Information processing apparatus, information processing method, and non-transitory computer-readable medium

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12435501-B2
Application number	US-202218684283-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 4, 2022
Priority date	Aug 30, 2021
Publication date	Oct 7, 2025
Grant date	Oct 7, 2025

Abstract

An information processing apparatus includes a housing in which a distance sensor is placed, fittings attaching the housing to a toilet bowl in a toilet, and a control unit. The sensor measures the distance to an object located in a direction of the inside of a toilet seat installed on the bowl when the seat is placed on the top surface of a rim of the bowl. The control unit detects that a user of the toilet is in a state of sitting on the seat when a first distance being a result of measurement by the sensor is less than a predetermined threshold value. The fittings are components attaching the housing in such a way that the sensor is placed at a position located inside the rim and located under the seat in the vertical direction when the seat is placed on the top surface of the rim.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An information processing apparatus comprising:
a distance sensor configured to measure a distance to an object located in a direction of an inside of a toilet seat installed on a toilet bowl in a toilet when the toilet seat is placed on a top surface of a rim of the toilet bowl;
a housing in which the distance sensor is placed;
a fitting configured to attach the housing to the toilet bowl;
at least one memory storing instructions; and
at least one processor configured to execute the instructions to detect that a user of the toilet is in a state of sitting on the toilet seat when a first distance being a result of measurement by the distance sensor is less than a predetermined threshold value, wherein
the fitting is a component attaching the housing in such a way that the distance sensor is placed at a position located inside the rim and located under the toilet seat in a vertical direction when the toilet seat is placed on a top surface of the rim.

2. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the at least one processor is configured to execute the instructions to determine that the toilet seat is in a misaligned state when the first distance is less than another predetermined threshold value less than the predetermined threshold value.

3. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the at least one processor is configured to execute the instructions to determine whether the toilet seat is in a misaligned state, based on a second distance being a result of measuring, by the distance sensor, a distance to an inner end of a bottom surface of the toilet seat when the toilet seat is placed on a top surface of the rim.

4. The information processing apparatus according to claim 3 , wherein the at least one processor is configured to execute the instructions to change the predetermined threshold value when determining that the toilet seat is in a misaligned state.

5. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1 , further comprising a communicator,
wherein the at least one processor is configured to execute the instructions to provide notification, through the communicator, to a server, or a terminal device of an observer observing the user when detecting that the user is in a sitting state.

6. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1 , further comprising an information collector configured to be controlled by the at least one processor and collect information about an excretion in the toilet bowl,
wherein the information collector is placed in the housing.

7. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein
the fitting includes an extension part shaped along an inner wall forming an inside of the rim, and
the housing is attached to a tip of the extension part.

8. An information processing method comprising:
measuring, by a distance sensor, a distance to an object located in a direction of an inside of a toilet seat installed on a toilet bowl in a toilet when the toilet seat is placed on a top surface of a rim of the toilet bowl in a state of attaching, by a fitting, a housing in which the distance sensor is placed, in such a way that the distance sensor is placed at a position located inside the rim and located under the toilet seat in a vertical direction when the toilet seat is placed on a top surface of the rim; and
detecting that a user of the toilet is in a state of sitting on the toilet seat when a first distance being a result of measurement by the distance sensor is less than a predetermined threshold value.

9. The information processing method according to claim 8 , further comprising determining that the toilet seat is in a misaligned state when the first distance is less than another predetermined threshold value less than the predetermined threshold value.

10. The information processing method according to claim 8 , further comprising determining whether the toilet seat is in a misaligned state, based on a second distance being a result of measuring, by the distance sensor, a distance to an inner end of a bottom surface of the toilet seat when the toilet seat is placed on a top surface of the rim.

11. The information processing method according to claim 10 , further comprising changing the predetermined threshold value when determining that the toilet seat is in a misaligned state.

12. The information processing method according to claim 8 , further comprising collecting information about an excretion in the toilet bowl by an information collection apparatus placed in the housing.

13. A non-transitory computer-readable medium on which a program is stored, the program causing a computer to execute processing of:
receiving a first distance being a result of measuring, by a distance sensor, a distance to an object located in a direction of an inside of a toilet seat installed on a toilet bowl in a toilet when the toilet seat is placed on a top surface of a rim of the toilet bowl in a state of attaching, by a fitting, a housing in which the distance sensor is placed, in such a way that the distance sensor is placed at a position located inside the rim and located under the toilet seat in a vertical direction when the toilet seat is placed on a top surface of the rim; and
detecting that a user of the toilet is in a state of sitting on the toilet seat when the first distance is less than a predetermined threshold value.

14. The non-transitory computer-readable medium according to claim 13 , further causing the computer to execute processing of determining that the toilet seat is in a misaligned state when the first distance is less than another predetermined threshold value less than the predetermined threshold value.

15. The non-transitory computer-readable medium according to claim 13 , further causing the computer to execute processing of:
receiving a second distance being a result of measuring, by the distance sensor, a distance to an inner end of a bottom surface of the toilet seat when the toilet seat is placed on a top surface of the rim; and
determining whether the toilet seat is in a misaligned state, based on the second distance.

16. The non-transitory computer-readable medium according to claim 15 , further causing the computer to execute processing of changing the predetermined threshold value when determining that the toilet seat is in a misaligned state.

17. The non-transitory computer-readable medium according to claim 13 , further causing the computer to execute processing of receiving information about an excretion in the toilet bowl, the information being collected by an information collection apparatus placed in the housing.

Assignees

• Paramount Bed Kk

Inventors

• Kumagai Junpei
• Yamaguchi Keita
• Aota Ikuhiro
• Katayanagi Hiroshi
• Ohishi Kazutoshi
• Yamamoto Takeshi
• Kobayashi Hirokazu
• OBARA Takeyoshi

Classifications

• A47K13/24

  Parts or details not covered in, or of interest apart from, groups A47K13/02 - A47K13/22 · CPC title

• E03D5/105

  touchless, e.g. using sensors · CPC title

• A47K17/00

  Other sanitary equipment not covered by the other groups of this subclass {; Holders for toilet brushes} · CPC title

• E03D9/00 Primary

  Sanitary or other accessories for lavatories (hand tools for cleaning the toilet bowl A47K11/10; seats or covers for closets A47K13/00; body supports, other than seats for closets A47K17/02; devices for preventing contamination of drinking-water pipes E03C1/10 ){; Devices for cleaning or disinfecting the toilet room or the toilet bowl; Devices for eliminating smells (cleaning, disinfecting or deodorising the seat A47K13/30)} · CPC title