JP2006234452A - Electronic thermometer - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To detect body temperature, while being used by a utilization method similar to the conventional types, and to effectively make the best use of the detected body temperature data. <P>SOLUTION: This thermometer is provided with a temperature detecting part 3 for detecting the body temperature, a control part 11 for processing the body temperature value data output from the temperature detecting part 3 by a prescribed processing, and for outputting a control signal to each part, a liquid crystal display 6, a USB module 15, and a series A plug 16 of USB standards. The body temperature value is displayed by the liquid crystal display 6, according to the output from the control part 11 based on the body temperature value data detected by the temperature detecting part 3, and the body temperature value data are transmitted to a personal computer 20 via the series A plug 16. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2006,JPO&NCIPI

Description

  The present invention relates to an electronic thermometer having a function of transmitting measured temperature value data to an external management device such as a personal computer.

  A thermometer is a jig that can be easily carried anywhere to measure body temperature, which is an important basic index for grasping the occurrence of abnormalities and state changes in the body, by a simple operation. Conventionally, mercury thermometers have been used as thermometers, but electronic thermometers have recently been used. Electronic thermometers generally incorporate a temperature sensor in the probe at the tip, and digitally display the body temperature of the patient or the like sensed by this temperature sensor using a liquid crystal display. Similar to the mercury thermometer, the electronic thermometer measures the patient's body temperature by applying a probe to the armpit or the anal cavity where the body temperature is relatively stable. The electronic thermometer has features such as easy handling, temperature measurement in a short time, and large and easy-to-read display. (For example, see Patent Document 1)

  As for the electronic thermometer, an ear thermometer is also provided that detects the temperature in the ear canal close to the hypothalamus, which controls the body temperature of the brain. Since the ear-type thermometer detects infrared rays radiated from the eardrum in the ear with a sensor provided in the probe, the temperature measurement operation can be performed in about one second.

JP2004-264297

  By the way, with the increase in health management orientation, continuous management such as body temperature, which is greatly useful as a basic material, is being carried out at the personal use level. Since body temperature management varies depending on, for example, individual differences, temperature detection location, temperature detection time, or temperature detection method, it is essential to continuously perform temperature measurement under the same conditions and grasp the average value data.

  Electronic thermometers are used together with mercury thermometers as jigs for body temperature measurement, but in the past, they were only used to temporarily measure body temperature, depending on the temperature reading based on the temperature displayed on the liquid crystal display. The reset operation was performed after checking the body temperature. Therefore, the electronic thermometer has been used as a jig for reading the numbers displayed on the liquid crystal display and writing them in a summary table or the like when the body temperature is continuously managed.

  In hospitals and the like, a temperature sensor is provided for each bed, and a system for transmitting temperature data of a patient measured by the temperature sensor to a management computer installed in a nurse center by wire or the like is also constructed. However, such a thermometer system requires a large-scale investment and targets only a specific patient, and a thermometer that is easily carried for personal use is not used as a thermometer sensor. Further, such a temperature measurement system is a one-way transmission system that transmits temperature measurement data to a management computer, and is not constructed as a bidirectional transmission / reception system that obtains information from the management computer side.

  Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide an electronic thermometer that is used in the same manner of use as before and that detects the body temperature and that enables effective use of the measured body temperature data.

An electronic thermometer according to the present invention that achieves the above-described object includes a temperature measuring unit that detects a body temperature, and a control unit that performs predetermined processing on body temperature value data output from the temperature measuring unit and outputs a control signal to each unit. A liquid crystal display, and a universal serial bus interface module and a universal serial bus standard specification series A plug. The electronic thermometer displays the temperature value on the liquid crystal display by the output from the control unit based on the temperature value data measured by the temperature measurement unit, and the temperature value data via the series A plug of the universal serial bus standard specification. Send to external management device.

  Further, the electronic thermometer includes a cap that is attached to and detached from the case body, and is configured so that the series A plug of the universal serial bus standard specification is covered by this cap when not in use. Furthermore, the electronic thermometer is provided with an internal memory for storing body temperature value data, and the body temperature value data stored based on an instruction from an external management device connected via a series A plug of the universal serial bus standard specification is stored. Read and send. Therefore, in the electronic thermometer, not only the temperature is detected only once, but also the temperature data stored in the internal memory can be used, so that effective health management is practiced by a simple device. Like that. The electronic thermometer is not limited to the conventional mere temperature measuring jig, but can also practice effective health management and medical guidance based on body temperature data with an external management device.

  According to the electronic thermometer according to the present invention configured as described above, it is a small and inexpensive device that is used in the same manner of use as before and detects the temperature and displays the temperature measurement result on the liquid crystal display. It can be used easily without deteriorating the selfishness. According to the electronic thermometer, it has a function to send the measured temperature value data to the external management device based on the universal serial bus standard, so that the temperature value data is effectively utilized not only for detecting the temperature. Multifunction and high functionality can be achieved by functioning as an information terminal device for practicing health management and medical guidance.

  Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the electronic thermometer 1 shown as an embodiment has a case body 2 that is a slightly flat and elongated box shape, and that has a temperature measuring section 3 with one end projecting elongated. The electronic thermometer 1 has the same external shape as a conventional electronic thermometer or mercury thermometer, and detects the body temperature by an equivalent usage method in which the thermometer 3 is applied to the armpit of the human body, the mouth of the mouth, or the like.

  As will be described in detail later, the electronic thermometer 1 can be connected to a personal computer 20 used as an external management device based on the Universal Serial Bus (hereinafter referred to as USB) standard. The measured temperature data is directly provided to the personal computer 20. The electronic thermometer 1 enables each individual to continuously manage body temperature value data that is an index value for daily health management by a simple operation. The electronic thermometer 1 makes it possible to know in advance the results of temperature measurements performed in a waiting room at a hospital or the like, for example, in a doctor's office, and also eliminates the need to record the temperature of a large number of patients during a temperature measurement tour of a nurse. It plays a function such as

  The electronic thermometer 1 is not described in detail because the thermometer 3 is equivalent to a conventional electronic thermometer, but is assembled in a substantially cap shape with a metal having a high thermal conductivity and exposed at the tip of the case body 2. And a temperature sensor 5 connected to the probe 4. The electronic thermometer 1 is provided with a liquid crystal display 6 on one main surface of the case body 2. The electronic thermometer 1 is provided with a temperature measuring button 7 and a function switching button 8 constituting a function switching unit on the main surface of the case body 2. In the electronic thermometer 1, a cap 9 is detachably combined with the other end of the case body 2 facing the temperature detector 3.

The electronic thermometer 1 is fixed to a not-shown stud or the like formed in the case body 2 and is assembled with a wiring board 10. On the wiring board 10, a CPU (Central Processing Unit) that controls the operation of each function described later. 11 is mounted. 1 and 3, the electronic thermometer 1 includes a liquid crystal display 6, a liquid crystal driver 12, an internal memory 13, a clock IC (Integrated Circuit) 14, a USB module 15, and a USB standard as shown in FIG. The specified series A plug 16 is mounted. The electronic thermometer 1 has the wiring board 10 assembled to the case body 2, but the liquid crystal display 6 faces the outside from the opening provided in the case body 2, although details are omitted.

  In the electronic thermometer 1, for example, a lid body (not shown) is combined with the other main surface of the case body 2 facing the arrangement surface of the liquid crystal display 6. By opening and closing the lid body, the button-type battery 17 is attached and detached. To be. The electronic thermometer 1 is controlled by the CPU 11 so that necessary power is supplied from the battery 17 to each unit. The electronic thermometer 1 can be supplied with power from the personal computer 20 side by mounting the USB module 15 and the series A plug 16. In the electronic thermometer 1, a secondary battery that can be charged by a power source supplied from the personal computer 20 may be used as long as the outer shape and weight do not increase so much.

  In the electronic thermometer 1, the liquid crystal driver 12 is controlled by the CPU 11 so that a predetermined display is performed on the liquid crystal display 6. In the electronic thermometer 1, the liquid crystal display 6 digitally displays the temperature measurement value, and also displays the setting state of each function set by the function switching button 8. The electronic thermometer 1 stores body temperature data measured based on an instruction from the CPU 11 when the internal memory 13 performs a temperature measuring operation. The electronic thermometer 1 uses, for example, a RAM (Random Access Memory) as the internal memory 13, and enables writing and reading of body temperature data. The electronic thermometer 1 stores body temperature data for a certain period of time in the internal memory 13, but is automatically reduced when transmitted to the personal computer 20 as will be described later. The cost is reduced.

  The electronic thermometer 1 has a timer function in which the clock IC 14 measures a temperature measurement time, for example, at the time of temperature measurement, and issues an alarm after a predetermined time has elapsed, and a calendar function that supplies date and time data on which the temperature measurement is performed to the CPU 11. When the electronic thermometer 1 stores the body temperature data in the internal memory 13, the date and time data is also stored.

  By mounting the USB module 15, the electronic thermometer 1 can exchange body temperature data and the like with the personal computer 20 based on the USB standard system. As is well known, the USB standard system can connect up to 127 peripheral devices such as personal computers and displays, keyboards, mice, or printers, and can exchange data at a maximum transfer rate of 12 Mbps. It is a standard. In the USB standard system, a personal computer is used as a host device and two signal lines, a power source and a ground cable are used, and data is obtained by a predetermined connector structure in which the upper side is series B and the lower side is series A. Etc. and power supply.

  The electronic thermometer 1 mounts a USB module 15 that is generally provided in a chip form on the wiring board 10, and mounts a series A plug 16 at an end portion of the wiring board 10. Although the electronic thermometer 1 is large and heavy due to its usage, it interferes with use for children and infants and becomes unusable, but it is equipped with a small USB module 15 and a series A plug 16 that are made into chips. However, such inconvenience does not occur. In the electronic thermometer 1, the series A plug 16 is projected from the end of the case body 2 facing the temperature measuring section 3 as shown in FIG. 2 with the wiring board 10 assembled to the case body 2. .

  As shown in FIG. 1, the electronic thermometer 1 has a cap 9 attached to the case body 2 so as to cover the series A plug 16. The cap 9 is formed of, for example, the same synthetic resin as that of the case body 2, and the engagement convex portion formed on the inner peripheral surface of the tip portion is relatively engaged with the engagement concave portion formed on the outer peripheral surface of the receiving portion of the case body 2. The case body 2 is attached to and detached from the case body 2 by a so-called snap coupling structure. The cap 9 exposes the series A plug 16 to the end of the case body 2 as shown in FIG. 2 by being removed from the case body 2 when performing operation for transmitting body temperature data or the like to the personal computer 20. For example, the cap 9 may be integrally formed with the case body 2 through a thin connecting portion to prevent loss.

  In the electronic thermometer 1, the temperature detection button 7 performs on / off switching of the power source and a reset operation for setting the temperature detection operation to the standby state. In the electronic thermometer 1, a predetermined signal is input to the CPU 11 by pressing the function switching button 8 while the power is on, and various functions are switched. In the electronic thermometer 1, for example, a clock display function, a temperature measurement value data transmission function, a data reception function from the external computer 20, or the like is switched by pressing the function switching button 8. Note that the electronic thermometer 1 may be configured such that the temperature detection button 7 and the function switching button 8 are integrated, and the functions are switched in a predetermined order each time the pushing operation is performed. For example, the electronic thermometer 1 may perform a calendar correction operation by combining the temperature detection button 7 and the function switching button 8.

  The electronic thermometer 1 is connected to a personal computer 20 via a series A plug 16 so that body temperature data and the like are exchanged. The personal computer 20 is a management computer installed in a hospital or a personal computer owned by an individual, and has a series B connector into which the series A plug 16 of the electronic thermometer 1 is inserted although details are omitted.

  The personal computer 20 has, for example, body temperature value examination program software, accumulates body temperature value data transmitted from the electronic thermometer 1, calculates an average value, and the average value and newly transmitted body temperature value data Are compared to determine the abnormal value, and the determination result is displayed on the screen. The personal computer 20 may transmit an alarm to the electronic thermometer 1 when an abnormal value is detected from the transmitted body temperature value data by the body temperature value examination program software. Further, the personal computer 20 performs health management by drawing and outputting a change graph based on the accumulated body temperature value data.

  When the electronic thermometer 1 is not used, power is not supplied to each part, and nothing is displayed on the liquid crystal display 6. When the electronic thermometer 1 is operated by depressing the temperature detection button 7, the power is turned on so that power is supplied to each part, and the current date and time is displayed on the liquid crystal display 6 by the clock display function. . When the electronic thermometer 1 is further pressed and operated, the temperature detection standby state is set, and the display of the liquid crystal display 6 is switched to “0 °”, and the timer function of the clock IC 14 is started. Needless to say, the electronic thermometer 1 may not operate the clock display function.

  In the electronic thermometer 1, the temperature measuring unit 3 is applied to the temperature detection location, the body temperature is conducted to the probe 4, and the temperature sensor 5 performs the temperature measuring operation. In the electronic thermometer 1, body temperature value data is sent from the temperature sensor 5 of the temperature detector 3 to the CPU 11. In the electronic thermometer 1, a driving signal is output from the CPU 11 to the liquid crystal driver 12 based on the body temperature value data. In the electronic thermometer 1, the liquid crystal display 6 is driven by the liquid crystal driver 12, and the measured temperature value is displayed on the liquid crystal display 6.

In the electronic thermometer 1, the clock IC 14 measures a predetermined time and outputs an alarm signal indicating the end of temperature detection, so that a control signal is output from the CPU 11 to the liquid crystal driver 12 and the body temperature value currently displayed on the liquid crystal display 6. Make sure the display is preserved. In the electronic thermometer 1, when the temperature value of the liquid crystal display 6 is read and the temperature measuring button 7 is pressed, the liquid crystal display 6 is switched from the display of the temperature value to “0 °” based on the control signal from the CPU 11. A reset operation is performed.

  In the electronic thermometer 1, when the temperature detection button 7 is pushed in at the end of the temperature measurement, the temperature measurement value data and the date / time data supplied from the clock IC 14 are stored in the internal memory 13 based on the control signal output from the CPU 11. An operation for storing body temperature value data is performed.

  The electronic thermometer 1 is connected to the personal computer 20 via the series A plug 16 so that the body temperature value data stored in the internal memory 13 is read. As shown in FIG. 4, the electronic thermometer 1 removes the cap 9 from the case body 2 to expose the series A plug 16, and inserts the series A plug 16 into the series B connector on the personal computer 20 side to store the internal memory 13. The stored body temperature value data is read into the body temperature value examination program software.

  When the electronic thermometer 1 is in a power-on state, for example, the function switching button 8 is pushed in to set the “read” function, and an execution instruction using the temperature measuring button 7 is performed to read the body temperature value data by the personal computer 20. To be done. In addition, when performing reading operation of temperature value data from each electronic thermometer 1 collected from a large number of patients in a hospital or the like, the reading operation is performed after inputting a code corresponding to each electronic thermometer 1. That's fine.

  In the electronic thermometer 1, body temperature value data can be input to the personal computer 20 by a simple operation of inserting the mounted series A plug 16 into the series B connector. Therefore, the electronic thermometer 1 eliminates the need to input the personal computer 20 after taking a note of the temperature value displayed on the liquid crystal display 6, and eliminates input mistakes and forgetting to input accurate temperature values continuously. It is possible to manage and ensure that effective health management is performed. In the electronic thermometer 1, it is also possible to construct a system in which body temperature value data is further transmitted to the host management computer via the personal computer 20.

  In the electronic thermometer 1, the body temperature value stored in the internal memory 13 is read by pushing the function switching button 8, setting the “read” function, for example, and performing a selection operation using the temperature detection button 7. It is also possible to check with the liquid crystal display 6. In the electronic thermometer 1, this reading function eliminates the need for a re-temperature measurement operation even when the temperature value measured has been forgotten. Moreover, in the electronic thermometer 1, the temperature value data memorize | stored as needed can be utilized, and more effective health management is practiced.

  As for the electronic thermometer 1, the procedure mentioned above shows an example and it is needless to say that it is not limited to this procedure. The electronic thermometer 1 is directly connected to the personal computer 20 or the like by incorporating the USB module 15, the series A plug 16, and the internal memory 13, and can construct a new examination system.

It is a perspective view of the electronic thermometer shown as embodiment. It is a perspective view of the electronic thermometer which removed the cap. It is a block diagram of an electronic thermometer. It is explanatory drawing of the use condition of an electronic thermometer.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Electronic thermometer 2 Case body 3 Temperature detection part 4 Probe 5 Temperature sensor 6 Liquid crystal display 7 Temperature detection button 8 Function switching button 9 Cap 10 Wiring board 11 CPU11
12 LCD driver 13 Internal memory 14 Clock IC
15 USB module 16 Series A plug 17 Battery 20 Personal computer

Claims (3)

A temperature detector that detects the body temperature, a controller that performs predetermined processing on the body temperature value data output from the temperature detector and outputs a control signal to each unit, a liquid crystal display, and a universal serial bus interface・ Equipped with module and universal serial bus standard specification series A plug,
The temperature value is displayed on the liquid crystal display by the output from the control unit based on the body temperature value data measured by the temperature measuring unit, and the body temperature value via the series A plug of the universal serial bus standard specification An electronic thermometer having a function of transmitting data to an external management device.   2. The electronic thermometer according to claim 1, further comprising a cap that is attached to and detached from a case body and covers the universal serial bus standard specification series A plug. The electronic thermometer according to claim 1, further comprising an internal memory for storing the body temperature value data.

Images