Biological information utilization system, biological information utilization method, program and recording medium

• US 20060288253A1
• Filed: 06/10/2004
• Published: 12/21/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 06/18/2003
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Panasonic Corporation (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Panasonic Corporation (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Inventors: Kamei, Akihito, Kawamura, Tatsurou
• Application Number:
  US10/559,872
• Publication Number:
  US 20060288253A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 714/25
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 10/20 for electronic clinical trials or questionnaires
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 10/40 for data related to laboratory analysis, e.g. patient specimen analysis
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 10/60 for patient-specific data, e.g. for electronic patient records
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 40/67 for remote operation
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 70/60 relating to pathologies

Abstract

In a vital data utilization system, measurement systems include a measurement unit for measuring the vital data of subjects, a clock unit for detecting each measurement time at which vital data is measured and a communication unit for sending the vital data including measurement time to a server, a server includes a communication unit for receiving sets of vital data from measurement systems, a vital data storage unit in which vital data are stored, a value-added information making unit for making the value-added information indicating the changes over time of average values of subjects'"'"' vital data in a predetermined geographical area based on the vital data stored in the vital data storage unit and a communication unit for providing the made value-added information to the measurement systems and the PCs of service destinations, and PCs output the provided value-added information.

Claims

1. A vital data utilization system comprising:

a server;

a receiving apparatus; and

a plurality of measurement instruments;

wherein said server, said receiving apparatus and said plurality of measurement instruments are connected to each other via a communication network;

each of said measurement instruments includes;

a vital data measurement unit operable to measure vital data of a subject;

a clock unit operable to detect a measurement time at which the vital data is measured; and

a sending unit operable to send, to said server, a set of information including the measured vital data and the measurement time;

said server includes;

a receiving unit operable to receive, from said plurality of measurement instruments, a plurality of sets of information, one of which being the set of information;

a storage unit operable to hold the plurality of sets of information;

a database making unit operable to store the received plurality of sets of information into said storage unit and operable to make a database;

a value-added information making unit operable to compute the vital data of a plurality of subjects stored in the database and the respective measurement times in an associated manner and operable to make value-added information indicating changes over time of the vital data of the plurality of subjects; and

a value-added information providing unit operable to provide said receiving apparatus with the made value-added information; and

said receiving apparatus includes;

an output unit operable to receive the value-added information provided by said value-added information providing unit, operable to output, the value-added information.

2. The vital data utilization system according to claim 1,

wherein said vital data measurement unit is operable to measure the vital data of the subject in a quantitative manner;

and

the value-added information indicates changes over time of average values of the plurality of subjects'"'"' vital data.

3. The vital data utilization system according to claim 1, wherein:

said sending unit is operable to add, to the set of information, identification information for identifying a corresponding measurement instrument or subject and is operable to send the set of information including the identification information to said server;

said database making unit is operable to make individual databases where the sets of information for respective measurement instruments or subjects are stored based on the identification information; and

said value-added information making unit is operable to calculate differential values between the vital data included in the sets of information that are stored in the individual databases and previously-set standard values of the vital data, operable to average the calculated differential values concerning the plurality of subjects satisfying a predetermined condition in a predetermined time segment, and operable to make value-added information indicating changes over time of average values of the differential values concerning the plurality of subjects.

4. The vital data utilization system according to claim 3,

wherein the plurality of subjects who satisfy the predetermined condition are the subjects having vital data measured in a same predetermined geographical area or living in the same predetermined geographical area.

5. The vital data utilization system according to claim 1, wherein:

said sending unit is operable to add, to the set of information, subject identification information for identifying a corresponding subject of said measurement instrument and operable to send the subject identification information to said server;

said database making unit is operable to make individual subject databases where the sets of information for the plurality of respective subjects are stored based on the subject identification information; and

said value-added information making unit is operable to calculate differential values between the respective vital data included in the sets of information that are stored in the individual subject databases and individual subject averages of the vital data in a past predetermined period, operable to average the calculated differential values concerning the plurality of subjects satisfying a predetermined condition in a predetermined time segment, and operable to make value-added information indicating changes over time of average values of the differential values concerning the subjects.

6. The vital data utilization system according to claim 5,

wherein the plurality of subjects who satisfy the predetermined condition are the subjects having vital data measured in a same predetermined geographical area or living in the same predetermined geographical area.

7. The vital data utilization system according to claim 1,

wherein said database making unit is operable to update the database when receiving at least one new set of information;

and

said value-added information making unit is operable to update the value-added information based on the updated database.

8. The vital data utilization system according to claim 1,

wherein said receiving apparatus is placed in at least one of a hospital, a public facility and a subject'"'"'s house.

9. The vital data utilization system according to claim 1,

wherein said vital data measurement unit is operable to measure vital data which is an indicator of an infection.

10. The vital data utilization system according to claim 9,

wherein the vital data which is an indicator of an infection is at least one of body temperature, blood pressure, pulse, cardiograph, oxygen saturation in blood, accelerated pulse wave velocity, the number of white blood cells, C-reactive protein concentration in blood (CRP), protein concentration in urine, glucose concentration in urine, amino acid concentration in urine and feces viscosity.

11. The vital data utilization system according to claim 10,

wherein the protein in urine is at least one of albumin, globulin, hemoglobin and myoglobin.

12. The vital data utilization system according to claim 1,

wherein said vital data measurement unit is placed at housing equipment in the subject'"'"'s house.

13. The vital data utilization system according to claim 12,

wherein the housing equipment is at least one of a toilet apparatus and a bed;

and

said vital data measurement unit includes at least one of a thermometer, a blood-pressure meter, a pulsimeter, an electrocardiograph and a meter of oxygen saturation in blood that are for measuring the vital data, and said vital data measurement unit measures the vital data at a time when the subject uses at least one of the toilet apparatus and the bed.

14. The vital data utilization system according to claim 12, wherein:

the housing equipment is a toilet apparatus; and

said vital data measurement unit includes a urine analyzer and measures the vital data at a time when the subject uses the toilet apparatus.

15. The vital data utilization system according to claim 14,

wherein the urine analyzer mixes urine of the subject and a reagent including an antibody that specifically combines with an analysis target component, measures turbidity of a resulting mixed solution, and measures an analysis target component in the urine.

16. The vital data utilization system according to claim 1,

wherein said server further includes

a charging unit operable to calculate a charge for value-added information provided to said receiving apparatus.

17. The vital data utilization system according to claim 16,

wherein said server further includes

an incentive calculation unit operable to calculate an incentive to each subject.

18. The vital data utilization system according to claim 17,

wherein said incentive calculation unit is operable to add, to a charge calculated by said charging unit, a value of the incentive to each subject.

19. The vital data utilization system according to claim 17,

wherein said incentive calculation unit is operable to calculate points to be exchanged for at least one of (i) a right to receive the value-added information, (ii) a right to receive a discount from a rate of the value-added information, (iii) a right to receive a free distribution of, or a discount from a sale price of, a commodity to be used by said vital data measurement unit, (iv) a right to receive another service, and (v) a right to receive a free distribution of, or a discount from a sale price of, another commodity.

20. A server which is connected to a receiving apparatus and a plurality of measurement instruments via a communication network, said server comprising:

a receiving unit operable to receive, from the plurality of measurement instruments, a plurality of sets of information including measured vital data and measurement time;

a storage unit operable to hold the plurality of sets of information;

a database making unit operable to store the received plurality of sets of information into said storage unit and operable to make a database;

a value-added information making unit operable to compute the vital data of a plurality of subjects stored in the database and the respective measurement times in an associated manner and operable to make value-added information indicating changes over time of the vital data of the plurality of subjects; and

a value-added information providing unit operable to provide said receiving apparatus with the made value-added information.

21. The server according to claim 20, wherein:

said receiving unit is operable to receive, from the plurality of measurement instruments, sets of information to which subject identification information for identifying a subject of each measurement instrument is added;

said database making unit is operable to make individual subject databases where the sets of information for respective subjects are stored based on the subject identification information; and

said value-added information making unit is operable to calculate differential values between the respective vital data included in the sets of information that are stored in the individual subject databases and previously-set standard values of the vital data, and operable to make value-added information indicating changes over time of the differential values concerning respective subjects.

22. The server according to claim 20, wherein:

said receiving unit is operable to receive, from the plurality of measurement instruments, sets of information to which subject identification information for identifying a subject of each measurement instrument is added;

said database making unit is operable to make individual subject databases where the sets of information for respective subjects are stored based on the subject identification information; and

said value-added information making unit is operable to calculate differential values between the respective vital data included in the sets of information that are stored in the individual subject databases and individual subject averages of the vital data in a past predetermined period, and operable to make value-added information indicating changes over time of the differential values concerning the subjects.

23. The server according to claim 20, wherein:

said database making unit is operable to update the database after receiving at least one new set of information; and

said value-added information making unit is operable to update the value-added information based on the updated database.

24. A vital data utilization method for a system including a server, a receiving apparatus, and a plurality of measurement instruments connected to each other via a communication network, said vital data utilization method comprising:

in the measurement instruments;

measuring vital data of a subject;

detecting a measurement time at which the vital data is measured; and

sending, to the server, a set of information including the measured vital data and the measurement time;

in the server which includes a storage unit operable to hold a plurality of sets of information;

receiving, from the measurement instruments, a plurality of sets of information, one of which being the set of information;

storing the received plurality of sets of information into the storage unit and making a database;

making value-added information indicating changes over time of the vital data of a plurality of subjects based on the sets of information of the plurality of subjects that are stored in the database; and

providing the receiving apparatus with the made value-added information; and

in the receiving apparatus;

outputting the value-added information provided in said providing of the value-added information.

25. A vital data utilization method for a server used in a system in which the server, a receiving apparatus, and a plurality of measurement instruments are connected to each other via a communication network, the server including a storage unit operable to hold a plurality of sets of information, said vital data utilization method comprising:

receiving, from the plurality of measurement instruments, the plurality of sets of information including measured vital data and a measurement time;

storing the received plurality of sets of information into the storage unit and making a database;

making value-added information indicating changes over time of the vital data of a plurality of subjects based on the sets of information of the plurality of subjects that are stored in the database; and

providing the receiving apparatus with the made value-added information.

26. A computer-executable program for a server in a system in which the server, a receiving apparatus, and a plurality of measurement instruments are connected to each other via a communication network, the server including a storage unit operable to hold a plurality of sets of information, said program comprising:

computer-executable program code operable to cause the computer to execute;

receiving, from the plurality of measurement instruments, the plurality of sets of information including measured vital data and a measurement time;

storing the received plurality of sets of information into the storage unit and making a database;

making value-added information indicating changes over time of the vital data of a plurality of subjects based on the sets of information of the plurality of subjects that are stored in the database; and

providing the receiving apparatus with the made value-added information.

27. A computer-readable recording medium on which a computer-executable program is recorded, the computer-executable program operable to cause a computer to execute:

receiving, from a plurality of measurement instruments, a plurality of sets of information including measured vital data and a measurement time;

storing the received plurality of sets of information into the storage unit and making a database;

making value-added information indicating changes over time of the vital data of a plurality of subjects based on the sets of information of the plurality of subjects that are stored in the database; and

providing the receiving apparatus with the made value-added information.

28. A server which is connected to a receiving apparatus and a plurality of measurement instrument via a communication network, said server comprising a storage unit operable to hold data comprising information specifying each predetermined time segment and an average value of vital data of a plurality of subjects calculated for each predetermined time segment, the information and the average value being associated with each other.

29. A receiving apparatus which is connected to a server and a plurality of measurement instruments via a communication network, said receiving apparatus comprising

an output unit operable to receive information provided by the server, and operable to output the information:

each of the measurement instruments includes;

a vital data measurement unit operable to measure vital data of a subject;

a clock unit operable to detect a measurement time at which the vital data is measured; and

a sending unit operable to send, to the server, a set of information including the measured vital data and the measurement time;

the server includes;

a receiving unit operable to receive, from the plurality of measurement instruments, a plurality of sets of information, one of which being the set of information;

a storage unit operable to hold the plurality of sets of information;

a database making unit operable to store the received plurality of sets of information into the storage unit and operable to make a database;

a value-added information making unit operable to compute the vital data of a plurality of subjects stored in the database and the respective measurement times in an associated manner and operable to make value-added information indicating changes over time of the vital data of the plurality of subjects; and

a value-added information providing unit operable to provide said receiving apparatus with the made value-added information;

wherein said output unit is operable to receive the value-added information provided by the value-added information providing unit, operable to output, the value-added information.