JP4891954B2 - Wireless communication equipment - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a wireless communications device relates to a wireless communication device which can switch the power output from the wireless device, especially according to the electric field intensity of the ambient.

In general, data measured by a measuring instrument in a medical institution or the like is entered in the chart of each patient. Each patient carries a measurement with a plurality of measuring instruments with a medical chart. For example, Patent Document 1 discloses a technique in which biological information measured by a measuring device is stored in a portable terminal, and the measured biological information is output from the portable terminal to a predetermined device using infrared rays.
JP 2002-345663 A

  However, in the technique described in Patent Document 1, since communication is performed from a portable terminal to a predetermined device using infrared rays, the communication speed is slow. Also, no consideration is given to controlling the spread of radio waves according to the situation.

Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide a wireless communication device that can suppress the spread of radio waves to the surroundings depending on the situation.

In order to solve the above-described problem, according to one aspect of the present invention, a wireless communication device that exchanges information with a wireless terminal using wireless communication, the storage unit storing the information, and the storage unit The wireless unit that transmits the stored information using radio, a shield unit that suppresses diffusion of radio waves from the radio unit, a measurement unit that measures electric field strength of surrounding radio waves, and the measurement unit When the measured electric field strength is less than a threshold, the wireless unit uses the first power to exchange the information with the wireless terminal, and the electric field strength measured by the measuring unit is greater than or equal to the threshold A control unit that controls the wireless unit to exchange the information with the wireless terminal using a second power that is stronger than the first power, and the wireless unit includes the first power. To communicate with the wireless terminal. If, from the case communicating with the wireless terminal by the second power by the radio unit, the radio communication device and performs communication at a short distance from the wireless unit and the wireless terminal is provided.

  ADVANTAGE OF THE INVENTION According to this invention, the radio | wireless communication apparatus and radio | wireless communication method which can suppress the spreading | diffusion of the electromagnetic wave to circumference | surroundings according to a condition can be provided.

  Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

  First, the configuration of a wireless communication system having a wireless communication device according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIG. 1 and FIG.

  As shown in FIG. 1, the wireless communication system includes, for example, a medical measurement device 10 and a personal computer (hereinafter also referred to as a personal computer) 40, which are wireless communication devices, and a short-range wireless communication device that performs wireless communication with these wireless communication devices. (Wireless terminal) 30. The short-range wireless communication device 30 is a small card-type device, for example. The medical measurement device 10 and the personal computer 40 that are wireless communication devices perform wireless communication with the short-range wireless communication device 30. This wireless communication uses, for example, short-range wireless communication such as TransferJet, Bluetooth (registered trademark), and wireless LAN. In this case, the short-range wireless communication device 30 is equipped with a battery or the like as necessary.

  The medical measurement device 10 and the personal computer 40, which are wireless communication devices, each include a short-range wireless communication unit 12 and a short-range wireless communication unit 42 corresponding to the above-described standards. The near field communication unit 12 and the near field communication unit 42 correspond to two or more communication methods, for example, transferJet and wireless LAN. The short-range wireless communication unit 12 and the short-range wireless communication unit 42 are internally divided into two units (a first wireless unit and a second wireless unit) corresponding to two standards as needed. It may be.

  As shown in FIG. 2, when the medical measurement device 10 and the personal computer 40, which are wireless communication devices, perform wireless communication with the short-range wireless communication device 30, the power of radio wave output for wireless communication can be switched. For example, the medical measurement device 10 performs wireless communication with the short-range wireless communication device 30 using power with low radio wave output power (first power, for example, TransferJet) (communication range α: severely limited wireless communication). area). In this case, for example, the periphery is surrounded by medical devices, and it is not desirable to diffuse radio waves.

  On the other hand, for example, the personal computer 40 performs wireless communication with the short-range wireless communication device 30 using a power whose radio wave output power is stronger than the first power (second power, for example, a wireless LAN) (communication range β). : Areas with loose restrictions on wireless communication). In this case, for example, a doctor's private room or the like is away from the medical device, and there is no problem even if radio waves for normal communication are output from the access point 50 of the wireless LAN. Further, the power value of the radio wave output described above is set in advance in accordance with the restriction level of wireless communication for each area. In addition, when communicating with the near field communication apparatus 30 using 1st electric power, compared with the case where communicating with the near field communication device 30 using 2nd electric power from the medical measurement apparatus 10, the medical measurement apparatus 10 is used. The short-range wireless communication device 30 performs communication at a short distance (more short distance).

  The above-described switching of the power level of the radio wave output is performed by measuring the electric field strength around the wireless communication device. When measuring the electric field strength around the wireless communication device, a predetermined threshold is set, and if the measured electric field strength is lower than this threshold, it is determined that the area is prohibited from diffusing radio waves, Wireless communication with the short-range wireless communication device 30 is performed using power (first power) with weak power of radio wave output. On the other hand, if the measured electric field strength is equal to or greater than this threshold, it is determined that the area is not prohibited from diffusing radio waves, and the power of the radio wave output is higher than the first power (second power). Wireless communication with the short-range wireless communication device 30 using the power. It is possible to switch to high-speed communication in an area where restrictions on wireless communication are loose.

  FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing the configuration of the medical measurement apparatus 10.

  The medical measurement device 10 includes a control unit (measurement unit) 11, a short-range wireless communication unit 12, and a storage unit 13. The control unit 11 includes an antenna 11a for measuring electric field strength, and performs measurement of electric field strength around the antenna 11a for measuring electric field strength, control of output power of radio waves for wireless communication, and the like. The surrounding electric field strength is measured using a device (electric field strength measuring device) that measures the strength of radio waves at a certain point. Generally, it is a device used for service area confirmation of broadcast and wireless communication, broadcast reception work, interference wave measurement, and the like.

  The measurement of the electric field strength is performed by measuring the voltage induced in the antenna with a measuring receiver (field strength meter) using an antenna with a calibrated gain. The measured value is expressed as, for example, dBμV / m in terms of a voltage induced in an antenna having an effective length of 1 m. The antenna 11a for measuring the electric field strength is calibrated for each frequency, and the gain difference from the antenna having an effective length of 1 m is shown as a correction coefficient. Therefore, the electric field strength can be obtained by combining with the electric field strength meter. . The antenna shape includes a loop antenna, a dipole antenna, a biconical antenna, a logarithmic periodic antenna, and the like, and is selected according to conditions such as a measurement frequency and a place of use. The short-range wireless communication unit 12 is a wireless communication device that complies with standards such as TransferJet, Bluetooth, and wireless LAN. The storage unit 13 stores measurement information (predetermined information) and the like measured by the medical measurement device 10. Further, if necessary, authentication information is stored when performing authentication processing with the short-range wireless communication unit 12. Further, a timer count threshold (described later: see FIG. 5) and the like are also stored.

  In the wireless communication system configured as described above, as shown in FIG. 4, the patient carrying the short-range wireless communication device 30 moves by himself, and the plurality of medical measurement devices 10 to 10-3. Measure with. For example, the medical measurement device 10 is a blood pressure monitor, the medical measurement device 10-2 is a CT scan, and the medical measurement device 10-3 is a weight scale. Whenever measurement is completed, measurement data is received by the short-range wireless communication device 30 using short-range wireless communication such as TransferJet from each of the measured medical measurement devices 10 to 10-3. The medical measurement device 10 to the medical measurement device 10-3 are set to perform short-range wireless communication using a relatively weak radio wave such as TransferJet by measuring the electric field strength of the surroundings.

  The received measurement data is transferred from the short-range wireless communication device 30 to the personal computer 40 via the short-range wireless communication unit 42 of the personal computer 40 using short-range wireless such as a wireless LAN. It is assumed that the personal computer 40 is set to perform short-range wireless communication using a stronger radio wave than a relatively weak radio wave such as a wireless LAN by measuring the surrounding electric field strength. The medical measurement device 10 to the medical measurement device 10-3 described above are provided with a shield for preventing radio wave diffusion around the short-range wireless communication unit 12 to the short-range wireless communication unit 12-3 as necessary. May be. This shield has three surfaces other than the side surface over which the short-range wireless communication device 30 is held (or touched), for example, as shown in FIG. 6, among the short-range wireless communication unit 12 to the short-range wireless communication unit 12-3. A shield 100 is provided on the screen.

  FIG. 5 is a flowchart showing processing of the medical measurement apparatus 10 that is the above-described wireless communication device. The personal computer 40, which is the wireless communication device described above, performs the same processing.

  The medical measurement device 10 measures the electric field strength (electric power E) around the medical measurement device 10 using the antenna 11a for measuring electric field strength (step S101). When measuring the electric field strength around the medical measurement device 10, an antenna 11 a for measuring electric field strength that can measure a threshold value (for example, E0) stored in advance in the storage unit 13 of the medical measurement device 10 is used. If the radio wave intensity (power E) measured by the medical measurement device 10 is greater than or equal to the threshold (E0) in step S102, the radio wave output power of the medical measurement device 10 is set strongly (state β in FIG. 2). ). That is, the second power described above is used (step S103). Communication with the short-range wireless communication device 30 is performed using the second power (measurement data is transmitted from the medical measurement device 10 to the short-range wireless communication device 30). Authentication may be performed as necessary.

  On the other hand, if the radio wave intensity (power E) measured by the medical measurement device 10 is less than the threshold (E0) in step S102, the radio wave output power of the medical measurement device 10 is set to be weak (α in FIG. 2). State). That is, it is set as the 1st electric power mentioned above (step S104). Communication with the short-range wireless communication device 30 is performed using the first power (measurement data is transmitted from the short-range wireless communication device 30 to the personal computer 40). Authentication may be performed as necessary. In addition, when communicating with the near field communication apparatus 30 using 1st electric power, for example, when TrensferJet is used, it communicates by making apparatus contact. In this case, since the first power is used, communication is performed with the transmission speed reduced to, for example, about 10 Mbps. As a result, errors in data during communication can be reduced.

  The personal computer 40 is, for example, a doctor's computer placed in a separate room away from the medical measurement device 10. The measurement data is transmitted from the short-range wireless communication device 30 to the personal computer 40, for example, to diagnose a patient. When communicating with the short-range wireless communication device 30 using the second power, for example, when using a wireless LAN, the second power is used, so the communication speed is increased to, for example, about 400 Mbps. I do.

  Next, the medical measurement device 10 increments the count of the built-in timer by +1 (step S105). The counter that counts the timer performs, for example, +1 at a certain time, and the transmission power control time can have a certain period. When the count of the timer reaches a preset threshold value (for example, CountMax) (YES in step S106). The timer is reset (step S107). Then, when there is an instruction to end the measurement of the electric field strength of the medical measurement device 10 (YES in step S108), the medical measurement device 10 ends.

  Note that the wireless communication using the first power described above uses, for example, TransferJet, but is not limited to this. For example, any method that performs short-distance wireless communication using electric field induction such as an IC tag can be used. Good.

  According to the above-described embodiment, measurement data measured by a medical measurement device can be easily aggregated in a medical institution or the like, and an area with severe wireless communication restrictions such as a medical institution is detected and automatically detected. By switching the output power of the radio wave and performing communication by a method of performing short-range wireless communication using electric field induction, high-speed communication by radio can be performed while preventing diffusion of the radio wave.

  Further, the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments as they are. In the implementation stage, the present invention can be embodied by changing the components without departing from the scope of the invention.

  Furthermore, various inventions can be formed by appropriately combining a plurality of constituent elements disclosed in the above-described embodiments. For example, some components may be deleted from all the components shown in the embodiment. Furthermore, constituent elements over different embodiments may be appropriately combined.

The figure which shows the concept of a structure of the radio | wireless communications system which concerns on one Embodiment of this invention. The figure which shows the concept of the output range of the electromagnetic wave of the radio | wireless communications system which concerns on the same embodiment. The block diagram which shows the main structures of the medical measurement apparatus which concerns on the same embodiment. The figure which shows the concept of the process of the radio | wireless communications system which concerns on the embodiment. 7 is a flowchart for explaining processing of a wireless communication method to which the wireless communication apparatus according to the embodiment is applied. The figure which showed typically the shield with which the medical measuring device which concerns on the same embodiment is provided.

Explanation of symbols

  DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10 ... Medical measuring device 12, 12-1, 12-2, 42 ... Near field communication part, 11 ... Control part, 13 ... Memory | storage part, 30 ... Near field communication device, 40 ... Personal computer, 50 ... Wireless LAN access point, 100 ... shield

Claims (1)

A wireless communication device that exchanges information with a wireless terminal using wireless communication,
A storage unit for storing the information;
A wireless unit that wirelessly transmits the information stored in the storage unit;
A shield part for suppressing diffusion of radio waves from the radio part;
A measurement unit that measures the electric field strength of surrounding radio waves,
When the electric field strength measured by the measurement unit is less than a threshold value, the wireless unit uses the first power to exchange the information with the wireless terminal, and the electric field strength measured by the measurement unit is equal to or greater than the threshold value. A control unit that controls the wireless unit to exchange the information with the wireless terminal by using a second power that is stronger than the first power , and
When the wireless unit communicates with the wireless terminal using the first power, the wireless unit and the wireless terminal are shorter than when the wireless unit communicates with the wireless terminal using the second power. A wireless communication device characterized in that communication is performed using a wireless communication device.

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