U.S. patent application number 12/838832 was filed with the patent office on 2010-12-02 for apparatus for calculating nutrient requirement amount, an apparatus for suggesting a nutritional supplement, a blending apparatus of a nutritional supplement and a blending system of a nutritional supplement.
This patent application is currently assigned to NUTRITION ACT. CO., LTD.. Invention is credited to Masahito Ishikawa, Kayo Sano.
Application Number | 20100305968 12/838832 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 11737499 |
Filed Date | 2010-12-02 |
United States Patent
Application |
20100305968 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Ishikawa; Masahito ; et
al. |
December 2, 2010 |
APPARATUS FOR CALCULATING NUTRIENT REQUIREMENT AMOUNT, AN APPARATUS
FOR SUGGESTING A NUTRITIONAL SUPPLEMENT, A BLENDING APPARATUS OF A
NUTRITIONAL SUPPLEMENT AND A BLENDING SYSTEM OF A NUTRITIONAL
SUPPLEMENT
Abstract
It is provided with a medical inquiry processing unit for
acquiring the response to a medical inquiry presenting medical
inquiry items to a person to be examined, a nutrient requirement
amount calculating unit for calculating the nutrient requirement
amount of the person to be examined from the response to the
medical inquiry, a nutritional supplement suggesting unit for
suggesting the blend of a nutritional supplement based on the
nutrient requirement amount of the person to be examined and a
nutritional supplement blending unit for blending nutrients to
prepare the nutritional supplement based on the blend of the
nutritional supplement.
Inventors: |
Ishikawa; Masahito; (Tokyo,
JP) ; Sano; Kayo; (Tokyo, JP) |
Correspondence
Address: |
NUTTER MCCLENNEN & FISH LLP
SEAPORT WEST, 155 SEAPORT BOULEVARD
BOSTON
MA
02210-2604
US
|
Assignee: |
NUTRITION ACT. CO., LTD.
Tokyo
JP
|
Family ID: |
11737499 |
Appl. No.: |
12/838832 |
Filed: |
August 3, 2010 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
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10745741 |
Dec 23, 2003 |
7778843 |
|
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12838832 |
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PCT/JP01/05624 |
Jun 29, 2001 |
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10745741 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
705/2 |
Current CPC
Class: |
G16H 20/60 20180101;
G06Q 20/3674 20130101; G16H 10/20 20180101 |
Class at
Publication: |
705/2 |
International
Class: |
G06Q 50/00 20060101
G06Q050/00 |
Claims
1-13. (canceled)
14. An apparatus for calculating nutrient requirement amount of a
person to be examined from a response to a medical inquiry,
comprising: a medical inquiry response acquiring unit for acquiring
said response to said medical inquiry of a medical inquiry item
from said person to be examined; an insufficient nutrient
processing unit for determining an insufficient degree of nutrient
corresponding to each response to said medical inquiry acquired by
said medical inquiry response acquiring unit; and a nutrient
requirement amount calculating unit for calculating said nutrient
requirement amount of said person to be examined based on a result
of accumulating said insufficient degree of nutrient, wherein said
nutrient requirement amount calculating unit comprises a
restriction processing unit for adjusting said nutrient requirement
amount based on predetermined restriction information about said
nutrient requirement amount.
15. An apparatus for calculating nutrient requirement amount as
claimed in claim 14, wherein said nutrient requirement amount
calculating unit further comprises a nutrient-for-purpose
processing unit for adjusting said nutrient requirement amount
based on a life goal of said person to be examined acquired from an
outer part.
16. An apparatus for calculating nutrient requirement amount as
claimed in claim 14, wherein said nutrient requirement amount
calculating unit reduces said insufficient degree of nutrient,
which results from accumulation corresponding to each response to
said medical inquiry, in comparison to a first time in regard to at
least one of responses to said medical inquiry, during said medical
inquiry except said first time.
17. An apparatus for calculating nutrient requirement amount as
claimed in claim 14, wherein said nutrient requirement amount
calculating unit further comprises an interaction processing unit
for adjusting said nutrient requirement amount based on
predetermined information about interaction of nutrients.
18-61. (canceled)
Description
[0001] The present application is a continuation application of
PCT/JP01/05624 filed on Jun. 29, 2001, the contents of which are
incorporated herein by reference.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0002] 1. Field of the Invention
[0003] The present invention relates to an apparatus for
calculating nutrient requirement amount, an apparatus for
suggesting a nutritional supplement, a blending apparatus of a
nutritional supplement and a blending system of a nutritional
supplement.
[0004] 2. Related Art
[0005] The art of performing nutritional guidance through examining
the nutritional condition of a person to be examined is disclosed
in, e.g., Japanese Patent Applications Publication No. 2001-101157
and 2000-158853.
[0006] The application Publication No. 2001-101157 provides a
device and a system that suggest information about a recipe for a
meal to a person to be examined by using the nutritive value and
the necessary nutritive value.
[0007] The application Publication No. 2000-158853 provides an
apparatus and a system that inform a person to be examined whether
a latent trace nutrient deficiency disease exists for nutritional
guidance by evaluating the medical inquiry result of eating habits
and health conditions and summarizing the result of the
evaluation.
[0008] The reason why the person to be examined aims to improve his
or her nutritional condition is not only to fill his or herself
with necessary nutrients merely but to achieve his or her various
life goals such as beauty, health, diet and the like.
[0009] Conventionally, it was difficult to support the nutritional
ingestion corresponding to the constitution or the life goal of
each of the people examined.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0010] Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to
overcome the above drawbacks accompanying the conventional art. The
above and other objects can be achieved by blends described in the
independent claims. The dependent claims define further
advantageous and exemplary blends of the present invention.
[0011] In order to solve the problems above, according to the first
aspect of the present invention, an apparatus for calculating
nutrient requirement amount of a person to be examined from a
response to a medical inquiry, includes a medical inquiry response
acquiring unit for acquiring a plurality of responses to the
medical inquiry from the person to be examined at a different time
or on a different day, an insufficient nutrient processing unit for
determining an insufficient degree of nutrient corresponding to
each response to the medical inquiry acquired by the medical
inquiry response acquiring unit and a nutrient requirement amount
calculating unit for calculating the nutrient requirement amount of
the person to be examined based on a result of accumulating the
insufficient degree of nutrient.
[0012] The apparatus for calculating nutrient requirement amount
may further include a medical inquiry processing unit for selecting
a medical inquiry item for the person to be examined from a medical
inquiry item database based on change in the nutrient requirement
amount of the person to be examined caused by passage of time,
during the medical inquiry except a first time.
[0013] The apparatus for calculating nutrient requirement amount
may further include a medical inquiry processing unit for selecting
a medical inquiry item for the person to be examined from a medical
inquiry item database based on a life goal predetermined by the
person to be examined, during the medical inquiry except a first
time.
[0014] The apparatus for calculating nutrient requirement amount
may further include a medical inquiry processing unit for selecting
a medical inquiry item for the person to be examined from a medical
inquiry item database based on a time interval predetermined for
each medical inquiry item, during the medical inquiry except a
first time.
[0015] The apparatus for calculating nutrient requirement amount
may further include a medical inquiry processing unit for
displaying a medical inquiry item in an order, wherein a necessity
degree of response is from high to low, to a terminal with which
the person to be examined inputs the response to the medical
inquiry, during the medical inquiry except a first time.
[0016] The apparatus for calculating nutrient requirement amount
may further include a medical inquiry history database for storing
a history of the nutrient requirement amount of the person to be
examined and a medical inquiry processing unit for selecting a
medical inquiry item for the person to be examined from a medical
inquiry item database by using the history of the person to be
examined, during the medical inquiry except a first time.
[0017] The apparatus for calculating nutrient requirement amount
may further include a medical inquiry processing unit for selecting
a medical inquiry item to perform the medical inquiry on the person
to be examined, wherein the nutrient requirement amount calculating
unit may output advice about nutrient ingestion to the person to be
examined based on the nutrient requirement amount of the person to
be examined, the medical inquiry processing unit may designate the
medical inquiry item to inquire about a nutrient ingestion
condition indicating whether the person to be examined is taking in
the nutrient requirement amount outputted by the nutrient
requirement amount calculating unit at a previous time and the
nutrient requirement amount calculating unit may calculate the
nutrient requirement amount of the person to be examined based on a
response to a medical inquiry about the nutrient ingestion
condition.
[0018] The nutrient requirement amount calculating unit may output
medical treatment recommendation information to recommend medical
treatment at a medical institution, in case of judging that the
person to be examined is taking in the nutrient based on the
nutrient requirement amount and the nutrient requirement amount of
the person to be examined is not improved in regard to at least one
of the nutrients, as a result of the medical inquiry about the
nutrient ingestion condition.
[0019] The nutrient requirement amount calculating unit may further
include a disease name presuming unit for judging a presumed
disease name based on a result of calculating the nutrient
requirement amount of the person to be examined, and outputs the
presumed disease name as the medical treatment recommendation
information.
[0020] The nutrient requirement amount calculating unit may further
include a disease name presuming unit for judging a presumed
disease name based on a result of calculating the nutrient
requirement amount and a medical institution recommending unit for
selecting a recommended medical institution corresponding to the
presumed disease name, and may output the recommended medical
institution as the medical treatment recommendation
information.
[0021] According to the second aspect of the present invention, an
apparatus for calculating nutrient requirement amount of a person
to be examined from a response to a medical inquiry, includes a
medical inquiry response acquiring unit for acquiring the response
to the medical inquiry of a medical inquiry item from the person to
be examined, an insufficient nutrient processing unit for
determining an insufficient degree of nutrient corresponding to
each response to the medical inquiry acquired by the medical
inquiry response acquiring unit and a nutrient requirement amount
calculating unit for calculating the nutrient requirement amount of
the person to be examined based on living environment information
indicating a living environment of the person to be examined
acquired from an outer part and a result of accumulating the
insufficient degree of nutrient.
[0022] The nutrient requirement amount calculating unit may further
include a living environment database for storing the living
environment information corresponding to each region and a living
environment searching unit for acquiring the living environment
information corresponding to an address of the person to be
examined by searching the living environment database by using the
address predetermined by the person to be examined, and may
calculate the nutrient requirement amount of the person to be
examined by using the living environment information searched by
the living environment searching unit.
[0023] The nutrient requirement amount calculating unit may further
include a living environment database for storing the living
environment information corresponding to each region, a living
environment searching unit for acquiring the living environment
information corresponding to an address of the person to be
examined by searching the living environment database by using the
address predetermined by the person to be examined and a workplace
living environment searching unit for acquiring living environment
information corresponding to an address of a workplace of the
person to be examined by searching the living environment database
by using the address of the workplace predetermined by the person
to be examined, and may calculate the nutrient requirement amount
of the person to be examined by using the living environment
information corresponding to the address and the address of the
workplace.
[0024] According to the third aspect of the present invention, an
apparatus for calculating nutrient requirement amount of a person
to be examined from a response to a medical inquiry, includes a
medical inquiry response acquiring unit for acquiring the response
to the medical inquiry of a medical inquiry item from the person to
be examined, an insufficient nutrient processing unit for
determining an insufficient degree of nutrient corresponding to
each response to the medical inquiry acquired by the medical
inquiry response acquiring unit and a nutrient requirement amount
calculating unit for calculating the nutrient requirement amount of
the person to be examined based on a result of accumulating the
insufficient degree of nutrient, wherein the nutrient requirement
amount calculating unit includes a restriction processing unit for
adjusting the nutrient requirement amount based on predetermined
restriction information about the nutrient requirement amount.
[0025] The nutrient requirement amount calculating unit may further
include a nutrient-for-purpose processing unit for adjusting the
nutrient requirement amount based on a life goal of the person to
be examined acquired from an outer part.
[0026] The nutrient requirement amount calculating unit may reduce
the insufficient degree of nutrient, which results from
accumulation corresponding to each response to the medical inquiry,
in comparison to a first time in regard to at least one of
responses to the medical inquiry, during the medical inquiry except
the first time.
[0027] The nutrient requirement amount calculating unit may further
include an interaction processing unit for adjusting the nutrient
requirement amount based on predetermined information about
interaction of nutrients.
[0028] According to the fourth aspect of the present invention, an
apparatus for calculating nutrient requirement amount of a person
to be examined from a response to a medical inquiry, includes a
nutrient requirement amount calculating unit for acquiring the
response of the person to be examined to the medical inquiry of a
medical inquiry item from an outer part and calculating the
nutrient requirement amount of the person to be examined based on a
result of accumulating insufficient nutrients corresponding to each
response to the medical inquiry, a correlation processing unit for
analyzing a correlation between the nutrient requirement amount
judged by the nutrient requirement amount calculating unit and a
living environment acquired from an outer part, in regard to a
plurality of people to be examined and a medical inquiry processing
unit for designating the medical inquiry item to perform the
medical inquiry on the person to be examined by using a result of
the analysis of the correlation.
[0029] According to the fifth aspect of the present invention, an
apparatus for calculating nutrient requirement amount of a person
to be examined from a response to a medical inquiry, includes a
nutrient requirement amount calculating unit for acquiring the
response of the person to be examined to the medical inquiry of a
medical inquiry item from an outer part and calculating the
nutrient requirement amount of the person to be examined based on a
result of accumulating insufficient nutrients corresponding to each
response to the medical inquiry, a correlation processing unit for
analyzing a correlation between the nutrient requirement amount
calculated by the nutrient requirement amount calculating unit and
a life goal acquired from an outer part, in regard to a plurality
of people to be examined and a medical inquiry processing unit for
designating a medical inquiry item to perform the medical inquiry
on the person to be examined by using a result of the analysis of
the correlation.
[0030] According to the sixth aspect of the present invention, an
apparatus for suggesting a blend of a nutritional supplement by
calculating nutrient requirement amount of a person to be examined
from a response to a medical inquiry, includes a nutrient
requirement amount calculating unit for calculating the nutrient
requirement amount of the person to be examined by acquiring the
response of the person to be examined to the medical inquiry of a
medical inquiry item and a nutritional supplement suggesting unit
for suggesting the blend of the nutritional supplement based on
information about the nutrient requirement amount of the person to
be examined calculated by the nutrient requirement amount
calculating unit.
[0031] The nutrient requirement amount calculating unit may
calculate the nutrient requirement amount of the person to be
examined based on the response of the person to be examined to the
medical inquiry acquired from a plurality of outer parts at a
different time or on a different day.
[0032] The apparatus for suggesting a blend of a nutritional
supplement may further include a medical inquiry processing unit
for selecting the medical inquiry item for the person to be
examined from a medical inquiry item database based on change in
the nutrient requirement amount of the person to be examined caused
by passage of time, during the medical inquiry except a first
time.
[0033] The apparatus for suggesting a blend of a nutritional
supplement may further include a medical inquiry processing unit
for selecting the medical inquiry item for the person to be
examined from a medical inquiry item database based on a life goal
predetermined by the person to be examined, during the medical
inquiry except a first time.
[0034] The apparatus for suggesting a blend of a nutritional
supplement may further include a medical inquiry processing unit
for selecting the medical inquiry item for the person to be
examined from a medical inquiry item database based on a time
interval predetermined for each medical inquiry item, during the
medical inquiry except a first time.
[0035] The apparatus for suggesting a blend of a nutritional
supplement may further include a medical inquiry processing unit
for displaying the medical inquiry item in an order, wherein a
necessity degree of response is from high to low, to a terminal
with which the person to be examined inputs the response to the
medical inquiry, during the medical inquiry except a first
time.
[0036] The apparatus for suggesting a blend of a nutritional
supplement may further include a medical inquiry history database
for storing a history of the nutrient requirement amount of the
person to be examined and a medical inquiry processing unit for
selecting the medical inquiry item for the person to be examined
from a medical inquiry item database by using the history of the
person to be examined, during the medical inquiry except a first
time.
[0037] The apparatus for suggesting a blend of a nutritional
supplement may further include a medical inquiry processing unit
for selecting the medical inquiry item of a nutrient ingestion
condition indicating whether the person to be examined is taking in
the nutritional supplement suggested by the nutritional supplement
blending unit at a previous time, wherein the nutrient requirement
amount calculating unit calculates the nutrient requirement amount
of the person to be examined based on the response to the medical
inquiry about the nutrient ingestion condition.
[0038] The nutrient requirement amount calculating unit may output
medical treatment recommendation information recommending medical
treatment at a medical institution, in case of judging that the
person to be examined is taking in the nutritional supplement and
the nutrient requirement amount of the person to be examined is not
improved in regard to at least one of the nutrients, as a result of
the medical inquiry about the nutrient ingestion condition.
[0039] The nutrient requirement amount calculating unit may further
include a disease name presuming unit for judging a presumed
disease name based on a result of calculating the nutrient
requirement amount of the person to be examined, and outputs the
presumed disease name as the medical treatment recommendation
information.
[0040] The nutrient requirement amount calculating unit may further
include a disease name presuming unit for judging a presumed
disease name based on a result of calculating the nutrient
requirement amount of the person to be examined and a medical
institution recommending unit for selecting a recommended medical
institution corresponding to the presumed disease name, and may
output the recommended medical institution as the medical treatment
recommendation information.
[0041] The nutrient requirement amount calculating unit may
calculate the nutrient requirement amount of the person to be
examined by using living environment information indicating a
living environment of the person to be examined from an outer
part.
[0042] The nutrient requirement amount calculating unit may further
include a living environment database for storing the living
environment information corresponding to each region and a living
environment searching unit for acquiring the living environment
information corresponding to an address of the person to be
examined by searching the living environment database by using the
address predetermined by the person to be examined, and may
calculate the nutrient requirement amount of the person to be
examined by using the living environment information searched by
the living environment searching unit.
[0043] The nutrient requirement amount calculating unit may further
include a living environment database for storing the living
environment information corresponding to each region, a living
environment searching unit for acquiring the living environment
information corresponding to an address of the person to be
examined by searching the living environment database by using the
address predetermined by the person to be examined and a workplace
living environment searching unit for acquiring living environment
information corresponding to an address of a workplace of the
person to be examined by searching the living environment database
by using the address of the workplace predetermined by the person
to be examined, and may calculate the nutrient requirement amount
of the person to be examined by using the living environment
information corresponding to the address and the address of the
workplace.
[0044] The nutrient requirement amount calculating unit may
calculate the nutrient requirement amount of the person to be
examined by using a life goal predetermined by the person to be
examined.
[0045] The nutrient requirement amount calculating unit may further
include an interaction processing unit for adjusting the nutrient
requirement amount based on predetermined information about
interaction of nutrients.
[0046] The nutrient requirement amount calculating unit may further
include a restriction processing unit for adjusting the nutrient
requirement amount based on predetermined restriction information
about nutrient amount.
[0047] The apparatus for suggesting a blend of a nutritional
supplement may further include a correlation processing unit for
analyzing a correlation between a nutritional condition judged by
the nutrient requirement amount calculating unit and a living
environment acquired from an outer part, in regard to a plurality
of people to be examined and a medical inquiry processing unit for
designating the medical inquiry item to perform the medical inquiry
on the person to be examined by using a result of the analysis of
the correlation.
[0048] The apparatus for suggesting a blend of a nutritional
supplement may further include a correlation processing unit for
analyzing a correlation between a nutritional condition judged by
the nutrient requirement amount calculating unit and a life goal
predetermined by the person to be examined, in regard to a
plurality of people to be examined and a medical inquiry processing
unit for designating the medical inquiry item to perform the
medical inquiry on the person to be examined by using a result of
the analysis of the correlation.
[0049] The apparatus for suggesting a blend of a nutritional
supplement may further include a preparation request receiving unit
for receiving a preparation request of the nutritional supplement
based on the blend suggested by the nutritional supplement
suggesting unit from the person to be examined, wherein the
preparation request receiving unit may allow the nutritional
supplement suggesting unit to make a preparation request of the
nutritional supplement to an outer part, in case of receiving the
preparation request from the person to be examined.
[0050] The medical inquiry item may include an item to perform a
medical inquiry about a taste, which is requested by the person to
be examined, of the nutritional supplement suggested by the
nutritional supplement suggesting unit, and the nutritional
supplement suggesting unit may suggest a blend, to which an
ingredient adjusting the nutritional supplement to have the taste
designated by the person to be examined is added, as the blend of
the nutritional supplement.
[0051] The medical inquiry item may include an item to perform a
medical inquiry about a color, which is requested by the person to
be examined, of the nutritional supplement suggested by the
nutritional supplement suggesting unit, and the nutritional
supplement suggesting unit may suggest a blend, to which an
ingredient adjusting the nutritional supplement to have the color
designated by the person to be examined is added, as the blend of
the nutritional supplement.
[0052] The medical inquiry item may include an item to perform a
medical inquiry about a smell, which is requested by the person to
be examined, of the nutritional supplement suggested by the
nutritional supplement suggesting unit, and the nutritional
supplement suggesting unit may suggest a blend, to which an
ingredient adjusting the nutritional supplement to have the smell
designated by the person to be examined is added, as the blend of
the nutritional supplement.
[0053] The medical inquiry item may include an item to perform a
medical inquiry about a shape, which is requested by the person to
be examined, of the nutritional supplement suggested by the
nutritional supplement suggesting unit, and the nutritional
supplement suggesting unit may suggest a blend based on the shape
designated by the person to be examined.
[0054] According to the seventh aspect of the present invention, a
blending apparatus of a nutritional supplement for blending
nutrients to prepare the nutritional supplement based on a result
of checking a nutritional condition of a person to be examined,
includes a customer authentication inputting unit for acquiring
customer identification information to identify the person to be
examined from an outer part, a nutritional supplement blend
acquiring unit for acquiring blend information about a blend of the
nutritional supplement corresponding to the person to be examined
from an outer part and a nutritional supplement blending unit for
blending nutrients to prepare the nutritional supplement based on
the blend information.
[0055] The customer authentication inputting unit may acquire the
customer identification information from an outer part by using a
recording medium on which the customer identification information
is recorded.
[0056] The blending apparatus of a nutritional supplement as
claimed may further include a preparation request receiving unit
for receiving a preparation request of the nutritional supplement
based on the blend information from the person to be examined,
wherein the preparation request receiving unit may allow the
nutritional supplement blending unit to blend nutrients to prepare
the nutritional supplement, in case the person to be examined
receives the preparation request.
[0057] The nutritional supplement blend acquiring unit may acquire
information about a taste designated by the person to be examined
from an outer part, and the nutritional supplement blending unit
may add an ingredient, which adjusts a taste of the nutritional
supplement based on the information about the taste designated by
the person to be examined, to the nutritional supplement.
[0058] The nutritional supplement blend acquiring unit may acquire
information about a color designated by the person to be examined
from an outer part, and the nutritional supplement blending unit
may add an ingredient, which adjusts a color of the nutritional
supplement based on the information about the color designated by
the person to be examined, to the nutritional supplement.
[0059] The nutritional supplement blend acquiring unit may acquire
information about a smell designated by the person to be examined
from an outer part, and the nutritional supplement blending unit
may add an ingredient, which adjusts a smell of the nutritional
supplement based on the information about the smell designated by
the person to be examined, to the nutritional supplement.
[0060] The nutritional supplement blend acquiring unit may acquire
information about a shape designated by the person to be examined
from an outer part, and the nutritional supplement blending unit
may select a shape of the nutritional supplement based on the
information about the shape designated by the person to be
examined.
[0061] According to the eighth aspect of the present invention, a
blending apparatus of a nutritional supplement for blending
nutrients to prepare the nutritional supplement based on a result
of checking a nutritional condition of a person to be examined,
includes a medical inquiry processing unit for presenting a medical
inquiry item to the person to be examined and acquiring a response
to a medical inquiry, a nutritional supplement blend acquiring unit
for acquiring blend information indicating a blend of the
nutritional supplement corresponding to the person to be examined
by using the response to the medical inquiry and a nutritional
supplement blending unit for blending nutrients to prepare the
nutritional supplement based on the blend information.
[0062] The blending apparatus of a nutritional supplement may
further include a customer authentication inputting unit for
acquiring customer identification information to identify the
person to be examined from an outer part, wherein the response to
the medical inquiry, which corresponds to the person to be
examined, may be renewed by using the customer identification
information and the response to the medical inquiry.
[0063] The blending apparatus of a nutritional supplement may
further include a preparation request receiving unit for receiving
a preparation request of the nutritional supplement based on the
blend information from the person to be examined, wherein the
preparation request receiving unit may allow the nutritional
supplement blending unit to blend nutrients to prepare the
nutritional supplement, in case the person to be examined receives
the preparation request.
[0064] The nutritional supplement blend acquiring unit may acquire
information about a taste designated by the person to be examined
from an outer part, and the nutritional supplement blending unit
may add an ingredient, which adjusts a taste of the nutritional
supplement based on the information about the taste designated by
the person to be examined, to the nutritional supplement.
[0065] The nutritional supplement blend acquiring unit may acquire
information about a color designated by the person to be examined
from an outer part, and the nutritional supplement blending unit
may add an ingredient, which adjusts a color of the nutritional
supplement based on the information about the color designated by
the person to be examined, to the nutritional supplement.
[0066] The nutritional supplement blend acquiring unit may acquire
information about a smell designated by the person to be examined
from an outer part, and the nutritional supplement blending unit
may add an ingredient, which adjusts a smell of the nutritional
supplement based on the information about the smell designated by
the person to be examined, to the nutritional supplement.
[0067] The nutritional supplement blend acquiring unit may acquire
information about a shape designated by the person to be examined
from an outer part, and the nutritional supplement blending unit
may select a shape of the nutritional supplement based on the
information about the shape designated by the person to be
examined.
[0068] According to the ninth aspect of the present invention, a
blending system of a nutritional supplement for blending nutrients
to prepare the nutritional supplement based on a result of checking
a nutritional condition of a person to be examined from a response
to a medical inquiry, includes an apparatus for suggesting a blend
of the nutritional supplement for checking the nutritional
condition of the person to be examined from the response to the
medical inquiry and a blending apparatus of the nutritional
supplement for blending nutrients to prepare the nutritional
supplement suggested by the apparatus for suggesting a nutritional
supplement, wherein the apparatus for suggesting a nutritional
supplement may include a nutrient requirement amount calculating
unit for calculating nutrient requirement amount of the person to
be examined by acquiring the response to the medical inquiry
corresponding to a medical inquiry item and a nutritional
supplement suggesting unit for suggesting the blend of the
nutritional supplement based on information about the nutrient
requirement amount of the person to be examined acquired by the
nutrient requirement amount calculating unit.
[0069] According to the tenth aspect of the present invention, a
blending apparatus of a nutritional supplement for blending
nutrients to prepare the nutritional supplement based on a result
of checking a nutritional condition of a person to be examined,
includes a medical inquiry processing unit for presenting a medical
inquiry item to the person to be examined and acquiring a response
to a medical inquiry, a nutrient requirement amount calculating
unit for calculating nutrient requirement amount of the person to
be examined from the response to the medical inquiry, a nutritional
supplement suggesting unit for suggesting a blend of the
nutritional supplement based on the nutrient requirement amount of
the person to be examined and a nutritional supplement blending
unit for blending nutrients to prepare the nutritional supplement
based on the blend of the nutritional supplement.
[0070] The blending apparatus of a nutritional supplement may
further include a preparation request receiving unit for receiving
a preparation request of the nutritional supplement based on blend
information from the person to be examined, wherein the preparation
request receiving unit may allow the nutritional supplement
blending unit to blend nutrients to prepare the nutritional
supplement, in case the person to be examined receives the
preparation request.
[0071] According to the eleventh aspect of the present invention, a
blending apparatus of a nutritional supplement for blending
nutrients to prepare a nutritional supplement based on a result of
checking a nutritional condition of a person to be examined,
includes a nutritional supplement blend acquiring unit for
acquiring blend information indicating a blend of the nutritional
supplement corresponding to the person to be examined from a
portable recording medium on which the blend information is
recorded and a nutritional supplement blending unit for blending
nutrients to prepare the nutritional supplement based on the blend
information.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS
[0072] FIG. 1 shows a client-server type calculator system
including a blending system of a nutritional supplement according
to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention.
[0073] FIG. 2 shows an example of a blending system of a
nutritional supplement 1002 according to an exemplary embodiment of
the present invention.
[0074] FIG. 3 is a flowchart that shows a preparation flow of a
nutritional supplement according to an exemplary embodiment of the
present invention.
[0075] FIG. 4 shows an example of a personal information database
1200 according to an exemplary embodiment of the present
invention.
[0076] FIG. 5 shows an example of a medical inquiry item database
1210 according to an exemplary embodiment of the present
invention.
[0077] FIG. 6 shows an example of a medical inquiry history
database 1230 according to an exemplary embodiment of the present
invention.
[0078] FIG. 7 shows an example of a living environment database
1250 according to an exemplary embodiment of the present
invention.
[0079] FIG. 8 shows an example of a medical inquiry response
database 1220 according to an exemplary embodiment of the present
invention.
[0080] FIG. 9 shows an example of a nutrient database 1240
according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention.
[0081] FIG. 10 shows an example of a nutrient database 1260
according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention.
[0082] FIG. 11 shows an example of a presumed disease name database
1280 according to an exemplary embodiment of the present
invention.
[0083] FIG. 12 shows an example of a medical institution database
1290 according to an exemplary embodiment of the present
invention.
[0084] FIG. 13 shows an example of a correlation database 1270
according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention.
[0085] FIG. 14 is a flowchart that shows a medical inquiry process
of a medical inquiry processing unit 1020 according to an exemplary
embodiment of the present invention.
[0086] FIG. 15 is a flowchart that shows a total nutrient process,
an interaction process and a nutrient-for-purpose process of a
nutrient amount processing unit 1050 according to an exemplary
embodiment of the present invention.
[0087] FIG. 16 is a flowchart that shows a restriction process of a
nutrient amount processing unit 1050 according to an exemplary
embodiment of the present invention.
[0088] FIG. 17 is a flowchart that shows a correlation process of a
correlation processing unit 1040 according to an exemplary
embodiment of the present invention.
[0089] FIG. 18 shows an example of the hardware configuration of a
blending system of a nutritional supplement 1002 according to an
exemplary embodiment of the present invention.
[0090] FIG. 19 shows an example of a blending system of a
nutritional supplement 1002 according to an alternatively exemplary
embodiment of the present invention.
[0091] FIG. 20 shows an example of a blending apparatus of a
nutritional supplement 1910 according to an alternatively exemplary
embodiment of the present invention.
[0092] FIG. 21 shows an example of an apparatus for suggesting a
nutritional supplement 1900 according to an alternatively exemplary
embodiment of the present invention.
[0093] FIG. 22 shows an example of a blending apparatus of a
nutritional supplement 1910 according to another alternatively
exemplary embodiment of the present invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
[0094] The invention will now be described based on the preferred
embodiments, which do not intend to limit the scope of the present
invention, but exemplify the invention. All of the features and the
blends thereof described in the embodiment are not necessarily
essential to the invention.
[0095] FIG. 1 shows a client-server type calculator system
including a blending system of a nutritional supplement according
to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention. The calculator
system includes a terminal 1000, a network 1001 and a blending
system of a nutritional supplement 1002.
[0096] The terminal 1000 is for a customer, a person to be
examined, to access the blending system of a nutritional supplement
1002. The network 1001 allows the terminal 1000 and the blending
system of a nutritional supplement 1002 to be coupled each other.
The network 1001 may be the Internet, the local area network, the
public switched telephone network or any blend of those.
[0097] The blending system of a nutritional supplement 1002
provides a customer, who accesses it via the network 1001 through
the terminal 1000, with a service to prepare nutritional
supplements desired by the customer. The nutritional supplements
prepared by the blending system of a nutritional supplement 1002
arrive at the customer through means such as a delivery, receipt at
the store or the like.
[0098] FIG. 2 shows an example of the configuration of a blending
system of a nutritional supplement 1002 according to an exemplary
embodiment of the present invention.
[0099] The blending system of a nutritional supplement 1002
includes a customer authenticating unit 1010, a medical inquiry
processing unit 1020, an environment searching unit 1025, a
nutrient requirement amount calculating unit 1030, a nutritional
supplement suggesting unit 1130, a preparation request inputting
unit 1140, a nutritional supplement blending unit 1150, a personal
information database 1200, a medical inquiry item database 1210, a
medical inquiry history database 1230, and a living environment
database 1250.
[0100] The medical inquiry processing unit 1020 is an example of a
medical inquiry response acquiring unit and a medical inquiry
processing unit according to the present invention. The environment
searching unit 1025 is an example of a living environment searching
unit and a workplace living environment searching unit according to
the present invention. The nutrient requirement amount calculating
unit 1030 is an example of an insufficient nutrient processing unit
and a nutrient requirement amount calculating unit according to the
present invention. The preparation request inputting unit 1140 is
an example of a preparation request receiving unit according to the
present invention.
[0101] The customer authenticating unit 1010 performs
authentication on a customer who accesses it via the network 1001
with the terminal 1000 by using customer ID in the personal
information database 1200. And, the customer authenticating unit
1010 acquires the personal information of the customer in the
personal information database 1200 and sends it to the medical
inquiry processing unit 1020.
[0102] The medical inquiry processing unit 1020 selects medical
inquiry items for the customer based on the medical inquiry item
data in the medical inquiry item database 1210, the medical inquiry
history in the medical inquiry history database 1230 and the
correlation between the living environment or the life goal and the
insufficient degree of nutrient in the correlation database 1270,
and sends them to the terminal 1000 via the network 1001. In
addition, the medical inquiry processing unit 1020 acquires the
response to the medical inquiry from the terminal 1000 via the
network and sends the personal information received from the
customer authenticating unit 1010 and the response to the medical
inquiry to the environment searching unit 1025.
[0103] The environment searching unit 1025 searches the living
environment of the region from the living environment database 1250
by using the address and the address of the workplace included in
the personal information of the customer received from the medical
inquiry processing unit 1020 and adds it to the response to the
medical inquiry.
[0104] And, the environment searching unit 1025 sends the personal
information of the customer received from the medical inquiry
processing unit 1020 and the added response to the medical inquiry
to the nutrient requirement amount calculating unit 1030.
[0105] The nutrient requirement amount calculating unit 1030
calculates the nutrient requirement amount indicating the amount of
nutrient the customer has to take in a day based on the personal
information of the customer and the response to the medical inquiry
received from the environment searching unit 1025 and the medical
inquiry history in the medical inquiry history database 1230. And,
it sends the calculated nutrient requirement amount and the
personal information of the customer received from the environment
searching unit 1025 to the nutritional supplement suggesting unit
1130. In addition, if the customer is presumed to be sick as the
result of the medical inquiry, the nutrient requirement amount
calculating unit 1030 sends the medical treatment recommendation
information including the presumed disease name and the recommended
medical institution to the nutritional supplement suggesting unit
1130.
[0106] The nutritional supplement suggesting unit 1130 generates
the blend information about the nutritional supplement based on the
nutrient requirement amount received from the nutrient requirement
amount calculating unit 1030. The blend of nutritional supplements
result from a blend of ready-made nutritional supplements and
nutritional supplements newly determined for the customer. And, the
nutritional supplement suggesting unit 1130 sends the generated
blend information to the preparation request inputting unit 1140
together with the personal information of the customer received
from the nutrient requirement amount calculating unit 1030. In
addition, if the nutritional supplement suggesting unit 1130
receives the medical treatment recommendation information from the
nutrient requirement amount calculating unit 1030, it sends the
medical treatment recommendation information to the preparation
request inputting unit 1140.
[0107] The preparation request inputting unit 1140 checks whether
the customer requests the preparation of the nutritional supplement
based on the blend information received from the nutritional
supplement suggesting unit 1130. In other words, the preparation
request inputting unit 1140 allows the terminal 1000 to display the
blend information and a message, e.g., "Do you request us to
prepare the nutritional supplement based on this blend?", via the
network 1001 for the customer. And, the preparation request
inputting unit 1140 allows the customer to input whether to request
the preparation and the amount of the nutritional supplement to be
prepared in case of requesting the preparation by using the
terminal 1000. And, when the customer requests the preparation, the
preparation request inputting unit 1140 sends the blend information
to the nutritional supplement blending unit 1150 together with the
personal information of the customer received from the nutritional
supplement suggesting unit 1130. And, if the preparation request
inputting unit 1140 receives the medical treatment recommendation
information from the nutritional supplement suggesting unit 1130,
it informs the customer of the medical treatment recommendation
information. That is, the preparation request inputting unit 1140
sends the medical treatment recommendation information to the
terminal 1000 via the network 1001 to display the medical treatment
recommendation information.
[0108] In addition, the preparation request inputting unit 1140 may
send the blend information received from the nutritional supplement
suggesting unit 1130 to the terminal 1000 of the customer via the
network 1001. Therefore, the terminal 1000 can record the blend
information onto a recording medium such as a hard disk drive, a
magnetic card, an IC card, flash memory or the like.
[0109] The nutritional supplement blending unit 1150 blends
nutrients for a nutritional supplement based on the blend
information received from the preparation request inputting unit
1140. And, it outputs the blended nutritional supplement to an
addressee based on the personal information of the customer
received from the preparation request inputting unit 1140. The
output to the addressee may be a means such as a destination label
for delivery or an identification label.
[0110] The nutrient requirement amount calculating unit 1030 has a
nutrient amount processing unit 1050, a medical treatment
recommending unit 1060, a correlation processing unit 1040, a
medical inquiry response database 1220, a nutrient database 1240, a
life goal database 1260, a presumed disease name database 1280, a
medical institution database 1290 and a correlation database
1270.
[0111] The nutrient amount processing unit 1050 calculates the
nutrient requirement amount for the customer based on the personal
information of the customer received from the environment searching
unit 1025 and the response to the medical inquiry. And, it sends
the calculated nutrient requirement amount to the nutritional
supplement suggesting unit 1130 together with the personal
information of the customer received from the environment searching
unit 1025.
[0112] The nutrient amount processing unit 1050 includes a total
nutrients processing unit 1070, an interaction processing unit
1080, a nutrient-for-purpose processing unit 1090 and a restriction
processing unit 1100.
[0113] Before calculating the nutrient requirement amount for the
customer, the total nutrients processing unit 1070 calculates the
insufficient degree of nutrient by using the response to the
medical inquiry received from the environment searching unit 1025
and the medical inquiry history in the medical inquiry history
database 1230.
[0114] The medical inquiry response database 1220 holds a value to
be added to the insufficient degree of nutrient corresponding to
each response to the medical inquiry. The total nutrients
processing unit 1070 searches the medical inquiry response database
1220 to acquire the insufficient degree to be added for each
response to the medical inquiry when calculating the insufficient
degree of nutrient. And, the total nutrients processing unit 1070
accumulates the insufficient nutrient corresponding to the response
to the medical inquiry for each response to the medical inquiry in
order to calculate the insufficient degree of nutrient.
[0115] In addition, the total nutrients processing unit 1070 refers
to the medical inquiry history in the medical inquiry history
database 1230 when calculating the insufficient degree of nutrient.
That is, it calculates the insufficient degree of nutrient by
adding the response to the medical inquiry based on the history of
the response to the medical inquiry held in the medical inquiry
history database 1230 in regard to the medical inquiry item the
medical inquiry processing unit 1020 does not carry out to the
customer at that time.
[0116] And, the total nutrients processing unit 1070 stores the
insufficient degree of nutrient calculated in the above process
into the medical inquiry history database 1230.
[0117] Next, the total nutrients processing unit 1070, the
interaction processing unit 1080, the nutrient-for-purpose
processing unit 1090, and the restriction processing unit 1100
calculates the nutrient requirement amount of the customer based on
the insufficient degree of nutrient calculated by the total
nutrients processing unit 1070.
[0118] The total nutrients processing unit 1070 sets an initial
value of the nutrient requirement amount of the customer to be the
insufficient degree of nutrient calculated by the total nutrients
processing unit 1070. And, the total nutrients processing unit 1070
performs a process of adding the nutrient in an integrated manner,
e.g. adding total nutrients corresponding to the number of
insufficient nutrients for the nutrient requirement amount.
[0119] The interaction processing unit 1080 adjusts the nutrient
requirement amount calculated by the total nutrients processing
unit 1070 based on the interaction of nutrients. The interaction
represents an action in which the ingestion amount of one nutrient
affects the ingestion amount of another nutrient. In the
interaction, there are two actions; synergistic effect and
antagonism.
[0120] The synergistic effect represents a useful action in which
ingesting one nutrient causes to help the absorption of another
nutrient. For example, according to "A Method for Ingesting Vitamin
Mineral Recommended by A Pharmacist (2nd Edition)" (Tohru HUkUI,
Maruzen Co., Ltd., p. 68), Vitamin D helps to absorb Ca, Phosphorus
and Vitamin A.
[0121] The antagonism represents an action in which ingesting one
nutrient excessively causes another the nutrient to be
insufficient. For example, according to "A Way of Ingesting Vitamin
and Mineral Recommended by A Pharmacist (2nd Edition)" (Tohru
HUkUI, Maruzen Co., Ltd., p. 121), Phosphorus is closely related to
calcium, and the lack or surplus of them affects each other.
[0122] The interaction processing unit 1080 adjusts the nutrient
requirement amount considering the balance of the nutrients having
the interaction based the interaction represented above.
[0123] The nutrient-for-purpose processing unit 1090 adjusts the
nutrient requirement amount adjusted by the interaction processing
unit 1080 based on a life goal designated by the customer. The life
goal represents a goal on nutrition which a customer desires to
realize by using the blending system of a nutritional supplement
1002. The life goal database 1260 holds the amount of nutrient to
be added for each life goal. The nutrient-for-purpose processing
unit 1090 searches the life goal database 1260 and acquires the
nutrient and the amount to be added corresponding to the life goal
during adjusting the nutrient requirement amount.
[0124] The restriction processing unit 1100 adjusts the nutrient
requirement amount adjusted by the nutrient-for-purpose processing
unit 1090 based on restriction information such as a predetermined
amount to be needed or an upper limit ingestion amount per a day
for each nutrient. In the present embodiment, the predetermined
amount to be needed and the upper limit ingestion amount per a day
are determined based on the data from Health, Labor and Welfare
Ministry (cf. "Visual Wide Food Composition Table in accordance to
`Japanese Food Standard Composition Table`", Resource Council,
Japan Science and Technology Agency, Tokyo Shoseki, p. 280 to 283).
The nutrient database 1240 holds the amount to be needed and the
upper limit ingestion amount of the nutrient for each nutrient. The
restriction processing unit 1100 searches the nutrient database
1240 and acquires the amount to be needed and the upper limit
ingestion amount corresponding to each nutrient when adjusting the
nutrient requirement amount.
[0125] By the sequence described above, the nutrient amount
processing unit 1050 calculates the nutrient requirement amount of
the customer by using the total nutrients processing unit 1070, the
interaction processing unit 1080, the nutrient-for-purpose
processing unit 1090 and the restriction processing unit 1100.
[0126] When the nutritional supplement blending unit 1150 prepares
the nutritional supplement based on the nutrient requirement
amount, the restriction processing unit 1100 stores the nutrient
requirement amount of the nutritional supplement prepared into the
medical inquiry history database 1230.
[0127] The medical treatment recommending unit 1060 sends the
medical treatment recommendation information to the nutritional
supplement suggesting unit 1130 if the customer is presumed to be
sick as the result of the medical inquiry. The medical treatment
recommending unit 1060 includes a disease name presuming unit 1110
for presuming the name of the disease and a medical institution
recommending unit 1120 for recommending a medical institution.
[0128] The disease name presuming unit 1110 presumes the name of
the disease based on the information held by the presumed disease
name database 1280. The presumed disease name database 1280 holds a
presumption condition representing a condition of the response to
the medical inquiry and the nutritional condition, the presumed
disease name representing the name of the disease presumed in case
the presumption condition is satisfied and a medical department
capable of performing treatment of the disease presumed.
[0129] The medical institution recommending unit 1120 recommends a
medical institution based on the information held by the medical
institution database 1290. The medical institution database 1290
holds the name of the medical institution, the medical department,
the address and the contact place. The medical institution
recommending unit 1120 searches the medical institution database
1290 taking the address of the customer included in the personal
information of the customer and the medical department outputted by
the disease name presuming unit 1110 as a key, and acquires the
medical institution having the medical department at a place
adjacent to the customer.
[0130] The correlation processing unit 1040 analyzes the
correlation between the living environment or the life goal and the
insufficient degree of nutrient, and stores it into the correlation
database 1270. In the present embodiment, the living environment,
which is the object of the correlation processing unit 1040,
includes the eating habit such as the content of meal of the
customer held by the medical inquiry history database 1230 as the
response to the medical inquiry, the health life such as the stress
level of the customer, drinking, smoking, the amount of exercise or
the like held by the medical inquiry history database 1230 as the
response to the medical inquiry and the address and the address of
the workplace of the personal information database 1200 or the
residential environment held by the medical inquiry history
database 1230 as response to the medical inquiry.
[0131] FIG. 3 is a flowchart that shows a flow of preparing a
nutritional supplement by using the blending system of a
nutritional supplement 1002 according to an exemplary embodiment of
the present invention.
[0132] According to the present embodiment, the blending system of
a nutritional supplement 1002 helps to improve the nutritional
condition of the customer by using the five steps.
[0133] First, the customer authenticating unit 1010 assigns the
customer, ID when adding a new customer, and registers the personal
information of the customer into the personal information database
1200. Then, the medical inquiry processing unit 1020 performs the
medical inquiry of the first step to the new customer via the
network 1001 and the terminal 1000 (S200).
[0134] Next, the nutritional supplement of the first step is
prepared based on the inquiry result of the first step (S205). In
manufacturing the nutritional supplement, the nutrient amount
processing unit 1050 calculates the nutrient requirement amount
based on the result of the medical inquiry to the customer, the
nutritional supplement suggesting unit 1130 suggests a blend of the
nutritional supplement based on the nutrient requirement amount,
the preparation request inputting unit 1140 receives the
preparation request of the nutritional supplement based on the
blend from the customer and the nutritional supplement blending
unit 1150 blends nutrients for the nutritional supplement
corresponding to the customer.
[0135] It is the object of the first step to perform the blend of
the nutritional supplement to add nutrients in an integrated
manner. Accordingly, the nutrient-for-purpose processing unit 1090
does not adjust the nutrient requirement amount corresponding to
the life goal of the customer. In other words, the nutrient amount
processing unit 1050 calculates the nutrient requirement amount by
using the total nutrients processing unit 1070, the interaction
processing unit 1080 and the restriction processing unit 1100.
Therefore, the nutritional supplement suggesting unit 1130 can
suggest a blend of the nutritional supplement supplying nutrients
in an integrated manner by using the nutrient requirement amount
calculated by the total nutrients processing unit 1070, the
interaction processing unit 1080 and the restriction processing
unit 1100.
[0136] Next, the medical inquiry processing unit 1020 performs the
medical inquiry of the second step to the customer via the network
1001 and the terminal 1000 (S210).
[0137] Then, the nutrient amount processing unit 1050 checks on the
nutritional condition of the customer (S215). In the present
checking process, the nutrient amount processing unit 1050 judges
the nutritional condition of the customer based on the insufficient
degree of nutrient calculated by the total nutrients processing
unit 1070 using the result of the medical inquiry. The nutritional
condition is judged to be bad, for example, in case the number of
the nutrients of which the insufficient degree is more than 100% is
equal to or more than 50% among nutrients managed by the blending
system of a nutritional supplement 1002. In addition, the judgment
condition for the nutritional condition may include a condition
whether the response to the medical inquiry of "have you taken in
the previous nutritional supplement?" is "No" or not.
[0138] The nutrient amount processing unit 1050 continues to
prepare the nutritional supplement of the first step in case the
judgment result is bad (S205).
[0139] Next, the nutritional supplement of the second step is
prepared based on the result of the medical inquiry of the second
step (S220).
[0140] It is the object of the second step to perform the blend of
the nutritional supplement to mainly add insufficient nutrients.
Therefore, the nutrient-for-purpose processing unit 1090, like the
first step, does not adjust the nutrient requirement amount
corresponding to the life goal of the customer. In addition, the
amount of the total nutrients to be added to the nutrient
requirement amount in an integrated manner by the total nutrients
processing unit 1070 and the amount of the nutrient requirement
adjusted by the interaction processing unit 1080 are decreased in
comparison to the first step. Further, the restriction processing
unit 1100 reduces the upper limit of the nutrient requirement
amount corresponding to the nutrients which are not insufficient in
comparison to the first step.
[0141] Next, the medical inquiry processing unit 1020 performs the
medical inquiry of the third step to the customer via the network
1001 and the terminal 1000 (S225).
[0142] Then, the nutrient amount processing unit 1050 checks on the
nutritional condition of the customer (S230). In the present
checking process, the nutrient amount processing unit 1050 judges
the nutritional condition of the customer, like the second step,
based on the insufficient degree of nutrient calculated by the
total nutrients processing unit 1070 using the result of the
medical inquiry. The nutrient amount processing unit 1050 continues
to prepare the nutritional supplement of the second step in case
the judgment result is bad (S220).
[0143] Next, the nutritional supplement of the third step is
prepared based on the result of the medical inquiry of the third
step (S235).
[0144] It is the object of the third step to perform the blend of
the nutritional supplement to mainly add nutrients corresponding to
the life goal of the customer for whom the nutrients are satisfied
in an integrated manner through the first step and the second
step.
[0145] Therefore, the nutrient-for-purpose processing unit 1090
adjusts the nutrient requirement amount corresponding to the life
goal of the customer. In addition, the amount of the total
nutrients to be added to the nutrient requirement amount in an
integrated manner by the total nutrients processing unit 1070 and
the amount of the nutrient requirement adjusted by the interaction
processing unit 1080 are decreased in comparison to the second
step. Further, the restriction processing unit 1100 reduces the
upper limit of the nutrient requirement amount corresponding to the
nutrients which are not insufficient in comparison to the second
step.
[0146] Next, the medical inquiry processing unit 1020 performs the
medical inquiry of the fourth step to the customer via the network
1001 and the terminal 1000 (S240). In the fourth step, the medical
inquiry processing unit 1020 generates the medical inquiry items
capable of pursuing the reason of the nutrients liable to be
insufficient for the customer based on the data accumulated by the
medical inquiry history database 1230 until that time.
[0147] Then, the nutrient amount processing unit 1050 checks on the
nutritional condition of the customer (S245). In the present
checking process, the nutrient amount processing unit 1050 judges
the nutritional condition of the customer, like the second step,
based on the insufficient degree of nutrient calculated by the
total nutrients processing unit 1070 using the result of the
medical inquiry.
[0148] The nutrient amount processing unit 1050 continues to
prepare the nutritional supplement of the third step in case the
judgment result is bad (S235). In addition, the nutrient amount
processing unit 1050 continues to prepare the nutritional
supplement of the fifth step in case the judgment result is good,
the life goal is accomplished and the life goal is changed
(S255).
[0149] Next, the nutritional supplement of the fourth step is
prepared based on the result of the medical inquiry of the fourth
step (S250).
[0150] It is the object of the fourth step to perform the blend of
the nutritional supplement to mainly add nutrients necessary to
achieve the life goal and liable to be insufficient for the
customer.
[0151] Therefore, the nutrient-for-purpose processing unit 1090
adjusts the nutrient requirement amount corresponding to the life
goal of the customer. In addition, the process of adding the total
nutrients to the nutrient requirement amount in an integrated
manner by the total nutrients processing unit 1070 and the process
of adjusting the nutrient requirement amount by the interaction
processing unit 1080 are not performed.
[0152] Next, the medical inquiry processing unit 1020 performs the
medical inquiry of the fifth step to the customer via the network
1001 and the terminal 1000 (S255). In the fifth step, the medical
inquiry processing unit 1020 generates the medical inquiry items at
an interval determined for each medical inquiry item.
[0153] Then, the nutrient amount processing unit 1050 checks on the
nutritional condition of the customer (S260). In the present
checking process, the nutrient amount processing unit 1050 judges
the nutritional condition of the customer, like the second step,
based on the insufficient degree of nutrient calculated by the
total nutrients processing unit 1070 using the result of the
medical inquiry.
[0154] The nutrient amount processing unit 1050 continues to
prepare the nutritional supplement of the third step in case the
judgment result is bad (S235).
[0155] Next, the nutritional supplement of the fifth step is
prepared based on the result of the medical inquiry of the fifth
step (S265).
[0156] It is the object of the fifth step to perform the blend of
the nutritional supplement to mainly add nutrients necessary to
achieve the life goal and liable to be insufficient for the
customer like the fourth step and to perform the medical inquiry
for judging the nutritional condition of the customer at the
interval determined for each medical inquiry item.
[0157] Therefore, the nutrient-for-purpose processing unit 1090
adjusts the nutrient requirement amount corresponding to the life
goal of the customer. In addition, the process of adding the total
nutrients to the nutrient requirement amount in an integrated
manner by the total nutrients processing unit 1070 and the process
of adjusting the nutrient requirement amount by the interaction
processing unit 1080 are not performed.
[0158] When the preparation of the nutritional supplement of the
fifth step (S265) has been finished, the nutrient amount processing
unit 1050 continues to perform the medical inquiry of the fifth
step (S255).
[0159] The personal information database 1200 holds a value
indicating the step needed to realize the processes described above
for each customer. In addition, the nutrient amount processing unit
1050 renews a value indicating the step at which the customer is in
the personal information database 1200 every time the step on
processing, at which the customer is, is changed.
[0160] Accordingly, the blending system of a nutritional supplement
1002 can provide the flow of preparing the nutritional supplement
through the access of the customer a plurality of times, wherein,
for example, it prepares the nutritional supplement for two weeks
by performing the medical inquiry of the first step when the
customer accesses it for the first time (S200 and S205) and it
prepares the nutritional supplement for two weeks by performing the
medical inquiry of the second step when the customer accesses it
next time (S210, 5215 and S220).
[0161] By the processes above, it is possible to realize the
blending system of a nutritional supplement 1002 for first
suggesting the nutritional supplement to add nutrients for the
customer in an integrated manner and then gradually suggesting the
nutritional supplement to add nutrients necessary to achieve the
life goal and liable to be insufficient for the customer.
[0162] FIG. 4 shows an example of a personal information database
1200 according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention.
The personal information database 1200 according to the present
embodiment holds the customer ID, the name, the date of birth, the
sex, the address, the address of the workplace, the life goal, the
preference for the nutritional supplement and the step, at which
the customer is at the present time, for each customer. The
personal information database 1200 may alternatively hold the
personal information such as the authentication password, the
contact place of the customer, e.g. the telephone number, the mail
address or the like, the settlement method, e.g. the account number
or the credit card number.
[0163] In the present embodiment, the life goal held in the
personal information database 1200 is identified by using a life
goal ID of which the value is one of "0" then there is no life
goal, "1" then it means the improvement of the immunity, "2" then
the countermeasure against dry skin and "3" then the countermeasure
against skin problems. The personal information database 1200 may
alternatively assign a plurality of the life goal simultaneously by
using for example a bitmap.
[0164] The life goal held in the personal information database 1200
according to the present embodiment holds the color, taste, smell
and package method of the nutritional supplement as the preference
of the nutritional supplement.
[0165] The color of the nutritional supplement is identified by
using a nutritional supplement color ID of which the value is one
of "0" then there is no color, "1" then it means yellow and "2"
then red. The nutritional supplement suggesting unit 1130 adds
pigments to the blend of the nutritional supplement based on the
designated color. In other words, if the color of the nutritional
supplement is designated as "1" of yellow, a pigment such as a
cartenoid or gardenia is added to the blend of the nutritional
supplement. In addition, if the color of the nutritional supplement
is designated as "2" of red, a pigment such as a red cabbage,
monascus, lycopene or the like to the blend of the nutritional
supplement. The various colors of the nutritional supplement can be
realized by using other pigments.
[0166] The taste of the nutritional supplement is identified by
using a nutritional supplement taste ID of which the value is one
of "0" then there is no adjustment, "1" then it means a sweetener
consisting of non-calorie sugar, "2" then a sweetener of a pleasant
aftertaste using aspartame and "3" then a sweetener added with the
functions of the intestines using oligosaccharide. The nutritional
supplement suggesting unit 1130 adds condiments to the blend of the
nutritional supplement based on the taste designated. The various
tastes of the nutritional supplement can be realized by using other
condiments.
[0167] The smell of the nutritional supplement is identified by
using a nutritional supplement smell ID of which the value is one
of "0" then there is no adjustment and "1" then it means a vanilla
flavor. The nutritional supplement suggesting unit 1130 adds smell
to the blend of the nutritional supplement based on the smell
designated. The various smells of the nutritional supplement can be
realized by using other flavorings.
[0168] The package method of the nutritional supplement, which is
to designate the shape such as a form or size of the nutritional
supplement, is identified by using a nutritional supplement package
ID of which the value is one of "0" then there is no adjustment,
"1" then it means a liquid form, "2" then a tablet form, "3" then
soft capsules, "4" then a separation into small capsules and "5"
then a granules form. The nutritional supplement suggesting unit
1130 selects a package method of the nutritional supplement based
on the package method designated. The various package methods of
the nutritional supplement can be realized by using other
methods.
[0169] As described above, by designating the color, taste, smell
and package method of the nutritional supplement, the blending
system of a nutritional supplement 1002 can suggest the nutritional
supplement suitable for the preference of the customer.
[0170] FIG. 5 shows an example of a medical inquiry item database
1210 according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention.
The medical inquiry item database 1210 according to the present
embodiment hold the medical inquiry ID, the medical inquiry
message, the branching destination for a response, the medical
inquiry designation for a step, the medical inquiry designation for
a life goal, the medical inquiry interval and the medical inquiry
designation for an insufficient nutrient, for each medical inquiry
item.
[0171] The medical inquiry ID is an identifier identifying the
medical inquiry item. The medical inquiry message indicates the
content of the medical inquiry made to the customer as the medical
inquiry item. The medical inquiry processing unit 1020 according to
the present invention requests the response of a numerical value
for a medical inquiry item listed as "[numerical value]" in the
medical inquiry message, and otherwise requests the customer to
select one of third responds of "Yes" ("Y" in the drawing), "rather
Yes" ("NY" in the drawing) or "No" (in the drawing "N").
[0172] In the branching destination for a response, the medical
inquiry ID of the medical inquiry item to be performed next is
designated for each response to the medical inquiry.
[0173] The response to the medical inquiry is one of third responds
of "Y", "NY" or "N" except the medical inquiry IDs 1003 and 1004
listed as "[numerical value]" in the medical inquiry message. In
the branching destination for a response, the medical inquiry ID of
the medical inquiry item to be performed next is designated
corresponding to the response to the medical inquiry.
[0174] Here, if the branching destination for a response is "0",
the medical inquiry item of the next line is selected. In addition,
if the branching destination for a response is "9999", the
completion of the medical inquiry is selected.
[0175] In the medical inquiry designation for a step, whether to
perform the medical inquiry of the medical inquiry item
corresponding to the step of the customer is designated. For
example, the medical inquiry ID 1000 is designated to perform the
medical inquiry through the first step, the second step, the third
step and the fifth step.
[0176] In the medical inquiry designation for a life goal, whether
to perform the medical inquiry of the medical inquiry item
corresponding to the life goal of the customer or not is
designated. For example, the medical inquiry ID 1000 is designated
to perform the medical inquiry in regard to all of the life goals
of "1", "2" and "3".
[0177] In the medical inquiry interval, the interval to perform the
medical inquiry of the medical inquiry item is designated. For
example, the medical inquiry ID 1000 is designated to perform the
medical inquiry every week. In addition, the medical inquiry ID
2000 is designated to perform the medical inquiry every time of
performing the medical inquiry process.
[0178] In the medical inquiry for an insufficient nutrient,
performing the medical inquiry item is designated in case the
insufficient degree of nutrient by the previous result of the
medical inquiry indicates the designated nutrient to be
insufficient. In the present embodiment, the nutrient ID, which is
an identifier having a value of 1 to 21, is given to the nutrient.
In the present embodiment, the nutrient ID is assigned to be "1"
for Vitamin A, "2" for Vitamin D, "3" for Vitamin E, "4" for
Vitamin K, "5" for Vitamin B1, "6" for Vitamin B2, "7" for niacin,
"8" for pantothenic acid, "9" for Vitamin B6, "10" for Vitamin B12,
"11" for folic acid, "12" for biotin, "13" for Vitamin C, "14" for
Vitamin P, "15" for iron, "16" for zinc, "17" for selenium, "18"
for chrome, "19" for iodine, "20" for calcium and "21" for
magnesium. If the medical inquiry designation for an insufficient
nutrient is not checked for all nutrients, the medical inquiry item
indicates an item to perform the medical inquiry not related with
the insufficient degree of nutrient.
[0179] FIG. 6 shows an example of a medical inquiry history
database 1230 according to an exemplary embodiment of the present
invention. The medical inquiry history database 1230 according to
the present embodiment holds the customer ID, the registration
date, the kink of history, the medical inquiry ID or the nutrient
ID and the response to the medical inquiry, the insufficient degree
or the nutrient requirement amount. The data stored in the medical
inquiry history database 1230 is the information indicating the
response to the medical inquiry, the insufficient degree of
nutrient based on the response to the medical inquiry and the blend
of the nutritional supplement prepared according to the preparation
request of the customer.
[0180] The response to the medical inquiry is the line in which the
kind of history is designated as "medical inquiry". Each line
consists of the customer ID, the registration date, the medical
inquiry ID and the response to the medical inquiry of the medical
inquiry item of the medical inquiry ID. For example, the first line
of the table shown in FIG. 6 indicates that the customer designated
as the customer ID 001 responded as "Y", namely, "Yes" to the
medical inquiry item of the medical inquiry ID 1000 on Jan. 1
1999.
[0181] The insufficient degree of nutrient is the line in which the
kind of history is designated as "insufficient degree of nutrient".
Each line consists of the customer ID, the registration date, the
nutrient ID and the insufficient degree of nutrient of the nutrient
ID. For example, the line, in which the kind of history is
"insufficient degree of nutrient", of the table shown in FIG. 6
indicates that the insufficient degree of the nutrient (Vitamin A)
of the nutrient ID1 in regard to the customer designated as the
customer ID 001 is 2400 IU, 133% of the required amount per day, on
Jan. 1 1999.
[0182] The information indicating the blend of the nutritional
supplement is the line in which the kind of history is designated
as "preparation". Each line consists of the customer ID, the
registration date, the nutrient ID and the nutrient requirement
amount. For example, the line, in which the kind of history is
"preparation", of the table shown in FIG. 6 indicates that the
nutrient requirement amount of the nutrient (Vitamin A) of the
nutrient ID1 in regard to the customer designated as the customer
ID 001 is 1800 IU on Jan. 1 1999 and the nutritional supplement is
prepared based on this data.
[0183] FIG. 7 shows an example of a living environment database
1250 according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention.
The living environment database 1250 according to the present
embodiment holds the address, the medical inquiry ID, and the
response to the medical inquiry.
[0184] When the environment searching unit 1025 sends the response
to the medical inquiry received from the medical inquiry processing
unit 1020 to the nutrient requirement amount calculating unit 1030,
it searches the living environment database 1250 by using the
address and the address of the workplace included in the personal
information of the customer and adds the response to the medical
inquiry. For example, in case of the customer of the customer ID
001 registered in the personal information database 1200 in FIG. 4,
the address is Saitama-ken and the address of the workplace is
Shinjuku-ku Tokyo. The environment searching unit 1025 searches the
living environment database 1250 based on the address and the
address of the workplace and obtains the responses of "NY" for the
address and "Y" for the address of the workplace to the medical
inquiry of the medical inquiry ID 1000, i.e., "Are you affected by
air pollution?" in the medical inquiry item database shown in FIG.
5. The environment searching unit 1025 selects "Y" of the response
to the medical inquiry, which causes the nutrient to be
insufficient, from the responses to the medical inquiry, and
changes the response to the medical inquiry of into the medical
inquiry ID 1000 into "Y".
[0185] By the processes above, the environment searching unit 1025
can add the response to the medical inquiry based on the living
environment information of the living environment database 1250 by
using the address and the address of the workplace.
[0186] The environment searching unit 1025 may alternatively set
the average of the response to the medical inquiry of the address
and the response to the medical inquiry of the address of the
workplace to be the response to the medical inquiry. In addition,
the living environment database 1250 may have the numerical value
indicating the pollution degree of atmosphere of each address, and
the environment searching unit 1025 may obtain the response to the
medical inquiry by calculating the numerical value.
[0187] FIG. 8 shows an example of a medical inquiry response
database 1220 according to an exemplary embodiment of the present
invention. The medical inquiry response database 1220 according to
the present embodiment holds the medical inquiry ID and the
insufficient degree of each nutrient corresponding to the medical
inquiry ID.
[0188] In the present embodiment, the insufficient degree of
nutrient holds the insufficient degree in case the response to the
medical inquiry is "Yes" to be separated corresponding to the
required amount per a day determined for each nutrient. In
addition, in the present embodiment, the insufficient degree in
case the response to the medical inquiry is "rather Yes" is half
the case that the response to the medical inquiry is "Yes".
[0189] For example, the first line of FIG. 8 holds the insufficient
degree of nutrient for "Are you affected by air pollution?" of the
medical inquiry ID 1000. The total nutrients processing unit 1070
increases the insufficient degree of Vitamin A by 30% of the
required amount per a day, in case the customer responses "Yes" to
the medical inquiry item. In addition, the total nutrients
processing unit increases the insufficient degree of Vitamin A by
15% of the required amount per a day, in case the customer
responses "rather Yes" to the medical inquiry item.
[0190] FIG. 9 shows an example of a nutrient database 1240
according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention. The
nutrient database 1240 according to the present embodiment holds
the sex, the age, the nutrient ID, the required amount and the
upper limit ingestion amount.
[0191] For example, the first line of FIG. 9 indicates that the
required amount of the nutrient ID1, i.e. Vitamin A per a day is
1800 IU (IU: International Unit) and the upper limit ingestion
amount per a day is 5000 IU for a woman of age 18 to 29.
[0192] FIG. 10 shows an example of a nutrient database 1260
according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention. The
life goal database 1260 according to the present embodiment holds
the life goal ID and the amount of each nutrient to be added
corresponding to the life goal ID.
[0193] The amount of each nutrient to be added is represented as a
ratio to the required amount of the nutrient per a day. For
example, in case of the life goal ID 3, i.e., the countermeasure
against skin problems, it is shown that the nutrient ID 1 (Vitamin
A) is added by 100% of the required amount of Vitamin A per a day,
the nutrient ID 2 (Vitamin D) by 0% of the required amount of
Vitamin D per a day, the nutrient ID 20 (calcium) by 100% of the
required amount of calcium per a day and the nutrient ID 21
(magnesium) by 100% of the required amount of magnesium per a
day.
[0194] FIG. 11 shows an example of a presumed disease name database
1280 according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention.
The presumed disease name database 1280 according to the present
embodiment holds the information indicating the presumption
condition consisting of the response to the medical inquiry and the
nutritional condition, the presumed disease name and the medical
department.
[0195] The disease name presuming unit 1110 outputs the presumed
disease name of the line satisfying the presumption condition, if
the presumption condition in the presumed disease name database
1280 is satisfied. For example, the first line of FIG. 11 indicates
that the response to "Do you feel dizzy?" of the medical inquiry ID
3109 is "Yes", the response to "Have you taken in the previous
nutritional supplement?" of the medical inquiry ID 4000 is "Yes"
and the nutrient ID 5 (Vitamin B1), the nutrient ID 6 (Vitamin B2),
the nutrient ID 7 (niacin), the nutrient ID 8 (pantothenic acid)
and the nutrient ID 15 (iron) are sufficient in relation to the
insufficient degree of nutrient stored in the medical inquiry
history database 1230. The disease name presuming unit 1110 judges
whether the presumption condition is satisfied or not based on the
response to the medical inquiry of the customer and the contents of
the medical inquiry history database 1230, and judges the disease
name as Vertigo in case the presumption condition is satisfied. In
addition, at this time, the disease name presuming unit 1110
obtains otolaryngology or neurosurgery suitable for treating
"vertigo" as the medical department.
[0196] FIG. 12 shows an example of a medical institution database
1290 according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention.
The medical institution database 1290 according to the present
embodiment holds the information indicating the name of the medical
institution, the medical department, the address and the contact
place (destination).
[0197] The medical institution recommending unit 1120 searches the
medical institution database 1290 taking the address of the
customer and the medical department outputted by the disease name
presuming unit 1110 as a key. In addition, the medical institution
recommending unit 1120 acquires the approximate address and the
medical institution capable of treating the disease of the presumed
name.
[0198] FIG. 13 shows an example of a correlation database 1270
according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention. The
correlation database 1270 according to the present embodiment holds
the correlation ID, the condition corresponding to the correlation
ID and the insufficient nutrient.
[0199] The correlation processing unit 1040 analyzes the
correlation between the condition relating to the living
environment or the life goal and the insufficient degree of
nutrient based on the data in the personal information database
1200 and/or the medical inquiry history database 1230. And, the
correlation processing unit 1040 registers the combination of the
correlation ID, the condition and the insufficient nutrient into
the correlation database 1270, which are assigned anew, in case
there is the correlation between the result condition of analysis
and the insufficient degree of nutrient.
[0200] FIG. 14 is a flowchart that shows a medical inquiry process
of a medical inquiry processing unit 1020 according to an exemplary
embodiment of the present invention. The medical inquiry processing
unit 1020 begins the medical inquiry from the medical inquiry ID
1000, the first medical inquiry item.
[0201] First, the medical inquiry processing unit 1020 acquires the
data of line corresponding to the medical inquiry ID to be
processed from the medical inquiry item database 1210 (S500).
[0202] Then, the medical inquiry processing unit 1020 judges
whether to perform the medical inquiry of the medical inquiry item
corresponding to the medical inquiry ID to be processed (S510).
That is, the medical inquiry processing unit 1020 judges whether
the medical inquiry is necessary by judging each condition of the
medical inquiry designation for a step, the medical inquiry
designation for a life goal, the medical inquiry interval, the
medical inquiry designation for an insufficient nutrient and the
correlation in the correlation database 1270.
[0203] The medical inquiry processing unit 1020 extracts the line
in which the personal information and the data in the medical
inquiry history database 1230 relating to the customer matches the
condition registered in the correlation database 1270 during
judging whether the medical inquiry by the correlation is
necessary. And, the medical inquiry processing unit 1020 considers
that the insufficient nutrient held in the line is insufficient to
the customer in processing, and judges the condition of the medical
inquiry of an insufficient nutrient.
[0204] Next, the medical inquiry processing unit 1020 proceeds with
the process of the step S550 in case of judging the medical inquiry
is not necessary in the step S510 (S520).
[0205] Then, the medical inquiry processing unit 1020 displays the
medical inquiry message and the response field to the terminal 1000
of the customer via the network 1001 (S530).
[0206] Then, the medical inquiry processing unit 1020 acquires the
response to the medical inquiry from the terminal 1000 of the
customer via the network 1001 (S540).
[0207] Then, the medical inquiry processing unit 1020 acquires the
medical inquiry ID of the branching destination corresponding to
the response to the medical inquiry from the branching destination
for a response in regard to the medical inquiry item in processing
(S550).
[0208] Then, the medical inquiry processing unit 1020 checks
whether the medical inquiry ID of the branching destination is "0"
or not (S560). If the medical inquiry ID of the branching
destination is "0", the medical inquiry processing unit 1020
carries out the process of the medical inquiry item of the next
line (S580), and proceeds to go to the step S500.
[0209] Next, the medical inquiry processing unit 1020 checks
whether the medical inquiry ID of the branching destination is
"9999" or not (S570). If the medical inquiry ID of the branching
destination is not "9999", the medical inquiry processing unit 1020
carries out the process of the medical inquiry item designated by
the medical inquiry ID of the branching destination (S590), and
proceeds to go to the step S500. If the medical inquiry ID of the
branching destination is "9999", the medical inquiry processing
unit 1020 finishes the medical inquiry process.
[0210] By the processes above, it is possible to perform the
medical inquiry using the different medical inquiry item
corresponding to the response to the medical inquiry. For example,
in case the customer responses "Yes" to the medical inquiry ID 2002
in FIG. 5, the medical inquiry processing unit 1020 proceeds with
processes in an order of the medical inquiry ID 2003 and then the
medical inquiry ID 3000. In case the customer responses "rather
Yes" or "No" to the medical inquiry ID 2002, the medical inquiry
processing unit 1020 proceeds with processes in an order of the
medical inquiry ID 2100, the medical inquiry ID 2104 and then the
medical inquiry ID 3000. In addition, for example, in case the
customer responses "No" to the medical inquiry ID 3000, the medical
inquiry processing unit 1020 proceeds with the process of the
medical inquiry ID 4000 without performing the medical inquiry in
an order of the medical inquiry ID 3100, the medical inquiry ID
3108 and then the medical inquiry ID 3109.
[0211] In addition, the medical inquiry processing unit 1020 can
obtain the response to the medical inquiry of the customer in
regard to the medical inquiry item relating to the nutrient liable
to be insufficient statistically based on the correlation by
judging whether to perform the medical inquiry based on the
correlation in the step S510.
[0212] FIG. 15 is a flowchart that shows a total nutrient process,
an interaction process and a nutrient-for-purpose process of a
nutrient amount processing unit 1050 according to an exemplary
embodiment of the present invention. The total nutrients processing
unit 1070 calculates the insufficient degree for each nutrient
using the medical inquiry response database 1220 based on the
response to the medical inquiry, before calculating the nutrient
requirement amount of the customer. And, the nutrient amount
processing unit 1050 performs the total nutrient process, the
interaction process and the nutrient-for-purpose process taking
this insufficient degree as the initial value of the nutrient
requirement amount.
[0213] First, the total nutrients processing unit 1070 performs a
general process of adding total nutrients to the nutrient
requirement amount with a constant ratio corresponding to the
number of nutrients of which the insufficient degree is more than
100% (S600). In the present embodiment, if the number of nutrients,
of which the insufficient degree is more than 100%, is 1 to 4 among
the total 21 nutrients, the total nutrients processing unit 1070
adds the portion of 1/3 of the required amount per a day multiplied
by the ratio Pt to the nutrient requirement amount in regard to the
total nutrients. Although the number of nutrients, of which the
insufficient degree is more than 100%, is more than 5, it adds the
total nutrients to the nutrient requirement amount as shown in the
block of the step S600.
[0214] Here, Pt, a value indicating the proportion of the nutrient
amount to be added in the total nutrient process and the
interaction process, is, for example, the value of 1 in the first
step, 0.5 in the second step, 0.25 in the third step and 0 in the
fourth and fifth steps. By reducing Pt in each step gradually, the
blending system of a nutritional supplement 1002 can be realized,
wherein it suggests the nutritional supplement to add nutrients for
the customer in an integrated manner at the beginning and suggests
the nutritional supplement to add nutrients necessary to achieve
the life goal and nutrients liable to be insufficient to the
customer gradually.
[0215] Next, the interaction processing unit 1080 performs the
interaction process of adding the total nutrients of Vitamin B
group with a constant ratio corresponding to the number of
nutrients, of which the insufficient degree is more than 100% among
the Vitamin B group (the nutrient ID=5 to 12) (S610). In the
present embodiment, if the number of the nutrient of which the
insufficient degree is more than 100% is 3 or 4 among 8 of the
Vitamin B group, the interaction processing unit 1080 adds the
portion of 50% of the required amount per a day multiplied by the
ratio Pt to the nutrient requirement amount in regard to the
nutrients of Vitamin B group. Although the number of nutrients, of
which the insufficient degree is more than 100%, is more than 5, it
adds the Vitamin B group to the nutrient requirement amount as
shown in the block of the step S610.
[0216] Next, the interaction processing unit 1080 performs the
interaction process in regard to the water-soluble Vitamin group
(the nutrient ID=5 to 14) (S620).
[0217] Next, the interaction processing unit 1080 performs the
interaction process in regard to the fat-soluble Vitamin group (the
nutrient ID=1 to 4) (S630).
[0218] Next, the interaction processing unit 1080 performs the
interaction process in regard to the minute portion of mineral (the
nutrient ID=15 to 21) (S640). In the steps S620 to S640 above, the
interaction processing unit 1080 adjusts the nutrient requirement
amount by using the same method as that of the case of the Vitamin
B group.
[0219] Next, the interaction processing unit 1080 performs the
interaction process corresponding to the insufficiency of calcium
(S650). That is, if the insufficient degree of calcium (the
nutrient ID 20) is more than 200%, the interaction processing unit
1080 adds magnesium (the nutrient ID 21), Vitamin D (the nutrient
ID 2) and Vitamin K (the nutrient ID 4), which help to absorb
calcium, to the nutrient requirement amount. The amount to be added
is set to be, for example, the portion of 1/3 of the required
amount per a day multiplied by the ratio Pt in case at least two of
magnesium, Vitamin D and Vitamin K wherein the insufficient degree
is more than 100%, the portion of 100% of the required amount per a
day multiplied by the ratio Pt in case at least two of magnesium,
Vitamin D and Vitamin K wherein the insufficient degree is more
than 100% and less than or equal to 150% and a predetermined
maximum amount multiplied by the ratio Pt in case at least two of
magnesium, Vitamin D and Vitamin K wherein the insufficient degree
is more than 150%.
[0220] Next, the nutrient-for-purpose processing unit 1090 performs
the nutrient-for-purpose process to add nutrients corresponding to
the life goal (S660). In other words, the nutrient-for-purpose
processing unit 1090 acquires the amount of each nutrient to be
added by searching the life goal database 1260 shown in FIG. 10
taking the life goal of the customer as a key and adds it to the
nutrient requirement amount.
[0221] FIG. 16 is a flowchart that shows a restriction process of a
restriction processing unit 1100 according to an exemplary
embodiment of the present invention. The restriction processing
unit 1100 performs the restriction process based on the required
amount of each nutrient per a day and the upper limit ingestion
amount held by the nutrient database 1240. FIG. 16 shows the
restriction process of Vitamin A for a woman of age 18 to 29.
[0222] The restriction processing unit 1100 searches the nutrient
database 1240 taking the sex, the age of the customer and the
nutrient ID 1 (Vitamin A) as a key and acquires the required amount
1800 IU and the upper limit ingestion amount 5000 IU per a day,
before the restriction process of Vitamin A.
[0223] In the restriction process of Vitamin A (S700), the
restriction processing unit 1100 compares the nutrient requirement
amount of Vitamin A received from the nutrient-for-purpose
processing unit 1090 with the required amount 1800 IU per a day
(S710). If the nutrient requirement amount of Vitamin A is less
than 1800 IU, the restriction processing unit 1100 finishes the
restriction process of Vitamin A because the restriction process of
Vitamin A is not necessary.
[0224] Next, the restriction processing unit 1100 checks whether
the insufficient degree of Vitamin A calculated by the total
nutrients processing unit 1070 based on the response to the medical
inquiry is more than 150% or not (S720).
[0225] If the insufficient degree of Vitamin A is more than 150%,
the restriction processing unit 1100 restricts the nutrient
requirement amount of Vitamin A to 2000 IU. At this time, the
restriction processing unit 1100 adds carotenoid of 180 .mu.g to
the nutrient requirement amount per the excessive amount of 100 IU
for the portion wherein the original nutrient requirement amount of
Vitamin A is more than 2000 IU (S730). Therefore, it is possible to
restrict the content of Vitamin A in order to provide it as a
nutritional supplement, and to make up for the insufficiency by
adding carotenoid changeable into Vitamin A in the body if
necessary.
[0226] If the insufficient degree of Vitamin A is more than 150%,
the restriction processing unit 1100 restricts the nutrient
requirement amount of Vitamin A to 1800 IU. At this time, the
restriction processing unit 1100 adds carotenoid of 180 .mu.g to
the nutrient requirement amount per the excessive amount of 100 IU
for the portion wherein the original nutrient requirement amount of
Vitamin A is more than 1800 IU (S740).
[0227] Next, the restriction processing unit 1100 checks whether
the amount of added carotenoid is more than 25 mg or not (S750). If
the amount of added carotenoid is more than 25 mg, the restriction
processing unit 1100 restricts the amount of carotenoid to be added
to 25 mg, and allows the nutritional supplement suggesting unit
1130 to suggest to the customer that he or she eats nutritional
food condensed with vegetables together with the nutritional
supplement (S760).
[0228] FIG. 17 is a flowchart that shows a correlation process of a
correlation processing unit 1040 according to an exemplary
embodiment of the present invention. In the present embodiment, the
correlation processing unit 1040 analyzes the correlation between
the living environment or the life goal and the insufficient degree
of nutrient by using the data in the medical inquiry history
database 1230 and/or the personal information database 1200.
[0229] First, the correlation processing unit 1040 sets the
condition that is the object of analyzing whether there is any
correlation (S1700). The condition may be the response to the
medical inquiry such as drinking, smoking, or the like held by the
medical inquiry history database 1230, e.g., whether the address is
Tokyo or not in the personal information database 1200.
[0230] In addition, the correlation processing unit 1040 may set a
composite condition from the medical inquiry history database 1230
and/or the personal information database 1200 such as a smoker
living in Tokyo.
[0231] Alternatively, the correlation processing unit 1040 may set
the condition by using the passage of time of the response to the
medical inquiry of the customer in the medical inquiry history
database 1230. For example, the correlation processing unit 1040
can analyze the correlation between the condition of whether the
weight is reduced or not in the medical inquiry history database
1230 and the insufficient degree of nutrient by using the response
to the medical inquiry relating to the weight.
[0232] Next, the correlation processing unit 1040 calculates the
correlation coefficient between the condition and the insufficient
degree of nutrient by using the insufficient degree of nutrient
satisfying the condition and the insufficient degree of nutrient
not satisfying the condition for each nutrient (S1710).
[0233] That is, the correlation processing unit 1040 first examines
the personal information database 1200 and the line of the medical
inquiry history database 1230 having the corresponding customer ID
for each customer in the personal information database 1200, and
judges whether the condition of the customer is satisfied or
not.
[0234] Next, the correlation processing unit 1040 searches the
insufficient degree of nutrient from the medical inquiry history
database 1230 by using the customer ID, the nutrient ID of the
nutrient to be analyzed and the kind of history, which is "the
insufficient degree". Further, the correlation processing unit 1040
performs the process of acquiring the new insufficient degree or
acquiring the change of the insufficient degree with reference to
the registration data.
[0235] And, the correlation processing unit 1040 calculates the
correlation coefficient by using whether the condition is satisfied
or not and the insufficient degree of nutrient.
[0236] The correlation processing unit 1040 performs the processes
above on each nutrient to obtain the correlation between the
condition and the insufficient degree of nutrient.
[0237] Next, the correlation processing unit 1040 judges whether
the correlation coefficient corresponding to each nutrient is more
than a predetermined value or not. And, the correlation processing
unit 1040 proceeds with the process of the step S1700 to perform
analysis for the next condition, in case each correlation
coefficient corresponding to the all of the nutrients is more than
the predetermined value (S1720).
[0238] Next, the correlation processing unit 1040 registers the
correlation analyzed into the correlation database 1270 (S1730).
That is, the correlation processing unit 1040 adds a line to the
correlation database 1270 by assigning new correlation ID to
register the condition into the line. In addition, it checks the
table of the nutrient ID corresponding to the insufficient nutrient
(presumed) in regard to the nutrient of the correlation coefficient
is more than the predetermined value.
[0239] As described above, the correlation processing unit 1040
analyzes the relation between the condition and the insufficient
degree of nutrient while changing the condition all the way.
Therefore, the blending system of a nutritional supplement 1002
analyzes the correlation between the living environment or the life
goal and the insufficient degree of nutrient based on the personal
information of the customer and the medical inquiry history
accumulated, so that it can select the medical inquiry item based
on the analysis result.
[0240] FIG. 18 shows an example of the hardware configuration of a
blending system of a nutritional supplement 1002 according to an
exemplary embodiment of the present invention. The functions of the
blending system of a nutritional supplement 1002 shown in FIG. 2
may be realized by the cooperation of a calculator 1800 including a
CPU 1820, a ROM 1830, a RAM 1840, a communication interface 1850, a
hard disc drive 1860 and an input and/or output interface 1890, an
apparatus for preparing a nutritional supplement 1810 and a program
executed in the calculator 1800.
[0241] The program includes the function to allow the calculator
1800 and the apparatus for preparing a nutritional supplement 1810
to operate as the customer authenticating unit 1010, the medical
inquiry processing unit 1020, the environment searching unit 1025,
the correlation processing unit 1040, the total nutrients
processing unit 1070, the interaction processing unit 1080, the
nutrient-for-purpose processing unit 1090, the restriction
processing unit 1100, the disease name presuming unit 1110, the
medical institution recommending unit 1120, the nutritional
supplement suggesting unit 1130, the preparation request inputting
unit 1140 and the nutritional supplement blending unit 1150. Here,
the function of the nutritional supplement blending unit 1150 may
be realized by the combination of a program for controlling the
apparatus for preparing a nutritional supplement 1810 operating in
the calculator 1800 and the apparatus for preparing a nutritional
supplement 1810.
[0242] In addition, the personal information database 1200, the
medical inquiry item database 1210, the medical inquiry response
database 1220, the medical inquiry history database 1230, the
nutrient database 1240, the living environment database 1250, the
life goal database 1260, the correlation database 1270, the
presumed disease name database 1280 and the medical institution
database 1290 is placed in the hard disc drive of the calculator
1800.
[0243] The programs and/or databases above may be stored in an
external recording medium. The recording medium may be not only a
floppy disc 1895 or a CD-ROM 1896, but also an optical recording
medium such as a DVD, a magnetic recording medium such as an MD, a
magnetooptical recording medium such as a PD, a tape recording
medium, a semiconductor memory such as an IC card or the like. In
addition, a memory such as a hard disc or a RAM provided in a
server system connected to a dedicated communication network or the
Internet may be used as the recording medium to provide the
programs and/or databases to the blending system of a nutritional
supplement 1002 via the communication network.
[0244] The recording medium above is used only for realizing the
blending system of a nutritional supplement 1002, and thus it is
obvious that manufacturing, selling and/or the like of the
recording medium above commercially should infringe the patent
right based on the present application.
[0245] In addition, the blending system of a nutritional supplement
1002 shown in FIG. 2 may be realized by using a plurality of the
calculators. In this case, each part, controls the nutritional
supplement preparing apparatus, of the customer authenticating unit
1010, the medical inquiry processing unit 1020, the environment
searching unit 1025, the correlation processing unit 1040, the
total nutrients processing unit 1070, the interaction processing
unit 1080, the nutrient-for-purpose processing unit 1090, the
restriction processing unit 1100, the disease name presuming unit
1110, the medical institution recommending unit 1120, the
nutritional supplement suggesting unit 1130, the preparation
request inputting unit 1140 and the nutritional supplement blending
unit 1150 and the data of the personal information database 1200,
the medical inquiry item database 1210, the medical inquiry
response database 1220, the medical inquiry history database 1230,
the nutrient database 1240, the living environment database 1250,
the life goal database 1260, the correlation database 1270, the
presumed disease name database 1280 and the medical institution
database 1290 may be positioned at certain place of a plurality of
the calculators.
[0246] FIG. 19 shows an example of a blending system of a
nutritional supplement 1002 according to an alternatively exemplary
embodiment of the present invention. The blending system of a
nutritional supplement 1002 has a configuration wherein an
apparatus for suggesting a nutritional supplement 1900 is connected
to at least one blending apparatus of a nutritional supplement 1910
via a network 1001. The apparatus for suggesting a nutritional
supplement 1900 may be placed at, e.g., a drugstore, a convenience
store or the like.
[0247] The apparatus for suggesting a nutritional supplement 1900
and the blending apparatus of a nutritional supplement 1910 share
the functions of the blending system of a nutritional supplement
1002 shown in FIG. 2.
[0248] FIG. 20 shows an example of a blending apparatus of a
nutritional supplement 1910 according to an alternatively exemplary
embodiment of the present invention. The blending apparatus of a
nutritional supplement 1910 includes an input-output apparatus
2000, a medical inquiry processing unit 2200, a customer
authentication inputting unit 2010, a nutritional supplement blend
acquiring unit 2020, a preparation request inputting unit 1140 and
a nutritional supplement blending unit 1150.
[0249] The combination of input-output apparatus 2000 and the
customer authentication inputting unit 2010 is an example of the
customer authentication inputting unit according to the present
invention.
[0250] The input-output apparatus 2000 performs the input and/or
output process to the customer such as the authentication input of
the customer, the display of the medical inquiry item and the input
of the response to the medical inquiry and the suggestion of the
blend of the nutritional supplement and the input of the
preparation request.
[0251] The customer authentication inputting unit 2010 performs the
authentication of the customer to the apparatus for suggesting a
nutritional supplement 1900 via the network 1001 by using the
authentication information of the customer obtained using the
input-output apparatus 2000. The medical inquiry processing unit
2200 acquires the medical inquiry item from the apparatus for
suggesting a nutritional supplement 1900 via the network 1001, and
obtains the response to the medical inquiry from the customer while
displaying the medical inquiry item by using the input-output
apparatus 2000. And, the medical inquiry processing unit 2200 sends
the response to the medical inquiry acquired to the apparatus for
suggesting a nutritional supplement 1900.
[0252] The apparatus for suggesting a nutritional supplement 1900
suggests the blend of the nutritional supplement based on the
response to the medical inquiry received from the medical inquiry
processing unit 2200 of the blending apparatus of a nutritional
supplement 1910 and the data in the apparatus for suggesting a
nutritional supplement 1900.
[0253] The nutritional supplement blend acquiring unit 2020
acquires the blend of the nutritional supplement suggested by the
apparatus for suggesting a nutritional supplement 1900 via the
network 1001.
[0254] The preparation request inputting unit 1140 checks if the
customer requests the preparation of the nutritional supplement
based on the blend information received from the nutritional
supplement blend acquiring unit 2020 via the input-output apparatus
2000.
[0255] In addition, the preparation request inputting unit 1140 may
record the blend information received from the nutritional
supplement blend acquiring unit 2020 to a magnetic card, an IC
card, a flash memory or the like via the input-output apparatus
2000.
[0256] The nutritional supplement blending unit 1150 receives the
blend information acquired by the nutritional supplement blend
acquiring unit 2020 via the preparation request inputting unit 1140
and blends nutrients for the nutritional supplement.
[0257] FIG. 21 shows an example of an apparatus for suggesting a
nutritional supplement 1900 according to an alternatively exemplary
embodiment of the present invention. The apparatus for suggesting a
nutritional supplement 1900 is different from the blending system
of a nutritional supplement 1002 shown in FIG. 2 in that the
preparation request inputting unit 1140 and the nutritional
supplement blending unit 1150 included in the blending apparatus of
a nutritional supplement shown in FIG. 2 are removed and that the
blend of the nutritional supplement is sent from the nutritional
supplement suggesting unit 1130 to the nutritional supplement blend
acquiring unit 2020 of the nutritional supplement blending unit
1910 via the network 1001.
[0258] The customer authenticating unit 1010 obtains the
authentication information of the customer from the blending
apparatus of a nutritional supplement 1910 to perform the
authentication of the customer. The medical inquiry processing unit
1020 obtains the response to the medical inquiry of the customer
from the input-output apparatus 2000 of the blending apparatus of a
nutritional supplement 1910 via the network 1001. The apparatus for
suggesting a nutritional supplement 1900 hereafter suggests the
blend of the nutritional supplement like the blending system of a
nutritional supplement shown in FIG. 2 and sends the blend of the
nutritional supplement to the nutritional supplement blend
acquiring unit 2020 of the nutritional supplement blending unit
1910 via the network 1001.
[0259] The apparatus for suggesting a nutritional supplement 1900
may adopt a method of performing the medical inquiry in response to
the access received from the blending apparatus of a nutritional
supplement 1910. That is, for example, when the customer
authenticating unit 1010 performs the authentication of the
customer, the apparatus for suggesting a nutritional supplement
1900 suggests the blend of the nutritional supplement based on the
insufficient degree of nutrient of the customer or the data about
the blend of the nutritional supplement held by the medical inquiry
history database 1230. Therefore, the blending apparatus of a
nutritional supplement 1910 can blend nutrients for the nutritional
supplement, even though it does not have the function of displaying
the medical inquiry item on the input-output apparatus 2000 and
performing the input of the response to the medical inquiry.
[0260] FIG. 22 shows an example of a blending apparatus of a
nutritional supplement 1910 according to another alternatively
exemplary embodiment of the present invention. The blending
apparatus of a nutritional supplement 1910 includes an input-output
apparatus 2000, a nutritional supplement blend acquiring unit 2020,
a preparation request inputting unit 1140 and a nutritional
supplement blending unit 1150.
[0261] The combination of the input-output apparatus 2000 and the
nutritional supplement blend acquiring unit 2020 is an example of
the nutritional supplement blend acquiring unit according to the
present invention.
[0262] The input-output apparatus 2000 performs the input and/or
output process from or to the customer such as the input of the
blend information about the nutritional supplement for the customer
and the input of the preparation request. Here, the input-output
apparatus 2000 may acquire the blend information of the nutritional
supplement from the terminal 1000 of FIG. 1 or the magnetic card,
the IC card, the flash memory or the like to which the blend
information is recorded by the input-output apparatus 2000 of FIG.
20.
[0263] The nutritional supplement blend acquiring unit 2020
acquires the blend of the nutritional supplement for the customer
from the input-output apparatus 2000.
[0264] The preparation request inputting unit 1140 checks if the
customer requests the preparation of the nutritional supplement
based on the blend information received from the nutritional
supplement blend acquiring unit 2020 via the input-output apparatus
2000.
[0265] The nutritional supplement blending unit 1150 receives the
blend information acquired by the nutritional supplement blend
acquiring unit 2020 via the preparation request inputting unit 1140
and blends the nutritional supplement.
[0266] In the exemplary embodiment and the alternatively exemplary
embodiment above, the blending system of a nutritional supplement
1002 can calculate the nutrient requirement amount of the customer
based on the result of the medical inquiry performed on the
customer in an integrated manner at a different time. In addition,
the blending system of a nutritional supplement 1002 can suggest
the nutritional supplement suitable for the customer based on the
nutrient requirement amount calculated. Further, the blending
system of a nutritional supplement 1002 can provide the nutritional
supplement prepared to the customer by receiving the preparation
request of the suggested nutritional supplement from the
customer.
[0267] Accordingly, the blending system of a nutritional supplement
1002 can provide a service to support nutrient ingestion
corresponding to the constitution or the life goal of the
customer.
[0268] Although the present invention has been described by way of
exemplary embodiments, it should be understood that those skilled
in the art might make many changes and substitutions without
departing from the spirit and the scope of the present invention,
which is defined only by the appended claims.
[0269] For example, the nutrient requirement amount calculating
unit 1030 may be used independently as the apparatus for
calculating the nutrient requirement amount of the customer based
on the response to the medical inquiry. Further, the apparatus for
calculating nutrient requirement amount may further include the
medical inquiry processing unit 1020 and/or the environment
searching unit 1025. In addition, the nutrient amount processing
unit 1050 may suggest the nutrient requirement amount to he
customer and may include the function of advising the customer on
nutrient ingestion based on the insufficient degree of nutrient of
the customer.
[0270] In addition, the nutrient requirement amount calculating
unit 1030 and the nutritional supplement suggesting unit 1130 may
be used independently as the apparatus for suggesting the blend of
a nutritional supplement by calculating the nutrient requirement
amount of the customer from the response to the medical inquiry.
Further, the apparatus for suggesting a nutritional supplement may
include the medical inquiry processing unit 1020 and/or the
environment searching unit 1025.
[0271] In addition, the terminal 1000 of the customer may acquire
the authentication information of the customer by reading the
recording medium such as a magnetic card, an IC card, a flash
memory, or the like on which the customer identification
information including the customer ID is recorded instead of the
input of the authentication information by using a keyboard.
[0272] In addition, the input-output apparatus 2000 may perform the
authentication input of the customer by reading the recording
medium such as a magnetic card, an IC card, a flash memory, or the
like on which the customer identification information including the
customer ID is recorded.
[0273] In addition, the medical inquiry processing unit 1020 may
perform the medical inquiry to the terminal 1000 of the customer by
sending the content of the medical inquiry item database 1210 to
the terminal 1000 via the network 1001.
[0274] In addition, the medical inquiry processing unit 1020 may
judge whether the medical inquiry is necessary in regard to a
plurality of the medical inquiry items in the medical inquiry item
database instead of the medical inquiry process shown in FIG. 14,
display all of the medical message the medical inquiry items judged
necessary to be inquired (S530) and acquire the response to the
medical inquiry (S540). In this case, the medical inquiry
processing unit 1020 may judge whether the medical inquiry item is
not necessary due to the response to other medical inquiry item,
when judging all of the medical inquiry items in the medical
inquiry item database 1230.
[0275] Further, the medical inquiry processing unit 1020 may
calculate the necessity degree of response, which a value
indicating how much the response to the medical inquiry is
necessary, based on various conditions of the medical inquiry
designation for a step, the medical inquiry designation for a life
goal, the medical inquiry interval, the medical inquiry designation
for an insufficient nutrient and the correlation in the correlation
database 1270, during judging whether the medical inquiry is
necessary. In this case, the medical inquiry processing unit 1020
may perform the medical inquiry from the medical inquiry item of
which the necessity degree of response is high in order. In
addition, the medical inquiry processing unit 1020 may make up for
the medical inquiry of the medical inquiry item without response of
the customer by using the previous response to the medical inquiry
of the customer held in the medical inquiry history database 1230,
in case the customer stops the response to the medical inquiry.
[0276] In addition, the environment searching unit 1025 and the
living environment database 1250 may process the living environment
information such as the quality of water, the amount of ultraviolet
ray, the precipitation, the noise and/or the like as well as the
air pollution.
[0277] In addition, the total nutrients processing unit 1070 may
adjust the nutrient requirement amount based on the correlation
between the living environment and/or the life goal stored in the
correlation database 1270 and the insufficient degree of nutrient.
That is, the total nutrients processing unit 1070 may add the
insufficient nutrient corresponding to the condition to the
nutrient requirement amount, in case the customer satisfies the
condition stored in the correlation database 1270.
[0278] In addition, the correlation processing unit 1040 may store
a value indicating the amount of the insufficient nutrient into the
correlation database 1270. The correlation processing unit 1040 may
set the value indicating the amount of the insufficient nutrient to
be the difference between the average values of the insufficient
degree of nutrient either when the condition is satisfied or not.
In this case, the total nutrients processing unit 1070 the amount
of the insufficient nutrient corresponding to the condition to the
nutrient requirement amount, if the customer satisfies the
condition stored in the correlation database 1270.
[0279] In addition, the total nutrients processing unit 1070 may
use the response to the medical inquiry of the medical inquiry item
(the medical inquiry ID 4000 in FIG. 5) indicating whether the
customer takes in the nutritional supplement suggested previously
in regard to the total nutrient process (S600) shown in FIG. 15.
That is, the total nutrients processing unit 1070 may increase the
ingestion amount of nutrient corresponding to the countermeasure
such as increasing the nutrient requirement amount, if the customer
takes in the nutritional supplement suggested previously and the
difference between the previous insufficient degree of nutrient
stored in the medical inquiry history database 1230 and the present
insufficient degree of nutrient by the response to the medical
inquiry is smaller than a predetermined value.
[0280] In addition, the total nutrients processing unit 1070 may
change the nutrient requirement amount based on the relation
between the amount of the nutrient contained in the nutritional
supplement prepared and the insufficient degree of nutrient by the
medical inquiry after taking in the nutritional supplement while
referring to the medical inquiry history database 1230 in the total
nutrient process (S600) shown in FIG. 15.
[0281] In addition, the nutrient-for-purpose processing unit 1090,
the personal information database 1200 and the life goal database
1260 may process various life goals in relation to nutrients
including the diet, the improvement of athletic ability, the
countermeasure against somberness of skin, the countermeasure
against elasticity of skin, the countermeasure against brittleness,
tendency toward peeling-off, fracture, fissure and/or the like of
nails, the countermeasure against deformation or growth of nails,
the countermeasure against irregular menstruation, the
countermeasure against constipation, the countermeasure against
diarrhea and/or the like as well as the improvement of the
immunity, the countermeasure against dry skin and other skin
problems shown in the exemplary embodiment above.
[0282] In addition, as the color of the nutritional supplement, the
nutritional supplement suggesting unit 1130 and the personal
information database 1200 may designate various colors, e.g.,
designate color randomly, according to the day on which the
nutritional supplement is supposed to be taken in, different
according to whether the nutritional supplement is a solid type or
a liquid type and/or the like. Further, instead that the customer
designates the colors held by the personal information database
1200 in advance, the medical inquiry processing unit 1020 or the
preparation request inputting unit 1140 may allow the customer to
input the color designation.
[0283] In addition, as the taste of the nutritional supplement, the
nutritional supplement suggesting unit 1130 and the personal
information database 1200 may designate various tastes, e.g.,
designate taste randomly, according to the day on which the
nutritional supplement is supposed to be taken in, different
according to whether the nutritional supplement is a solid type or
a liquid type, allow the amount of condiment adjustable and/or the
like. Further, instead that the customer designates the tastes held
by the personal information database 1200 in advance, the medical
inquiry processing unit 1020 or the preparation request inputting
unit 1140 may allow the customer to input the taste
designation.
[0284] In addition, as the smell of the nutritional supplement, the
nutritional supplement suggesting unit 1130 and the personal
information database 1200 may designate various smells, e.g.,
designate smell randomly, according to the day on which the
nutritional supplement is supposed to be taken in, different
according to whether the nutritional supplement is a solid type or
a liquid type, allow the amount of flavoring adjustable and/or the
like. Further, instead that the customer designates the smells held
by the personal information database 1200 in advance, the medical
inquiry processing unit 1020 or the preparation request inputting
unit 1140 may allow the customer to input the smell
designation.
[0285] In addition, as the package method of the nutritional
supplement, the nutritional supplement suggesting unit 1130 and the
personal information database 1200 may designate various package
methods, e.g., designate the package method randomly, designate the
method, piece, size, and/or the like of the package according to
the day on which the nutritional supplement is supposed to be taken
in, and/or the like. Further, instead that the customer designates
package methods held by the personal information database 1200 in
advance, the medical inquiry processing unit 1020 or the
preparation request inputting unit 1140 may allow the customer to
input the package method designation.
[0286] In addition, instead of the required amount and the upper
limit ingestion amount per a day based on the data from Health and
Welfare Ministry in Japan, the nutrient amount processing unit 1050
and the nutrient database 1240 may use certain standard of other
country. Further, for example, the country name and/or the address
may be registered in the nutrient database 1240, and the required
amount and the upper limit ingestion amount designated by a
plurality of countries may be held. In this case, the nutrient
amount processing unit 1050 can determine the blend of the
nutritional supplement based on the guidance designated by the
country in which the customer resides by searching the nutrient
database 1240 using the country of the customer.
[0287] As obvious from the description above, according to the
present invention, it is possible to provide a blending system of a
nutritional supplement capable of supporting nutrient ingestion
corresponding to the constitution or various life goals of each
person to be examined.
* * * * *