Blood constituent concentration detector and starter for transporter

• US 20100125187A1
• Filed: 10/29/2009
• Published: 05/20/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 11/17/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: DENSO Corporation, Nippon Soken, Inc.
• Original Assignee: DENSO Corporation, Nippon Soken, Inc.
• Inventors: Inagaki, Mitsuo, Osaki, Rie, Tatsumoto, Hirohiko, Komura, Takashi
• Granted Patent: US 8,306,595 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 600/322
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0059 using light, e.g. diagnosis by transillumination, diascopy, fluorescence A61B5/0093, A61B5/1455, A61B5/02416 and A61B5/0261 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/14546 for measuring analytes not otherwise provided for, e.g. ions, cytochromes
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/18 for vehicle drivers or machine operators
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 28/063 preventing starting of vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2540/24 Drug level, e.g. alcohol

Abstract

A blood constituent concentration detector includes: a detection portion having an optical window for measuring a blood constituent concentration of a part, of a living body in an optical manner when the part of the living body is pressed on the detection portion; a load determination element for determining whether a load to the detection portion is equal to or larger than a first threshold, and smaller than a second threshold, wherein the second threshold is larger than the first threshold; and a measurement element for measuring the blood constituent concentration when the load determination element determines that the load to the detection portion is equal to or larger than the first threshold, and smaller than the second threshold.

Claims

1. A blood constituent concentration detector comprising:

a detection portion having an optical window for measuring a blood constituent concentration of a part of a living body in an optical manner when the part of the living body is pressed on the detection portion;

a load determination element for determining whether a load to the detection portion is equal to or larger than a first threshold, and smaller than a second threshold, wherein the second threshold is larger than the first threshold; and

a measurement element for measuring the blood constituent concentration when the load determination element determines that the load to the detection portion is equal to or larger than the first threshold, and smaller than the second threshold.

2. The blood constituent concentration detector according to claim 1,

wherein the measurement element includes a light irradiation element and a light receiving element,

wherein the light irradiation element irradiates light on the part of the living body via the optical window,

wherein the light receiving element receives light, which is reflected on the part of the living body and transmitted through the part of the living body, and

wherein the measurement element measures the blood constituent concentration by detecting a variation of an intensity of light received by the light receiving element, the variation being caused by a pulse wave in the part of the living body.

3. The blood constituent concentration detector according to claim 2,

wherein the light irradiation element irradiates a plurality of types of light, which have different wavelengths, respectively,

wherein the light receiving element receives the plurality of types of light,

wherein the measurement element calculates a wave height of the pulse wave, which is detected with using each type of light, and

wherein the measurement element measures the blood constituent concentration based on a ratio between two wave heights, which are obtained with using two different types of light.

4. The blood constituent concentration detector according to claim 1,

wherein the first threshold is 100 grams, and the second threshold is 200 grams.

5. The blood constituent concentration detector according to claim 1,

wherein the load determination element includes a first switch and a second switch,

wherein the first switch turns on or off when the load to the detection portion is equal to or larger than the first threshold,

wherein the second switch turns on or off when the load to the detection portion is equal to or larger than the second threshold, and

wherein the load determination element determines based on switching states of the first and second switches whether the load to the detection portion is equal to or larger than the first threshold, and smaller than the second threshold.

6. The blood constituent concentration detector according to claim 5,

wherein each of the first and second switches generates a click feeling when the respective one of the first and second switches switches from one state to another state.

7. The blood constituent concentration detector according to claim 2, further comprising:

a waveform determination element for determining whether a waveform of the pulse wave detected by the measurement element is proper; and

a measurement failure informing element for informing a user of measurement failure when the waveform of the pulse wave is not proper.

8. The blood constituent concentration detector according to claim 7, further comprising:

measurement success informing element for informing the user of measurement success when the waveform of the pulse wave when waveform of the pulse wave is proper.

9. The blood constituent concentration detector according to claim 1, further comprising:

a measurement ending element for ending measurement of the blood constituent concentration when the load determination element determines that the load to the detection portion is equal to or larger than the second threshold after the measurement element measures the blood constituent concentration.

10. A starter for controlling start of a power source of a transporter based on operation of a starter switch by a driver, the controller comprising:

a detection portion having an optical window for measuring an alcohol concentration in blood of the driver in an optical manner;

a load determination element for determining whether a load to the detection portion is equal to or larger than a first threshold, and smaller than a second threshold, wherein the second threshold is larger than the first threshold;

a measurement element for measuring the alcohol concentration in blood when the load determination element determines that the load to the detection portion is equal to or larger than the first threshold, and smaller than the second threshold;

a starting permission element for determining start permission of the power source based on determination whether the alcohol concentration in blood is smaller than a predetermined standard; and

a starting controller for controlling the start of the power source,

wherein the starting controller starts the power source when the starting permission element determines the start permission of the power source, and the operation of the detection portion by the driver provides the operation of the starter switch by the driver.

11. The starter according to claim 10,

wherein the starting controller starts the power source when the starting permission element determines the start permission, the load determination element determines that the load to the detection portion is equal to or larger than the second threshold, and the operation of the detection portion by the driver provides the operation of the starter switch by the driver.