Measuring system

• US 20020138275A1
• Filed: 12/12/2001
• Published: 09/26/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 02/18/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: ARKRAY, Inc, PHC Corporation (PHC Holdings Corporation)
• Original Assignee: ARKRAY, Inc, Matsushita Electric Industrial Company Limited (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Inventors: Tokuno, Yoshinobu, Sato, Yoshiharu, Amano, Yoshinori, Kataoka, Yoshihiro, Kawanaka, Shoji
• Granted Patent: US 7,024,367 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 704/270
• CPC Class Codes: G01D 7/12 Audible indication of meter readings, e.g. for the blind
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 33/48 Biological material, e.g. blood, urine G01N33/02, G01N33/26, G01N33/44, G01N33/46 take precedence; Haemocytometers counting blood corpuscules distributed over a surface by scanning the surface G06M11/02
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 40/63 for local operation

Abstract

A measuring system according to the present invention comprises a biosensor 2, a measuring device 1 being capable of assaying a specified component in a biological sample applied to the sensor 2 as dotted with high accuracy, and an optional device 22 which notifies a measuring procedure or a measurement result in the measuring device 1 by voice or the like by being combined with the measuring device 1.

According to the so-constructed measuring system, even a weak-sighted person or those unfamiliar with handling of the device can perform measurement accurately and recognize a measurement result. Further, even when plural users require a voice function, only the measuring device which manages measurement data has to be held by each person, and the optional device can be shared, thereby reducing user'"'"'s economical burden. When a voice output part has a breakdown, only the optional device has to be repaired and exchanged, and the measuring device can be used continuously, thereby enhancing convenience for a user.

Claims

1. A measuring system comprising a measuring device which takes a substance to be measured, analyzes components of the substance to be measured, and displays its measurement result and an optional device which has a voice output means for generating a voice or the like by being combined with the measuring device, wherein

the optional device complementarily announces a measuring procedure or a measurement result in the measuring device by voice.

2. The measuring system as defined in claim 1, wherein

the measuring device has a means for establishing communication of information about measurement with the optional device.

3. The measuring system as defined in claim 1, wherein

the optional device has a means for establishing communication of information about measurement with the measuring device.

4. The measuring system as defined in claim 1, wherein

an operating part for operating the voice output means is arranged on the side of the optional device.

5. The measuring system as defined in claim 1, wherein

the optional device has a function for switching a language of a voice.

6. The measuring system as defined in claim 1, wherein

an operating lever for switching a language of a voice is arranged so as to be covered up with an exterior case of the optional device.

7. The measuring system as defined in claim 1, wherein

a slope with a tapered shape is provided in the neighborhood of an opening for the measuring device to be inserted, which is provided in the optional device, in the direction where the measuring device is inserted.

8. The measuring system as defined in claim 1, wherein

the measuring device and the optional device have mechanisms for being engaged with each other when being combined.

9. The measuring system as defined in claim 1, wherein

an operating part for releasing a combination of the measuring device and the optional device is provided on the base side of the optional device.

10. The measuring system as defined in claim 1, wherein,

on the base side of the measuring device, there is provided a concave portion which is locked with an locking means on the optional device side when being combined with the optional device.

11. The measuring system as defined in claim 1, wherein

the measuring device can be inserted into the optional device only from one direction of the measuring device when the measuring device and the optional device are combined with each other.

12. The measuring system as defined in claim 1, wherein

the measuring device and the optional device are provided with mechanisms for preventing a wrong insertion of the measuring device into the optional device.

13. The measuring system as defined in claim 1, wherein

a rib for regulating the distance to the measuring device is provided on the inner wall of the optional device.

14. The measuring system as defined in claim 1, wherein

the measuring device and the optional device are driven by a battery provided on the optional device side when the measuring device and the optional device are combined.

15. The measuring system as defined in claim 14, wherein

the measuring device is combined with the optional device with its cover for a battery storage part and a battery removed.

16. The measuring system as defined in claim 15, wherein

the cover for the battery storage part, which cover is provided in the measuring device, is shared as a cover for a battery storage part for storing a battery for the optional device.

17. The measuring system as defined in claim 15, wherein

the cover for the battery storage part of the measuring device is provided with a combining means for combining the cover with the measuring device and a combination releasing means for removing the cover for the battery storage part from the measuring device.

18. The measuring system as defined in claim 15, wherein

the optional device is provided with a storage part for the battery removed from the measuring device.

19. The measuring system as defined in claim 16, wherein

a tip shape of a rib provided on the inner wall of the cover for the battery storage part has a flat part and a circular part for pressing plural kinds of accessories.

20. The measuring system as defined in claim 1, wherein

pattern lengths in a connector part for communication between the measuring device and the optional device provided in the measuring device are different in a sliding direction of the measuring device when the measuring device is combined with the optional device.

21. The measuring system as defined in claim 1, wherein

a terminal on the measuring device side for battery contact between the measuring device and the optional device is formed at a portion of a main printed board of the measuring device.

22. The measuring system as defined in claim 1, wherein

a terminal on the measuring device side for electrically connecting the measuring device to the optional device is provided in a battery storage part on the measuring device side.

23. The measuring system as defined in claim 1, wherein,

when measurement is not started while the measuring device is on standby for measurement, the optional device promotes measurement start by voice or the like.

24. The measuring system as defined in claim 1, wherein

the remaining time is informed by voice or the like by the optional device during measurement by the measuring device.

25. The measuring system as defined in claim 1, wherein

cutoff of power is informed by voice or the like by the optional device when measurement by the measuring device is finished.

26. The measuring system as defined in claim 1, wherein

the initial setting of the measuring device such as clock setting can be performed by an operating part on the optional device side.

27. The measuring system as defined in claim 1, wherein,

when the initial setting of the measuring device such as clock setting is not performed when the optional device and the measuring device are connected, a need of the initial setting is informed by voice or the like by the optional device.