Wireless module,wireless temperature sensor,wireless interface device,and wireless sensor system

• US 20070194913A1
• Filed: 09/09/2004
• Published: 08/23/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 09/11/2003
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Mitsubishi Materials Corporation
• Original Assignee: Mitsubishi Materials Corporation
• Inventors: Nakamura, Kenzo, Tari, Kazuyoshi, Yokoshima, Takao, Nagira, Tsumoru, Kamijyo, Hiroki, Kishi, Yasunari
• Application Number:
  US10/572,102
• Publication Number:
  US 20070194913A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/539.26
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2560/0412 Low-profile patch shaped housings
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0008 Temperature signals
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/22 by structural association with other equipment or articles
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/2208 associated with components used in interrogation type services, i.e. in systems for information exchange between an interrogator/reader and a tag/transponder, e.g. in Radio Frequency Identification [RFID] systems methods or arrangements for sensing record carriers, e.g. for reading patterns G06K7/00; record carrier for use with machines and with at least a part designed to carry digital markings G06K19/00
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/38 formed by a conductive layer on an insulating support patch antennas H01Q9/0407; microstrip dipole antennas H01Q9/065; microstrip slot antennas H01Q13/106; transmission line microstrip antennas H01Q13/206; manufacturing reflecting surfaces using insulating material for supporting the reflecting surface H01Q15/142
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 5/335 at the feed, e.g. for impedance matching

Abstract

A wireless temperature sensor that is attached to the patient'"'"'s skin in order to measure the patient'"'"'s temperature, thereby adopting a patient moving in the facilities as a measuring object. The wireless sensor is a wireless temperature sensor□having a function of wirelessly transmitting measured data through a chip antenna, and the chip antenna has a length of a shortening coefficient so as to be received in a container, and is received in the container. In addition, the invention provides a wireless interface device in which a wireless communication function is provided to a wireless communication card having a low carrier frequency, a small antenna, an enlarged communication distance, and low power consumption. Furthermore, the invention provides a wireless sensor system in which the sensor notifies a patient of surrounding environment information by a wireless communication device whereby a base station collects the environment information from a plurality of sensors.

Claims

1. A wireless module comprising:

an antenna that is provided in a module main body and has a wireless communication function,

wherein the antenna has a length of a shortening coefficient so as to be received in the main body.

2. A wireless temperature sensor that is sealed in a container of a sensor main body and has a function of wirelessly transmitting measured data through an antenna,

wherein the antenna has a length of a shortening coefficient so as to be received in the container, and is received in the container.

3. The wireless temperature sensor according to claim 2, further comprising:

a matching circuit for adjusting the impedance between the antenna and a line for a transmission signal.

4. The wireless temperature sensor according to claim 3,

wherein the antenna and an electric circuit including the matching circuit are formed on one substrate, and the antenna is mounted on the substrate in an area where a grounding wire is not formed.

5. The wireless temperature sensor according to claim 4,

wherein the substrate is positioned in the container so that the substrate is separated from a contact surface to be attached to a measuring object with a predetermined distance therebetween.

6. The wireless temperature sensor according to claim 4,

wherein, on the substrate, a grounding point of a high frequency circuit is connected to a grounding point of a logic circuit through a filter for blocking a signal of a carrier frequency band used for communication.

7. The wireless temperature sensor according claim 2,

wherein the container has the same size as a 500-yen coin.

8. The wireless temperature sensor according claim 2,

wherein the container is formed in the shape of a coin that has a diameter of 9 to 27 mm and a thickness of 5 to 10 mm.

9. The wireless temperature sensor according to according to claim 2,

wherein a length of the antenna is shorter than an eighth of the wavelength of an electric wave having a frequency to be used.

10. The wireless temperature sensor according to claim 9,

wherein the frequency to be used is in the range of 300 to 960 MHz.

11. The wireless temperature sensor according to claim 2,

wherein the antenna includes an antenna substrate, a conductor film formed on a part of the antenna substrate, a feeding point formed on the antenna substrate, a loading part that is mounted on the antenna substrate and includes a linear-conductor pattern formed on the surface of an element made of a dielectric material in the longitudinal direction of the element, an inductor part for connecting one end of the conductor pattern with the conductor film, and a feeding point used to feed electric power to a node between the one end of the conductor pattern and the inductor part, and

the antenna is mounted on the substrate so that the longitudinal direction of the loading part is parallel to one side of the conductor film.

12. A wireless interface device that corresponds to an interface of a memory and includes an antenna having a wireless communication function,

wherein the antenna, which is used to transmit and receive a carrier wave, has a length of a shortening coefficient so as to be received in the memory having a standard dimension, and

the antenna is mounted in the wireless interface device.

13. The wireless interface device according to claim 12, further comprising:

a matching circuit for adjusting the impedance between the antenna and a line for a transmission signal.

14. The wireless interface device according to claim 12,

wherein a grounding point of a high frequency circuit is connected to a grounding point of a logic circuit through a filter for blocking a signal of a carrier frequency band used for communication.

15. The wireless interface device according to claim 12,

wherein the antenna includes a substrate, a conductor film formed on a part of the substrate, a feeding point formed on the substrate, a loading part that is mounted on the substrate and includes a linear-conductor pattern formed on the surface of an element made of a dielectric material in the longitudinal direction of the element, an inductor part for connecting one end of the conductor pattern with the conductor film, and a feeding point used to feed electric power to a node between the one end of the conductor pattern and the inductor part, and

the antenna is mounted in the wireless interface device so that the longitudinal direction of the loading part is parallel to one side of the conductor film.

16. The wireless sensor system, further comprising:

a plurality of wireless sensors that is provided at several positions, and that obtains measured values corresponding to surrounding environment information by means of a sensor device and transmits the values;

a data aggregate terminal that is provided to a base station, and that receives the measured values from the wireless sensors and calculates environment information from the measured values to collect the environment information of the several positions;

a sensor for outputting the surrounding environment information as measured values based on the physical property of the sensor device; and

a wireless transmitting part for wirelessly transmitting measured data including the measured values and identification data,

wherein the data aggregate terminal includes a conversion information memory, which stores conversion information used to convert a measured value of the sensor device of each registered wireless sensor into environment information, and a converter, which determines the wireless sensor by means of the identification data and converts the measured value into environment information by means of physical property and conversion information corresponding to each wireless sensor.

17. The wireless sensor system according to claim 16, further comprising:

a memory in which the physical property and conversion information of the sensor device is stored,

wherein, during the registration for the data aggregate terminal, the wireless terminal transmits the physical property and conversion information to the data-aggregate terminal, and the data aggregate terminal stores the physical property and conversion information in the conversion information memory in correspondence with the identification number of the wireless sensor.

18. The wireless sensor system according to claim 16,

wherein the conversion information includes initial deviation of the physical property and compensation information of the physical property.

19. The wireless sensor system according to claim 16,

wherein the correction coefficient is stored in the sensor device used in the wireless sensor as data of the annual change of the physical property, which is statistically obtained, and

a time cycle of correction and the correction coefficient are transmitted to the data-aggregate terminal at the time of registration.

20. The wireless sensor system according to claim 16,

wherein the wireless sensor measures an output voltage of a battery for supplying a driving electric power at a predetermined time cycle, and transmits information for directing battery replacement to the data-aggregate terminal when the output voltage is smaller than a predetermined voltage.