Method and apparatus for collecting data

• US 20070055483A1
• Filed: 03/10/2006
• Published: 03/08/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 09/08/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Inventors: Shin, Sang, Kim, Kyung, Lee, Kwong, Hwang, Hyun
• Granted Patent: US 8,188,858 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 702/189
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2560/0209 adapted for power saving
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0002 Remote monitoring of patients using telemetry, e.g. transmission of vital signals via a communication network A61B5/07 takes precedence; transmission systems for measured values G08C; transmission H04B; transmission of digital information H04L; wireless communication networks H04W
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/021 Measuring pressure in heart or blood vessels A61B5/0205 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/024 Detecting, measuring or recording pulse rate or heart rate A61B5/0205, A61B5/021 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/1118 Determining activity level
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/222 combined with detection or measurement of physiological parameters, e.g. heart rate
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/4866 Evaluating metabolism A61B5/083 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 40/67 for remote operation

Abstract

A method and apparatus for collecting data, and more particularly, a data collecting method and apparatus which automatically transmit data to a wireless data transmitting/receiving station when an amount of data stored in the data collecting apparatus is more than a predetermined first reference value. A data collecting apparatus includes: a measuring module measuring data and storing the measured data in a storage unit; and a communication module automatically transmitting the stored data to a wireless data transmitting/receiving station when the amount of data stored in the storage unit is more than a first reference value.

Claims

1. A data collecting apparatus comprising:

a measuring module measuring data and storing the measured data in a storage unit; and

a communication module automatically transmitting the stored data to a wireless data transmitting/receiving station when an amount of the data stored in the storage unit is more than a first reference value.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein:

the communication module comprises a receiver module activated when an amount of the data stored in the storage unit is more than the first reference value, and

the receiver module activates the communication module when a pilot signal transmitted from the wireless data transmitting/receiving station is detected.

3. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the receiver module attempts to detect the pilot signal at predetermined time periods.

4. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein:

the receiver module detects an intensity strength of the pilot signal and calculates a data transmission distance corresponding to the intensity strength of the detected pilot signal, and

the communication module controls a transmission condition of the data by referring to the calculated data transmission distance.

5. The apparatus of claim 2, further comprising an authentication module performing an authentication procedure through communication with the wireless data transmitting/receiving station, wherein:

the authentication modules transmits to the wireless data transmitting/receiving station an identifier corresponding to the data collecting apparatus and receives an authentication signal therefrom, and

the wireless data transmitting/receiving station determines whether the identifier is recorded in a database by referring to the database and, when the identifier is recorded in the database, generates the authentication signal and transmits the generated authentication signal to the communication module.

6. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein the wireless data transmitting/receiving station transmits the received data and identifier to a data center and the data center stores the data in association with the identifier.

7. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a control module deleting the transmitted data from the storage unit, when the communication module receives a signal of termination of receipt of data from the wireless data transmitting/receiving station,

wherein the wireless data transmitting/receiving station transmits the termination signal to the communication module when the receipt of the data is completed.

8. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein the control module turns off the communication module when the termination signal is received.

9. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the measuring module, when the data is received in a same state for more than a predetermined time, deletes data received in the same state and stores the rest of data in the storage unit.

10. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising an alarm module outputting an alarm signal when an amount of data stored in the storage unit is more than a second reference value.

11. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the data is associated with a user'"'"'s biosignal.

12. A method of collecting data, comprising:

collecting data from a data collecting apparatus and storing the collected data in a storage unit; and

automatically transmitting the stored data from a communication module to a wireless data transmitting/receiving station when an amount of data stored in the storage unit is more than a first reference value.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the automatically transmitting the stored data from a predetermined communication module to a wireless data transmitting/receiving station when an amount of data stored in the storage unit is more than a first reference value comprises:

activating a receiver module when an amount of data stored in the storage unit is more than the first reference value; and

automatically transmitting the stored data from the communication module to the wireless data transmitting/receiving station when the receiver module detects a pilot signal transmitted from the wireless data transmitting/receiving station.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the receiver module attempts to detect the pilot signal at predetermined time periods.

15. The method of claim 13, further comprising detecting a strength of the pilot signal and calculating a data transmission distance corresponding to the strength of the detected pilot signal via the receiver module, wherein

the automatically transmitting the stored data from the communication module to the wireless data transmitting/receiving station when the receiver module detects a pilot signal transmitted from the wireless data transmitting/receiving station comprises:

controlling a transmission condition of the data by referring to the calculated data transmission distance; and

automatically transmitting the stored data from the communication module to the wireless data transmitting/receiving station.

16. The method of claim 12, wherein the automatically transmitting the stored data to the wireless data transmitting/receiving station when an amount of data stored in the storage unit is more than a first reference value comprises:

transmitting an identifier of the data collecting apparatus to the wireless data transmitting/receiving station;

determining whether the identifier is recorded in a database by referring to the database and, when the identifier is recorded in the database, generating the authentication signal and transmitting the generated authentication signal to the data collecting apparatus via the wireless data transmitting/receiving station; and

automatically transmitting the stored data to the wireless data transmitting/receiving station when the data collecting apparatus receives the authentication signal.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the wireless data transmitting/receiving station transmits the received data and identifier to a data center and the data center stores the data in association with the identifier.

18. The method of claim 12, further comprising:

transmitting a termination signal to the data collecting apparatus when the receipt of the data is terminated at the wireless data transmitting/receiving station; and

deleting the transmitted data from the storage unit when the data collecting apparatus receives the termination signal.

19. The method of claim 18, further comprising turning off the communication module when the data collecting apparatus receives the termination signal.

20. The method of claim 12, wherein the collecting data from a data collecting apparatus and storing the collected data in a storage unit comprises, when the data is received in a same state for more than a predetermined time, deleting data received in the same state and storing the rest of data in the storage unit.

21. The method of claim 12, further comprising outputting an alarm signal when an amount of data stored in the storage unit is more than a second reference value.

22. The method of claim 12, wherein the data is associated with a user'"'"'s biosignal.

23. A computer-readable record medium storing a program for implementing a method of collecting data, the method comprising:

collecting data from a data collecting apparatus and storing the collected data in a storage unit; and

automatically transmitting the stored data from a communication module to a wireless data transmitting/receiving station when an amount of data stored in the storage unit is more than a first reference value.