feature tags. FIG. 9 shows an example of the configuration of compatibility information in this embodiment 3. For ease of explanation, the feature tags are denoted as tag A, tag B, etc., but these refer to feature tags assigned to other information, such as each user's actual intestinal environment pattern, lifestyle information, and disease information. Furthermore, the meal feature tags are denoted as tag a, tag b, etc., but these refer to meal feature tags assigned to each actual meal information. If the user's intestinal environment pattern is assigned feature tag A and the meal to be evaluated is assigned meal feature tag a, the compatibility evaluation value is +3. On the other hand, if the meal feature tag b is assigned, the compatibility evaluation value is +1. Furthermore, if the user is assigned feature tag B and the meal to be evaluated is assigned meal feature tag c, the compatibility evaluation value is +3. On the other hand, if meal feature tag d is assigned, the compatibility evaluation value is minus 1. In this way, if the combination of a feature tag indicating a user's intestinal environment pattern and a meal feature tag is compatible, a positive compatibility evaluation value can be set, and if the compatibility is poor, a negative compatibility evaluation value can be set. The compatibility evaluation values ​​between the assigned feature tags and meal feature tags between a certain user and the meal information to be evaluated can be summed to calculate the final compatibility level.

[0051] The evaluation value for the combination of the feature tag indicating the user's intestinal environment pattern and the dietary feature tag (for example, if the user's intestinal environment pattern is assigned feature tag A and the dietary feature tag a is assigned to the diet to be evaluated, the basis for a compatibility evaluation value of +3) can be set based on publicly known information such as a research paper. For example, a high score can be assigned to a combination of meals or ingredients (dietary feature tags) that is thought to be preferred by a person with a certain intestinal environment pattern (feature tag), and a low score can be assigned to a combination that is thought to be disliked. Furthermore, the evaluation values ​​can be adjusted depending on the purpose of the compatibility evaluation. These adjustments to the evaluation values ​​can also be set based on known academic reports, feedback from actual actions taken based on the evaluation values, or the like.

[0052] The menus, recipes, ingredients, etc. evaluated by the compatibility evaluation unit 103 may be those offered not only by restaurants with brick-and-mortar stores, but also by restaurants specializing in delivery or takeout. The system may also be used for a service that searches restaurants specializing in delivery and / or takeout across the board, or for a service that delivers a menu with a high compatibility evaluation value with the user, or a service that receives a pre-prepared menu with a high compatibility evaluation value with the user. Delivery may also be used not only for services that handle completed menus, but also for services that deliver ingredients for the user to cook themselves. The system may also be used for services that send recipes and ingredients for creating a menu with a high compatibility evaluation value with the user. Even in these cases, the method of attaching meal feature tags to menus, recipes, ingredients, etc., and the method of evaluating compatibility with the user are the same as those described above.

[0053] The compatibility evaluation unit 103 may evaluate the compatibility between the user and one or more specific meal information items specified by the user, or between the user and multiple meal information items stored in the database. A situation in which the user specifies two or more meal information items is, for example, when there are two restaurants of a specific genre that the user wants to go to and both seem good, and the user requests a determination of which restaurant is more suitable for the user in terms of their intestinal environment. When there is a large amount of meal information, the search results may be narrowed down based on other information about the user, such as the address (in the case of a restaurant), dietary preferences, and dietary restrictions (allergies, calories, etc.), in addition to the compatibility, or within a range of specific information specified by the user's request (for example, limiting to restaurants in a specific area of ​​the travel destination).

[0054] A user may request a compatibility evaluation of meal information with another user, rather than with the user himself / herself. The compatibility may also be evaluated between multiple users and meal information. For example, it is conceivable to search for meal information that is compatible with one or more other users (including, but not limited to, family, friends, coworkers, etc.) who eat with the user. Alternatively, conversely, it is possible to search for meal information that is incompatible with the user and other users. In this case, the user transmits information identifying the other user to be evaluated (such as a user ID) or information regarding the other user's intestinal environment pattern to the server and requests a compatibility evaluation. The server can read feature tags for multiple users, including the other user specified by the user, extract common feature tags, and determine the degree of match with the feature tags of the meal information. Alternatively, the compatibility with the meal information may be evaluated individually for each user, and the meal information with a high (or low) average compatibility for each user may be determined.

[0055] The information providing unit 104 provides information including the evaluation results by the compatibility evaluation unit 103. FIG. 10 shows an example of a screen configuration displayed on a user terminal. FIG. 10(a) shows an example of a screen displaying the results when the compatibility between the user (you) and a specified specific meal information (restaurant A) is evaluated. FIG. 10(b) shows an example of a screen displaying the results when the compatibility between the user (you) and multiple meal information is evaluated. The results are displayed in descending order of compatibility. The results may also be displayed in descending order of compatibility with the user, or a predetermined number of meal information pieces with low compatibility may be extracted and displayed. Here, recommended menus at a specified restaurant may be displayed as meal information.

[0056] <Operation Flow> The operation flow of the server 1 in the present invention will be described below with reference to FIG.

[0057] First, the data acquisition unit 101 acquires intestinal environment pattern information of the user (S101). The intestinal environment pattern information may be acquired by newly sampling and analyzing the user's stool, or may be acquired from data already held by the user or another server. In addition, other information including the user's lifestyle habit information may be acquired as appropriate.

[0058] The feature assigning unit 102 assigns a feature tag to the user's intestinal environment pattern (S102). Feature tags may also be assigned to other information, such as lifestyle habits. Note that step S102 is unnecessary if feature tags are not used in the compatibility evaluation process. The feature tag information is registered in the user information storage unit 111 (S103). Furthermore, when evaluating compatibility with dietary information, dietary feature tags are assigned to the dietary information as necessary.

[0059] Next, the processing flow of Fig. 12 will be described. First, information requesting a compatibility evaluation with a predetermined evaluation target is received from a user (S201). The evaluation target may be other users, meal information, etc. The compatibility evaluation request may be received via a website or application.

[0060] The compatibility evaluation unit 103 reads the user's intestinal environment pattern information or the assigned feature tags (S202) and evaluates the compatibility with the evaluation target (S203). Furthermore, if the compatibility with multiple evaluation targets has been evaluated, evaluation targets with high (or low) compatibility are extracted as necessary (S204). Furthermore, narrowing down the results is not limited to compatibility, and other information about the evaluation targets may also be used. The information provision unit 104 displays the evaluation results on a predetermined terminal (S205).

[0061] The above is a basic explanation of the information provision system of the present invention. According to the present invention, it is possible to search for other users who have similar dietary preferences and lifestyle habits based on the user's intestinal environment data. It is also possible to search for restaurants, menus, and recipes that suit the user's preferences.

[0062] <Modification 1> This modification has the same configuration as the basic description above, except that the server 1 further includes a feedback receiving unit 105 .

[0063] The feedback receiving unit 105 receives feedback information regarding meal information from the user. The user inputs feedback regarding whether the restaurant they actually visited, the menu they actually ate, and the recipes they actually ate matched their preferences. The feedback information received by the feedback receiving unit 105 is stored in a database such as the meal information storage unit 113 together with the user's information or feature tag information.

[0064] 13 is a processing flow diagram of the server 1 in Modification 1. First, a compatibility evaluation request for dietary information is received from a user (S301). The compatibility evaluation unit 103 reads intestinal environment pattern information and feature tag information for the user and multiple other users (S302), as described above, and evaluates the compatibility between the user and the other users (S303). The other users with high compatibility are then extracted (S304).

[0065] The information providing unit 104 can then provide the user with dietary information including the extracted feedback information of other users. That is, the feedback information entered by other users who have a high compatibility with the user is presented together with the target dietary information. The user can select dietary information by referring to the feedback information of other users whose intestinal environment patterns are highly compatible with the user.

[0066] The information providing unit 104 may also extract dietary information based on the extracted feedback information of other users (S305). That is, dietary information for which the extracted other users have given good feedback is extracted. The information providing unit 104 displays the extracted dietary information on the user terminal (S306). According to this modification, dietary information recommended by other users with similar intestinal environment patterns can be presented. Since other users with similar intestinal environment patterns can be inferred to have similar diets and lifestyle habits, there is a high possibility that dietary information that suits one's preferences will be presented.

[0067] <Modification 2> This modification has the same configuration as the basic description above, except that the compatibility evaluation unit 103 is used twice.

[0068] By using the compatibility evaluation unit 103 twice, it is possible to extract other users who have a high compatibility with the user and food information (such as restaurants) that are common to these two users. For example, in a matching service for men and women who wish to date members of the opposite sex, it is conceivable that compatible members of the opposite sex are presented, and also restaurants that are good for dates with the members of the opposite sex are presented.

[0069] FIG. 14 is a processing flow diagram of the server 1 in Modification 2. First, a compatibility evaluation request for other users is received from the user (S401). The compatibility evaluation unit 103, as described above, reads the intestinal environment pattern information and feature tag information of the user and multiple other users (S402) and evaluates the compatibility between the user and the other users (S403). The compatibility evaluation unit 103 then extracts other users with high compatibility (S404). The compatibility evaluation unit 103 then extracts food information that is highly compatible between the user and the other users with high compatibility extracted in S404 (S405). In other words, the user can obtain information about restaurants that are likely to be popular with other users with high compatibility between the user and the other users in terms of intestinal environment pattern. The information provision unit 104 displays the extracted other users and their food information together on the user terminal (S406).

[0070] Since the intestinal environment is built based on daily eating habits, it is thought that a user and another user with a highly compatible intestinal environment pattern are likely to prefer the same restaurants and menus. Therefore, this modified example can, for example, match members of the opposite sex based on intestinal environment information, and further obtain restaurant information that satisfies both the user and the member of the opposite sex. It is thought that by visiting restaurants with the member of the opposite sex based on the results, the possibility of building an intimate relationship can be increased.

[0071] Furthermore, if the same menu is served at the restaurant visited, the menu will embody the commonalities in the intestinal environments of the opposite sex who are seeking a relationship, and this can increase satisfaction with the meal by allowing the person to easily discover new commonalities or learn about the other person's favorite dishes, and it is also expected to improve the accuracy of couple formation after matching and contribute to the sustainability of relationships after the couple is formed. Furthermore, even if the compatibility is not particularly high through the matching service, if the intestinal environments become similar by continuing to eat the same meal every time, it is thought that in the future, food preferences will also become similar and the likelihood of a couple being formed may increase.

[0072] Based on the above embodiment, a demonstration test was conducted to examine the compatibility of dietary information with the characteristics of a user's intestinal environment pattern.

[0073] The study was conducted on 12 subjects (6 men and 6 women) whose intestinal environment information was available in advance. The subjects ranged in age from their 20s to 40s. Based on their intestinal environment data, each subject was classified into one of three enterotypes (Bacteroides enterotype: 3 subjects, Prevotella enterotype: 4 subjects, Ruminococcus enterotype: 5 subjects).

[0074] As mentioned above, the intestinal environment is constructed based on daily eating habits, and it is known that enterotypes are related to eating habits. For example, if a person's eating habits centered on meat are classified as intestinal environment type A, a person with a high intake of dietary fiber is classified as intestinal environment type B, and a person who consumes a variety of ingredients evenly is classified as intestinal environment type C, the food preferences of the subject can be determined by the type of intestinal environment that the subject is classified into.

[0075] Therefore, we selected menus from a major bento chain that were likely to be similar to the dietary intake of each of the three enterotypes, and determined one menu that would be preferred by each of the three enterotypes. Three types of bento were prepared to suit the three enterotypes. The subjects were provided with the menus (bentos) tailored to their enterotypes, and were informed that the menus were tailored to their intestinal environment type.

[0076] After eating the provided menu (lunch box), the subjects were given a questionnaire, and 10 out of 12 subjects answered that they were "satisfied" with the menu they had eaten. This result shows that it is possible to suggest a menu that is thought to be preferred by an individual, that is, a menu that is highly compatible and will give satisfaction, based on the intestinal environment pattern of that individual.

[0077] The above-described embodiment is merely an example for facilitating understanding of the present invention, and is not intended to limit the present invention. The present invention can be modified and improved without departing from the spirit thereof, and it goes without saying that the present invention includes equivalents thereof.

[0078] Note that, with regard to the processing of the software function units provided in the server device 1 described above, the user terminal 2 may have some or all of the functions of the server 1 to the extent that the spirit of the present invention can be realized. Furthermore, the processing of Figures 11, 12, 13, and 14 shows an example of processing by the system of this embodiment and is not intended to limit the present invention. The steps included in the processing of Figures 11, 12, 13, and 14 may be executed in an order different from that shown in the figures, some steps may be executed in parallel, some steps may be omitted, or other steps may be added.

[0079] 1 Server 2 User terminal 3 Network

Claims

1. a compatibility evaluation unit that evaluates the compatibility between the user and another user based on at least data related to the user's intestinal environment pattern; and an information providing unit that presents information indicating the compatibility with the other user.

2. the compatibility evaluation unit evaluates a compatibility degree between the user and the plurality of other users; The information providing system according to claim 1 , wherein the information providing unit presents information about the other users whose compatibility level evaluated by the compatibility evaluation unit is high or low.

3. the compatibility evaluation unit receives a compatibility determination request including information identifying the other user; 2. The information providing system according to claim 1, wherein the degree of compatibility with the specific other user is evaluated.

4. An information provision system according to claim 1, The information providing system is characterized in that the information providing unit further presents food information that has a high or low compatibility degree commonly between the user and the other user.

5. An information provision system according to claim 1, The information providing system is characterized in that the information providing unit further presents meal information extracted based on feedback information from the other users.

6. An information provision system according to claim 1, The information providing system is characterized in that the information providing unit further presents meal information together with feedback information from the other users.

7. The information providing system according to claim 1, wherein the user's intestinal environment pattern is a metabolic substance derived from intestinal bacteria.

8. A compatibility evaluation unit that evaluates the compatibility between multiple users included in a predetermined group based on data related to at least the intestinal environment patterns of the users; and an information providing unit that presents information about combinations of users whose compatibility degree satisfies a predetermined condition.

9. A compatibility evaluation unit that evaluates the compatibility between the user and a facility that provides food and drink based on at least data regarding the user's intestinal environment pattern; and an information providing unit that presents information indicating compatibility with the facility that provides food and drink.

10. the compatibility evaluation unit evaluates the compatibility between the user and the plurality of facilities that provide food and drink; 10. The information providing system according to claim 9, wherein the information providing unit presents information on establishments that provide the food and drink that have a high or low degree of compatibility evaluated by the compatibility evaluation unit.

11. the compatibility evaluation unit receives a compatibility determination request including information identifying the facility that provides the food and drink; 10. The information providing system according to claim 9, further comprising: evaluating a degree of compatibility with the establishment that provides the specific food and drink.

12. An information provision system according to claim 9, the compatibility evaluation unit further evaluates the compatibility based on the specific information determined by the request from the user and the address of the establishment that provides the food and drink; The information providing system further includes the information providing unit providing the address of the establishment that provides the food and drink.

13. An information provision system according to claim 9, The food and drink providing facilities for which the compatibility evaluation unit evaluates compatibility are multiple, An information provision system characterized in that the compatibility evaluation unit narrows down the facilities that provide food and drink to be presented based on the relationship between the specific area specified by the user's request and the addresses of the facilities that provide food and drink.

14. a compatibility evaluation step of evaluating the compatibility with other users based on at least data regarding the user's intestinal environment pattern; and an information providing step of presenting information indicating the degree of compatibility with the other user.

15. To the computer a compatibility evaluation step of evaluating the compatibility with other users based on at least data regarding the user's intestinal environment pattern; and an information providing step of presenting information indicating the compatibility with the other user.

16. A compatibility evaluation unit that evaluates the degree of compatibility with dietary information based on at least data regarding the user's intestinal environment pattern; An information providing system including an information providing unit that presents information indicating the compatibility degree, The information providing system is characterized in that the compatibility evaluation unit determines that dietary information that matches the user's eating habits has a high degree of compatibility.

17. A compatibility evaluation unit that evaluates the compatibility of a user with a facility that provides food and / or a menu based on data on at least the user's intestinal bacteria-derived metabolic substances; and an information providing unit that presents information indicating the compatibility of the food and drink with the facility and / or menu that provides the food and drink.

18. An information provision system that suggests meals based on a user's intestinal environment pattern, a compatibility information storage unit that stores correspondences between a plurality of pre-classified intestinal environment types and a plurality of meal menu candidates that are compatible with each intestinal environment type; a type determination unit that determines the intestinal environment type of the user based on the intestinal bacterial flora pattern of the user; a compatibility evaluation unit that evaluates the compatibility between the intestinal environment pattern of the user and the plurality of meal menu candidates; a suggestion unit that extracts meal menus whose compatibility is equal to or greater than a predetermined threshold and suggests the meal menus to the user; An information providing system comprising:

19. A compatibility evaluation unit that evaluates the degree of compatibility with dietary information based on at least data regarding the user's intestinal environment pattern; an information providing unit that presents information indicating a compatibility with the meal information, The information providing system, wherein the meal information is a menu for a service that delivers ingredients for the user to cook themselves.

20. An information provision system according to claim 19, The meal information is a plurality of ingredients included in a menu of a service that delivers ingredients for the user to cook by themselves, The compatibility evaluation unit evaluates the compatibility between the user's intestinal environment pattern and the menu based on a total value obtained by evaluating the compatibility between the user's intestinal environment pattern and the plurality of ingredients.

21. An information provision system according to claim 19 or 20, the user is the user and his / her family;

22. An information provision system according to claim 19 or 20, The dietary information includes one or more dietary characteristic tags, such as whether the dietary information contains a lot or a little vegetables, whether the dietary information contains a lot or a little meat, whether the dietary information contains a lot or a little fat, whether the dietary information contains a lot or a little salt, whether the dietary information contains a lot or a little sugar, and whether the dietary information contains or does not contain a specific food ingredient or component.

23. A compatibility evaluation unit that evaluates the degree of compatibility with dietary information based on at least data regarding the user's intestinal environment pattern; an information providing unit that presents information indicating a compatibility with the meal information, the meal information is a plurality of ingredients contained in a particular meal, The compatibility evaluation unit evaluates the compatibility between the user's intestinal environment pattern and the dietary information based on a total value obtained by evaluating the compatibility between the user's intestinal environment pattern and the plurality of ingredients.

24. A compatibility evaluation unit that evaluates the compatibility with dietary information based on data regarding the intestinal environment patterns of a user and a person other than the user; The compatibility evaluation unit evaluates the compatibility between the intestinal environment patterns of the user and persons other than the user and the dietary information based on the results of evaluating the compatibility between the intestinal environment patterns of the user and persons other than the user and the dietary information, respectively.