KR20090069130A

KR20090069130A - Method for communicating by using a blood vessel and apparatus thereof

Info

Publication number: KR20090069130A
Application number: KR1020080081028A
Authority: KR
Inventors: 김병휘; 김봉태
Original assignee: 한국전자통신연구원
Priority date: 2007-12-24
Filing date: 2008-08-19
Publication date: 2009-06-29

Abstract

The present invention relates to a blood vessel utilizing communication method and apparatus therefor. According to the present invention, a blood vessel using communication method includes converting input data into a corresponding sound wave signal, transmitting a sound wave signal through a blood vessel, and converting and outputting a sound wave signal received through the blood vessel into corresponding data. Steps. As a result, not only the information can be transmitted through the blood vessel, but also the signal propagation characteristics can be analyzed to determine the state of the blood vessel, the state of blood, the change in blood flow rate, and the change in blood flow rate.

Description

Method for communicating by using a blood vessel and apparatus Technical Field

The present invention relates to a blood vessel using communication method and apparatus, and more particularly to a blood vessel using communication method and apparatus for transmitting a sound wave signal to a blood vessel.

The present invention is derived from the research conducted as part of the IT growth engine technology development project of the Ministry of Information and Communication and the Ministry of Information and Communication Research and Development. [Task Management Number: 2007-S-014-01, Title: Metro-Access All-optical Integrated Network Technology] Development].

Human body communication refers to a technology that uses a human body instead of a cable to realize data communication. In general, human body communication uses 'change of current flowing in the body', and uses a method of expressing 0 and 1 by changing a micro current by contacting an electrode of a transceiver with a human body. At this time, the current actually flowing through the human body is up to about 500μA, the same level as the body fat meter does not affect health at all.

In addition, a human body communication method using 'a change in the surface electric field of the human body', and when a voltage is applied to the human body in contact with the insulator from the transmitter, the surface electric field of the human body changes accordingly, and a 'photonic field sensor' embedded in the receiver, etc. The device can be used to amplify very little change and read the signal.

By the way, in the case of general human body communication, only the purpose of transmitting information through the human body. In addition, there is a way to check the state of the human body through the electrical stimulation, in this case, the level of the body can only grasp a simple state, such as water content, muscle mass.

An object of the present invention is to transmit information by a method of transmitting and receiving a sound wave signal through blood vessels of the human body, and to analyze the propagation characteristics of the signal to grasp the state of blood vessels, the state of blood, changes in blood flow, changes in blood flow rate, and the like. The present invention provides a blood vessel communication method and apparatus.

According to an embodiment of the present invention, a blood vessel using communication method includes converting input data into a corresponding sound wave signal, transmitting a sound wave signal through a blood vessel, and a sound wave signal received through the blood vessel. Converting the data into corresponding data and outputting the corresponding data.

In addition, the blood vessel communication apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention for achieving the above object, the sound wave generator for generating a predetermined sound wave signal to be transmitted through the blood vessel, and the sound wave generator to generate a sound wave signal corresponding to the input data A sound wave signal control unit for controlling.

In addition, the blood vessel communication apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention for achieving the above object, the sound wave receiving unit for receiving the sound wave signal received through the blood vessel, and the sound wave signal to be converted into the data corresponding to the received sound wave signal and output Includes an analysis section.

According to the present invention, by transmitting a sound wave signal through a specific vessel, it is possible to transfer information through the vessel. In addition, by analyzing the propagation characteristics of the sound wave signals transmitted and received, it is also possible to determine the state of blood vessels, the state of blood, changes in blood flow rate, changes in blood flow rate, and the like with respect to a specific vessel.

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

1 is a block diagram schematically illustrating a blood vessel using communication device according to an embodiment of the present invention.

Referring to the drawings, the blood vessel using communication device 100 according to the embodiment of FIG. 1 includes a sound wave signal controller 110 and a sound wave generator 120. The blood vessel utilization communication device 100 of FIG. 1 may be used as a vessel utilization transmitter.

The sound wave signal controller 110 receives input data and controls the sound wave signal to be generated by the sound wave generator 120 based on the received input data.

The sound wave generator 120 generates a sound wave signal based on input data according to a control operation of the sound wave signal controller 110.

The generated sound wave signal is an analog signal having a predetermined frequency, and preferably includes information corresponding to data inputted to the frequency, phase, pulse width or magnitude of the sound wave signal.

On the other hand, the input data is a fixed value, preferably a value stored in advance. This is for the receiver to compare the sound wave signal based on the pre-stored value and the sound wave signal received through the blood vessel 10.

As shown in Figure 1, the blood vessels 10, etc. of the human body is closed, and the human blood may be a good passage for transmitting and receiving sound signals because the liquid component occupies 46 to 63%. Therefore, in the present invention, by using such vessel 10 as a communication channel means, by analyzing the propagation characteristics of the sound wave signal received as well as the transmission of information through the vessel 10, Make sure you know your condition, blood condition, changes in blood flow, and changes in blood flow.

Meanwhile, the blood vessel 10 used as a path of the sound wave signal may be a vein 410 as shown in FIG. 4, or an artery 510 as shown in FIG. 5.

In addition, the sound wave signal may be transmitted in one direction as shown in FIGS. 4 and 5 to be described later or in both directions as shown in FIG. 6.

2 is a block diagram schematically illustrating a blood vessel using communication device according to an embodiment of the present invention.

Referring to the drawings, the blood vessel using communication device 200 according to the embodiment of FIG. 2 includes a sound wave signal receiver 210 and a sound wave signal analyzer 220. The blood vessel using communication device 200 of FIG. 2 may be used as a blood vessel using receiver.

The sound wave signal receiver 210 receives a sound wave signal transmitted through the blood vessel 20. This sound wave signal is a sound wave signal generated by the sound wave signal generator 120 of FIG. 1, and is a sound wave signal to which characteristics and the like in the blood vessel 20 are added. The frequency, phase, pulse width, or the size of the received sound wave signal may vary according to characteristics in the blood vessel 20.

The sound wave signal analyzer 220 converts the sound wave signal into data corresponding to the sound wave signal received by the sound wave signal receiver 210 and outputs the data. The received sound wave signal is an analog signal having a predetermined frequency. The sound wave signal is converted into corresponding data and output.

In addition, the sound wave signal analyzer 220 may determine the state of blood vessels and the like based on the converted data. Since the sound wave signal received through the blood vessel may vary in frequency, phase, pulse width, or the like, it is possible to infer the characteristics of the blood vessel by comparing the converted data with the reference data. That is, the state of blood vessels, the state of blood, changes in blood flow rate, changes in blood flow rate, and the like can be identified. The reference data may be stored in a separate storage unit (not shown).

Meanwhile, the blood vessel used as the path of the sound wave signal may be a vein 410 as shown in FIG. 4, or an artery 510 as shown in FIG. 5.

Meanwhile, the blood vessel using communication device 200 of FIG. 2, particularly, the blood vessel using receiver is preferably included in an object having a band shape that can be worn on the wrist.

3 is a block diagram schematically illustrating a blood vessel using communication device according to an embodiment of the present invention.

Referring to the drawings, the blood vessel using communication device 300 of FIG. 3 includes both components of the blood vessel using communication device 100 of FIG. 1 and the blood vessel using communication device 200 of FIG. 2. That is, the blood vessel communication apparatus of FIG. 3 includes a sound wave signal controller 310, a sound wave generator 320, a sound wave signal receiver 330, and a sound wave signal analyzer 340. Description thereof will be omitted.

Meanwhile, since the blood vessel using communication devices 300 and 400 of FIG. 3 play a role of a blood vessel using transmitter and receiver at the same time, separation of sound wave signals is required.

To this end, the blood vessel using communication devices 300 and 400 of FIG. 3 transmit the sound wave signals from the sound wave generators 310 and 410 to the blood vessel 30 so as to enable bidirectional communication, and the sound waves from the blood vessel 30. The apparatus may further include a circulator 350 or 450 for transmitting a signal to the sound wave receivers 330 and 430. The operation of the circulators 350 and 450 is based on the difference in frequency, phase, pulse width, or magnitude between the sound wave signals from the sound wave generators 310 and 410 and the sound wave signals from the blood vessel 30. This can be distinguished.

Meanwhile, in the drawing, blood vessel using communication devices 300 and 400 are disposed at both ends of blood vessel 30 to enable bidirectional blood vessel using communication. In this manner, blood vessel utilization communication may be possible.

4 shows an example of a unidirectional blood vessel using communication method using a vein, FIG. 5 shows an example of a unidirectional blood vessel using communication method using an artery, and FIG. 6 shows an example of a bidirectional communication method using blood vessels.

Referring to the drawings, firstly, FIG. 4 illustrates that the blood vessel using communication device 100 of FIG. 1 or the blood vessel using communication device 200 of FIG. 2 uses the vein 410 among blood vessels as a means of a communication channel.

By analyzing the propagation characteristics of the received sound wave signal as well as the transfer of information through the vein (410), it is possible to determine the state of the blood vessel, the state of blood, blood flow changes, blood flow changes.

4 is a unidirectional blood vessel using communication method, when the first blood vessel using communication device transmits a sound wave signal at the first vein position, the second vessel using the communication device receives it, and analyzes the characteristics of the sound wave signal.

Next, although FIG. 5 is almost similar to that of FIG. 4, there is a difference in that unidirectional communication is performed using an artery 510 of blood vessels.

Next, FIG. 6 illustrates a bidirectional blood vessel using communication method, which corresponds to the blood vessel using communication apparatuses 300 and 400 of FIG. 3. Separation of sound wave signals is necessary.

7 is a flowchart illustrating a blood vessel using communication method according to an embodiment of the present invention.

Referring to the drawings, first, input data is converted into a corresponding sound wave signal (S710). The sound wave signal conversion step may be performed through the sound wave signal controller 100 and the sound wave signal generator 120 of FIG. 1.

Next, a sound wave signal is transmitted through the blood vessel (S720). The generated sound wave signals may be transmitted to blood vessels through the sound wave signal generator 120 of FIG. 1. The blood vessel may be at least one of a vein and an artery.

Next, the sound wave signal received through the blood vessel is converted into the corresponding data and output (S730). The sound wave receiver 210 of FIG. 2 receives sound waves, and the sound wave signal analyzer 220 converts the received sound wave signals into corresponding data and outputs the corresponding data.

On the other hand, although not shown in the figure, based on the converted sound wave signal, the step of identifying at least one of the state of blood vessels, the state of blood, the change in blood flow rate, and the change in blood flow rate may be further performed. As described above with reference to FIGS. 2 and 3, since the received sound wave signal may be at least one of a transmitted sound wave signal, a frequency, a phase, a pulse width, and a magnitude thereof, the state of a blood vessel may be determined using the same. . Such an operation may be performed by the sound wave signal analyzer 220 of FIG. 2.

While the above has been shown and described with respect to preferred embodiments of the present invention, the present invention is not limited to the specific embodiments described above, it is usually in the technical field to which the invention belongs without departing from the spirit of the invention claimed in the claims. Various modifications can be made by those skilled in the art, and these modifications should not be individually understood from the technical spirit or the prospect of the present invention.

Figure 4 shows an example of a one-way blood vessel using communication method using a vein.

5 shows an example of a one-way blood vessel communication method using an artery.

6 shows an example of a bidirectional communication method using blood vessels.

Explanation of symbols on the main parts of the drawings

100, 200, 300, 400: blood vessel communication device

110, 310, 410: sound wave signal controller 120, 320, 420: sound wave generator

210,330,430: sound wave signal receiver 220,340,440: sound wave signal analyzer

350,450: circulator

Claims

Converting the input data into a corresponding sound wave signal;

Transmitting the sound wave signal through a blood vessel; And

And converting a sound wave signal received through the blood vessel into corresponding data and outputting the corresponding data.

The method of claim 1,

And identifying at least one of a state of the blood vessel, a state of blood, a change in blood flow rate, and a change in blood flow rate based on the converted sound wave signal.

The method of claim 1,

And the blood vessel is at least one of an artery and a vein.

The method of claim 1,

The blood vessel utilization communication method is unidirectional communication or bidirectional communication.

A sound wave generator for generating a predetermined sound wave signal to be transmitted through the blood vessel; And

And a sound wave signal controller configured to control the sound wave generator to generate a sound wave signal corresponding to the input data.

The method of claim 5,

A sound wave receiver for receiving a sound wave signal received through the blood vessel; And

And a sound wave signal analyzer for converting the received sound wave signal into data corresponding to the received sound wave signal.

The method of claim 6,

And the sound wave signal analyzer determines at least one of a blood vessel state, a blood state, a change in blood flow rate, and a change in blood flow rate based on the converted data.

The method of claim 6,

And a circulator for transmitting a sound wave signal from the sound wave generator to the blood vessel and allowing the sound wave signal from the blood vessel to the sound wave receiver so that bidirectional communication is possible.

The method of claim 6,

The sound wave signal of the sound wave generator and the sound wave signal of the sound wave receiver are different in frequency, magnitude, phase, and pulse width.

The method of claim 5,

And the blood vessel is at least one of an artery and a vein.

The method of claim 11,

And the blood vessel is at least one of an artery and a vein.