JP2012257151A - Communication device - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To enable utilization of a communication path transmission band in a mode fit to the need of a desired communication application system, without using hardware of a peculiar configuration, in regard to a communication device for transferring the entire or a portion of a plurality of information sets having different suitable transmission speeds, to an opposite communication node through a communication path.SOLUTION: The communication device, for transferring the entire or a portion of a plurality of information sets, having different suitable transmission speeds, to the opposite communication node through a communication path, includes: storage means for storing specific information specified in a descending order of a suitable transmission speed among the plurality of information sets, into a predetermined memory medium; based on the entire or a portion of feature, state and communication procedure of the communication path, control means for instructing both or one of the permission/rejection and the mode of transferring to the communication node either the specific information or the specific information stored in the memory means.

Description

  The present invention relates to a communication device that transfers all or part of a plurality of pieces of information having different suitable transmission rates to communication nodes facing each other via a communication path.

  In recent years, in the medical field, by combining highly advanced communication technology and information processing technology, diagnosis and treatment of a patient on a remote island or remote area can be realized by a doctor located in a remote place.

  As such diagnosis and treatment can be received equally regardless of the patient's whereabouts and address, not only is the time and expense associated with long-distance travel, but also the shortage of doctors, which is an issue in remote medical care. It is rapidly spreading because it can be resolved.

  By the way, in the conventional telemedicine field, the information listed below (hereinafter referred to as “specific medical information”) is much larger than the voice and text information. In this case, the data is not transmitted to a doctor via a communication channel, but is recorded and recorded on a recording medium such as a DVD and delivered via a postal mail or a manual person, and is analyzed and viewed via a personal computer or the like. It was.

(1) Images obtained by X-ray equipment, ultrasonic diagnostic equipment, MRI, etc. (for example, JPEG format still images, motion-JPEG format still image sequences, etc.)
(2) Biometric information of many items over a long period of time

  In addition, an inquiry or dialogue between a doctor who browses such specific medical information and a patient or doctor in a remote place is appropriately performed via a telephone.

As prior arts related to the present invention, there are Patent Documents 1 to 5 listed below.
(1) “Multimedia information storage comprising a communication terminal that multiplexes and transmits input multimedia data, and a center that is connected to the communication terminal via a communication network and has storage means for storing the multimedia data. In the switching system, for the image data of the multimedia data received from the communication terminal via the communication network, when storing in the center, a video frame is extracted and divided into units of the video frame in advance and stored. In the normal state, the stored image data is read out, the video frame unit is detected, multiplexed as multimedia data, transmitted to the communication terminal, and the communication is performed during transmission to the communication terminal. An interruption occurred due to a factor including a playback stop request from the terminal or a transfer interruption from the storage means. When the interruption occurs, transmission of the image data in units of video frames is interrupted. Instead, a video frame unit in which fill bits are forcibly inserted is generated and multiplexed as multimedia data. When the suspension is canceled due to a factor including a resume instruction request from the communication terminal or a recovery from a transfer interruption from the storage means, the suspended video data is multiplexed as multimedia data from the video frame unit of the suspended image data. By resuming the transmission to the communication terminal, in the multimedia information storage and exchange system between the communication terminal and the center, when the reproduction is interrupted, when the interruption is resumed, or when the data transfer capability of the center is temporarily reduced, Accumulated image data is characterized by preventing image distortion and deterioration of response delay in display playback when missing. Reproduction control method ... Patent Document 1

(2) “In addition to the conventional direct transmission function and accumulated transmission function, a second accumulated transmission function that initiates transmission by calling the other party when the image memory becomes full during accumulation of scanned image data; When the other party's reception capability is found by negotiation with the other party, the scanner starts reading and stores the image data in the memory while performing the transmission operation. Until the image memory becomes full, the accumulation operation and the transmission operation are performed. "Asynchronous storage advance direct transmission function is provided, and these transmission functions are selected and transmitted under certain conditions", so that "the image transmission is performed with an efficient transmission method without burdening the operator" Facsimile machine characterized by ... Patent Document 2

(3) “The user of the call setup SETUP received by the G4 communication control unit 2 when the G4 communication control unit 2 receives the second image information in the process of recording and outputting the first stored image data. When the user information UUI includes a description indicating an emergency output, the recording output of the first image data is temporarily interrupted, and the second image information received by the G4 communication control unit 2 is encoded and decoded by the encoding / decoding unit 9. Is converted into the data and stored in the RAM unit 8, and the second image data stored is preferentially recorded and output to the plotter unit 14, and then the plotter unit 14 resumes the recording output of the first image data. " "When receiving the second image information in the process of recording and outputting the first image data that has already been accumulated, a high-priority document requiring urgentness to be transmitted from the other party is received and promptly received. Records high-priority documents Composite communication system characterized by "power" ... Patent Document 3

(4) “Image storage processing for encoding and compressing transmission image data to form transmission image information and storing the transmission image information in the image storage means, and transmission processing for transmitting the transmission image information stored in the image storage means” In an image communication apparatus having a storage-transmission parallel processing function that executes a plurality of destinations in parallel, destination storage means for storing a plurality of designated call destinations, and calls for a plurality of destinations stored in the destination storage means When it is judged that all operations have ended in error and it is impossible to re-call all destinations, it is found that "the transmission operation cannot be continued" by providing a control means for interrupting subsequent image accumulation processing. Since the accumulated transmission parallel processing operation is terminated at the time, it is possible to suppress useless transmission operations ". Patent Document 4

(5) "A driver for driving a vehicle is a communication processing device mounted on the vehicle for making a call with a call partner, and the voice received from the call partner to the driver is transmitted via a voice output device. An audio output unit that outputs the audio signal so that the driver can listen, an audio input unit that acquires an utterance audio signal from the driver to the calling party via a sound collecting device, and a received voice signal from the calling party to the driver. A reception cache that temporarily stores data including the received voice received by the wireless communication device that receives the data included, and a detection result by the driving state detection device that detects the driving state of the driver are acquired and quantified. Based on the driving state quantification means and the result of quantification by the driving state quantification means, the driving state of the driver should not listen to the received voice. Driving high load state determination means for determining whether or not the driver is in a high load state and sending out a reproduction interruption instruction for controlling to interrupt reproduction of data including the received voice when the driver is in a high load state; When the reproduction interruption instruction is received from the driving high load state determination means, the reproduction processing of the data including the received voice stored in the reception cache is not performed, and the driving high load state determination means When the reproduction interruption instruction has not been received, it has a reproduction processing means for performing reproduction processing of data including the received voice stored in the reception cache. And a communication processing device characterized in that both the convenience of a telephone call by a driver is realized.

JP 7-336387 A JP-A-5-83509 Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 7-312684 JP-A-8-307619 JP 2010-35138 A

  By the way, in the conventional telemedicine mentioned above, since there is a limit in the time required for mailing a DVD to a doctor or handing over by hand for emergency treatment such as a patient whose symptoms progress rapidly, radiology, skin In many cases, it was insufficient for medical treatment other than departments.

  In fields where medical treatment is desired in real time, such as internal medicine, pediatrics, obstetrics and gynecology, rehabilitation departments, neurology, psychiatry, etc. There has been a strong demand for a technology that can accurately and promptly deliver a variety of information including the specific medical information described above.

  An object of the present invention is to provide a communication device that can utilize the transmission band of a communication path in a form that matches the needs of a desired communication application system without using hardware with a specific configuration.

  According to the first aspect of the present invention, in a communication device that transfers all or part of a plurality of pieces of information having different suitable transmission speeds to a communication node facing each other via a communication path, the storage unit includes the plurality of pieces of information. Among them, specific information specified in descending order of the preferable transmission rate is stored in a predetermined storage medium. The control means is configured to permit or reject transfer of the specific information or specific information stored in the storage medium to the communication node based on all or part of the characteristics, state, and communication procedure of the communication path. And / or one of them.

  That is, specific information having a high suitable transmission rate among the plurality of information is stored in a storage medium and is adapted to the characteristics and state of the communication path formed or secured with the communication node. Transferred to the communication node.

  According to a second aspect of the present invention, in the communication device according to the first aspect, the control means transfers to the communication node in response to an event that does not correspond to any of the characteristics, state, and communication procedure of the communication path. Specify either or both of the permission and the form.

  That is, transfer of specific information requiring a high transmission band to a communication node is realized in a form suitable for an event that may occur in a system to which the present invention is applied.

  According to a third aspect of the present invention, in the communication device according to the first or second aspect, the stored information transfer means transfers the specific information stored in the storage medium to the communication node at the time of startup. .

  That is, the specific information stored in the storage medium is transferred to the communication node when the communication apparatus according to the present invention is started, and is therefore transferred to the communication node due to a power failure, failure, or the like. Specific information that should be lost is not lost or discarded unnecessarily.

  According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, in the communication device according to any one of the first to third aspects, the control means designates the transfer form by coordinating with the communication node.

  That is, the transfer of specific information requiring a high transmission band is realized in a form consistent with the state and convenience of the communication node that is the transfer destination of the specific information.

  According to a fifth aspect of the present invention, in the communication device according to any one of the first to fourth aspects, the control unit is configured to store the specific information or the specific information stored in the storage medium. The transfer rate for the communication node is set higher in order of time series.

  That is, the rate at which specific information having a high transmission band or a large amount of information is transferred to the communication node is increased stepwise or gradually from the start of the transfer.

  According to the present invention, specific information that requires a high transmission band is transferred to a storage medium by using the transmission band that can be secured with a communication node as a transfer destination.

Further, the present invention can be flexibly applied to various systems.
Furthermore, the system to which the present invention is applied can be improved in reliability without complicating the hardware configuration.

  In addition, when the speed at which the specific information is transferred to the communication node reaches the upper limit, it is possible to implement suitable communication control and communication procedure with high accuracy and stability.

  Therefore, in a system to which the present invention is applied, transmission of desired information is inexpensive and highly reliable within a range of transmission speed and transmission capacity that can be secured without making the hardware configuration unique or complicated. Realized.

It is a figure which shows one Embodiment of this invention. It is a figure which shows the cooperation of each part in this embodiment. It is an operation | movement flowchart of the encoder in this embodiment.

Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.
FIG. 1 is a diagram showing an embodiment of the present invention.
In the figure, the hospital 10 includes a VPN router 11 that terminates the Internet 20, and a communication port of the server 12 is connected to a specific port of the VPN router 11. The server 12 includes a personal computer 13, a keyboard 14, and a display 15 as peripheral devices. The personal computer 13 is connected to a headset 13HS with a microphone.

  The hospital 30 includes a VPN router 31 that terminates the Internet 20, and a hub 32 is connected to a specific port of the VPN router 31. A communication port of the encoder 33 is connected to a specific port of the hub 32. The input and output of the ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus 34 and a headset 35HS with a microphone are connected to the first and second codec terminals of the encoder 33, respectively. The encoder 33 is detachably equipped with an SD memory card 33SD.

FIG. 2 is a diagram showing the linkage of each part in the present embodiment.
FIG. 3 is an operation flowchart of the encoder in the present embodiment.
The operation of this embodiment will be described below with reference to FIGS.

In the hospital 30, the encoder 33 is given unique information (hereinafter referred to as “patient information”) used for patient identification by a doctor operating the ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus 34 (FIG. 2 (1)).
Further, the encoder 33 forms a communication path (FIG. 2 (3)) via the Internet 20 with the server 12 provided in the hospital 10 in accordance with, for example, an operation performed by a doctor (FIG. 2 (2)). (Step S1 in FIG. 3).

Note that the following items related to the formation of such a communication path may be anything.
(1) Communication control (including communication procedures applied to the communication control)
(2) Linkage performed by each unit such as the hub 32 and the VPN routers 31 and 11 intervening in the physical layer of the communication path

  By the way, in the Internet 20, since the transmission speed and transmission quality of the communication path can generally vary widely, there is a possibility that diagnosis of a remote patient by a high-definition image may be hindered.

  The encoder 33 converts, for example, an ISO / IEC signal into an audio signal (hereinafter referred to as an “upstream audio signal”) provided by the headset 35HS together with the moving image information and patient information provided by the ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus 34. By applying encoding (MPEG-AAC) according to a system compliant with the recommendation, a moving image file including the sound information (including heart sounds and Doppler sounds) is generated and stored in the SD memory card 33SD (FIG. 2). (4), step S2 in FIG. Hereinafter, information generated by encoding the uplink audio signal is referred to as “uplink audio information”.

  Further, the encoder 33 performs the following processing while performing the above-described encoding and moving image file storage.

(1) It is determined whether or not it is possible to maintain the transmission speed and transmission quality of the communication path (which can vary widely on the Internet) with a predetermined trigger and frequency (step S3 in FIG. 3). In a state where such maintenance is possible, the following processes (1-1) and (1-2) are performed. The transmission quality may be evaluated as the number or ratio of packets discarded on the corresponding communication path.

(1-1) Control information (moving image) to be applied to streaming transmission to the server 12 provided in the hospital 10 via the communication path, in addition to the corresponding moving image information, patient information, and uplink voice information. (Including the compression rate, the frame rate, and the transmission rate to be decoded) is stream-transmitted (or file-transmitted) (FIG. 2 (5), step S4 in FIG. 3).

(1-2) By decoding voice information (hereinafter referred to as “downstream voice information”) (FIG. 2 (6)) delivered from the server 12 via the link opposite to the communication path, the headset 35HS is decoded. The “downstream audio signal” is handed over (step S5 in FIG. 3).

(2) If the communication path cannot be maintained or cannot be maintained (including when it is difficult to ensure a suitable transmission speed and transmission quality), the following processes (2-1) to (3- Perform 4).

(2-1) Along with the generation of the moving image file described above, accumulation of the moving image file in the SD memory card 33SD is continued as much as possible (step S6 in FIG. 3).

(2-2) Re-form the above-mentioned communication path based on a predetermined procedure or standard, or according to an operation performed by an operator such as a doctor, or set an appropriate low value for the transmission speed of the existing communication path. (Step S7 in FIG. 3).

(2-3) Accumulated in advance in the SD memory card 33SD to the computer 12 arranged in the hospital 10 through the communication path which has been re-formed in this way or changed to a low transmission rate. The moving image files that have been recorded are sequentially streamed (file transmitted) (step S8 in FIG. 3). It should be noted that the moving image file to be read from the SD memory card 33SD as an object of such transmission includes all of the moving image files and the objects to be read or transferred before the processing of the above (2-1) is started. It may be any of the parts that did not become.

(2-4) The above-described determination is performed at a predetermined frequency or appropriately in the above (2), and the above processes (2-1) to (2-3) are performed as necessary.

  On the other hand, in the hospital 10, the computer 12 distinguishes the patient information, the moving image information, the uplink voice information, and the control information delivered via the communication path formed with the encoder 33 as described above. Import and do the following:

(1) Number and percentage of packets that could not be received due to missing or other causes in the packet sequence including all or part of patient information, video information, upstream audio information, and control information (hereinafter referred to as “transmission quality”) Is obtained based on a predetermined communication procedure (FIG. 2 (7)).

(2) When the transmission quality does not fall below a predetermined lower limit value, the following processes (2-1) and (2-2) are performed.

(2-1) The moving image information, patient information, and the transmission quality (FIG. 2 (8)) obtained by decoding based on the control information described above are converted into predetermined format image information and given to the personal computer 13 .

(2-2) The above-described uplink audio information (FIG. 2 (9)) is delivered as an uplink audio signal to the receiver of the headset 13HS via the personal computer 13.

  The personal computer 13 accumulates the image information in the predetermined format in a built-in storage medium, and in response to editing or other instructions given by an operator such as a doctor, the image information indicated by the image information (the moving image described above) The patient information and transmission quality are output on the display screen (FIG. 2 (10)). That is, the personal computer 13 functions as a “diagnostic image display terminal” that displays such image information, patient information, and transmission quality.

  Further, when the transmission quality falls below a predetermined lower limit value, the server 12 cooperates with the encoder 33 disposed in the hospital 30 via the Internet 20 (the communication path described above) if possible. Thus, processing necessary for maintaining the communication path and performing remote diagnosis in a desired form is performed.

  That is, the moving image information obtained by the acoustic diagnostic apparatus 34 in the hospital 30 is the patient information and control information described above regardless of the state of the communication path formed with the hospital 10 (server 12). In addition, the information is continuously stored in the SD memory card 33SD together with the upstream voice information, and is accurately delivered to the hospital 10 at a transmission speed and transmission quality suitable for the state of the communication path. To be served.

  Therefore, according to the present embodiment, various medical information is transmitted to a remote place at the highest possible transmission speed under the restriction of communication circumstances. Therefore, even in a subject where medical care should be performed in real time, Medical services such as diagnosis by specialized doctors are provided to patients with high accuracy and at low cost.

  In the present embodiment, such a medical service has a transmission speed of a communication path formed between the encoder 33 and the server 12 of “256 kbps to 2.5 Mbps” which is significantly lower than “several tens of Mbps to 100 Mbps”. Even that is realized.

  Therefore, the present embodiment can also be applied to remote diagnosis for remote areas or remote islands where applicable communication paths are limited to satellite lines or the like.

  In the present embodiment, the encoder 33 applies, for example, ITU-T recommendation H.264 to moving image information, patient information, and an upstream audio signal. H.264 encoding is performed.

  However, such an encoding method may be any as long as the transmission quality and transmission speed required for the remote diagnosis described above are ensured, and when the encoding method cannot be changed. The coding rate (compression rate) may be set automatically or manually to a value suitable for the desired transmission quality, transmission rate, or the like.

  In the present embodiment, the moving image file recorded on the SD memory card 33SD is transmitted to the hospital 10 (server 12) via the communication path described above.

  However, such a moving image file may be delivered to the hospital 10 by physical transportation such as mailing of the SD memory card 33SD when remote diagnosis is not urgent.

  Further, such a moving image file may not include all or part of the above-described patient information, upstream audio signal, and control information, and may be replaced with information content that can be directly streamed.

  Further, in this embodiment, regardless of the field of telemedicine, information that satisfies the desired needs can be recorded by being recorded on the SD memory card 33SD and transmitted to a remote place at a predetermined transmission speed and transmission quality. If transmission, retransmission, and change of transmission rate are allowed, it can be applied to any field as well.

  Further, when the present invention is applied to such a field, the elements other than the encoder 33 and the SD memory card 33SD (the ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus 34, the hub 32, the VPN router 31, etc.) are not limited to any hardware. It may be replaced with or not provided with wear.

  In addition, information to be recorded on the SD memory card 33SD is not limited to the moving image information described above, and a transmission speed to be applied to transmission is formed between the hospital 10 (server 12). As long as it occupies most or a large proportion of the transmission speed of the communication path, it may be a still image or any other one.

  Furthermore, in the present embodiment, the trigger for starting or restarting transmission of a moving image file may be any of the following events.

(1) A predetermined request received from a moving image file transfer destination (server 12 or the like)
(2) Changes in the effective transmission rate of the communication path described above
(3) When moving image information or the like having a predetermined amount of information (may be all sizes of the corresponding moving image information) is recorded on the SD memory card 33SD.

(4) When the above-mentioned communication path reconstruction is completed
(5) When a predetermined operation is performed on the encoder 33 or contact information is input from external hardware
(6) When untransmitted (unread) moving image information or the like is stored in the SD memory card 33SD when the encoder 33 is started (restarted)

Further, in the present embodiment, the above-described moving image files may not be collectively transferred to the hospital 10 (server 12) via the communication path, and may be transferred in the following form, for example. .
(1) Transfer as a sequence of files divided based on predetermined criteria
(2) Transfer only the part specified or requested by the hospital 10 (server 12)
(3) Transfer performed while converting to stream type

  Furthermore, in the present embodiment, the change in the transmission speed of the communication path described above may be performed in any form as long as it is performed based on a suitable communication procedure or the like.

In addition, the trigger for changing the transmission rate in the present embodiment may be any of those listed below.
(1) When designated or requested by the hospital 10 (server 12), etc.
(2) The status of the session performed based on the RTCP (Real-time Transport Control Protocol) protocol for the host participating in the corresponding session

(3) Change of setting given to any of the hardware constituting this embodiment
(4) When starting, or starting (resuming) transmission via the communication path described above, or given at a predetermined frequency or cycle from the start, and when the transmission speed should be gradually increased

  Furthermore, in the present embodiment, the communication path described above is formed as a VPN (Virtual Private Network) between the encoder 33 and the server 12, but for example, if a desired request in terms of security is satisfied. Any other communication path or communication link such as a circuit-switched private network or the like may be used instead.

In the present embodiment, moving image files are continuously stored in the SD memory card 33SD.
However, the present invention is not limited to such a configuration. For example, the moving image file is stored in the SD memory card 33SD during a period in which the moving image file is normally transferred through the communication path described above. By matching, the communication path may be repaired or the information amount of the moving image file to be transferred when an alternative communication path is secured may be reduced.

  Further, the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments, and various configurations can be made within the scope of the present invention, and any improvement may be applied to all or some of the components.

10, 30 Hospital 11, 31 VPN router 12 Server 13 Personal computer 13HS, 35HS Headset 14 Keyboard 15 Display 20 Internet 32 Hub 33 Encoder 33SD SD memory card 34 Ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus

Claims (5)

A communication device that transfers all or part of a plurality of pieces of information with different suitable transmission speeds to a communication node facing each other via a communication path,
Storage means for storing, in a predetermined storage medium, specific information specified in descending order of the preferred transmission rate among the plurality of information;
Based on all or part of the characteristics, state, and communication procedure of the communication path, both the permission and form of transfer of the specific information or specific information stored in the storage medium to the communication node, or And a control means for instructing either one of the communication devices. The communication device according to claim 1,
The control means includes
A communication apparatus that specifies either or both of transfer permission / denial and form for the communication node according to an event that does not correspond to any of the characteristics, state, and communication procedure of the communication path. The communication device according to claim 1 or 2,
A communication apparatus comprising: a stored information transfer unit that transfers specific information stored in the storage medium to the communication node at the time of startup. The communication device according to any one of claims 1 to 3,
The control means includes
The communication apparatus is characterized by designating the transfer form by linking with the communication node. The communication device according to any one of claims 1 to 4,
The control means includes
A communication apparatus, wherein a transfer rate of the specific information or the specific information stored in the storage medium to the communication node is set to be higher in order of time series.