JP7535448B2 - Information processing program, information processing method, and information processing system - Google Patents

Description

This disclosure relates to an information processing program, an information processing method, and an information processing system.

Menstruation is a physiological phenomenon in women, in which menstrual blood is discharged from the vagina. During the menstrual period, women generally use absorbent articles such as sanitary napkins to absorb the menstrual blood discharged from the vagina. Absorbent articles generally available on the market come in a wide variety of shapes, sizes, thicknesses, etc. Patent Document 1 discloses an information distribution system that suggests the most suitable sanitary napkin for a woman based on information about her menstrual blood volume (classified as heavy, medium, or light).

JP 2004-342129 A

A woman's menstrual blood volume, vaginal discharge volume, urinary leakage volume, and the absorption capacity of an absorbent article may differ depending on the situation in which the woman uses the absorbent article (e.g., lying on her side, sitting, standing, etc.). Furthermore, the lifestyle of a woman who is a user is not necessarily the same every day. For example, on days when the main activities are long meetings, working from home, desk work, etc., the time spent sitting is longer. On days when the main activities are going out, standing work, etc., the time spent standing is longer. Furthermore, on days when the user is not feeling well and spends a lot of time lying down at home, the time spent sleeping is longer. For this reason, it is difficult to suggest the use of absorbent articles that suit the user's lifestyle based on information on the amount of menstrual blood classified without considering the usage situation as shown in Patent Document 1.

Therefore, the present disclosure aims to provide an information processing program, an information processing method, and an information processing system that can suggest ways to use absorbent articles that suit a user's lifestyle.

An information processing program according to one aspect of the present disclosure causes a computer to execute a usage history acquisition process for acquiring, for each of a plurality of usage scenes, a usage history including information regarding the type of absorbent article used by the user that absorbs excrement including at least one of the user's urine, vaginal discharge, and menstrual blood and the state of the absorbent article after use; a characteristic acquisition process for acquiring characteristics regarding the user's excrement for each usage scene based on the usage history for each of the plurality of usage scenes; a proposal information generation process for generating proposal information regarding the use of the absorbent article according to the usage scene based on the characteristics for each usage scene; and a presentation process for presenting the proposal information to the user.

According to the information processing program, it is possible to present the user with appropriate suggested information according to the usage scenario based on the characteristics of the user's excrement acquired for each usage scenario. This makes it possible to suggest ways to use absorbent articles that suit the user's lifestyle.

According to the present disclosure, it is possible to provide an information processing program, an information processing method, and an information processing system that can suggest ways to use absorbent articles that suit the user's lifestyle.

FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating an example of a hardware configuration of a user terminal according to an embodiment. FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating an example of a functional configuration of a user terminal. FIG. 11 is a diagram showing an example of usage records, absorption amounts, and menstrual blood amounts for each usage scene. FIG. 11 is a diagram showing an example of basic information of a napkin. 13 is a flowchart showing an example of the operation of a user terminal. 13 is a flowchart showing a first example of a proposal process. FIG. 11 is a schematic diagram showing a specific example of a first example of a proposal process. 13 is a flowchart showing a second example of the proposal process. FIG. 11 is a schematic diagram showing a specific example of a second example of the proposal process. 13 is a flowchart showing a third example of a proposal process.

One embodiment of the present disclosure will now be described in detail with reference to the drawings. In the following description, the same or equivalent elements will be designated by the same reference numerals, and duplicate descriptions will be omitted.

[User terminal configuration]
FIG. 1 is a diagram showing an example of a hardware configuration of a user terminal 1 (computer, information processing system) according to an embodiment. The user terminal 1 is a computer device owned by a user. Examples of the user terminal 1 include a high-function mobile phone (smartphone), a tablet terminal, a wearable terminal (e.g., a smart watch, etc.), a desktop PC, a laptop PC, etc. The user terminal 1 is configured to provide a female user with suggested information regarding the use of absorbent articles for women. The absorbent article is an article that absorbs excrement including at least one of the user's urine, vaginal discharge, and menstrual blood. Examples of absorbent articles include sanitary napkins (hereinafter simply referred to as "napkins"), liners, diapers, tampons, etc. In this embodiment, an example will be described in which the absorbent article is a napkin used during menstruation, and the excrement is menstrual blood.

As an example, the user terminal 1 has, as hardware components, a processor 11, a memory 12, an auxiliary storage device 13, an input device 14, an output device 15, and a communication device 16.

The processor 11 is a computing device that executes an operating system and application programs. The processor 11 is, for example, a CPU (Central Processing Unit).

The memory 12 is a device that stores programs for implementing the user terminal 1, calculation results output from the processor 11, etc. The memory 12 is configured, for example, from a ROM (Read Only Memory) or a RAM (Random Access Memory), etc.

The auxiliary storage device 13 is generally a device capable of storing larger amounts of data than the memory 12. The auxiliary storage device 13 is composed of a non-volatile storage medium such as a hard disk or flash memory. The auxiliary storage device 13 stores a program P (information processing program) for causing the computer to function as the user terminal 1, and various data.

The input device 14 is an input interface that accepts user operations. If the user terminal 1 is a smartphone, tablet terminal, or the like, the input device 14 may be configured with a touch panel that accepts touch operations by the user. If the user terminal 1 is a desktop PC, laptop PC, or the like, the input device 14 may be configured with input devices such as a mouse and keyboard.

The output device 15 is an output interface that outputs data processed by the user terminal 1. Examples of the output device 15 include a display that displays a screen and a speaker that outputs sound. If the user terminal 1 is a smartphone, tablet terminal, or the like, the input device 14 and the output device 15 are realized by a common touch panel display.

The communication device 16 is a device for performing data communication with other computers via a communication network. The communication device 16 is configured, for example, with a network card or a wireless communication module. For example, the communication device 16 may download various data from an external server device via a communication network such as the Internet, and store the downloaded various data in the auxiliary storage device 13.

Figure 2 is a diagram showing an example of the functional configuration of the user terminal 1. The user terminal 1 has a control unit 2 and a memory unit 3 as functional components. The control unit 2 has a usage history acquisition unit 21, an absorption amount acquisition unit 22, a characteristic acquisition unit 23, a proposed information generation unit 24, a presentation unit 25, and a notification unit 26. The memory unit 3 stores various data such as usage history 31, absorption amount 32, menstrual blood amount 33, proposed information 34, and user information 35. The memory unit 3 is realized by the memory 12 and the auxiliary storage device 13. Furthermore, each function of the control unit 2 is realized by loading a program P into the memory 12 and having the processor 11 execute the program P. In other words, the program P includes code for realizing each functional element of the user terminal 1.

The usage history acquisition unit 21 acquires the usage history 31 for each of the multiple usage scenes. The usage history 31 acquired by the usage history acquisition unit 21 is stored in the storage unit 3.

A usage scene refers to the state (posture, etc.) that the user mainly assumes while wearing the sanitary napkin. Examples of usage scenes include the user's posture, amount of exercise, and degree of freedom for changing the sanitary napkin, such as sleeping, awake, exercising, riding a vehicle such as a bicycle, frequency at which the sanitary napkin can be changed (having many plans and limited opportunities to go to the toilet, being relatively free and being able to go to the toilet immediately when necessary, etc.), and preference for wearing the sanitary napkin (preferring to avoid changing the sanitary napkin as much as possible, preferring to change the sanitary napkin frequently, etc.). In this embodiment, the multiple usage scenes include at least usage scenes corresponding to multiple states that are further subdivided from the awake state (for example, a state in which the user mainly sits, a state in which the user mainly stands, a state in which the user mainly moves around such as walking, etc.).

The usage history 31 is information obtained each time a user uses a napkin during a menstrual period. The usage history 31 includes the type of napkin used by the user, information regarding the state of the napkin after use, and information regarding the period during which the napkin was used (period of wearing). The state of the napkin after use is, for example, the state of absorption of menstrual blood excreted from the user's vagina (for example, the shape, size, etc. of the area of the napkin where menstrual blood is attached).

As an example, the usage history acquisition unit 21 acquires the usage history 31 for each usage scene as follows. Each time the user uses a sanitary napkin during the menstrual period (when changing or removing the sanitary napkin), the user checks the state of the sanitary napkin after use. Next, the user operates the user terminal 1 to open an information input screen for a specific application. The information input screen is, for example, a screen that is displayed on the display (output device 15) of the user terminal 1 by executing the program P. The user inputs the usage scene (i.e., the main state (posture) of the user while wearing the sanitary napkin), the type of sanitary napkin used, the state of the sanitary napkin after use, and the period of use of the sanitary napkin into the information input screen. The usage history acquisition unit 21 causes the user to execute the above-mentioned information input process for each of the multiple different usage scenes. As a result, the usage history acquisition unit 21 acquires the usage history 31 for each usage scene of the user (for example, a usage history corresponding to a lying down state, a usage history corresponding to a sitting state, a usage history corresponding to a standing state, etc.).

3 is a diagram showing an example of the usage history 31 acquired by the usage history acquisition unit 21, the absorption amount 32 acquired by the absorption amount acquisition unit 22 described later, and the menstrual blood amount 33 calculated by the characteristic acquisition unit 23 described later. FIG. 3 shows specific examples of the usage history 31 corresponding to each of the usage scenes of "was awake (mainly sitting)", "was awake (mainly standing)", and "slept". Here, the "absorption state" included in the usage history 31 corresponds to the absorption state of the basic information of the napkin described later (see FIG. 4). For example, the usage history acquisition unit 21 can specify the absorption state by having the user select an image that is closest to the state of the napkin after use (the shape of the area where menstrual blood is attached) from among images (e.g., A to K in FIG. 4) showing a plurality of patterns of absorption states for each usage scene that have been registered in advance. Alternatively, the usage history acquisition unit 21 may acquire an image of the napkin after use taken by the user (e.g., image data captured by a camera provided in the user terminal 1, etc.), and identify the absorption state (any of A to K in FIG. 4) based on the analysis results of the image and the usage scene.

The absorption amount acquisition unit 22 acquires the amount of menstrual blood absorbed by the napkin 32 for each of a plurality of usage scenes based on a combination of the usage scene, the type of napkin, and the absorption state of the napkin (state after use). The absorption amount 32 acquired by the absorption amount acquisition unit 22 is stored in the memory unit 3.

Figure 4 is a diagram showing an example of basic information of a napkin (table information showing the relationship between the combination of the usage scene, the type of napkin, and the absorption state and the absorption amount). Such basic information of a napkin is obtained based on, for example, the weight of the absorbent material contained in the napkin, the result of calculation based on the weight of the absorbent material contained in the napkin and the set absorption factor, the result of absorption amount measurement performed by a napkin manufacturer, etc., the result of weight measurement of a napkin actually used, etc. In this embodiment, the basic information of the napkin shown in Figure 4 is provided in advance by a napkin manufacturer, etc., and is stored in the memory unit 3. In this case, the absorption amount acquisition unit 22 can identify the absorption amount (absorption amount 32) corresponding to the usage history 31 by referring to the basic information of the napkin shown in Figure 4.

The characteristic acquisition unit 23 acquires the characteristics of the user's menstrual blood for each usage scene based on the usage history 31 of each of the multiple usage scenes. Examples of the characteristics of menstrual blood include the amount of menstrual blood, the position and shape of the area in the napkin where the menstrual blood is absorbed, etc. In this embodiment, the characteristic acquisition unit 23 acquires the amount of menstrual blood per unit time 33 (hereinafter simply referred to as "menstrual blood amount 33") calculated based on the absorption amount 32 and the usage period included in the usage history 31 as the characteristics of the user's menstrual blood. For example, the characteristic acquisition unit 23 can calculate the menstrual blood amount 33 (unit: g/hr) by dividing the absorption amount 32 (unit: g) by the usage period (unit: hr) included in the usage history 31. The menstrual blood amount 33 acquired by the characteristic acquisition unit 23 is stored in the memory unit 3. In the example of FIG. 3, for a usage scenario corresponding to an awake state (mainly sitting), the amount of menstrual blood of the user 33 (2.5 g/hr) is obtained by dividing the absorption amount 32 (10 g) by the usage period (4 hours). The same calculation is performed for other usage scenarios to obtain the amount of menstrual blood of the user 33.

The above-mentioned processes of the absorption amount acquisition unit 22 and the characteristic acquisition unit 23 are executed for each usage scene (i.e., for each usage history 31 corresponding to each usage scene), thereby obtaining the user's menstrual blood amount 33 for each usage scene. Note that, when there are multiple usage histories 31 corresponding to the same usage scene, the characteristic acquisition unit 23 may use a statistical value (e.g., average, median, etc.) of the menstrual blood amount obtained from the multiple usage histories 31 corresponding to the same usage scene as the user's menstrual blood amount 33 corresponding to the usage scene.

The proposed information generating unit 24 generates proposed information 34 regarding the use of the sanitary napkin according to the usage scene based on the user's menstrual blood amount 33 for each usage scene. The proposed information 34 generated by the proposed information generating unit 24 is stored in the memory unit 3.

The presentation unit 25 presents the proposed information 34 to the user. The method of presenting the proposed information 34 to the user is not limited to a specific method. For example, the presentation unit 25 may present the proposed information 34 visually by generating a screen for displaying the proposed information 34 and displaying the screen on the display (output device 15) of the user terminal 1. Alternatively, the presentation unit 25 may present the proposed information 34 audibly by generating audio data for conveying the content of the proposed information 34 and outputting the audio data from the speaker (output device 15) of the user terminal 1.

The notification unit 26 identifies a turning point, which is a time when the user's menstrual blood characteristics are likely to change, and notifies the user of a message prompting the user to update the usage history 31 for each of the multiple usage scenes at a timing corresponding to the turning point (for example, a certain period of time has passed since the turning point). The user's menstrual blood tendency is affected by psychological stress caused by changes in the user's living environment. As an example, the tendency of the user's menstrual blood volume is likely to change around the time when a new semester begins in junior high school or high school, or when a student graduates from university and starts working. Therefore, by storing user information 35 including the user's age in the storage unit 3 in advance and setting the turning point as described above in advance, the notification unit 26 can identify the time when the user will reach a turning point by referring to the user information 35. According to the processing of the notification unit 26 described above, it is possible to prompt a user who is likely to have reached a turning point and changed their menstrual blood tendency to update the usage history 31 for each usage scene at an appropriate timing. Then, the above-mentioned absorption amount acquisition unit 22 and characteristic acquisition unit 23 are processed again based on the updated usage record 31, so that the menstrual blood amount 33 for each usage scene can be obtained, which reflects the user's menstrual blood tendency after the transition period. As a result, it becomes possible to continuously provide the user with highly accurate suggested information 34.

[Information processing method]
An example of an information processing method executed by the user terminal 1 will be described with reference to the flowchart shown in FIG.

First, the user terminal 1 executes a preparation process (S1 to S3) for providing the user with menstrual-related suggestions. In the preparation process, the usage history acquisition unit 21 first acquires the user's usage history 31 (see FIG. 3) for each usage scenario (S1: usage history acquisition process). Next, the absorption amount acquisition unit 22 calculates the absorption amount 32 (see FIG. 3) corresponding to the usage history 31 for each usage scenario based on the basic information of the napkin (FIG. 4) and the information included in the usage history 31 (S2: absorption amount acquisition process). Next, the characteristic acquisition unit 23 acquires (calculates) the user's menstrual blood amount 33 (menstrual blood amount per unit time) for each usage scenario based on the absorption amount 32 calculated in S2 and the usage period included in the usage history 31 (S3: characteristic acquisition process).

Then, the proposal information generating unit 24 and the presenting unit 25 execute a proposal process (S4) to provide the user with a proposal regarding the use of sanitary napkins during their menstrual period, using the amount of menstrual blood of the user for each usage scenario acquired by the preparation process (S1 to S3). The process of S4 will be described in detail later.

Next, the notification unit 26 continuously determines whether or not it is a timing corresponding to a turning point where the tendency of the user's menstrual blood is likely to change (for example, a point in time when a certain period has passed since the turning point) (S5). If it is determined that it is a timing corresponding to a turning point (S5: YES), the notification unit 26 notifies the user of a message prompting the update of the usage history 31 for each usage scene (S6: notification process). The message notification may be performed by any application such as email, SNS, or a dedicated application. On the other hand, if it is not determined that it is a timing corresponding to a turning point (S5: NO), the notification process is not executed. If the user has updated the usage history 31 (S7: YES), the above-mentioned preparation process (S1 to S3) is executed again based on the updated information. As a result, the menstrual blood amount 33 for each usage scene of the user is appropriately updated. On the other hand, if the user has not updated the usage history 31 (S7: NO), the proposal process (S4) is executed by continuing to use the menstrual blood amount 33 for each usage scene of the user that has already been acquired. The proposal process (S4) may be executed each time an explicit request is received from the user, or may be executed automatically at a predetermined timing even when there is no explicit request from the user. For example, if a setting is made to deliver the proposal information 34 to the user at a predetermined time every day, the proposal information 34 may be generated and presented based on the input information registered in advance at the predetermined time every day.

Next, we will explain specific examples (examples 1 to 3) of the proposal process (S4).

[First example of proposal process]
FIG. 6 is a flowchart showing a first example of the proposal process. FIG. 7 is a schematic diagram showing a specific example of the proposal process. In the first example, first, the proposal information generating unit 24 acquires a specific usage scene and a planned use period as input information (S11). The input information is input by a user via, for example, the user terminal 1. Cases A and B shown in FIG. 7 show examples of input information. In case A, a specific usage scene of "when awake (mainly in a sitting position)" and a planned use period of "12 hours" are input. In case B, a specific usage scene of "when asleep" and a planned use period of "14 hours" are input.

Next, the proposal information generating unit 24 calculates the absorption performance (hereinafter referred to as "required absorption performance") required for the sanitary product (absorbent article) to use the napkin for the planned use period in a specific use scene based on the user's menstrual blood amount 33 corresponding to the specific use scene (S12). The process of S12 for case A will be specifically described. In this case, the proposal information generating unit 24 first acquires the user's menstrual blood amount 33 ("2.5 g/hr" in the example of FIG. 3) in the use scene corresponding to "when awake (mainly in sitting position)" by referring to the storage unit 3. Then, the proposal information generating unit 24 calculates the required absorption performance (30 g) by calculating the product of the menstrual blood amount 33 (2.5 g/hr) and the planned use period (12 hours). The same process is performed for case B to calculate the required absorption performance (70 g).

Next, the proposal information generating unit 24 generates proposal information 34 based on the required absorption capacity calculated in S12 (S13). Next, the presenting unit 25 presents the proposal information 34 generated in S13 to the user. Below, specific examples of the proposal information 34 generated in S13 (proposal A and proposal B) are described.

(Proposal A)
The proposal information generator 24 may generate proposal information 34 including information indicating napkins that satisfy the required absorbency. "Proposal A" shown in Fig. 7 is an example of such proposal information 34. For example, the proposal information generator 24 refers to basic information of the napkin as shown in Fig. 4 and grasps the maximum absorption amount of each napkin in each usage scene (in the example of Fig. 4, the absorption amount corresponding to absorption state D or absorption state K). Then, the proposal information generator 24 extracts napkins that have a maximum absorption amount equal to or greater than the required absorbency.

For example, when the usage scene is during the daytime (when awake), the proposed information generating unit 24 extracts candidates from among daytime napkins, and when the usage scene is during the nighttime (when asleep), the proposed information generating unit 24 extracts candidates from among nighttime napkins. As a result, in the example of FIG. 7, in case A, 210 mm thick daytime napkins (maximum absorption amount 30 g), 260 mm thick daytime napkins (maximum absorption amount 40 g), and 290 mm thick daytime napkins (maximum absorption amount 40 g) are extracted as candidates. The proposed information generating unit 24 may generate proposed information 34 that displays all of these candidates, or may generate proposed information 34 that displays only napkins that have sufficient absorption performance (in this case, only 210 mm thick daytime napkins) as in proposal A shown in FIG. 7. In the latter case, the proposed information generating unit 24 generates, as an example, a message such as "210 mm thick daytime napkins are recommended" as proposed information 34. The same process is performed for case B, and a message such as "We recommend the 290 mm thick night-use model or the 400 mm thin night-use model" is generated as suggested information 34.

(Proposal B)
The proposed information generating unit 24 may generate proposed information 34 including information regarding the timing to change the napkin based on the required absorption performance and information indicating a napkin owned by a pre-registered user (hereinafter referred to as "owned napkin information"). "Proposal B" shown in FIG. 7 is an example of such proposed information 34. The owned napkin information is registered in advance, for example, by a user's operation on a screen (registration screen) that is displayed on the display (output device 15) of the user terminal 1 by executing the program P. The registered owned napkin information is stored in the memory unit 3 as part of the user information 35.

In the example of FIG. 7, the owned napkin information includes "daytime thin type 210 mm" for daytime hours and "nighttime thin type 290 mm" for nighttime hours. In this case, for example, the proposal information generating unit 24 compares the required absorption performance with the maximum absorption amount of the owned napkin, and calculates the timing (replacement interval) for replacement when the maximum absorption amount of the owned napkin is less than the required absorption performance (i.e., when the napkin needs to be replaced during the planned use period). The timing for replacement is obtained by dividing the maximum absorption amount of the owned napkin by the amount of menstrual blood of the user in each case. The above process will be specifically described for case A. In case A, the maximum absorption amount (10 g) of the owned napkin (daytime thin type 210 mm) is less than the required absorption performance (30 g). Therefore, the proposal information generating unit 24 calculates the timing (4 hours) for replacement by dividing the maximum absorption amount (10 g) of the owned napkin by the amount of menstrual blood of the user in the usage scene corresponding to case A (2.5 g/hr). In this case, the proposed information generating unit 24 generates, as an example, a message such as "We recommend replacing the thin 210 mm daytime lens you are currently using approximately every 4 hours" as the proposed information 34. By performing the same process for case B, a message such as "We recommend replacing the thin 290 mm nighttime lens you are currently using approximately every 8 hours" is generated as the proposed information 34.

[Second example of proposal process]
FIG. 8 is a flowchart showing a second example of the proposal process. FIG. 9 is a schematic diagram showing a specific example of the second example of the proposal process. In the second example, first, the proposal information generating unit 24 acquires a specific type of napkin and a specific usage scene as input information (S21). The input information is input by the user, for example, via the user terminal 1. Alternatively, information on the napkin owned by the user (in the example of FIG. 9, daytime thin type 210 mm and nighttime thin type 290 mm) may be automatically input as the specific type of napkin. In addition, for example, a new product, a trial product, etc. (in the example of FIG. 9, cotton 250 mm) may be automatically input as the specific type of napkin. Cases C to H shown in FIG. 9 show examples of input information. For example, in case C, a specific usage scene of "when awake (mainly sitting position)" and a specific type of napkin of "daytime thin type 210 mm" are input.

Next, the suggestion information generating unit 24 calculates the usable time during which the specific sanitary product can be used continuously based on the absorption performance of the specific sanitary product corresponding to the specific usage scene and the user's menstrual blood volume (S22). The above process will be specifically described for case C. The suggestion information generating unit 24 acquires the absorption performance (10g) of the "daytime thin type 210mm" corresponding to "when awake (mainly sitting position)" by referring to the basic information shown in FIG. 4. The suggestion information generating unit 24 then divides the absorption performance (10g) by the user's menstrual blood volume (2.5g/hr) corresponding to "when awake (mainly sitting position)" to calculate the usable time (4 hours). The same applies to the other cases D to H.

Next, the proposed information generating unit 24 generates proposed information 34 including the usable time calculated in S22 (S23). Next, the presenting unit 25 presents the proposed information 34 generated in S23 to the user (S24). This allows the user to know the usable time that takes into account the user's menstrual blood flow tendency for the combination of the usage scene and sanitary napkin type indicated by the input information.

[Third example of proposal process]
FIG. 10 is a flowchart showing a third example of the proposal process. In the third example, first, the proposal information generating unit 24 acquires the type of a specific napkin worn by the user, the specific usage scene, and the time of wearing as input information (S31). The above input information is input by the user via, for example, the user terminal 1. Next, the proposal information generating unit 24 calculates the usable time during which the specific sanitary product can be used continuously based on the absorption performance of the specific napkin corresponding to the specific usage scene and the amount of menstrual blood of the user (S32). The calculation method of the usable time is the same as that of the second example of the proposal process described above. For example, if the specific usage scene is "when awake (mainly in a sitting position)" and the type of the specific napkin is "daytime thin type 210 mm", the usable time (4 hours) is calculated by the same process as that of the second example of the proposal process described above.

Then, the proposal information generating unit 24 calculates the scheduled time when the sanitary napkin should be changed based on the wearing time input in S31 and the available time (4 hours) calculated in S32 (S33). The scheduled change time is the time obtained by adding the available time to the wearing time. For example, in the above example, if the wearing time is "13:00", the scheduled change time is calculated to be "17:00".

Next, the suggested information generating unit 24 continuously determines whether or not it is a timing corresponding to the scheduled change time (for example, a time that is a preset time (for example, 10 minutes) earlier than the scheduled change time) (S34). When the timing corresponding to the scheduled change time arrives (S34: YES), the suggested information generating unit 24 generates suggested information 34 including a message encouraging the user to change the sanitary napkin (S35). Next, the presenting unit 25 presents the suggested information 34 to the user. Note that the suggested information 34 including the message may be presented (notified) by any application, such as email, SNS, or a dedicated application.

[Other Examples]
Other embodiments relating to the provision of suggested information to the user (output of suggested information) and the input of information by the user (acquisition of information) in the above-mentioned embodiment will be described in detail. In the example described below, the user terminal 1 (information processing system) is described as making suggestions regarding the use of sanitary products (e.g., napkins, etc.) for caring for the user's menstruation, but the user terminal 1 is not limited to making the above suggestions. In other words, the user terminal 1 may be one that suggests products for caring for women's vaginal secretions, such as urinary incontinence and vaginal discharge.

(Proposal at the time of purchase)
An embodiment in which a suggestion is made when a user purchases sanitary products will be described. First, the user terminal 1 identifies a usage scene of the user in the next menstrual period. The next menstrual period may be identified based on information input by the user, or may be identified by various known prediction methods for predicting the menstrual period. In addition, the usage scene in the next menstrual period may be identified based on information input by the user (e.g., information such as "seems to be sitting a lot" or "seems to be walking a lot"), or may be identified (estimated) based on the user's schedule information registered in advance. For example, if it is known from the schedule information that there are many meetings outside the office, a usage scene indicating "posture: standing (mainly standing posture), amount of exercise: high, degree of freedom of replacement: low" may be set.

The user terminal 1 may suggest products to be purchased (sanitary products recommended for use by the user) by the above-mentioned suggestion process according to the identified usage scene during the next menstrual period. The timing when the user terminal 1 suggests products to be purchased to the user may be after the above-mentioned information such as the usage history is input and the above-mentioned suggestion process is executed, or may be a predetermined number of days (e.g., one week before) before the day when the next menstrual period is predicted to start. In the latter case, the user terminal 1 may suggest products to be purchased by the user by executing a suggestion process based on user information such as the usage history input in the past. According to the above process, the user can purchase and prepare products before the start of the next menstrual period.

When suggesting the purchase of a product, information regarding the product and the quantity already owned by the user may be referenced. For example, if the products to be purchased identified in the suggestion process are product A and product B, and the user already owns a sufficient amount of product A, the purchase of only product B may be suggested. To achieve this process, information regarding the product and the quantity already owned by the user may be further acquired in the process of acquiring user information (i.e., the processes S1 to S3 in FIG. 5). Note that the above information may be input by the user, or may be calculated (estimated) based on the user's product purchase history and usage history. The above mechanism can prevent the user from purchasing unnecessary products.

In addition, by the user terminal 1 suggesting the purchase of multiple types of products to the user, it is expected that the variety of products available to the user will increase through the user's purchases, etc. As a result, it is possible to promote the use of products that match the user's usage scenario.

(Suggestions for product use)
The user terminal 1 may obtain information on a usage scene predicted on the day of menstruation before the day on which the user's next menstrual period is predicted to start, generate proposal information including the type, quantity, and usage method of a product to be used on the day of menstruation, and present it to the user. The proposal information on the usage method may include information indicating which product should be used at what timing when multiple products are used. Furthermore, the proposal information on the usage method may include information indicating the combination of products to be used in combination when a combination of products is proposed. Furthermore, the proposal information on the usage method may include information indicating the wearing method of the products. The menstruation start date and the usage scene may be obtained (predicted) by the various means described above. This allows the user to know the type, quantity, and usage method of the product to be used before the start of the next menstrual period. Furthermore, even if the user has difficulty obtaining the product due to going out, for example, the user can prepare and carry an appropriate number of products to be used in advance.

The user terminal 1 may provide the user with suggested information every day from the start of menstruation until the end of the menstrual period. This allows the user to grasp detailed suggested information in a timely manner. Also, suggested information for a predetermined period (one menstrual period in the above example) may be presented to the user all at once on the start of menstruation, such as "We recommend that you use XX during this menstrual period." This makes it possible to reduce the number of times suggested information is notified. As a result, it is possible to reduce the degree to which the user feels annoyed by being notified of suggested information multiple times.

The user terminal 1 may also estimate the number of products owned by the user based on the user's product purchase history and usage history, and determine whether the number owned is less than the quantity of products estimated to be consumed during a specified period (estimated required amount). If the user terminal 1 determines that the number owned is less than the estimated required amount, it may suggest to the user that they purchase the product. This can prevent a situation from occurring where the user does not have the product on hand when they want to use it.

(Information input)
In order to allow the user to input information about a certain menstrual period that the user experienced in the past, the user terminal 1 may display a screen prompting the user to input information in S1 of Fig. 5. Note that the more accurate the information (usage history) input in S1 of Fig. 5 is, the more accurate the proposal in the proposal process will be. For this reason, the user terminal 1 may notify the user to prompt input information at a timing after the end of the menstrual period (a timing separately acquired by a menstrual management function or the like, a timing set after the end date predicted by a menstrual prediction function or the like), for example.

In addition, the greater the amount of information (number of items) entered by the user in the proposal process, the more accurate the proposal process will be, but a larger amount of information also increases the burden on the user. For this reason, for example, it may be possible to allow the user to select the amount of information to be entered before entering the information.

The user terminal 1 may also notify the user to prompt the user to input information (information for performing the proposal process) when there is a change in information about the proposed products (such as list information about the proposed products) such as when a new product (a new type of product) is released or an existing product is renewed. This makes it possible for the user to purchase and use a product that is suitable for the user from the latest product lineup.

The user terminal 1 may also obtain information regarding the user's transition period and notify the user to prompt the user to input information (usage history) in accordance with the transition period. The information regarding the transition period may be obtained based on, for example, the service application used by the user or information input by the user (e.g., user profile information, etc.), or may be estimated based on information obtained from a sensor worn or used by the user (e.g., a biosensor, etc.).

(Evaluation of Proposal Information)
The user terminal 1 may obtain the user's evaluation (feedback) on the proposed information provided to the user. For example, the user terminal 1 may notify the user to prompt the user to input an evaluation after the user uses a product based on the proposed information (e.g., after the end of the menstrual period) in order to obtain the user's evaluation on the use of the product. In particular, since a large burden is placed on the user's mind and body during the menstrual period, it is preferable to notify the user to prompt the user to input an evaluation after a predetermined period, such as after the end of the menstrual period, in order to reduce the burden on the user.

[Action and Effect]
According to the above-described user terminal 1 (information processing system), program P (information processing program) that operates a computer as the user terminal 1, and information processing method executed by the user terminal 1, it is possible to present to the user appropriate suggested information 34 according to the usage scene based on the characteristics (in the present embodiment, the amount of menstrual blood 33 as an example) related to the user's menstrual blood (excrement) acquired for each usage scene. This makes it possible to suggest the use of napkins (absorbent articles) that suit the user's lifestyle. In particular, the above-described system, program, and method are more effective for users who are not restricted by their motor function and have no restrictions on product selection than users who are limited in the products (absorbent articles) that can be used due to their motor function, etc. (e.g., bedridden, unable to hold their head up, etc.). In other words, the suggested information provided to the user by the above-described system, program, and method is particularly useful when a user who is not limited in the product selection selects a product for taking care of menstrual blood, urinary incontinence, vaginal discharge, etc. For example, a user who cannot stand may select a product suitable for sitting or lying down according to his/her motor function. On the other hand, a user who is not restricted by his/her motor function can select any product. In today's world where lifestyles are diversifying, users use products in different situations every day, making it difficult to create a single product that is optimal for all of the user's usage scenarios. In addition, when a product that is not suitable for the usage scenario (especially a product for treating menstrual blood, urinary leakage, vaginal discharge, etc.) is used, it often causes troubles that are extremely unpleasant for the user, such as leakage and rashes. According to the above system, program, and method, the user can select, purchase, and use the product that is optimal for their own lifestyle and usage scenario, and thus the occurrence of such troubles can be suitably prevented.

The multiple usage scenes may include at least usage scenes corresponding to multiple states that subdivide the state in which the user is awake. According to the above configuration, by considering the characteristics of the user for each usage scene that further subdivides the state in which the user is awake and active, it is possible to provide the user with more useful suggested information 34. Specifically, on a day when the user is expected to mainly do desk work and mainly sit, the user can receive suggested information 34 generated based on the amount of menstrual blood corresponding to the usage scene "when awake (mainly sitting)". On the other hand, on a day when the user is expected to mainly walk or move around for leisure activities such as mountain climbing, the user can receive suggested information 34 generated based on the amount of menstrual blood corresponding to the usage scene "when awake (mainly walking or moving around)".

In the usage history acquisition process, the usage history 31 input by the user may be acquired. The program P may also cause the computer to execute a notification process to identify a transition period in which the user's menstrual blood volume 33 (characteristics related to menstrual blood) is likely to change, based on user information 35 including the user's age that has been registered in advance, and to notify the user of a message urging the user to update the usage history 31 for each of a plurality of usage scenarios at a timing corresponding to the transition period. According to the above configuration, by urging the user to update the usage history 31, which is the basis for calculating the menstrual blood volume 33, at a transition period in which the characteristics related to menstrual blood are likely to change, it is possible to continuously provide the user with highly accurate suggested information 34.

Here, user information may include, for example, menstrual characteristics (menstrual cycle/regularity, duration of menstruation, etc.), past menstrual flow (heavy/light, monthly changes, etc.), body type, lifestyle information (occupation, daily rhythm such as morning/night shifts, place of residence, etc.), intentions and preferences for sanitary napkin use (preferring thin types, thick types, preferring types that are gentle on the skin, preferring to use as few as possible, etc.), preferences for underwear used (for example, sanitary shorts, etc.), etc.

In addition, a period of transition may include changes in the user himself that affect the user's mind and body, such as average changes due to age, changes due to personal characteristics (irregular menstruation, individual fluctuations, pregnancy, childbirth, childcare, etc.), changes due to living environment (employment, job change, retirement, enrollment, graduation, family growth and changes, etc.), and changes in the external environment that affect the user's mind and body, such as seasonal changes.

The program P may cause the computer to execute an absorption amount acquisition process that acquires the amount of menstrual blood absorbed by the napkin 32 based on a combination of the usage scene, the type of napkin, and the absorption state of the napkin (state after use) for each of a plurality of usage scenes. The usage history 31 may also include information regarding the period of use of the napkin, and in the characteristic acquisition process, the amount of menstrual blood per unit time 33 calculated based on the absorption amount 32 and the period of use may be acquired as a characteristic related to the user's menstrual blood. With the above configuration, it is possible to provide the user with highly accurate suggested information 34 based on the amount of menstrual blood 33 for each usage scene of the user.

As in the first example of the proposal process described above (see Figs. 6 and 7), in the proposal information generation process, a specific usage scene and a planned period of use may be acquired as input information, and based on the user's menstrual blood amount 33 corresponding to the specific usage scene, the absorption performance required for the napkin to be used only for the planned period of use in the specific usage scene may be calculated, and proposal information 34 may be generated based on the absorption performance. In the proposal information generation process, proposal information 34 (e.g., "Proposal A" in Fig. 7) including information indicating a napkin that satisfies the above absorption performance may be generated. In addition, in the proposal information generation process, proposal information 34 (e.g., "Proposal B" in Fig. 7) including information regarding the timing to replace the napkin may be generated based on the above absorption performance and previously registered owned napkin information. According to the above configuration, it is possible to provide useful proposal information 34 to the user based on the absorption performance required for a sanitary product to be used only for the planned period of use in a specific usage scene.

As in the second example of the proposal process described above (see Figures 8 and 9), in the proposal information generation process, a specific type of napkin and a specific usage scenario are acquired as input information, and the usable time for which the specific napkin can be used continuously is calculated based on the absorption performance of the specific napkin corresponding to the specific usage scenario and the user's menstrual blood volume 33, and proposal information 34 including the usable time is generated. With the above configuration, it is possible to provide the user with information about the period for which the specific napkin can be used in the specific usage scenario.

As in the third example of the proposal process described above (see FIG. 10), in the proposal information generation process, the type of a specific napkin worn by the user, the specific usage scenario, and the time of wearing are acquired as input information, the usable time for which the specific napkin can be used continuously is calculated based on the absorption performance of the specific napkin corresponding to the specific usage scenario and the user's menstrual blood volume 33, and the planned time for changing the napkin is calculated based on the wearing time and the usable time. In the proposal information generation process and presentation process, proposal information 34 including a message encouraging the user to change the sanitary product is generated at a timing corresponding to the planned time of change, and the proposal information 34 is presented to the user. With the above configuration, it is possible to notify the user of a message encouraging the user to change the napkin in a timely manner.

[Modification]
Although one embodiment of the present disclosure has been described above, the present disclosure is not limited to the above embodiment. For example, the above embodiment can be modified as described below.

In general, during one menstrual period (e.g., 7 to 8 days), the amount of menstrual blood per day is not constant, and there are days when the amount of menstrual blood is particularly heavy (e.g., the second and third days, etc.) and days when the amount of menstrual blood is relatively light. Therefore, in the usage history acquisition process by the usage history acquisition unit 21 and the characteristic acquisition process by the characteristic acquisition unit 23 (including the absorption amount acquisition process by the absorption amount acquisition unit 22 in this embodiment), each process may be performed individually for each of a plurality of unit periods (e.g., periods distinguished by day) that constitute one past menstrual period of the user, to obtain the user's menstrual blood amount 33 for each unit period. In other words, the user's menstrual blood amount 33 may be obtained for each combination of the usage scene and the unit period (Xth day of the menstrual period). Then, in the proposal information generation process, the proposal information 34 may be generated based on the user's menstrual blood amount 33 obtained for the unit period corresponding to the proposal target period for the user. For example, if the proposal target period is "Xth day in a certain menstrual period," the unit period corresponding to the proposal target period means "Xth day in the past menstrual period for which the usage history 31 was acquired." With the above configuration, it is possible to provide the user with more accurate proposal information that takes into account the characteristics of the amount of menstrual blood during the menstrual period as described above.

The information on the state of the napkin after use, which is included in the usage history 31, may include information on the presence or absence of menstrual blood leakage from the napkin. For example, the usage history acquisition unit 21 can acquire information on the presence or absence of menstrual blood leakage by having the user input the usage history 31. In addition, in the characteristic acquisition process by the characteristic acquisition unit 23, if menstrual blood leakage is present, the amount of menstrual blood 33 of the user (characteristics related to the user's menstrual blood) may be corrected according to the menstrual blood leakage. For example, the characteristic acquisition unit 23 may calculate the amount of menstrual blood 33 per unit time when menstrual blood leakage is present by "absorption amount 32 x leakage coefficient ÷ usage time". Here, the leakage coefficient is a coefficient for correcting the amount of menstrual blood by the amount of menstrual blood leakage, and is a number greater than 1 (for example, "1.2"). The leakage coefficient may be determined based on the type of napkin, the state of leakage (amount of leakage, position of leakage, etc.), etc. In this case, the information on the state of the napkin after use may further include information on the state of menstrual blood leakage in addition to the presence or absence of menstrual blood leakage. For example, table information that stores values (leakage coefficients) corresponding to combinations of napkin types and leakage states may be stored in advance in the storage unit 3. In this case, the characteristic acquisition unit 23 can determine (specify) the leakage coefficient by referring to the table information. With the above configuration, a more accurate menstrual blood volume 33 of the user can be obtained based on the presence or absence of menstrual blood leakage. As a result, more accurate suggested information 34 can be provided to the user.

In the above embodiment, a "napkin," which is a type of sanitary product, is described as an example of an absorbent article, but the absorbent article may be other articles such as a liner, a diaper, or a tampon. The napkin may be a shorts-type napkin or a type of napkin that is attached to the user's body. In the above embodiment, "menstrual blood" discharged from the vagina during menstruation is described as an example of excrement, but the excrement may be the user's urine, vaginal discharge, etc. In addition, when the above embodiment is applied to an absorbent article intended for excrement other than menstrual blood (e.g., urine, vaginal discharge, etc.), the proposed target period (i.e., the period during which the absorbent article may be used) is not limited to the menstrual period.

In addition, in the example of the basic state of the napkin shown in FIG. 4, only the absorption amounts corresponding to two usage scenarios ("when awake (mainly sitting)" and "when sleeping") are shown, but the basic information of the napkin may include information on the absorption amounts corresponding to other usage scenarios (e.g., "when awake (mainly standing)", "when awake (mainly walking, etc.)", etc.). Alternatively, the absorption amount corresponding to one usage scenario (e.g., "when awake (mainly sitting)") may be multiplied by a predetermined coefficient (e.g., "1.2") to obtain the absorption amount corresponding to another usage scenario (e.g., "when awake (mainly standing)"). In this case, it is not necessary to prepare basic information of the napkin corresponding to all usage scenarios, and it is sufficient to prepare the basic information of the napkin for the reference usage scenario and a coefficient for each usage scenario.

In addition, the suggested information 34 may include any other advice information (for example, a message such as "If you are concerned about the length of your sanitary napkin, we recommend the 210 mm thick daytime type.") in addition to the information exemplified in the above embodiment.

In addition, in the above embodiment, the user terminal 1 in which the program P is stored executes all the processes by itself, but the above-mentioned menstrual management support service (i.e., the usage record acquisition process, the absorption amount acquisition process, the characteristic acquisition process, the proposed information generation process, the presentation process, and the notification process) may be executed by, for example, a server device configured to be able to communicate with a terminal owned by the user. For example, when the above-mentioned menstrual management support service is provided as a Web application, the program P may be installed in a server device (computer) for operating the above-mentioned Web application, and the server device may execute each of the above-mentioned processes. In addition, the above-mentioned menstrual management support service may be executed by a plurality of computers (e.g., the user terminal 1 and one or more server devices, etc.) in a shared manner. In this case, the program P may be composed of a first program stored (installed) in the user terminal 1 and a second program stored (installed) in a device other than the user terminal 1 (e.g., a server device configured to be able to communicate with the user terminal 1, etc.). The above-mentioned contents are also applicable to the information processing system. That is, the information processing system may be composed of a single computer (e.g., a user terminal or a server device), or may be composed of multiple computers (e.g., a user terminal and one or more server devices).

The program P may also be stored in a non-transitory computer-readable medium. That is, the program P may be provided to the computer using a non-transitory computer-readable medium in which an executable program P is stored. Examples of non-transitory computer-readable media include magnetic recording media (e.g., flexible disks, magnetic tapes, hard disk drives), CD-ROMs, DVDs, etc. The program P may also be provided to the computer via a communication network such as a telecommunications line.

1...user terminal (computer, information processing system), 2...control unit, 3...storage unit, 21...usage history acquisition unit, 22...absorption amount acquisition unit, 23...characteristics acquisition unit, 24...suggested information generation unit, 25...presentation unit, 26...notification unit, 31...usage history, 32...absorption amount, 33...menstrual blood amount (characteristics related to excrement), 34...suggested information, 35...user information, P...program (information processing program).

Claims (13)

On the computer,
a usage history acquisition process for acquiring a usage history including information regarding a type of absorbent article used by a user for absorbing excrement including at least one of urine, vaginal discharge, and menstrual blood of the user and a state of the absorbent article after use, for each of a plurality of usage scenes;
a characteristic acquisition process for acquiring a characteristic related to the excrement of the user for each of the plurality of usage scenes based on the usage record of each of the plurality of usage scenes;
A proposal information generation process for generating proposal information regarding a use of the absorbent article according to the usage scene based on the characteristics for each usage scene;
a presentation process of presenting the suggested information to the user;
An information processing program that executes the above. The plurality of usage scenes include at least usage scenes corresponding to each of a plurality of states obtained by subdividing a state in which the user is awake,
The information processing program according to claim 1 . The excrement includes the menstrual blood,
In the usage history acquisition process and the characteristic acquisition process, each process is performed individually for each of a plurality of unit periods constituting one past menstrual period of the user, thereby acquiring the characteristic for each of the unit periods;
generating the proposed information based on the characteristics acquired for the unit period corresponding to a proposal target period for the user in the proposed information generating process;
3. The information processing program according to claim 1 or 2. In the usage history acquisition process, the usage history input by the user is acquired;
and causing the computer to further execute a notification process of identifying a transition period during which the characteristics of the user's menstrual blood are likely to change, based on user information including an age of the user that has been registered in advance, and notifying the user of a message prompting the user to update the usage record for each of the plurality of usage scenes at a timing corresponding to the transition period.
The information processing program according to any one of claims 1 to 3. further causing the computer to execute an absorption amount acquisition process for acquiring an absorption amount of the excrement by the absorbent article based on a combination of the usage scene, the type of the absorbent article, and a state of the absorbent article after use for each of the plurality of usage scenes;
The usage history includes information regarding the period of use of the absorbent article,
In the characteristic acquisition process, an amount of the excrement per unit time calculated based on the absorption amount and the period of use is acquired as the characteristic.
The information processing program according to any one of claims 1 to 4. The information regarding the state of the absorbent article after use includes information regarding the presence or absence of leakage of excrement from the absorbent article,
When the leakage of excrement is detected in the characteristic acquisition process, the characteristic is corrected according to the leakage of excrement.
6. An information processing program according to claim 5. In the proposal information generation process,
A specific usage scenario and planned usage period are acquired as input information,
Calculating an absorption performance required for the absorbent article in order to use the absorbent article in the specific usage scene for the planned usage period based on the characteristics corresponding to the specific usage scene;
generating the proposal information based on the absorption capacity;
7. The information processing program according to claim 5 or 6. In the proposal information generation process, the proposal information is generated including information indicating absorbent articles that satisfy the absorption performance.
The information processing program according to claim 7. In the proposed information generation process, the proposed information including information regarding a timing for replacing the absorbent article is generated based on the absorption performance and information indicating an absorbent article owned by the user that has been registered in advance.
The information processing program according to claim 7. In the proposal information generation process,
A specific type of absorbent article and a specific usage scene are acquired as input information;
Calculating a usable time during which the specific absorbent article can be continuously used based on the absorption performance and the characteristics of the specific absorbent article corresponding to the specific usage scene;
generating the proposal information including the available time;
The information processing program according to claim 5. In the proposal information generation process,
Acquire, as input information, a type of a specific absorbent article worn by the user, a specific usage scene, and a time of wearing the absorbent article;
Calculating a usable time during which the specific absorbent article can be continuously used based on the absorption performance and the characteristics of the specific absorbent article corresponding to the specific usage scene;
Calculating a scheduled time for replacing the absorbent article based on the wearing time and the usable time;
In the proposed information generating process and the presenting process, the proposed information including a message encouraging the user to replace the absorbent article is generated at a timing corresponding to the scheduled replacement time, and the proposed information is presented to the user.
6. An information processing program according to claim 5. 1. A computer-implemented information processing method, comprising:
a usage history acquisition step of acquiring, for each of a plurality of usage scenes, a usage history including information on a type of absorbent article used by a user, the absorbent article absorbing excrement including at least one of urine, vaginal discharge, and menstrual blood of the user, and a state of the absorbent article after use;
a characteristic acquisition step of acquiring a characteristic related to the excrement of the user for each of the plurality of usage scenes based on the usage record of each of the plurality of usage scenes;
a proposal information generating step of generating proposal information regarding a use of the absorbent article according to the usage scene based on the characteristics for each usage scene;
a presentation step of presenting the suggested information to the user;
An information processing method comprising: a usage history acquisition unit that acquires, for each of a plurality of usage scenes, a usage history including information on a type of absorbent article used by a user, the absorbent article absorbing excrement including at least one of urine, vaginal discharge, and menstrual blood of the user, and a state of the absorbent article after use;
a characteristic acquisition unit that acquires a characteristic related to the excrement of the user for each of the plurality of usage scenes based on the usage record of each of the plurality of usage scenes;
a proposal information generating unit that generates proposal information regarding a use of the absorbent article according to the usage scene based on the characteristics for each usage scene;
a presentation unit that presents the suggested information to the user;
An information processing system comprising:

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