JP2003134009A - Data communication device - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a data communication device in which a handling property for a human body of a user is improved. SOLUTION: This device is equipped with at least two electrodes 2 and 3 in contact with the human body (user) or located near to the human body and a data communication part 4 having the function of at least any one of data transmitting and receiving, and two electrodes 2 and 3 are located while being confronted along with the crosswise direction of a band part 11 of a watch, that the human body (user) wears. Besides, in addition to such a configuration, at least two electrodes can be provided on the band part 10 as well.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a data communication device for performing data communication.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, as a data communication device worn by a human body, for example, there is one described in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2001-77735.

In the data communication device described in this publication, data is transmitted from a data transmitting device mounted on a human body to a data receiving device through a human body, which is a conductor, as a transmission path.

[0004]

However, in the above data communication device, the user needs to consider the arrangement of the electrodes to be used in order to perform more efficient data communication. , It was desirable to further improve the handling for the user.

The present invention has been made to solve the above problems, and an object of the present invention is to provide a data communication device with improved handling for the user.

[0006]

A data communication apparatus according to claim 1 is provided with at least two electrodes 2 and 3 which are in contact with or near a human body, and at least one of data transmission and reception. A data communication unit 4 having a function, wherein the two electrodes 2 and 3 are arranged opposite to each other along the width direction of the band unit 11 of the wristwatch worn by the human body. To do.

The data communication apparatus according to claim 2 is
As shown in FIG. 1 as an example, in the invention according to claim 1, at least the two electrodes 2 and 3 have a band portion 1
It is characterized in that it is provided at 0.

A data communication apparatus according to claim 3 is
The invention according to claim 1 is characterized in that at least the two electrodes 2 and 3 can be freely attached to and detached from the band portion 11.

A data communication apparatus according to a fourth aspect is
As shown in one example in FIGS. 3 to 6, in the invention according to claim 3, it is formed in a detachable shape so as to sandwich the front and back surfaces of the band portion 11, and the data communication portion 4 is formed.
Is provided on the side opposite to the side of the band portion 11 in contact with or facing the human body.

[0010]

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION A first embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to FIGS. FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram showing a data communication device 1 according to the first embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing the data communication device 1. 1A is a front view of the wristwatch, FIG. 1B is a rear view of the wristwatch, and FIG.
FIG. 2 is a side view of the wristwatch seen from the direction A shown in FIG.

In the first embodiment, FIG.
As shown in (c), the data communication device 1 is provided in the band portion 10 of the wristwatch. The transmitting / receiving electrode 2 and the reference electrode 3 are a human body (not shown) that is a user of the band unit 10.
The data communication unit 4 arranged on the surface in contact with or facing the human body and having a function of transmitting and receiving data,
The structure is provided inside the band unit 10.

The wristwatch according to the first embodiment includes a normal band portion 11, a main body portion 12, and a band portion 10 including the data communication device 1, and the main body portion 12 stores information such as time. The display unit 13 for displaying is provided.

Here, the transmission / reception electrode 2 and the reference electrode 3 which are two electrodes are made of a conductive material, the transmission / reception electrode 2 is on the fingertip side of the human body, and the reference electrode 3 is opposite to the fingertip of the human body. Are provided so as to face each other along the width direction of the band portion 10 of the wristwatch.

The band portion 11 is made of an insulating material, and the space between the transmitting / receiving electrode 2 and the reference electrode 3 is shown in FIG.
It is insulated with an insulating material as shown in (b). The transmission / reception electrode 2 and the reference electrode 3 are electrically connected to the data communication unit 4 by a wire 60 or the like provided inside the band unit 10.

Since the wristwatch provided with the data communication device 1 is used by mounting the transmitter / receiver electrode 2 and the reference electrode 3 on the human body, for example, on the wrist so that the transmitter / receiver electrode 2 and the reference electrode 3 are arranged as described above, less noise is received and detection is performed. Since the received signal or the transmitted signal can be increased, the data communication can be preferably performed.

When the data communication device 1 has only a transmission function, two electrodes, a transmission electrode (not shown) and the reference electrode 3, are arranged such that the transmission electrode is on the fingertip side of the human body and the reference electrode 3 is. By placing it opposite to the fingertips of the human body,
Data communication can be preferably performed. In addition, the data communication device 1
However, in the case of having only the receiving function, the receiving electrode (not shown), which is the two electrodes, and the reference electrode 3 are similar to the receiving electrode on the fingertip side of the human body, and the reference electrode 3 is different from the fingertip of the human body. By arranging them oppositely, data communication can be preferably performed.

Further, in the first embodiment, the data communication unit 4 has an oscillation unit (not shown) for generating an AC signal and an amplitude of the AC signal based on the data to be transmitted, as shown in FIG. 2, for example. A modulating unit 41 for modulating, and a voltage applying unit (not shown) for applying a voltage corresponding to the modulation signal modulated by the modulating unit 41 between the reference electrode 3 and the transmitting / receiving electrode 2.
A voltage detection unit (not shown) that detects a voltage between the transmission / reception electrode 2 and the reference electrode 3, a demodulation unit 42 that demodulates data input by the voltage detection unit, and a transmission mode or a reception mode is selected. A possible transmission / reception switching button 43 and a transmission / reception switching unit 44 having a function of switching between a transmission mode and a reception mode.
And a transmission / reception switching unit 44 selected by the transmission / reception switching button 43
A modulation / demodulation switching unit 45 having a function of switching the connection between the modulation unit 41 and the demodulation unit 42 according to the transmission mode or the reception mode of the above, and a battery unit (not shown) for supplying power to each unit.
It has and.

The method of switching between the data transmitting side and the data receiving side in the data communication section 4 is not limited to the method of switching the transmission / reception switching section 44 by using a transmission / reception switching button 43, but a transmission / reception switching section. The transmission mode and the reception mode may be automatically switched by 44.

In the first embodiment, data to be communicated is transmitted by the data communication unit 4 which constitutes the data communication device 1.
If a microcomputer (not shown) or a ROM (not shown) is provided, it may be output from the microcomputer or ROM,
The data communication unit 4 may be provided with a sensor (not shown) and the detected sensor data may be transmitted. The content thereof is not particularly limited, but may be data of various content.

A data communication method using the data communication device 1 will be described below. For example, as shown in FIG. 2, a wristwatch equipped with the data communication device 1 is worn by a human body on the wrist. The human body bidirectionally transmits and receives data by contacting another human body wearing a wristwatch having the data communication device 1 with a handshake or the like.

In the first embodiment, the transmitting / receiving electrode 2 has an integral structure, but it may be divided into a transmitting electrode (not shown) and a receiving electrode (not shown). In addition, the data communication unit 4 included in the data communication device 1 has a function of transmitting and receiving data, and bi-directional data communication is possible. It may have at least one of the functions of reception and be capable of one-way data communication.

In such a data communication device, the user (human body) can easily attach and detach by arranging the data communication device so as to face each other along the width direction of the band portion of the wristwatch worn by the human body. It is possible to provide a data communication device with improved handling for a person (human body).

Further, the data communication device 1 is formed on the band portion of a wristwatch so that a normal wristwatch (particularly the main body 1
In contrast to 2), since the user (human body) can perform data communication by exchanging only the band unit 11 for the band unit 10 including the data communication device 1, it is necessary to particularly limit the main body unit 12. Disappears.

By disposing the transmission / reception electrode 2 and the reference electrode 3 which are two electrodes so as to face each other along the width direction of the band portion 11, when the user (human body) wears the wristwatch automatically, The two electrodes 2 and 3 can be arranged in an orientation in which data communication can be favorably performed.

Further, by providing the two electrodes 2 and 3 in the band portion 11 which is usually long in the longitudinal direction, a large portion of the electrodes 2 and 3 can be taken, so that the contact resistance of each of the electrodes 2 and 3 is reduced. it can.

Next, an embodiment showing a data communication device 1 using a normal wristwatch will be described below as a second embodiment to a fifth embodiment of the present invention.

First, a second embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIG. FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram showing a data communication device 1 according to the second embodiment of the present invention. The same parts as those in the first embodiment are designated by the same reference numerals, and the description of common parts will be omitted.

In the second embodiment, as shown in FIG. 3, an ordinary wristwatch is used, and the detachable data communication device 1 is attached to the wristwatch so as to sandwich the front and back surfaces of the band portion 11. is there.

Here, the data communication device 1 includes the band unit 1
1 an upper package 1a arranged on the opposite side of the human body or facing the human body, and a thin lower package 1b arranged on the surface side of the band portion 11 on the human body facing side or the human body side. To have.

The upper package 1a is made of an insulating material, has elasticity, and has a data communication section 4 inside. Further, the lower package 1b is made of an insulating material, and has a surface on the side that contacts or faces the human body,
A transmission / reception electrode 2 which is two electrodes and a reference electrode 3 are provided.

Here, the transmission / reception electrode 2 and the reference electrode 3 are the same as in the first embodiment, with the transmission / reception electrode 2 on the fingertip side of the human body,
The reference electrodes 3 are provided on the lower package 1b so as to be opposed to each other along the width direction of the band portion 11 of the wristwatch so that the reference electrodes 3 can be mounted opposite to the fingertips of the human body.

The upper package 1a has, for example, a metal button 61 (female side), and the data communication unit 4
The lower package 1b has, for example, a metal button 61 (male side), and the transmission / reception electrode 2 and the reference electrode 3 can be electrically connected to each other by a desired method. It is configured to be electrically connected. Then, the transmission / reception electrode 2, the reference electrode 3 and the data communication unit 4 are electrically connected by, for example, fitting male and female buttons 61.

In the second embodiment, the upper package 1
“a” has elasticity so that the male and female buttons 61 can be fitted properly, but if the data communication unit 4 and the transmission / reception electrode 2 and the reference electrode 3 can be electrically connected, it has elasticity. You don't have to.

The lower package 1b is preferably thin so that the human body does not feel uncomfortable when the data communication device 1 is worn on the wrist, for example.

In such a data communication device, the user (human body) can easily perform data communication by using the data communication device 1 which can be easily attached to and detached from the band portion 11 of a normal wristwatch.

By disposing the transmitting / receiving electrode 2 and the reference electrode 3, which are at least two electrodes, facing each other along the width direction of the band portion 11, when the user (human body) wears the wristwatch, the 2 The effect that the two electrodes 2 and 3 can be arranged in the direction in which data communication can be preferably performed is achieved.

By disposing the two electrodes 2 and 3 on the surface of the band portion 11 facing the human body and the data communication unit 4 on the other surface side of the band portion 11, the user (human body) can be Discomfort felt on the wrist when wearing a wrist watch is reduced as much as possible.

Further, by using the data communication device 1 which can be easily attached to and detached from the band portion 11 of an ordinary wristwatch, regardless of whether the user (human body) wears the right hand or the left hand. Corresponding to the wearer's hand, the two electrodes 2,
3 can be arranged in a direction in which data communication can be preferably performed.

Next, another embodiment will be described as a third embodiment of the present invention with reference to FIG. FIG. 4 is a schematic diagram showing a data communication device 1 according to the third embodiment of the present invention. The same parts as those in the second embodiment are designated by the same reference numerals, and the description of the common parts will be omitted.

Here, in the third embodiment, as shown in FIG. 4, the metallic button 61 as in the second embodiment is used.
Instead of connecting the upper package 1a and the lower package 1b with each other, the upper package 1a and the lower package 1b are connected by an elastic body 62 made of an insulating material so as to sandwich the band portion 11 therebetween. Is.

Further, the upper package 1a and the lower package 1b are made of an insulating material, and have a curvature such that, for example, when the human body is worn on the wrist, it fits into the shape of the wrist. The upper package 1a does not need to have elasticity as in the second embodiment.

The electrical connection between the data communication section 4 provided on the upper package 1a and the transmission / reception electrode 2 and the reference electrode 3 provided on the lower package 1b is made by, for example, a wire provided along the elastic body 62. Conductive member (not shown) such as.

In such a data communication device, the user (human body) can easily perform data communication by using the data communication device 1 which can be easily attached to and detached from the band portion 11 of a normal wristwatch.

Further, by disposing the transmission / reception electrode 2 and the reference electrode 3 which are at least two electrodes facing each other along the width direction of the band portion 11, when the user (human body) wears the wristwatch automatically, The effect that the two electrodes 2 and 3 can be arranged in the direction in which data communication can be preferably performed is achieved.

By disposing the two electrodes 2 and 3 on the surface side of the band portion 11 facing the human body and the data communication unit 4 on the other surface side of the band portion 11, the user (human body) can be Discomfort felt on the wrist when wearing a wrist watch is reduced as much as possible.

Further, by using the data communication device 1 which can be easily attached to and detached from the band portion 11 of an ordinary wristwatch, regardless of whether the user (human body) wears the right hand or the left hand. Corresponding to the wearer's hand, the two electrodes 2,
3 can be arranged in a direction in which data communication can be preferably performed.

Next, another embodiment will be described as a fourth embodiment of the present invention with reference to FIG. FIG. 5 is a schematic diagram showing a data communication device 1 according to the fourth embodiment of the present invention. The same parts as those in the second embodiment are designated by the same reference numerals, and the description of the common parts will be omitted.

In the fourth embodiment, as shown in FIG. 5, the data communication device 1 is constructed such that the band portion 11 is mounted so as to be sandwiched from the lateral side of the band portion 11.

The data communication device 1 constitutes a clip-shaped package made of an insulating material, and one end of the package is an opening 1d having an opening end 1c and a notch provided at a position substantially opposite to the opening end 1c. It has a part 1d. By providing the cutout portion 1d, the package has elasticity, and the data communication device 1 can be freely attached to and detached from the band portion 11.

In the data communication device 1, the opening end 1c is widened and the band portion 11 is passed through the opening 1d to be mounted on the wristwatch. The data communication device 1 contacts the human body of the package constituting the data communication device 1 or touches the human body. Two electrodes, a transmission / reception electrode 2 and a reference electrode 3, are provided on the surface facing each other so as to face each other along the width direction of the band portion 11 of the wristwatch. Further, the data communication device 1 includes the data communication unit 4 inside the package which is not in contact with or facing the human body.

The thickness of the package side having the transmitting / receiving electrode 2 and the reference electrode 3 provided on the surface is preferably thin so that the human body does not feel uncomfortable when the data communication device 1 is mounted on, for example, a wrist.

In such a data communication device, a user (human body) can easily perform data communication by using the data communication device 1 which can be easily attached to and detached from the band portion 11 of a normal wristwatch.

Further, by disposing the transmitting / receiving electrode 2 and the reference electrode 3 which are at least two electrodes so as to face each other along the width direction of the band portion 11, when the user (human body) wears the wristwatch, the 2 The effect that the two electrodes 2 and 3 can be arranged in the direction in which data communication can be preferably performed is achieved.

By disposing the two electrodes 2 and 3 on the side of the band portion 11 facing the human body and the data communication unit 4 on the other side of the band portion 11, the user (human body) can be Discomfort felt on the wrist when wearing a wrist watch is reduced as much as possible.

Further, by using the data communication device 1 which can be easily attached / detached to / from the band portion 11 of the ordinary wristwatch, regardless of whether the user (human body) wears the right hand or the left hand. Corresponding to the wearer's hand, the two electrodes 2,
3 can be arranged in a direction in which data communication can be preferably performed.

Next, another embodiment will be described as a fifth embodiment of the present invention with reference to FIG. FIG. 6 is a schematic diagram showing a data communication device 1 according to the fifth embodiment of the present invention. The same parts as those in the fourth embodiment are designated by the same reference numerals, and the description of common parts will be omitted.

In the fifth embodiment, as shown in FIG. 6, the data communication device 1 includes the package of the fourth embodiment in which two portions 1a and 1 are provided on the front and back surfaces of the band portion 11, respectively.
It is configured to be divided into b and to use, for example, a hinge 63 on one end side of the packages 1a and 1b.

The method of arranging the transmission / reception electrode 2 and the reference electrode 3 and the method of providing the data communication section 4 are substantially the same as those in the fourth embodiment, and the explanation thereof will be omitted.

Here, the package 1a having the data communication unit 4 therein is provided with a band holding unit 1f for sandwiching the band 11, for example. In addition, after the data communication device 1 is mounted on the band portion 11 on the side of the packages 1a and 1b where the hinge 63 is not provided, the band portion 1
In order to prevent falling off from 1, it has a concavo-convex portion (not shown) that can be engaged with each other.

The data communication device 1 includes the band holding unit 1f.
The band portion 11 is sandwiched between and the package 1a and the package 1b are engaged with each other and mounted on the wristwatch.

In such a data communication device, the user (human body) can easily perform data communication by using the data communication device 1 which can be easily attached to and detached from the band portion 11 of a normal wristwatch.

By disposing the transmitting / receiving electrode 2 and the reference electrode 3, which are at least two electrodes, facing each other along the width direction of the band portion 11, when the user (human body) wears the wristwatch, the 2 The effect that the two electrodes 2 and 3 can be arranged in the direction in which data communication can be preferably performed is achieved.

Further, by disposing the two electrodes 2 and 3 on the surface side of the band portion 11 facing the human body and disposing the data communication unit 4 on the other surface side of the band portion 11, the user (human body) can be Discomfort felt on the wrist when wearing a wrist watch is reduced as much as possible.

Further, by using the data communication device 1 which can be easily attached / detached to / from the band portion 11 of a normal wristwatch, regardless of whether the user (human body) wears the right hand or the left hand. Corresponding to the wearer's hand, the two electrodes 2,
3 can be arranged in a direction in which data communication can be preferably performed.

[0065]

As described above, in the data communication device of the invention according to claim 1 of the present application, at least two electrodes that are in contact with or near the human body and at least one of data transmission and reception. A data communication unit having one of the functions, and the two electrodes are arranged to face each other along the width direction of the band portion of the wristwatch worn by the human body. It was possible to provide a data communication device that can be easily attached and detached by the user and whose handling for the user has been improved. Further, by arranging at least two electrodes so as to face each other along the width direction of the band portion, it is possible to automatically arrange the two electrodes so that the data communication can be favorably performed when the user wears the wristwatch. Produce an effect.

Further, in the data communication device of the invention according to claim 2, in the invention according to claim 1, at least the two electrodes are provided in the band portion of the wristwatch. By exchanging only the band part for the ordinary wrist watch with the one having the two electrodes, it becomes possible for the user to perform data communication, so that there is no need to particularly limit the body part of the watch. Produce an effect. Further, by arranging at least two electrodes in the band portion so as to face each other in the width direction, it is possible to arrange the two electrodes in a direction in which data communication can be preferably performed. In addition, since at least two electrodes are provided in the band portion that is long in the longitudinal direction, the electrode portion can be made large, so that the contact resistance of each electrode can be reduced.

In the data communication device of the invention according to claim 3, in the invention according to claim 1, at least the two electrodes are detachable from the band portion of the wristwatch. The user can easily perform data communication by using an ordinary wrist watch. In addition, the data communication device can be easily attached to and detached from the band portion of an ordinary wristwatch. Further, by arranging at least two electrodes so as to face each other along the width direction of the band portion, it is possible to arrange the two electrodes in a direction in which data communication can be preferably performed. In addition, by making the data communication device a data communication device that can be easily attached to and detached from the band portion of a normal wristwatch, regardless of whether the user (human body) wears the right hand or the left hand, There is an effect that the two electrodes 2 and 3 can be arranged in a direction in which data communication can be favorably performed, in correspondence with the hand on the side of performing.

Further, in the data communication device of the invention according to claim 4, in the invention according to claim 3, the data communication part is formed in a detachable shape so as to sandwich the front and back surfaces of the band part. Is provided on the side opposite to the side of the band portion which is in contact with the human body or faces the human body, and therefore, when the user wears the wristwatch, an uncomfortable feeling on the wrist can be reduced as much as possible. Play.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram showing a data communication device according to a first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing a data communication device according to the first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram showing a data communication device according to a second embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a schematic diagram showing a data communication device according to a third embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a schematic diagram showing a data communication device according to a fourth embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 6 is a schematic diagram showing a data communication device according to a fifth embodiment of the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

1 Data communication device 2 transmitter and receiver electrodes 3 Reference electrode 4 Data communication section 10 band section 11 band section 12 Main body 13 Display 41 Modulator 42 Demodulator 43 Send / Receive switching button 44 Send / receive switching unit 45 Modulation / demodulation switching section

Continued front page    (72) Inventor Yoshiko Tsuji             1048, Kadoma, Kadoma-shi, Osaka Matsushita Electric Works Co., Ltd.             Inside the company F-term (reference) 5K012 AA01 AB08 AC08 AC10

Claims (4)

[Claims] 1. A data communication unit having at least two electrodes which are in contact with a human body or which are located in the vicinity of the human body and a data communication section which has at least one of a function of transmitting and receiving data. A data communication device, wherein electrodes are arranged opposite to each other along a width direction of a band portion of a wristwatch worn by the human body. 2. The data communication device according to claim 1, wherein at least the two electrodes are provided in the band portion. 3. The data communication device according to claim 1, wherein at least the two electrodes are freely attached to and detached from the band portion. 4. The data communication section is formed in a detachable shape so as to sandwich the front and back surfaces of the band section, and the data communication section is provided on the side opposite to the side of the band section that is in contact with or faces the human body. The data communication device according to claim 3.