Communication apparatus and communication method for outputting an estimate of a patient's mental state

• US 6,648,822 B2
• Filed: 07/16/2001
• Issued: 11/18/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 07/24/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha (Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.), BSH Bosch und Siemens Hausgerã¤Te GmbH (Robert Bosch GmbH)
• Original Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha (Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.)
• Inventors: Hara, Keita, Ohta, Kenji, Hamamoto, Masaki, Ohta, Yoshiji
• Primary Examiner(s): Layno, Carl
• Application Number:
  US09/904,499
• Publication Number:
  US 20020105427A1
• Time in Patent Office: 855 Days
• Field of Search: 607/45, 607/300, 600/425, 600/508, 600/509, 600/513, 600/514, 600/528, 600/586, 128/903
• US Class Current: 600/300
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0013 Medical image data A61B1/00011, A61B6/56, A61B8/56 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/02 Reservations, e.g. for tickets, services or events
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 128/903 Radio telemetry

Abstract

A communication apparatus includes a transmitter and a receiver for communicating communication data containing transmission data transmitted from an operator; and a data (physical data of his/her surrounding environment) analyzer for outputting a mental state and/or a physiological condition of the operator by estimating it based on the communication data. The communication apparatus enables smooth communication between a sending end and a receiving end.

Claims

1. A communication apparatus comprising:

a transmitter and a receiver for communicating communication data including transmission data concerning an operator; and

an estimating section for estimating a mental state and/or a physiological condition of the operator based on the communication data, and for outputting the mental state as an estimated quantity.

2. The communication apparatus set forth in claim 1, wherein the transmission data include voice data.

3. The communication apparatus set forth in claim 1, wherein the transmission data include image data.

4. The communication apparatus set forth in claim 1, further comprising an environment sensor for measuring physical data of surrounding environment,

wherein said communication data include the physical data.

5. The communication apparatus set forth in claim 1, further comprising a data memory for storing personal and social data of the operator,

wherein said estimating section utilizes the personal and social data of the operator to obtain the estimated quantity based on the communication data.

6. The communication apparatus set forth in claim 1, comprising a selection section, provided on at least one of the transmitter and the receiver, for permitting or not permitting transmission or reception of the communication data, or permitting or not permitting output of the communication data.

7. The communication apparatus set forth in claim 1 comprising a changing output section for changing the transmission data based on the estimated quantity.

8. The communication apparatus set forth in claim 1, wherein said estimating section includes a function of outputting the estimated quantity at a sending end either directly or after processing it.

9. The communication apparatus set forth in claim 1 further comprising a vital sign sensor for measuring an operator'"'"'s vital sign as vital sign data,

wherein said communication data include the vital sign data.

10. The communication apparatus set forth in claim 4, comprising a communication apparatus body for storing at least one of the transmitter and the receiver,

wherein said vital sign sensor is provided on a portion of the communication apparatus body which can be brought into contact with the operator.

11. The communication apparatus set forth in claim 9, wherein the vital sign data are heartbeats.

12. The communication apparatus set forth in claim 1,

wherein said estimating section is provided on a receiving end, and includes a function of outputting the estimated quantity either directly or after processing it.

13. The communication apparatus set forth in claim 12,

wherein said estimating section expresses and outputs emotions “

happy”

, “

angry”

, “

sad”

, “

pleasant”

of the operator based on the mental state and/or the physiological condition of the operator.

14. The communication apparatus set forth in claim 12, comprising a display for displaying an image data included in the communication data,

wherein said estimating section displays the estimated quantity on the display side by side with or over the image data.

15. The communication apparatus set forth in claim 12,

wherein said estimating section outputs the estimated quantity in the form of processed data.

16. The communication apparatus set forth in claim 15, wherein said form of processed data is tables, graphs, figures, facial expressions, or colors.

17. The communication apparatus set forth in claim 1,

wherein said estimating section includes a function of outputting the estimated quantity to a sending end either directly or after processing it.

18. The communication apparatus set forth in claim 17,

wherein said estimating section expresses and outputs emotions “

happy”

, “

angry”

, “

sad”

, “

pleasant”

of the operator based on the mental state and/or the physiological condition of the operator.

19. The communication apparatus set forth in claim 17, comprising a display for displaying an image data included in the communication data,

wherein said estimating section displays the estimated quantity on the display side by side with or over the image data.

20. The communication apparatus set forth in claim 17,

wherein said estimating section outputs the estimated quantity in the form of processed data.

21. The communication apparatus set forth in claim 20, wherein said form of processed data is tables, graphs, figures, facial expressions, or colors.

22. A communication method in which, when an operator communicates using communication data including transmission data concerning the operator, a mental state of the operator is estimated based on the communication data and outputted.

23. The communication method set forth in claim 22,

wherein personal and social data of the operator are stored, and

the mental state and/or the physiological condition of the operator are estimated and outputted, taking into consideration the personal and social data of the operator.

24. The communication method set forth in claim 22, wherein an operator'"'"'s vital sign data are measured, and said vital sign data are communicated with the communication data.

25. The communication method set forth in claim 24, wherein said vital sign data are heartbeats.