Add-on unit for connecting to a mobile station and a mobile station

• US 6,396,416 B1
• Filed: 04/02/1999
• Issued: 05/28/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 06/17/1996
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Nokia Technologies Oy (Nokia Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Nokia Mobile Phones UK Limited (Nokia Corporation)
• Inventors: Kuusela, Tom, Kaila, Timo
• Primary Examiner(s): EDWARDS JR, TIMOTHY
• Application Number:
  US09/202,169
• Time in Patent Office: 1,152 Days
• Field of Search: 340/870.28,573.1,870.16,870.07 128/903 607/32 600/301
• US Class Current: 340/870.28
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2560/0443 Modular apparatus
• 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 5/0006 ECG or EEG signals
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/02055 Simultaneously evaluating both cardiovascular condition and temperature
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/021 Measuring pressure in heart or blood vessels A61B5/0205 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/087 Measuring breath flow
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/369 Electroencephalography [EEG] devices for psychotechnics A61B5/16
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/389 Electromyography [EMG]
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 40/67 for remote operation
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/0202 Portable telephone sets, e.g. cordless phones, mobile phones or bar type handsets constructional features of telephone transmitters or receivers, e.g. of speakers or microphones H04M1/03
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/0254 comprising one or a plurality of mechanically detachable modules
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72409 by interfacing with external accessories hands-free H04M1/60
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 11/04 with alarm systems, e.g. fire, police or burglar alarm systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/12 including a sensor for measuring a physical value, e.g. temperature or motion telephones including GPS signal receivers H04M2250/10
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 128/903 Radio telemetry
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 128/904 Telephone telemetry

Abstract

An auxiliary unit, adapted to be coupled to a mobile station comprising a basic element containing components necessary for data transmission, analyses and storage, as well as a sensor element containing a sensor suitable for the non-invasive measuring of a person'"'"'s bodily functions and the special electronics required by the sensor. This means that different kinds of non-invasive measurements, such as ECG, EEG, EMG, blood pressure and respiratory flow, can be taken by changing the mere sensor element.

Claims

1. An auxiliary unit, for non-invasive measurement of a person'"'"'s bodily functions, to be coupled to a mobile station, the auxiliary unit comprising a basic element and a sensor element, the basic element contains components necessary for data transmission, analyses and storage relating to non-invasive measurement of a person'"'"'s bodily functions, wherein the sensor element contains a sensor suitable for non-invasive measurement for a person'"'"'s bodily functions and measuring and control electronics required by this sensor, and wherein the sensor element is detachably coupled to the basic element, the basic element being further adapted to receive electrical signals from the sensor element related to the non-invasive measurements and convert the signals into a protocol suitable for use by the mobile station.

2. An auxiliary unit according to claim 1, characterised in that the basic element (21) and the sensor element (22) comprise means (23, 26) for connecting the sensor element to the basic element detachably.

3. An auxiliary unit according to claim 1, characterised in that the sensor element comprises means (23) for connecting another sensor element thereto.

4. An auxiliary unit according to claim 1, characterised in that the battery (11) has been arranged to feed energy to the auxiliary unit (20) and the mobile station (10) to be coupled thereto.

5. An auxiliary unit according to claim 1, wherein said special measuring and control electronics is configured to produce a signal proportional to the measuring quantity.

6. The mobile station of claim 1 wherein the basic element includes an analog to digital converter for converting the signals received from the sensor element.

7. The auxiliary unit of claim 1 wherein the special measuring and control electronics required by the sensor includes measurement and control electronics adapted to allow the sensor element to convert the measured bodily functions into signals suitable for use by the basic element.

8. The auxiliary unit of claim 1 wherein the special measuring and control electronics required by the sensor includes means for the sensor element to produce an initial analog voltage proportional to a measuring quantity corresponding to the bodily function being measured.

9. The auxiliary unit of claim 1 wherein the mobile station comprises a mobile telephone.

10. An auxiliary unit according to claim 1, characterised in that it has been integrated with a battery (11), to be coupled to a mobile station, comprising means (16) to be connected to a battery space of the mobile station.

11. An auxiliary unit according to claim 10, characterised in that the basic element (21) comprises means (210, 211, 214) for receiving and storing a signal proportional to measuring and for producing the measuring data.

12. An auxiliary unit according to claim 11, characterised in that the basic element (21) comprises means (210, 214) for processing the measuring data into a form to be transmitted through the mobile station (10).

13. A mobile station comprising means for transmitting data and comprising a sensor element for non-invasive measurement of a person'"'"'s bodily functions detachably coupled to the mobile station, the mobile station comprises components necessary for non-invasive measuring data transmission, analyses and storage, the sensor element contains a sensor suitable for the non-invasive measuring of a person'"'"'s bodily functions and measuring and control electronics required by this sensor, wherein the mobile station further comprises a means adapted to receive information from the sensor element and convert the information into a data format compatible with a receiving station.

14. The mobile station of claim 13 wherein the mobile station is adapted to transmit the converted information to a receiving station which is adapted to process the converted information.

15. The mobile station of claim 13 wherein the special measuring and control electronics includes means to allow the sensor element to convert the measured bodily functions into signals suitable for use by the basic element.

16. The mobile station of claim 13 wherein the mobile station comprises a mobile telephone.

17. An auxiliary unit adapted to be coupled to a mobile station comprising:

a basic element including components necessary for data transmission, analyses and storage;

a sensor element including a sensor suitable for non-invasive measurement of a person'"'"'s bodily functions wherein the sensor element includes a connection device adapted to connect the sensor element to another sensor element; and

electronics required by the sensor.

18. The auxiliary unit of claim 17 further comprising:

an integrated battery adapted to be coupled to a mobile station; and

a connection device adapted to connect the integrated battery to a battery space of the mobile station.

19. The auxiliary unit of claim 18 further comprising a battery device that is adapted to feed energy to the auxiliary unit and the mobile station.

20. The auxiliary unit of claim 18 wherein the basic element further comprises a device adapted to receive and store a signal proportional to a measurement signal and for producing measurement data.

21. An auxiliary unit, for non-invasive measurement of a person'"'"'s bodily functions, adapted to be coupled to a mobile station, the auxiliary unit comprising:

a sensor element including a sensor suitable for the non-invasive measurement of the person'"'"'s bodily functions, the sensor including measurement and control electronics adapted to allow the sensor element to convert the measured bodily functions into signals suitable for use auxiliary unit; and

a basic element including components for data transmission, analyses and storage of information related to the non-invasive measurement of the person'"'"'s bodily functions, wherein the basic element is integrated with a battery device for the mobile station in a case, the battery device comprising means for being connected to a battery space of the mobile station, the basic element being further adapted to receive electrical signals from the sensor element related to the non-invasive measurements and convert the received signals into a protocol suitable for use by the mobile station; and

wherein the sensor element is adapted to be detachably coupled to the battery device integrated with the basic element.

22. The auxiliary unit of claim 21 wherein the mobile station comprises a mobile telephone.

23. A mobile station comprising a battery and an auxiliary unit for non-invasive measurement of a person'"'"'s bodily functions adapted to be coupled to the mobile station, the auxiliary unit comprising:

a basic element including components necessary for data transmission, analyses and storage of information related to the non-invasive measurement of a person'"'"'s bodily functions;

a sensor element adapted to be detachably coupled to the mobile station, the sensor element including a sensor suitable for the non-invasive measurement of the person'"'"'s bodily functions and control and measurement electronics adapted to allow the sensor element to provide the basic element with signals corresponding to the measured bodily functions; and

a battery device of the mobile station wherein the basic element is integrated as part of the battery device in a battery device case, the battery device comprising means for connecting the battery device to a battery space of the mobile station, the basic element being further adapted to receive electrical signals corresponding to the measured bodily functions from the sensor element and convert the signals into a protocol suitable for use by the mobile station.

24. The mobile station of claim 23 wherein the mobile station comprises a mobile telephone.