Female physical condition managing apparatus

• US 20020013521A1
• Filed: 10/02/2001
• Published: 01/31/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 10/02/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Tanita Corporation (Tanita)
• Original Assignee: Tanita Corporation (Tanita)
• Inventors: Shoji, Tamaki, Baba, Michiko, Kodama, Miyuki
• Granted Patent: US 6,665,561 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 600/301
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 10/0012 Ovulation-period determination for animals A61D17/002
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2010/0016 based on measurement of electric currents, e.g. conductivity tests
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2010/0019 based on measurement of temperature
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2560/0468 Built-in electrodes
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0535 Impedance plethysmography for measuring blood flow A61B5/0295
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0537 Measuring body composition by impedance, e.g. tissue hydration or fat content
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/1036 Measuring load distribution, e.g. podologic studies
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/4869 Determining body composition

Abstract

Disclosed is a female physical condition managing apparatus, which permits a female user to make a quick decision as to which physical phase of the monthly body condition she has presently in terms of how the value of BI is changing. Also, an advisory message appropriate for health care is given to her. For example, the degree of swelling appearing for the PMS period is determined, and a most appropriate advice is given to her. Likewise, she can be advised while continuously watching the difference between the present weight and the target weight. The values of BI measured every day are shown in the form of graph, accompanying pieces of information of physical condition as determined.

Claims

1. A female physical condition managing apparatus comprising:

a bioelectrical impedance meter;

an advice storing device;

a decision-making unit;

an advising unit; and

an informing unit, wherein

said bioelectrical impedance meter measures the value of BI of a woman who is using the apparatus;

said advice storing device stores a plurality of advisory messages for each of the specific divisional periods characteristic of the different phases which are noticeable from the monthly body condition of the woman;

said decision-making unit makes a decision as to which specific divisional period the woman is passing over on the basis of the time-selies transition of BI;

said advising unit is responsive to the decision-making of which specific divisional period for retrieving appropriate advisory messages from the advise storing device; and

said informing unit informs the woman of the so retrieved advisory messages.

2. A female physical condition managing apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the advice storing device may have advisory messages stored for each of the first divisional period spanning from the beginning day to the ending day of the menstruation period, the second divisional period spanning from the day subsequent to the termination of the menstruation period to the ovulation day, the third divisional period spanning from the ovulation day to the specific day one week earlier than the beginning of next menstruation period presumable from the record, and the fourth divisional period spanning from the specific day to the beginning day of next menstruation period.

3. A female physical condition managing apparatus according to claim 2 wherein the advice storing device has advisory messages stored for the fifth pregnancy-possible period.

4. A female physical condition managing apparatus according to claim 2 or 3 wherein the decision-making unit includes a swelling determining unit, which is responsive to the decision-making of the present period being the fourth divisional period for determining the degree of swelling in terms of the value of BI determined by the bioelectrical impedance meter, and for retrieving the most appropriate advisory message from the advise storing device.

5. A female physical condition managing apparatus according to claim 1 or 2 wherein it further comprises:

an inputting unit;

a weight scale; and

a weight-difference arithmetic unit, wherein

said inputting unit sets and inputs a desired weight;

said weight scale measures the present weight; and

said weight-difference arithmetic unit determines the difference between the desired weight and the present weight,whereby the advising unit may retrieve appropriate advisory messages from the advise storing device on the basis of the difference between the desired weight and the present weight and the divisional period representing the current body condition.

6. A female physical condition managing apparatus according to claim 5 wherein the value of BI is the one modified with the weight measured by the weight scale.

7. A female physical condition managing apparatus according to claim 5 or 6 wherein the appropriate advisory messages pertain to the weight and the dieting.

8. A female physical condition managing apparatus according to claim 7 wherein in a case where the divisional period determined by the decision-making unit is the third divisional period, the appropriate advisory messages pertaining to the weight and the dieting induce the woman to perform the dieting positively.

9. A female physical condition managing apparatus comprising:

a bioelectrical impedance meter;

a bioelectrical impedance memory;

an arithmetic unit; and

a display, wherein

said bioelectrical impedance meter measures the value of BI of a woman who is using the apparatus;

said bioelectrical impedance memory stores the measured values of BI;

said arithmetic unit calculates the mean value of the values of BI stored for the period for which the BI remains at raised values and the mean value of those stored for the period for which the BI remains at lowered values; and

said display displays the time-sequence transition of the stored BI values in the form of graphs, and for displaying the mean values of the raised values of BI and the lowered values of BI in the form of graphs.

10. A female physical condition managing apparatus comprising:

a bioelectrical impedance meter;

a bioelectrical impedance memory; and

a display, wherein

said bioelectrical impedance meter measures the value of BI of a woman who is using the apparatus

said bioelectrical impedance memory stores the measured values of BI; and

said display displays the time-sequence transition of the recorded values of BI in the form of graphs, representing time in abscissas and the values of BI in ordinates, the value of BI increasing with the descending distance toward the axis of abscissas, whereby the envelope of the raised values of BI may be low whereas the envelope of the lowered values of BI may be high.

11. A female physical condition managing apparatus according to claim 9 or 10 wherein it further comprises

a decision-making unit wherein

said decision-making unit makes a decision on which specific divisional period of the monthly physical condition the woman is passing over on the basis of the time-sequence transition of BI, allowing the display to show the present physical condition along with the graphic presentation.

12. A female physical condition managing apparatus according to claim 9 or 10 wherein it further comprises:

a decision-making unit; and

a physical condition memo, wherein

said decision-making unit makes a decision on which specific divisional period of the monthly physical condition the woman is passing over on the basis of the time-sequence transition of BI; and

said physical condition memory stores the physical conditions determined by the decision-making unit thus allowing the display to show in the graphic presentation, he divisional period for which the woman has passed over for reference.

13. A female physical condition managing apparatus according to claim 9 or 10 wherein it further comprises

a body temperature presuming unit, wherein said body temperature presuming unit makes a decision as to whether the body temperature varies in the high-temperature period or the low-temperature period from the time-sequence transition of the BI values stored in the bioelectrical impedance memory, thereby allowing the display to indicate in the graphic presentation, the high-temperature period or the low-temperature period thus presumed by the body temperature presuming unit.

14. A female physical condition managing apparatus comprising:

a bioelectrical impedance meter;

a bioelectrical impedance memory;

an arithmetic unit; and

a display, wherein

said bioelectrical impedance meter measures the value of BI of a woman who is using the apparatus;

said bioelectrical impedance memory stores the measured values of BI;

said arithmetic unit calculates the mean values per monthly period of the BI values of the high-temperature period and of those of the low-temperature period with reference the monthly physical condition of the woman; and

said display showes the mean values of the BI values of the high-temperature period and those of the low-temperature period in each of plural monthly periods in the form of graph.