KR20170130773A - Device for checking uterine contraction based on user eeg and emg signal and method thereof - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention provides a device and a method for checking a uterine contraction degree by determining a useful electromyography (EMG) signal by distinguishing an emotion state or an intentional operation type of a pregnant woman. According to an embodiment of the present invention, the device for checking a uterine contraction degree based on electroencephalogram (EEG) and EMG signals comprises: an EEG measurement part measuring a brainwave signal of a pregnant woman; an EMG measurement part attached to the abdomen of the pregnant woman, and measuring the uterine contraction degree of the pregnant woman; and a diagnosis information processing part generating diagnosis information based on the brainwave signal and the uterine contraction degree of the pregnant woman.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a device for testing uterine contraction based on EEG and EMG signals,

The present invention relates to an apparatus and method for examining the degree of uterine contraction of a pregnant woman, and more particularly to an apparatus and method for testing uterine contraction based on EMG signals of an EEG and abdomen.

Conventionally, in order to examine the degree of uterine contraction of a pregnant woman, a band-shaped test apparatus equipped with a pressure sensor was used to wrap the abdomen of the pregnant woman. This method is not suitable for obtaining accurate results because the movement of pregnant women is limited during the examination because the value changes easily according to the movement of the pregnant woman.

Since the conventional method using a pressure sensor has the above problems, recently, a method of examining the degree of uterine contraction using an EMG (Electromyography) sensor has been used. The EMG sensor is small in size and attached to the abdomen. In addition, the EMG sensor measures the current flowing through the human body, and there is no current to be emitted from the sensor to the outside, so that there is an advantage that the safety of the pregnant woman and the fetus can be guaranteed.

However, in practice, there is a problem that the change of the motion of the pregnant part is large, or the EMG signal measured in a specific operation may include a large noise, so that the accurate uterine contraction may be limited.

In addition, solutions for immediate treatment of the condition of the pregnant women that can be predicted by changes in uterine contraction degree are not currently being developed.

Korean Patent Publication No. 10-2015-0115524 Korean Patent Publication No. 10-2014-0093708

In order to solve the above problems, there is a need for an apparatus and a method for discriminating EMG signals useful for distinguishing the emotional state of the pregnant woman or the intended type of operation, and for examining the uterine contraction degree. Further, And to provide an apparatus and a method for providing appropriate measures to pregnant women.

The technical problem of the present invention is not limited to those mentioned above, and another technical problem which is not mentioned can be clearly understood by those skilled in the art from the following description.

The apparatus for testing uterine contraction based on EEG and EMG signals according to an embodiment of the present invention includes an EEG measuring unit for measuring an EEG signal of a pregnant woman, an electromyography (EMG) apparatus for measuring a uterine contraction degree of a pregnant woman attached to the abdomen of a pregnant woman, And a diagnostic information processing unit for generating diagnostic information based on the EEG signal and the uterine contraction degree of the pregnant part.

According to an embodiment of the present invention, there is provided an apparatus for examining uterine contraction based on EEG and EMG signals, the apparatus comprising: an EEG processor for determining an emotional state of an expectant mother or an intended action based on the EEG signal; And a uterine contraction degree evaluating unit for evaluating the uterine contraction degree in relation to the uterine contraction.

An apparatus for testing uterine contraction based on EEG and EMG signals according to an embodiment, comprising: a first set of EEG signals corresponding to each type of intended operation; Wherein the EEG processing unit includes a database for storing a second set of EEG signals corresponding to the emotional state or the emotional state, You can decide.

In an apparatus for testing uterine contraction based on EEG and EMG signals according to an exemplary embodiment, the type of the intended operation is at least one of running, running, flat walking, stair climbing or descending, sitting, clerk, One can be included.

 The apparatus for testing uterine contraction according to the EEG and EMG signals according to an embodiment further includes an activity measuring unit attached to the body of the pregnant woman to measure the type or size of the activity of the pregnant woman, The diagnostic information can be generated based on the EEG signal, the uterine contraction degree, and the type or size of the activity.

In an apparatus for testing uterine contraction according to an EEG and EMG signal according to an embodiment, the activity measuring unit may be attached to at least one of an arm, a leg, a wrist, a cuff, a neck, and a head of the pregnant woman.

In an apparatus for testing uterine contraction based on EEG and EMG signals according to an exemplary embodiment, the EMG measuring unit may include an EMG sensor array attached to three or more different positions with respect to the abdomen of the pregnant woman.

In an apparatus for examining uterine contraction according to an EEG and EMG signal according to an embodiment, the EMG measuring unit may measure a uterine contraction degree of a pregnant woman only when the magnitude of the activity of the pregnant woman is below a threshold value.

In the apparatus for examining the uterine contraction of an uterus based on EEG and EMG signals according to an embodiment, the diagnostic information processing unit may be configured to calculate the uterine contraction rate based on the EEG and EMG signals, Diagnostic information can be generated based on the degree of contraction.

The apparatus for testing uterine contraction based on EEG and EMG signals according to an embodiment may further include a fetal heart rate (FHR) sensor attached to the abdomen of the pregnant woman to measure fetal heart rate.

The apparatus for testing uterine contraction according to the EEG and EMG signals according to an embodiment may further include an output unit for outputting an alarm or a guidance message based on the diagnosis information.

The method of testing uterine contraction based on EEG and EMG signals according to an embodiment of the present invention includes measuring an EEG signal of a pregnant woman through an EEG sensor attached to a head of a pregnant woman, Measuring the uterine contraction degree of the uterus, and generating diagnostic information based on the brain wave signal and uterine contraction degree of the pregnant woman.

A method for testing uterine contraction based on EEG and EMG signals according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention includes the steps of determining an emotional state or an intended type of an operation based on the EEG signal and determining a type of the determined emotional state or intended action And evaluating the uterine contraction degree in relation to the contraction of the uterus.

The method of testing uterine contraction according to an EEG and EMG signal according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention may further include the step of measuring the type or size of the activity of the pregnant woman through a sensor attached to the body of the pregnant woman, , The diagnosis information may be generated by further using the type or size of the activity.

In the method of examining the uterine contraction degree based on the EEG and EMG signals according to an embodiment, the step of generating the diagnostic information may include the steps of: Diagnostic information can be generated based on the degree of uterine contraction of the pregnant woman.

According to the present invention, it is possible to distinguish an emotional state or an intended operation of a pregnant woman and selectively obtain useful EMG signals to enable accurate examination of uterine contraction degree. In addition, by attaching an EMG sensor to a plurality of different positions, it is possible to investigate the degree of uterine contraction by measuring the degree of uterine contraction for each part of the abdomen. It also has the advantage of promptly informing pregnant women, caregivers or hospitals of the necessary information based on the real-time measured uterine contraction rate. The effects of the present invention are not limited to the effects mentioned above, and other effects not mentioned can be clearly understood by those skilled in the art from the description of the claims.

1 is a block diagram of an apparatus for testing uterine contraction based on EEG and EMG signals in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 2 shows an example in which an apparatus for testing uterine contraction based on EEG and EMG signals is installed in a pregnant woman U according to an embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 3 is a detailed block diagram of the diagnostic information processing unit 120 according to an embodiment of the present invention.
4 is a block diagram of a database 130 in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention.
5 is a flowchart of a method for testing uterine contraction based on EEG and EMG signals according to an embodiment of the present invention.

The terminology used herein is for the purpose of describing particular embodiments only and is not intended to be limiting of the invention. The singular expressions include plural expressions unless the context clearly dictates otherwise. In this specification, the terms "comprises" or "having", etc. are intended to specify the presence of stated features, integers, steps, operations, elements, parts or combinations thereof, But do not preclude the presence or addition of steps, operations, elements, parts, or combinations thereof.

Unless otherwise defined, all terms used herein, including technical or scientific terms, have the same meaning as commonly understood by one of ordinary skill in the art to which this invention belongs. Terms such as those defined in commonly used dictionaries should be construed as meaning consistent with meaning in the context of the relevant art and are not to be construed as ideal or overly formal in meaning unless expressly defined herein . Like reference numerals in the drawings denote like elements.

In the following description, well-known functions or constructions are not described in detail to avoid unnecessarily obscuring the subject matter of the present invention. In addition, the size of each component in the drawings may be exaggerated for the sake of explanation and does not mean a size actually applied.

Embodiments described herein may be wholly hardware, partially hardware, partially software, or entirely software. A "unit," "module," "device," or "system" or the like in this specification refers to a computer-related entity such as a hardware, a combination of hardware and software, or software. A processor, an object, an executable, a thread of execution, a program, and / or a computer, for example, a computer, but is not limited to, a computer. For example, both an application running on a computer and a computer may correspond to a part, module, device or system of the present specification.

Embodiments have been described with reference to the flowcharts shown in the drawings. While the above method has been shown and described as a series of blocks for purposes of simplicity, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited to the order of the blocks, and that some blocks may be present in different orders and in different orders from that shown and described herein And various other branches, flow paths, and sequences of blocks that achieve the same or similar results may be implemented. Also, not all illustrated blocks may be required for implementation of the methods described herein. Furthermore, the method according to an embodiment of the present invention may be implemented in the form of a computer program for performing a series of processes, and the computer program may be recorded on a computer-readable recording medium.

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

1 is a block diagram of a device for testing uterine contraction based on EEG (electroencephalogram) and EMG (electromyograph) signals according to an embodiment of the present invention. Referring to FIG. 1, the apparatus for testing uterine contraction 100 based on EEG and EMG signals may include an EEG measuring unit 110, an EMG measuring unit 112, and a diagnostic information processing unit 120.

In another embodiment, the uterine contraction testing apparatus 1000 based on the EEG and EMG signals may further include a database 130 or a communication unit 140.

FIG. 2 shows an example in which an apparatus for testing uterine contraction based on EEG and EMG signals is installed in a pregnant woman U according to an embodiment of the present invention. The EEG measuring unit 111 for measuring the EEG signal of the pregnant part can receive the EEG signal from the EEG sensor 111a for EEG measurement. In one embodiment, the EEG measurement unit 111 may include an EEG sensor 111a. The EEG measuring unit 111 may transmit the measurement result to the diagnostic information processing unit 120. [

The EMG (Electromyography) measuring unit 112 is attached to the abdomen of the pregnant woman and can measure the uterine contraction degree of the pregnant woman. The EMG measuring unit 200 can measure the uterine contraction degree by measuring the current flowing in the abdomen of the pregnant woman using a plurality of sensor electrodes.

In one example, the EMG measuring unit 112 may include an EMG sensor array 112a attached to three or more different positions with respect to the abdomen of the pregnant woman. Referring to FIG. 2, an EMG sensor array 112a is disposed at different positions on the abdomen of the pregnant section U. This arrangement and the number of EMG sensors are exemplary only.

2, the EMG measuring unit 112 can check the uterine contraction at different positions of the abdomen through the EMG sensor array 112 attached to three or more different positions, and furthermore, By comparing the sensing results of each EMG sensor, noise can be removed, and the accuracy of measurement of uterine contraction can be improved. The EMG measuring unit 112 can transmit the measurement result to the diagnostic information processing unit 120. [

The diagnostic information processing unit 120 may generate diagnostic information based on the EEG signal and uterine contraction degree of the pregnant part received from the EEG measuring unit 111 and the EMG measuring unit 112. [

The diagnostic information may include an emotional state, a kind of intended action, and a degree of uterine contraction, and may further include the kind of activity actually performed. Or diagnostic information may be useful information generated using EMG signals and uterine contraction. That is, the diagnostic information may include an alarm or message for a particular situation.

The diagnostic information generated by the diagnostic information processing unit 300 can be immediately provided to the pregnant woman through an output unit (not shown). The output unit may include a vibration motor, a speaker, a display, or the like.

For example, when the uterine contraction degree is equal to or greater than the threshold value and the uterine contraction degree to the specific position of the abdomen is equal to or greater than the threshold value, An alarm or a message for informing the pregnant woman can be generated as diagnostic information.

The diagnostic information processing unit 300 may transmit the diagnostic information to another device through the communication unit 500. [ The other device may include one or more of a pre-designated terminal, a hospital server, and a server associated with a paramedic. The pre-designated terminal may be a terminal such as a terminal of the pregnant mother or a guardian. In addition, the diagnostic information processing unit 300 can transmit the diagnostic information to the hospital server so that the doctor working at the remote location can check the condition of the pregnant woman. The server associated with the emergency rescue team may be an organization to deal with emergencies such as 119 rescue units.

The communication unit 500 may perform communication between the apparatus 1000 and another apparatus or between elements in the apparatus 1000. The communication unit can use a wired or wireless system. In case of a wireless system, WLAN, Wibro, Wi-Fi, WIMAX and HSDPA can be used. Further, Bluetooth, ZigBee, UWBm, RFID and infrared communication can be used.

In one embodiment of the present invention, the uterine contraction based on the EEG and EMG signals may further include an FHR (Fetal Heart Rate) sensor attached to the abdomen of the pregnant woman 1000 to measure the fetal heart rate .

When the FHR sensor is included, the diagnostic information processing unit 300 can generate diagnostic information using the activity type or size, the EMG sensing value, and the FHR sensing value of the pregnant part, and the diagnostic information processing unit 300 itself , Meaningful data may be generated or the sensing result may be transmitted to another device as it is.

2, the activity measuring unit 100 and the EMG measuring unit 200 are shown as discrete devices, but these are only exemplary representations for clarity of explanation. A processor (not shown) for data operation may be connected to the components of one of the activity measuring unit 100, the EMG measuring unit 200, the diagnostic information processing unit 300, or another separate component (e.g., a handheld device or a wearable device) Or distributedly mounted on various components. That is, the sensors 110 and 120. 210 shown in FIG. 2 transmit the sensed information to the processor, and the processor processes the received information to generate three-dimensional operation information, and generates an EMG sensing value and three- Can be synchronized in time.

In this case, the sensor or the EMG sensor for measuring the activity of the pregnant woman may perform only the function of transmitting the sensed information to the processor, and the communication of the information between the components may use the local communication method such as Bluetooth. But is not limited to.

FIG. 3 is a detailed block diagram of the diagnostic information processing unit 120 according to an embodiment of the present invention. Referring to FIG. 3, the diagnostic information processing unit 120 may include an EEG processing unit 121 and a uterine contraction estimation unit 122. The EEG processing unit 121 can determine the emotional state of the limb part or the kind of the intended motion based on the EEG signal. The uterine contraction degree evaluation unit 122 may evaluate the uterine contraction degree by associating the determined emotional state or the kind of the intended operation with uterine contraction. For example, the uterine contraction degree evaluation unit 122 can record and evaluate the change in uterine contraction degree in a specific emotional state. Or the uterine contraction degree evaluation unit 122 may record and evaluate the change in the uterine contraction degree while intending to perform a specific operation (attempting to think or actual operation). Thus, by associating emotional state or intended action with uterine contraction degree, more information can be obtained from uterine contraction degree and a meaningful therapeutic plan can be sought.

The EEG processing unit 121 can use the conventional EEG signal processing method to determine the emotional state of the pregnant part or the kind of the intended operation. For example, the EEG processing unit 121 can estimate the emotional state of the pregnant woman while comparing the measured EEG signal with the EEG signal represented by the specific emotional state. Or the EEG signal while considering a specific operation and the measured EEG signal, and estimate the type of operation that the pregnant part intends.

Here, the emotional state may include excitement, surprise, anger, joy, sadness, joy, fear, and the like, and the present invention is not limited thereto. Also, the intended type of operation may include at least one of running, running, flat walking, stair climbing or descending, sitting, clerk, one leg lifting, and lying down, but the present invention is not limited thereto.

4 is a block diagram of a database 130 in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention. The apparatus 100 for testing uterine contraction based on the EEG and EMG signals according to an embodiment may further include a database 130. The database 130 may store a first set of EEG signals 131 corresponding to each type of intended action or a set of second EEG signals 132 corresponding to each of the emotional states. In this case, the EEG processing unit 121 can determine the emotional state or the kind of the intended action of the pregnant woman using the first brain wave signal set 131 or the second brain wave signal set 132 stored in the database 130.

Referring again to FIG. 1, the device for testing uterine contraction 100 based on EEG and EMG signals according to an embodiment of the present invention may further include an activity measuring unit 113. The activity measuring unit 113 may be attached to the body of the pregnant woman to measure the type or size of the activity of the pregnant woman. The activity measuring unit 113 may be mounted on an arm, a leg, a wrist, an ankle, a neck, a head of a pregnant woman, or may be held in a hand. Preferably, the sensor, which is a part of the activity measuring unit 113, is attached to the wrist 113a or the ankle 113b of the pregnant woman as shown in FIG. 2 to generate three-dimensional motion information of the pregnant woman.

The type of activity of the pregnant woman can be determined based on the three-dimensional motion information obtained through the sensor. For example, the type of activity tracking may include walking, running, sitting, climbing / descending stairs, hill climbing / descending, cycling, and the like, but the present invention is not limited thereto.

In addition, the size of the activity of the pregnant woman may mean the size of the three-dimensional motion information obtained through the sensor. For example, the size of the three-dimensional motion information may include a movement distance on the xyz coordinate or a magnitude of a yaw, a pitch, and a rotation angle with respect to the roll.

The sensor for measuring the type and size of the activity of the pregnant woman may include an acceleration sensor, a gyro sensor, a geomagnetic sensor, and the like. The sensor may be attached to the body of the pregnant woman to generate three-dimensional motion information according to the activity of the pregnant woman and to measure the type or size of the activity tracking.

In one preferred embodiment, the activity measurement unit 113 may include a gyro sensor or an acceleration sensor. In this case, the activity measuring unit 113 may compare the three-dimensional motion information acquired from the gyro sensor or the acceleration sensor with the three-dimensional motion information previously stored in the database 130 to determine the type of activity of the pregnant unit. The database 130 may further store three-dimensional motion information corresponding to each type of activity of the pregnant woman.

The activity measurement unit 100 may be any wearable electronic device including a handheld device or a MEMS type sensor module. The handheld device may be a tablet PC, a smart phone, and the wearable electronic device may include smart glasses, a smart clock, a smart band, and the like.

Because the EMG sensing value measured in a specific pregnant operation may be less related to the contraction of the uterus, it may be necessary to measure the uterine contraction only in the operation of the pregnant woman who can obtain an effective EMG sensing value. The types of activities designated here may include sitting, standing, walking on the ground, lying down, and so on.

5 is a flowchart of a method for testing uterine contraction based on EEG and EMG signals according to an embodiment of the present invention. The method of testing uterine contraction based on EEG and EMG signals can be implemented by the components of the uterine contraction test apparatus based on the EEG and EMG signals described above.

Referring to FIG. 5, the method for examining the uterine contraction based on the EEG and EMG signals includes measuring an EEG signal of a pregnant woman through an EEG sensor attached to the head of a pregnant woman (S100), an EMG sensor attached to the abdomen of the pregnant woman Measuring the uterine contraction degree of the pregnant part (S200), and generating (300) diagnostic information based on the brain wave signal and uterine contraction degree of the pregnant part.

In one embodiment, the method for testing uterine contraction based on EEG and EMG signals comprises the steps of determining the type of emotional state or intended action of the pregnant woman based on the EEG signal, and determining the type of the determined emotional state or intended action And evaluating the uterine contraction degree in association with uterine contraction.

In addition, the method of examining the uterine contraction based on the EEG and EMG signals may further include the step of measuring the kind or size of the activity of the pregnant woman through the sensor attached to the body of the pregnant woman. in this case. The generating of the diagnostic information may further generate the diagnostic information using the type or size of the activity.

The step of generating diagnosis information (S300) may generate the diagnosis information based on the measured uterine contraction degree of the pregnant part when the emotional state of the pregnant part or the kind of the intended operation is the predetermined state or kind. In one embodiment, the method for examining the uterine contraction based on the EEG and EMG signals may include transmitting the diagnostic information to another apparatus through a communication unit, or transmitting an alarm or a guidance message based on the diagnostic information through a vibration motor or a speaker And outputting the output signal.

Accordingly, according to the apparatus and method for testing uterine contraction based on the EEG and EMG signals according to an embodiment of the present invention, it is possible to monitor the uterine contraction degree of the pregnant woman in real time for 24 hours, and the relationship between the uterine contraction and the emotion and intention of the pregnant woman It is possible to acquire information on the pregnant woman, so that the cause of the problem can be grasped by the pregnant woman. In addition, since the local EMG value is obtained instead of obtaining the overall EMG value of the abdomen, there is an advantage that the uterine contraction degree in each part of the abdomen of the pregnant woman can be separately measured.

While the invention has been shown and described with reference to certain embodiments thereof, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that various changes and modifications may be made therein without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims. However, it should be understood that such modifications are within the technical scope of the present invention. Accordingly, the true scope of the present invention should be determined by the technical idea of the appended claims.

Claims (15)

An EEG measuring unit for measuring an EEG signal of a pregnant woman;
An EMG (Electromyography) measuring unit attached to the abdomen of the pregnant woman and measuring the uterine contraction degree of the pregnant woman; And
And a diagnostic information processing unit for generating diagnostic information based on the EEG signal and the uterine contraction degree of the pregnant woman.
The method of claim 1, wherein
The diagnostic information processing unit,
An EEG processing unit for determining an emotional state or an intended operation type of the pregnant part based on the EEG signal; And
And a uterine contraction degree evaluation unit for evaluating the uterine contraction degree in relation to the uterine contraction and the determined emotional state or the kind of the intended uterine contraction, based on the EEG and EMG signals.
3. The method of claim 2,
A first set of EEG signals corresponding to each of the types of intended actions; or
Further comprising a database for storing a second set of EEG signals corresponding to each of the emotion states,
Wherein the EEG processing unit determines a type of an emotional state or an intended operation using the first or second EEG signal set stored in the database based on the EEG and EMG signals.
3. The method of claim 2,
The kind of the above-
Wherein the apparatus comprises at least one of running, running, flat walking, stair climbing or descending, sitting, clerk, one leg lifting, and lying down.
3. The method of claim 2,
The diagnostic information processing unit further includes an activity measuring unit attached to the body of the pregnant woman and measuring the type or size of the activity of the pregnant woman, wherein the diagnostic information processing unit includes diagnostic information based on the brain wave signal, uterine contraction degree, Wherein the uterine contraction is based on EEG and EMG signals.
3. The method of claim 2,
Wherein the activity measuring unit is attached to at least one of an arm, a leg, a wrist, a cuff, a neck, and a head of the pregnant woman based on the EEG and EMG signals.
The method according to claim 1,
Wherein the EMG measuring unit includes an EMG sensor array attached to three or more different positions with respect to the abdomen of the pregnant part.
The method according to claim 1,
Wherein the EMG measuring unit measures the uterine contraction degree of the pregnant woman only when the magnitude of the activity of the pregnant woman is below a threshold value.
3. The method of claim 2,
The diagnostic information processing unit,
Wherein the diagnostic information is generated on the basis of the uterine contraction degree of the pregnant part measured when the emotional state of the pregnant part or the kind of the intended operation is the predetermined state or kind. .
The method according to claim 1,
Further comprising an FHR sensor attached to the abdomen of said pregnant woman to measure the fetal heart rate, and a device for testing uterine contraction based on EEG and EMG signals.
The method according to claim 1,
And an output unit for outputting an alarm or a guidance message on the basis of the diagnosis information based on the EEG and EMG signals.
Measuring an EEG signal of a pregnant woman through an EEG sensor attached to a head of a pregnant woman;
Measuring uterine contraction of a pregnant woman through an EMG sensor attached to the abdomen of the pregnant woman; And
And generating diagnostic information based on the EEG signal and uterine contraction of the pregnant woman.
13. The method of claim 12,
Determining an emotional state or a kind of an intended action of the pregnant woman based on the brain wave signal; And
Further comprising the step of evaluating the uterine contraction degree in relation to the determined uterine contraction and the type of the intended emotional state or the intended uterine contraction, based on the EEG and EMG signals.
13. The method of claim 12,
Further comprising the step of measuring the type or size of the activity of the pregnant woman through the sensor attached to the body of the pregnant woman,
Wherein the step of generating the diagnostic information comprises generating the diagnostic information by further using the type or size of the activity.
14. The method of claim 13,
Wherein the generating the diagnostic information comprises:
Wherein the diagnostic information is generated on the basis of the uterine contraction degree of the pregnant part measured when the emotional state of the pregnant part or the kind of the intended operation is the predetermined state or kind. .

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