Graphic display in an electronic thermometer

• US 4,447,884 A
• Filed: 12/24/1981
• Issued: 05/08/1984
• Est. Priority Date: 12/27/1980
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha (Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha (Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.)
• Inventors: Wada, Yoshihiro
• Primary Examiner(s): YASICH, DANIEL
• Application Number:
  US06/334,363
• Time in Patent Office: 866 Days
• Field of Search: 374/159, 374/162, 374/163, 374/183, 374/185, 374/170, 374/101, 340/711, 340/715, 340/765, 340/753, 340/754, 340/799, 364/557, 346/33 TP
• US Class Current: 702/131
• CPC Class Codes: G01K 1/022 for recording
• CPC Class Codes: G01K 13/20 Clinical contact thermometers for use with humans or animals
• CPC Class Codes: G01K 3/10 in respect of time, e.g. reacting only to a quick change of temperature

Abstract

An electronic thermometer includes a memory system for storing the body temperature data measured by a temperature sensing element. The memory system has ten memory sections for storing the temperature data of each of last ten days. A graphic display system is associated with the memory system for displaying the temperature data stored in the memory system in a bar graph fashion, thereby indicating the temperature variation of these ten days.

Claims

1. An electronic thermometer comprising:

temperature sensing means for detecting the body temperature and developing a data signal representing the body temperature;

memory means for storing a said data signal for each of at least five days;

graphic display means for displaying body temperature variations in accordance with said data signals stored in said memory means;

control means for interconnecting said temperature sensing means, said memory means and said graphic display means;

measurement start key means in said control means said detecting operation of the body temperature through the use of said temperature sensing means;

memory key means in said control means for instructing a memorizing operation of said data signal into said memory means;

display key means in said control means for activating said graphic display means to display a temperature corresponding to said data signal;

time period counting means in said control means responsive to actuation of said measurement start key means for counting a time period starting from such actuation;

said control means disabling said temperature sensing means when the time period counted by said time period counting means reaches a predetermined value; and

interruption means responsive to said memory key means and said time period counting means for disabling said temperature sensing means when said memory key means is actuated before said predetermined value is counted by said time period counting means;

said memory means comprising;

a first memory section for storing the data signal which represents the body temperature of the present day;

a second memory section for storing the data signal which represents the body temperature of one day ago;

a third memory section for storing the data signal which represents the body temperature of two days ago;

a fourth memory section for storing the data signal which represents the body temperature of three days ago; and

a fifth memory section for storing the data signal which represents the body temperature of four days ago.

2. The electronic thermometer of claim 1, wherein said graphic display means comprises a liquid crystal display panel including at least five columns for displaying said temperature variation in a bar graph fashion.

3. The electronic thermometer of claim 1 or 2, wherein said liquid crystal display panel further displays a temperature value currently detected by said temperature sensing means.

4. The electronic thermometer of claim 1 or 2 further comprising:

time zone setting means for determining a preselected zone of time in a day;

determination means for detecting whether the detecting operation of the body temperature is conducted in said preselected zone of time and developing a detection output when the detecting operation of the body temperature is conducted in said preselected zone of time; and

neglecting means for neglecting an actuation of said memory key means when said memory key means is actuated under the condition where said detection output is not developed from said determination means.

5. The electronic thermometer of claim 1 or 2 further comprising:

time zone setting means for determining a preselected zone of time in a day;

determination means for detecting whether the detecting operation of the body temperature is conducted in said preselected zone of time and developing a detection output when the detecting operation of the body temperature is conducted in said preselected zone of time;

neglecting means for neglecting an actuation of said memory key means when said memory key means is actuated under the condition where said detection output is not developed from said determination means; and

wherein said liquid crystal display panel further displays a temperature value currently detected by said temperature sensing means.