US 12,332,237 B2
Excrement determination method, excrement determination device, and non-transitory computer readable recording medium
Hirofumi Kanai, Osaka (JP); Toshihide Mori, Osaka (JP); and Yuka Yamada, Nara (JP)
Assigned to PANASONIC HOLDINGS CORPORATION, Osaka (JP)
Filed by PANASONIC HOLDINGS CORPORATION, Osaka (JP)
Filed on Nov. 14, 2022, as Appl. No. 17/986,558.
Application 17/986,558 is a continuation of application No. PCT/JP2021/001290, filed on Jan. 15, 2021.
Claims priority of provisional application 63/030,528, filed on May 27, 2020.
Claims priority of application No. 2020-185250 (JP), filed on Nov. 5, 2020.
Prior Publication US 2023/0074448 A1, Mar. 9, 2023
Int. Cl. G01N 33/497 (2006.01); A61B 5/00 (2006.01); E03D 9/00 (2006.01)
CPC G01N 33/497 (2013.01) [A61B 5/42 (2013.01); G01N 33/4975 (2024.05)] 10 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A method for aiding in treating constipation by notifying a terminal of a caregiver or family member that a person suffers constipation, comprising:
detecting with a hydrogen-gas-concentration sensor sensing data indicating the concentration of hydrogen gas of flatulence from a toilet used by the person even when the flatulence is odorless;
capturing and recording with a camera an image of a bowl of the toilet used by the person and generating with the camera image data of the image of the toilet bowl;
acquiring with a hardware processor the sensing data of the concentration of the hydrogen gas of the flatulence from the toilet detected by the hydrogen-gas-concentration sensor;
acquiring with the hardware processor the image data captured by the camera;
determining with the hardware processor that the person is constipated by determining the presence of the odorless flatulence without the presence of a defecation product in the toilet bowl in response to receiving the sensing data representing a hydrogen gas concentration higher than a reference concentration, and image data from the camera indicating the absence of the defecation product in the toilet bowl; and
outputting to the terminal with the hardware processor the determination that the person is constipated to inform the caregiver or family member of the need to obtain constipation treatment for the person.