JP6469651B2 - Biological information acquisition device - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a biological information acquisition apparatus.
The present invention claims priority based on Japanese Patent Application No. 2014-047935 filed in Japan on March 11, 2014, the entire contents of which are cited in this document.

  There is a biological information acquisition device that attaches electrodes to the wearer's biological surface and acquires biological signals. Among this type of biological information acquisition apparatus, for example, there is an apparatus that detects an electrocardiogram signal generated with the heartbeat using the electrode and measures a heart rate from the surface of the living body (see, for example, Patent Document 1). ).

JP 10-155753 A

Since the biological information acquisition apparatus as described above is used by being attached to the surface of the living body as a general rule, sweat or the like on the body surface may adhere. From such a background, there is a need to clean the biological information acquisition device in consideration of hygiene. However, some conventional biometric information acquisition devices have a limited waterproof property because of a mechanism that allows the battery hatch to be opened and closed so that a user can replace a used battery.
In addition, when the casing of the biological information acquisition apparatus is sealed to improve the waterproof property, the battery cannot be replaced. Therefore, the biological information acquisition apparatus must be discarded when the battery is exhausted.

  This invention is made | formed in view of the said subject, Comprising: It aims at providing the biometric information acquisition apparatus which has a long lifetime and high waterproof performance.

In order to solve the above-described problems, a biological information acquisition device of the present invention is a biological information acquisition device that is attached to a wearer and acquires the biological information of the wearer, and is in contact with the apparatus main body and the wearer. A biological information acquisition unit that acquires biological information based on a biological signal acquired through an electrode that performs charging, a power storage unit that can be charged and supplies power to the biological information acquisition unit, A power generation unit that charges the device, wherein the device main body unit integrally seals the biological information acquisition unit, the power storage unit, and the power generation unit.
According to this configuration, the biometric information acquisition apparatus can achieve high waterproof performance because the entire various functional units are completely sealed by the apparatus main body. In addition, the biometric information acquisition device includes a chargeable power storage unit and a power generation unit capable of generating power, so that the power generation unit charges the power storage unit even when the power storage amount of the power storage unit is reduced. Can do. Therefore, the user can repeatedly use the biological information acquisition device while charging the power storage unit, and can achieve a long life and high waterproof performance.

In the above-described aspect, the biological information acquisition apparatus of the present invention further includes a transmission unit that wirelessly transmits the biological information to an external device, and the apparatus main body unit integrally seals the transmission unit. It is characterized by.
According to this configuration, the apparatus main body does not need to provide an external connection interface for transmitting the acquired biological information on its outer peripheral surface, so that various functional units can be completely sealed, and waterproof performance can be further improved. Can be improved.

Further, the biological information acquisition device of the present invention, in the above aspect, a voltage detection unit that detects an output voltage of the power storage unit, a connection switch that can connect and disconnect the power storage unit and the biological information acquisition unit, The voltage detection unit shuts off the power storage unit and the biological information acquisition unit via the connection switch when the output voltage of the power storage unit falls below a predetermined voltage threshold. And
According to this configuration, since no voltage is applied to the biometric information acquisition unit until the amount of power stored in the power storage unit is sufficiently recovered, it is possible to prevent a through current from being generated in the biometric information acquisition unit.

Moreover, in the above-described aspect, the biological information acquisition apparatus according to the present invention includes a biological information measurement unit that measures the biological information based on the biological signal, and the voltage detection unit includes: It further comprises a reset unit that initializes the operation of the biological information measuring unit when the detected output voltage falls below a predetermined voltage threshold.
According to this configuration, the biological information measurement unit is always initialized from the timing when the power supply to itself is interrupted until immediately after the start of power supply. Therefore, when the power storage unit is charged and the power supply is restored, It can start normally from the state.

Moreover, the biological information acquisition device of the present invention is the above-described aspect, wherein the power generation unit is a solar panel, and the device main body is formed of a transparent member at a portion facing the light receiving surface of the solar panel. It is characterized by that.
According to this configuration, the power generation unit, which is a solar panel, can receive light from sunlight while being housed integrally in the apparatus main body, so that the power storage unit can be charged while maintaining high waterproofness. Become.

Moreover, in the above-described aspect, the biological information acquisition device of the present invention is configured such that the solar panel includes a plurality of power generation cells, and the plurality of power generation cells are arranged along the longitudinal direction of the device main body. It is characterized by being.
According to this configuration, although the power generation performance of the power generation cell in which at least a part of the light receiving surface is covered with the shadow is remarkably deteriorated, other power generation cells can receive light on the entire surface of the light receiving surface, so that the influence of the shadow is completely eliminated. Electricity is generated as usual without receiving it. Therefore, even if a part of the longitudinal direction is covered with a shadow, a decrease in generated power can be minimized.

The biological information acquisition apparatus according to the present invention further includes a transmission unit that wirelessly transmits the biological information to an external device via an antenna, and the antenna is equipped with the biological information acquisition unit. It is arrange | positioned between a circuit board and the said solar panel, and it supports so that the light-receiving surface of the said solar panel may adjoin to the said transparent member.
According to this configuration, since the antenna can be used as a support for the solar panel, the number of parts can be reduced as a whole, and downsizing and cost reduction of the entire apparatus can be promoted.

  According to the above-described biological information acquisition apparatus, it is possible to provide a biological information acquisition apparatus having a long life and high waterproof performance.

It is a figure which shows the outline | summary of the biometric information acquisition apparatus which concerns on 1st Embodiment. It is a 1st perspective view of the apparatus main-body part which concerns on 1st Embodiment. It is a 2nd perspective view of the apparatus main-body part which concerns on 1st Embodiment. It is the 1st figure showing typically the section structure of the device main part concerning a 1st embodiment. It is the 2nd figure showing typically the section structure of the device main part concerning a 1st embodiment. It is a figure which shows the circuit structure of the biometric information acquisition apparatus which concerns on 1st Embodiment. It is a figure which shows typically the arrangement | positioning and circuit structure of the solar panel which concern on 1st Embodiment. It is the figure which showed typically the cross-section of the apparatus main body part which concerns on the modification of 1st Embodiment.

<First Embodiment>
Hereinafter, the biological information acquisition apparatus according to the first embodiment will be described.

[Outline of biometric information acquisition device]
FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating an outline of the biological information acquisition apparatus according to the first embodiment.
As shown in FIG. 1, the biological information acquisition device 1 includes a device main body 1 a and a fixed band 2. Fixed bands 2 are attached to both ends of the apparatus main body 1a. When the fixing band 2 is tightened around the chest of the wearer S, the apparatus main body 1a and the like are fixed to the chest of the wearer S.
As shown in FIG. 1, two electrodes 3 </ b> A and 3 </ b> B that are electrically connected to the apparatus main body 1 a are arranged on the back side of the fixed band 2 (the side that is in close contact with the body surface of the wearer S). ing. As will be described later, the biological information acquisition apparatus 1 receives an input of an electrocardiogram signal, which is an electric signal generated with the heartbeat of the wearer S, via the electrodes 3A and 3B.
In this way, the biological information acquisition device 1 is attached to the chest that is the biological surface of the wearer S, and acquires predetermined biological information (electrocardiographic information) based on the electrocardiographic signal generated with the heartbeat. Device.

[Structure of biometric information acquisition device]
FIG. 2 is a first perspective view of the apparatus main body according to the first embodiment. FIG. 3 is a second perspective view of the apparatus main body according to the first embodiment.
As shown in FIG. 2, the device body 1 a of the biological information acquisition device 1 includes a housing 10 and a transparent case 11 (transparent member), and is formed in a substantially rectangular parallelepiped shape as a whole.
As shown in FIG. 2, the transparent case 11 is formed in a substantially rectangular shape along the longitudinal direction of the apparatus main body 1a, and is attached so as to cover the flat upper surface (the surface viewed from the + Z direction) of the housing 10. It has been. The transparent case 11 is formed of a transparent material such as acrylic.
When the biological information acquisition device 1 is worn by the wearer S, the flat bottom surface (the surface seen from the −Z direction) of the transparent case 11 in the device main body 1a is in contact with the body surface of the wearer S. It becomes a surface. The fixing band 2 and the electrodes 3A and 3B are not shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, but are actually attached to both ends in the longitudinal direction (± X direction) of the apparatus main body 1a (see FIG. 1). .

  FIG. 3 illustrates a part of the internal structure excluding the transparent case 11 of the apparatus main body 1a. As shown in FIG. 3, the apparatus main body 1a includes a circuit board 100, a solar panel 101, and an antenna 102 therein.

The circuit board 100 is mounted with a circuit or the like having various functions for acquiring biological information. Specific configurations of various functional units (circuits) mounted on the circuit board 100 will be described later.
The solar panel 101 is an aspect of a power generation unit, and is an element that can generate power according to received sunlight. The solar panel 101 charges a secondary battery 103 (not shown in FIGS. 2 and 3) described later based on the generated power. As shown in FIG. 3, the solar panel 101 is arranged so that the longitudinal direction of the solar panel 101 is along the longitudinal direction (± X direction) of the apparatus main body 1a, and the light receiving surface R faces upward (+ Z direction). Fixed installation.
The antenna 102 is used when the transmitting unit 40 described later transmits biological information to an external device wirelessly. As will be described later, the antenna 102 according to the present embodiment forms a cylindrical coil extending along the longitudinal direction (± X direction) of the apparatus main body 1a. The antenna 102 is fixedly installed on the circuit board 100 (on the + Z direction side of the circuit board 100) by an antenna holding member 102 a provided on the circuit board 100 and surrounding the antenna 102.

FIG. 4 is a first diagram schematically showing a cross-sectional structure of the apparatus main body according to the first embodiment. FIG. 5 is a second view schematically showing a cross-sectional structure of the apparatus main body according to the first embodiment.
FIG. 4 schematically shows the structure of the longitudinal section (cross section of the YZ plane) of the apparatus main body 1a.
As shown in FIG. 4, a secondary battery 103 (power storage unit) is installed below the circuit board 100 (−Z direction side). The secondary battery 103 is a battery (for example, a cobalt titanium lithium battery, a lithium ion battery, or the like) that can be charged with electric power supplied from the outside (in this embodiment, the solar panel 101). The secondary battery 103 is fixedly installed below the circuit board 100 (−Z direction side) by the battery holder 103 a and connected to the circuit so that power can be supplied to various functional units arranged on the circuit board 100. (See below).

  FIG. 5 schematically shows the structure of the cross section (cross section of the XZ plane) of the apparatus main body 1a. As shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, the housing 10 includes a circuit board 100, a secondary battery 103, and the like on the bottom surface (the surface on the −Z direction side) and the side surface (the surface on the ± X direction and ± Y direction sides) circumferential direction. It is formed to cover the whole seamlessly. Accordingly, it is possible to block water from entering through the housing 10.

  As shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, the solar panel 101 is provided so as to face and face the inner surface of the transparent case 11 with the light receiving surface R facing upward (+ Z direction). By adopting such a structure, the light receiving surface R can receive sunlight incident through the transparent case 11, so that the solar panel 101 can generate power.

  The cylindrical antenna 102 is fixedly installed above the circuit board 100 (+ Z direction). The antenna 102 is arranged between the circuit board 100 and the solar panel 101 with its own extending direction aligned with the longitudinal direction (± X direction) of the solar panel 101, so that the entire light receiving surface R of the solar panel 101 is It supports so that it may closely_contact | adhere to the transparent case 11 which exists thereabove. With such a structure, since the antenna 102 can be used as a support for the solar panel 101, the number of parts can be reduced as a whole, and the downsizing and cost reduction of the entire apparatus can be promoted. . A panel support member 101a serving as a cushion (buffer material) is sandwiched between the antenna 102 and the solar panel 101. Thereby, since the elastic force of the panel support member 101a (buffering agent) works upward and presses the solar panel 101 against the inner surface of the transparent case 11, the solar panel can be supported while being further stabilized.

  As shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, the joint between the housing 10 and the transparent case 11 is welded by ultrasonic waves. In addition, it is good also as a structure by which the sealing member 11a is inserted so that it may go around between the joints of the housing | casing 10 and the transparent case 11. FIG. Thereby, the waterproof property in the joint part of the housing | casing 10 and the transparent case 11 is also ensured.

[Overall circuit configuration]
FIG. 6 is a diagram illustrating a circuit configuration of the biological information acquisition apparatus according to the first embodiment.
The circuit diagram shown in FIG. 6 shows various electrical configurations mounted on the circuit board 100 and the electrical connection relationship between the solar panel 101, the antenna 102, the secondary battery 103, and the electrodes 3A and 3B. As shown in FIG. 6, the biological information acquisition device 1 includes a charge / discharge control unit 20, a biological information acquisition unit 30, and a transmission unit 40.

The solar panel 101 is connected to the output line P1 (anode) and the ground line G1 (cathode), and the output voltage (power generation) according to the reception of sunlight with reference to the ground potential (0 V) of the ground line G1. Voltage Vs) is output to the output line P1. As shown in FIG. 6, the output line P <b> 1 is connected to the connection point N <b> 1 via a diode D <b> 1 provided to prevent backflow of power (current) from the secondary battery 103.
On the other hand, the secondary battery 103 is connected to the output line P2 and the ground line G2, and the electric energy stored in itself (SOC (State of Charge)) with reference to the ground potential (0 V) of the ground line G2. The output voltage (battery voltage Vb) corresponding to is output to the output line P2. As shown in FIG. 6, the output line P2 is connected to the connection point N1.
The connection point N1 is connected to a biometric information acquisition unit 30 and a transmission unit 40, which will be described later, via a connection switch SW2. When the connection switch SW2 is connected, each functional unit operates mainly by applying the battery voltage Vb of the secondary battery 103 to the biological information acquisition unit 30 and the transmission unit 40 (receives sunlight). In the case where the power generation voltage Vs from the solar panel 101 is also applied).

  When the amount of electric power (storage amount) stored in the secondary battery 103 is small and the battery voltage Vb is lower than the generated voltage Vs (Vs> Vb), the electric power (current) generated by the solar panel 101 by light reception is the connection point. Since it is input to the secondary battery 103 via N1, the secondary battery 103 is thereby charged.

[Charge / Discharge Control Unit]
The charge / discharge control unit 20 includes an overcharge prevention circuit 201, a voltage detection circuit 202 (voltage detection unit), and a reset circuit 203 (reset unit).
The connection switch SW1 provided in the charge / discharge control unit 20 can connect and disconnect between the output line P1 connected to the solar panel 101 and the ground line G1. In addition, the connection switch SW2 can connect and disconnect between the output line P2 (connection point N1) connected to the secondary battery 103 and the biometric information acquisition unit 30 and the transmission unit 40.

When the generated voltage Vs exceeds the battery voltage Vb (Vs> Vb), the secondary battery 103 is charged. At this time, the voltage at the connection point N1 (connection point voltage Vn) is stored in the secondary battery 103. The voltage value corresponds to the amount of power. The power generation voltage Vs and the connection point voltage Vn at the connection point N1 gradually increase as the secondary battery 103 is charged.
The overcharge prevention circuit 201 detects the connection point voltage Vn at the connection point N1, and when the connection point voltage Vn exceeds a predetermined voltage threshold value Vth1 (Vn> Vth1), the overcharge prevention circuit 201 controls the connection switch SW1. Connecting. Then, since the power supply line P1 connected to the solar panel 101 and the ground line G1 are short-circuited, the power generation voltage Vs of the solar panel 101 becomes zero (0 V). Therefore, when the secondary battery 103 approaches full charge and the connection point voltage Vn exceeds the voltage threshold Vth1, the generated voltage Vs is not applied to the secondary battery 103, and thus the secondary battery 103 is overcharged. Is prevented. The voltage threshold Vth1 is determined according to the battery voltage Vb output when the secondary battery 103 is in a fully charged state, for example. For example, in the case of a cobalt titanium lithium secondary battery, the voltage threshold value Vth1 is about 2.6V.

  When the charged amount in the secondary battery 103 is large, the battery voltage Vb of the secondary battery 103 is a voltage sufficient to operate various circuits such as the biometric information acquisition unit 30 and the transmission unit 40 described later. The voltage detection circuit 202 detects the connection point voltage Vn at the connection point N1, that is, the output voltage (battery voltage Vb) of the secondary battery 103, and the connection point voltage Vn is set to a predetermined voltage threshold value Vth2. Only when it exceeds (Vn> Vth2), the connection switch SW2 is connected. Then, the battery voltage Vb (= Vn> Vth2) of the secondary battery 103 is applied to the biological information acquisition unit 30 and the transmission unit 40, and these various functional units can be operated. For example, the voltage threshold Vth2 is about 1.8 V, which is the lower limit voltage at which the microcomputer 302 operates.

  Note that the biometric information acquisition unit 30 and the transmission unit 40 described later have an integrated circuit (IC chip) configured by transistors and the like. Therefore, when the storage amount (remaining capacity) of the secondary battery 103 decreases and the battery voltage Vb decreases, if the secondary battery 103 and the biological information acquisition unit 30 and the transmission unit 40 are electrically connected, a predetermined value is obtained. In a voltage band (for example, around 0.6 V), a through current flows between the power input terminal and the ground terminal (between VDD and VSS) of each integrated circuit. Once the through current flows, the power generated by the solar panel 101 is consumed as a current flowing through the biological information acquisition unit 30 and the transmission unit 40 exclusively. Therefore, the generated voltage Vs is not applied to the secondary battery 103, and charging becomes impossible.

  In order not to fall into such a situation, the voltage detection circuit 202 detects the connection point voltage Vn (that is, the battery voltage Vb of the secondary battery 103), and the connection point voltage Vn is the voltage threshold value Vth2 (> 0). .6V) (Vn ≦ Vth2), the connection switch SW2 is disconnected. Then, before the battery voltage Vb decreases to a predetermined voltage (0.6 V) that causes a through current, the secondary battery 103 (and the solar panel 101), the biological information acquisition unit 30, the transmission unit 40, and the like Cut off the wiring that connects the various circuits. Therefore, no voltage is applied to the biometric information acquisition unit 30 and the transmission unit 40 until the amount of power stored in the secondary battery 103 sufficiently recovers (that is, until the battery voltage Vb returns to a voltage that does not cause a through current). In addition, it is possible to prevent the biometric information acquisition unit 30 and the transmission unit 40 from causing a through current to become unchargeable.

  The reset circuit 203 outputs a reset signal for initializing the operation of the microcomputer 302 (biological information measurement unit) described later when the connection point voltage Vn detected by the voltage detection circuit 202 falls below the voltage threshold Vth2. . In addition, when the connection point voltage Vn reaches the voltage threshold value Vth2 from a low voltage equal to or lower than the voltage threshold value Vth2 by charging and the switch SW2 is connected, the reset circuit 203 outputs a reset release signal. The effect of the reset circuit 203 will be described later.

[Biometric information acquisition unit]
As shown in FIG. 6, the biological information acquisition unit 30 includes a heartbeat detection circuit 301 and a microcomputer 302 (biological information measurement unit).
The heartbeat detection circuit 301 is a circuit that converts a biological signal (electrocardiogram signal) of the wearer S input through a pair of electrodes 3A and 3B that are in contact with the wearer S into an input signal for the microcomputer 302. Specifically, the heartbeat detection circuit 301 includes various analog circuits such as a filter for removing noise and an amplifier circuit. The electrode 3A is directly connected to the heartbeat detection circuit 301, and receives an input of a biological signal as a potential difference with respect to the electrode 3B that is separately grounded.
The microcomputer 302 is an integrated circuit (microcontroller) that controls the entire biological information acquisition apparatus 1. The microcomputer 302 executes measurement processing of biological information (heart rate, etc.) using an internal storage area based on a program prepared in advance. The microcomputer 302 mounted on the biological information acquisition apparatus 1 sequentially measures the biological information of the wearer S based on the biological signal input through the heartbeat detection circuit 301. For example, the microcomputer 302 reads the periodic change of the input biological signal, specifically measures the period of the R wave of the electrocardiogram signal, and calculates the heart rate (the heart per unit time as biological information). Calculate the number of beats).

  Further, the microcomputer 302 has a reset function. When a predetermined reset signal is input from the outside, the microcomputer 302 returns the contents of the storage area to the initial state, and performs a process of initializing the biometric information measurement process.

Here, as described above, the reset circuit 203 of the charge / discharge control unit 20 outputs a reset signal to the microcomputer 302 when the node voltage Vn falls below the voltage threshold value Vth2. Then, the reset circuit 203 outputs a reset signal to the microcomputer 302 at the timing when the wiring connecting the secondary battery 103 and the biological information acquisition unit 30 is cut off by the connection switch SW2.
Usually, when the storage area is not initialized when the voltage supplied to the power input terminal (VDD) decreases and the microcontroller becomes inoperable, the microcontroller (microcomputer 302) remains in the middle of processing, There are cases where normal operation cannot be performed when power supply is restored. However, according to the reset circuit 203 according to the present embodiment, the microcomputer 302 always initializes the storage area at the timing when the power supply to itself is cut off, so that the secondary battery 103 is charged and the power supply is performed. When it returns, it can start normally from the initial state stably.

Note that the microcomputer 302 may output biological information such as the measured heart rate to the transmission unit 40 (described later) at regular intervals, for example, or at a timing when a predetermined input operation of the wearer S is received. It is good also as what to do.
In addition, the biological information acquisition unit 30 outputs a signal synchronized with the R wave of the electrocardiogram signal detected by the heartbeat detection circuit 301 directly to the transmission circuit 401 without using the microcomputer 302, and transmits the heartbeat burst wave to the transmission unit 40. It is good also as a structure which transmits from.

[Transmitter]
As illustrated in FIG. 6, the transmission unit 40 includes a transmission circuit 401 and an antenna 102.
The transmission circuit 401 converts the biological information input from the microcomputer 302 at regular intervals into a high-frequency signal for wireless communication. Specifically, the transmission circuit 401 performs a process of superimposing a signal corresponding to biological information on an alternating current signal having a predetermined frequency (for example, 5 kHz), modulating the signal, and outputting the modulated signal to the antenna 102.

The high-frequency signal input to the antenna 102 is radiated into the atmosphere as electromagnetic waves and is received by a receiving unit of an external device (not shown). Here, the external device refers to various terminal devices such as a personal computer (PC), a smartphone, and a tablet. The terminal device displays biological information acquired by reception on a display unit such as a liquid crystal screen provided separately. Thereby, the user (wearer S) can check his / her own biometric information acquired using the biometric information acquisition apparatus 1.
As described above, since the transmission unit 40 transmits biometric information to an external device by wireless communication, the biometric information acquisition device 1 has an external connection interface (connection port) on the outer peripheral surface of the device main body 1a. Does not have. Therefore, as shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, the apparatus main body 1 a includes the circuit board 100, the solar panel 101, the antenna 102, the secondary battery 103, and the like by the housing 10 and the transparent case 11 (seal member 11 a). The waterproof performance can be further improved.

[Configuration of solar panel]
FIG. 7 is a diagram schematically showing the arrangement and circuit configuration of the solar panel according to the first embodiment.
As shown in FIG. 7, the solar panel 101 is configured by connecting a plurality of power generation cells 101b to each other, and the plurality of power generation cells 101b are arranged along the longitudinal direction (± X direction) of the apparatus main body 1a. Arranged and connected in series. The power generation cell 101b is the smallest component of the solar panel 101, and generates an electromotive force (generated voltage Vs) corresponding to the amount of received light between the connection terminals C1 and C2 when the light receiving surface R receives light. As described above, in the solar panel 101 according to this embodiment, a plurality of power generation cells 101b are arranged along the longitudinal direction of the apparatus main body 1a, and each is connected by wiring. In FIG. 7, all the power generation cells 101b are illustrated as being connected in series to the output line P1 and the ground line G1, but each power generation cell 101b is actually provided for each predetermined system. Wire connection is made by combining series and parallel.

  When the user charges the secondary battery 103, the biometric information acquisition device 1 is disposed at a position where sunlight can be received. Here, when the biological information acquisition device 1 is placed at a position where sunlight can be received, for example, due to the presence of objects arranged around the biological information acquisition device 1, one of the light receiving surfaces R of the plurality of power generation cells 101b. The case where a part is covered with a shadow is assumed. Here, as described above, the device body 1a of the biological information acquisition device 1 is formed in a substantially rectangular parallelepiped shape having a longitudinal direction (± X direction) and a short side direction (± Y direction) (FIG. 2, (See FIG. 3 etc.) In this case, during the reception of sunlight, the probability that a part of the short side direction is covered with shadow is higher than the probability that a part of the short side direction is covered with shadow.

  Further, it is known that the power generation performance of a general solar cell (power generation cell 101b) is significantly reduced when sunlight is blocked on a part of its light receiving surface (light receiving surface R). However, in the solar panel 101 according to the present embodiment, even if a part of the longitudinal direction is covered with a shadow, some of the plurality of power generation cells 101b can be generated without being covered with a shadow. Thus, it is possible to prevent the generated voltage Vs from significantly decreasing. For example, it is assumed that the region L (FIG. 7), which is a part of the longitudinal direction, is covered with a shadow while the secondary battery 103 is being charged. In this case, although the power generation performance in the power generation cell 101b in which at least a part of the light receiving surface R belongs to the region L is remarkably deteriorated, the other power generation cells 101b receive light on the entire surface of the light receiving surface R, and thus the influence of the shadow is completely eliminated. Electricity is generated as usual without receiving it. Thus, even if a part of the longitudinal direction is covered with a shadow by connecting a plurality of power generation cells 101b arranged along the longitudinal direction of the apparatus main body 1a for each system, the generated power is reduced. Can be kept to a minimum.

[Function and effect]
The above-described biological information acquisition apparatus 1 is such that the entire functional units are in a state where the casing 10 and the transparent case 11 are completely sealed by ultrasonic welding, and the external connection interface is provided as described above. I don't have any. Therefore, high waterproof performance can be realized.

In addition, the biometric information acquisition device 1 includes the rechargeable secondary battery 103 (power storage unit) and the solar panel 101 (power generation unit) capable of generating power, so that the power storage amount of the secondary battery 103 decreases. Even so, the solar panel 101 can charge the secondary battery 103. Therefore, the user (wearer S) can charge the biometric information while charging the secondary battery 103 without opening and closing the casing such as battery replacement (for example, separating the casing 10 and the transparent case 11). The acquisition device 1 can be used repeatedly. As described above, the biological information acquiring apparatus 1 of the present invention seals the secondary battery 103 and the solar panel 101 in the inside thereof, thereby moisture such as sweat from the living body inevitably generated from the usage form. Can be prevented, and biometric information can be continuously acquired.
In this case, the portion of the device main body 1a that faces the light receiving surface R of the solar panel 101 is made transparent by using the transparent case 11, so that the entire solar panel 101 is sealed to ensure high waterproofness. However, a mode that can receive light (can generate power) is realized.
In addition, the biological information acquisition apparatus 1 includes a charge / discharge control unit 20 (FIG. 6) in order to realize a function that enables the secondary battery 103 to be charged through the solar panel 101. When the storage amount of the secondary battery 103 decreases, the charge / discharge control unit 20 appropriately cuts off the power supply to various function units, and the charge-discharge control unit 20 makes it impossible to charge due to the occurrence of a through current in the function unit. To prevent. Furthermore, the charging / discharging control unit 20 ensures the normal operation at the time of restarting by executing the reset operation of the microcomputer 302 when the power supply is cut off.

  As described above, according to the biological information acquiring apparatus 1 according to the first embodiment, it is possible to achieve a long lifetime and high waterproof performance.

[Other variations]
In addition, the biometric information acquisition apparatus 1 mentioned above is not limited to the above-mentioned aspect, For example, it can deform | transform as follows.

FIG. 8 is a diagram schematically showing a cross-sectional structure of an apparatus main body according to a modification of the first embodiment.
FIG. 8 schematically shows a structure of a longitudinal section (a section of the YZ plane) of the apparatus main body 1a according to the modification. The solar panel 101 according to the modification is a so-called flexible solar panel and can be freely bent. As shown in FIG. 8, the solar panel 101 is disposed close to the entire curved surface on the inner surface of the transparent case 11. By doing in this way, even if the incident direction of sunlight changes slightly, sunlight can always strike the light receiving surface R and power can be generated, so that the secondary battery 103 can be charged more efficiently.

  In addition, the biological information acquiring apparatus 1 according to the first embodiment uses a relatively low frequency (for example, 5 kHz) as the frequency of the electromagnetic wave that the transmission unit 40 uses for transmitting biological information, and the antenna 102 is adapted to this. It was set as the aspect which employ | adopts a cylindrical coil. However, the biological information acquisition apparatus 1 according to another modification may use a higher frequency band (for example, 2.4 GHz band) as the frequency of the electromagnetic wave used for transmitting biological information. In this case, the antenna 102 can be further downsized in accordance with the frequency. For example, the antenna 102 according to the modification may be formed with a wiring pattern on the circuit board 100. By doing so, since the antenna 102 is reduced in size, the housing size of the apparatus main body 1a can be further reduced.

  Further, the above-described biometric information acquisition apparatus 1 is described as including a transmission unit 40 that wirelessly transmits the biometric information to an external device as a notification unit that notifies the user (wearer S) of the acquired biometric information. did. However, the biological information acquisition apparatus 1 according to another modification may be configured to display and notify the acquired biological information on a display unit (liquid crystal display or the like) that is another notification unit. In this case, the display unit is accommodated in the housing 10 and the transparent case 11.

Moreover, although the biometric information acquisition apparatus 1 which concerns on 1st Embodiment demonstrated as an aspect provided with the solar panel 101 as a power generation part, the biometric information acquisition apparatus 1 which concerns on other embodiment is as an aspect of a power generation part. You may use electric power generation elements other than a solar panel. Specifically, the biological information acquisition apparatus 1 may use a piezoelectric element that generates an electromotive force according to vibration or impact, a thermoelectric power generation element that generates an electromotive force according to a temperature difference, or the like. Moreover, you may combine the solar panel 101 and the said piezoelectric element, a thermoelectric power generation element, etc.
In addition, the biological information acquisition apparatus 1 may include an element (for example, a coil that can be fed by electromagnetic induction) that can be fed from the outside wirelessly (contactlessly) using a magnetic field or an electric field.

  Moreover, although the biometric information acquisition apparatus 1 which concerns on 1st Embodiment was demonstrated as what secures waterproofness by the housing | casing 10 being formed seamlessly (refer FIG. 4, FIG. 5), other deformation | transformation The biological information acquisition apparatus 1 according to the example is not limited to this aspect. That is, even if a separate seam is provided, the casing 10 may be in any form as long as measures are taken to ensure sufficient waterproofness at that portion.

  In addition, the biological information acquisition apparatus 1 according to each of the above-described embodiments records a program for causing the microcomputer 302 to function as a biological information measurement unit on a computer-readable recording medium, and the program recorded on the recording medium is recorded. It may be an aspect in which the above-described processing is performed by being read by a computer system. Here, the computer-readable recording medium refers to a magnetic disk, a magneto-optical disk, a CD-ROM (Compact Disc Read Only Memory), a semiconductor memory, or the like. Alternatively, the computer program may be distributed to the computer via a communication line, and the computer that has received the distribution may execute the program.

  As mentioned above, although some embodiment of this invention was described, these embodiment is shown as an example and is not intending limiting the range of invention. These embodiments can be implemented in various other forms, and various omissions, replacements, and changes can be made without departing from the scope of the invention. These embodiments and modifications thereof are included in the invention described in the claims and equivalents thereof, as long as they are included in the scope and gist of the invention.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Biometric information acquisition apparatus 1a Apparatus main-body part 10 Case 11 Transparent case (transparent member)
11a Seal member 100 Circuit board 101 Solar panel (power generation part)
101a Panel support member 101b Solar panel power generation cell 102 Antenna 102a Antenna holding member 103 Secondary battery (power storage unit)
103a Battery Holder 20 Charge / Discharge Control Unit 201 Overcharge Prevention Circuit 202 Voltage Detection Circuit (Voltage Detection Unit)
203 Reset circuit (reset unit)
30 Biometric information acquisition unit 301 Heartbeat detection circuit 302 Microcomputer (biological information measurement unit)
40 Transmitter 401 Transmitter 2 Fixed Band 3A, 3B Electrode

Claims (5)

A biometric information acquisition device that is worn by a wearer and acquires biometric information of the wearer,
The device body,
A biological information acquisition unit that acquires biological information based on a biological signal acquired through an electrode that contacts the wearer;
A power storage unit that can be charged and supplies power to the biological information acquisition unit;
A power generation unit that generates power and charges the power storage unit,
The apparatus main body unit integrally seals the biological information acquisition unit, the power storage unit, and the power generation unit ,
The power generation unit is a solar panel,
The device body is formed of a transparent member at a portion facing the light receiving surface of the solar panel,
A transmission unit that wirelessly transmits the biological information to an external device via an antenna;
The antenna is disposed between a circuit board on which the biological information acquisition unit is mounted and the solar panel, and supports the light receiving surface of the solar panel so as to be close to the transparent member. Information acquisition device. The biometric information acquisition apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a transmission unit that wirelessly transmits the biometric information to an external device, wherein the apparatus main body unit integrally seals the transmission unit. A voltage detection unit for detecting an output voltage of the power storage unit;
A connection switch capable of connecting and disconnecting the power storage unit and the biological information acquisition unit,
The said voltage detection part interrupts | blocks the said electrical storage part and the said biometric information acquisition part via the said connection switch, when the output voltage of the said electrical storage part is less than a predetermined voltage threshold value. The biological information acquisition apparatus according to claim 1 or 2. The biological information acquisition unit includes a biological information measurement unit that measures the biological information based on the biological signal,
The living body according to claim 3, further comprising a reset section that initializes the operation of the living body information measuring section when the output voltage detected by the voltage detecting section falls below a predetermined voltage threshold value. Information acquisition device. The solar panel, while being composed of a plurality of power generation cells, the plurality of power generating cells, any claim 1, characterized in that arranged along the longitudinal direction of the apparatus body according to claim 4 the measuring apparatus according to an item or.

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