Bioelectrical impedance measuring apparatus constructed by one-chip integrated circuit
First Claim
1. A bioelectrical impedance measuring apparatus for measuring a bioelectrical impedance of a test subject based on the bioelectrical impedance method, comprising:
- an input device which inputs a personal body data of the test subject;
at least a pair of current supply electrodes for applying a current into a living body, at least a pair of voltage measuring electrodes for measuring a voltage of the living body, a display unit for indicating a result of measurement, and a one-chip microcomputer including an alternating current signal generating device, an amplifier, an analog-to-digital converter, a control and processing device, a storage unit, an output terminal and an oscillator, wherein;
said alternating current signal generating device generates an alternating current signal to be applied to a living body through said current supply electrodes;
said amplifier amplifies a measured alternating voltage signal;
said analog-to-digital converter converts an analog value representative of said amplified alternating voltage signal to a digital value;
said control and processing device estimates a factor relating to a body constitution of the test subject based on the inputted personal body data and a measured bioelectrical impedance value, and controls each device;
said storage unit stores the inputted personal body data, the estimated factor concerning the body constitution of the test subject, or the like;
said output terminal outputs a signal for indicating a set of estimated data concerning the body constitution; and
said oscillator generates a clock signal to actuate the control and processing device.
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Accused Products
Abstract
The bioelectrical impedance measuring apparatus according to the present invention employs a microcomputer having almost all the functions necessary for the measurement of bioelectrical impedance integrated into a circuit on a one-chip. Further, the bioelectrical impedance measuring apparatus of the present invention employs also the one-chip microcomputer to provide almost all the functions necessary for the measurement at a plurality of frequencies or for that using a plurality of electrodes. Yet further, the bioelectrical impedance measuring apparatus of the present invention employs also the one-chip microcomputer to provide almost all the functions necessary for the measurement of other parameters, adding to those for measuring the bioelectrical impedance, using the external sensor connected thereto.
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Citations
9 Claims
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1. A bioelectrical impedance measuring apparatus for measuring a bioelectrical impedance of a test subject based on the bioelectrical impedance method, comprising:
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an input device which inputs a personal body data of the test subject;
at least a pair of current supply electrodes for applying a current into a living body, at least a pair of voltage measuring electrodes for measuring a voltage of the living body, a display unit for indicating a result of measurement, and a one-chip microcomputer including an alternating current signal generating device, an amplifier, an analog-to-digital converter, a control and processing device, a storage unit, an output terminal and an oscillator, wherein;
said alternating current signal generating device generates an alternating current signal to be applied to a living body through said current supply electrodes;
said amplifier amplifies a measured alternating voltage signal;
said analog-to-digital converter converts an analog value representative of said amplified alternating voltage signal to a digital value;
said control and processing device estimates a factor relating to a body constitution of the test subject based on the inputted personal body data and a measured bioelectrical impedance value, and controls each device;
said storage unit stores the inputted personal body data, the estimated factor concerning the body constitution of the test subject, or the like;
said output terminal outputs a signal for indicating a set of estimated data concerning the body constitution; and
said oscillator generates a clock signal to actuate the control and processing device. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
said divider generates an alternating current signal of multi-frequency; and
said frequency switching device selectively outputs the alternating current signal of multi-frequency generated by said divider.
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4. A bioelectrical impedance measuring apparatus in accordance with any one of claims 1 or 2, in which said one-chip microcomputer further includes a switch and another switch, in which;
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said switch is connected to a plurality of power supply electrodes for measuring a bioelectrical impedance disposed out of said one-chip microcomputer, and switches alternating current signals from said alternating current power supply to output the signal therefrom; and
said another switch is connected to a plurality of voltage detection electrodes disposed out of said one-chip microcomputer, and switches alternating voltages to be measured.
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5. A bioelectrical impedance measuring apparatus in accordance with any one of claims 1 or 2, in which said one-chip microcomputer further includes a constant voltage generating device, a low voltage detecting device, a constant voltage supply device, a sensor input switching device, an amplifier, a converter, in which:
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said constant voltage generating device is connected to a power supply disposed out of said microcomputer and generates a constant voltage;
said low voltage detecting device determines whether or not the level of voltage of said power supply disposed out of said one-chip microcomputer is on or over a specific level;
said constant voltage supply device supplies the constant voltage to a sensor disposed out of the one-chip microcomputer;
said sensor input switching device switches signals from the sensors disposed out of the microcomputer;
said amplifier amplifies an output signal from said sensor input switching device; and
said converter converts an analog value representative of said amplified output signal to a digital value.
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6. A bioelectrical impedance measuring apparatus in accordance with any one of claims 1 or 2, in which said alternating current signal generating device comprises a storage unit, an output device, and a converter, in which:
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said storage unit stores a sine wave voltage value;
said output device outputs a voltage signal based on said sine wave voltage value stored in said storage unit for each input of clock signal; and
said converter converts said voltage signal to a current signal.
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7. A bioelectric impedance measuring apparatus in accordance with any one of claims 1 or 2, in which said analog-to-digital converter comprises a calculator which calculates a digital value for every clock signal during a sampling period and measures an alternating voltage waveform to calculate an alternating voltage effective value.
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8. A bioelectrical impedance measuring apparatus in accordance with any one of claims 1 or 2, in which said alternating current signal generating device comprises a low pass filter and a voltage-to-current converter, in which:
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said low pass filter removes high frequency components from an alternating square wave voltage outputted from said divider to convert it into a sine wave voltage; and
said voltage-to-current converter converts said sine wave voltage to said alternating current signal to be applied to the living body.
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9. A bioelectrical impedance measuring apparatus in accordance with any one of claims 1 or 2, in which said analogue-to-digital converter comprises a rectifier, a filter circuit and a calculator, in which:
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said rectifier rectifies the alternating voltage signal amplified by said amplifier said filter circuit makes said rectified alternating voltage signal be an effective value; and
said calculator calculates a digital value from said signal made into effective value for each clock during sampling period.
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Specification