Biological sample measurement apparatus

• US 8,318,096 B2
• Filed: 12/08/2008
• Issued: 11/27/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 12/12/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: PHC Holdings Corporation
• Original Assignee: Panasonic Corporation (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Inventors: Okuda, Eiji, Aoki, Tooru, Imai, Norio, Oozawa, Akiyoshi
• Primary Examiner(s): Sines, Brian J
• Application Number:
  US12/528,521
• Publication Number:
  US 20100035334A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,450 Days
• Field of Search: 422/50, 422/68.1, 422/82.01, 422/82.02, 436/43, 436/63, 436/66
• US Class Current: 422/68.1
• 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 5/14532 for measuring glucose, e.g. by tissue impedance measurement
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 33/48792 Data management, e.g. communication with processing unit for in vivo diagnostics A61B5/0002; transmission systems for measured values G08C
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 10/40 for data related to laboratory analysis, e.g. patient specimen analysis
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 40/67 for remote operation
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 436/11 Automated chemical analysis

Abstract

A wireless blood glucose meter is a battery-powered apparatus to communicating wirelessly with a portable terminal, and includes a blood glucose level detector that measures a blood glucose level, a transmitter that transmits the blood glucose level measured by the blood glucose level detector to the portable terminal, a receiver that receives a response signal sent from the portable terminal in response to the transmission of the blood glucose level by the transmitter to the portable terminal, and a voltage monitor that monitors the output voltage of the battery. A transmission control circuit changes the transmission method used by the transmitter on the basis of the output voltage of the battery as detected by the voltage monitor.

Claims

1. A battery-powered biological sample measurement apparatus that communicates wirelessly with an external device, comprising:

a biological data measurement component configured to measure biological data;

a transmitter configured to transmit the biological data measured by the biological data measurement component to the external device;

a receiver configured to receive response signals sent from the external device in response to the transmission of the biological data from the transmitter to the external device;

a voltage monitor configured to monitor the output voltage of the battery; and

a transmission controller configured to change the transmission method used by the transmitter on the basis of the output voltage of the battery detected by the voltage monitor;

wherein the transmission controller is configured to control the transmitter so that the transmission of biological data is not executed if the output voltage of the battery as detected by the voltage monitor is lower than a first reference voltage.

2. The biological sample measurement apparatus according to claim 1,

wherein the transmission controller is configured to control the transmitter so that the retransmission of biological data is executed if the output voltage of the battery as detected by the voltage monitor is equal to or greater than a second reference voltage, when the response signal received by the receiver is not an acknowledge signal indicating that the external device has properly received the biological data, or when the receiver does not receive the response signal within a specific length of time.

3. The biological sample measurement apparatus according to claim 2,

wherein the transmission controller is configured to control the transmitter so that biological data is not retransmitted if the output voltage of the battery as detected by the voltage monitor is lower than a second reference voltage and is equal to or greater than the first reference voltage, when the response signal received by the receiver is not the acknowledge signal, or when the receiver does not receive the response signal within the specific length of time.

4. The biological sample measurement apparatus according to claim 3,

further comprising a reception controller that is configured to control the receiver so that the response signal is not received if the output voltage of the battery as detected by the voltage monitor is lower than the second reference voltage.

5. The biological sample measurement apparatus according to claim 1,

further comprising an interface that has a display component configured to display the biological data measured by the biological data measurement component, an operation setting component that a user is capable of using to make various operation settings, and an alarm sound output component configured to output an alarm sound.

6. The biological sample measurement apparatus according to claim 5,

wherein the interface further has a first display controller configured to control the display component so that the biological data is not displayed until the transmitter has completed the transmission of the biological data.

7. The biological sample measurement apparatus according to claim 6,

wherein the interface further has an alarm sound output controller configured to control the alarm sound output component so that the alarm sound is outputted when the value of the biological data is equal to or greater than a first reference value, or is less than or equal to a second reference value that is lower than the first reference value.

8. The biological sample measurement apparatus according to claim 7,

wherein the interface further has a second display controller configured to control the display component so that an emergency status is displayed when the value of the biological data is equal to or greater than a first reference value, or is less than or equal to a second reference value that is lower than the first reference value.

9. The biological sample measurement apparatus according to claim 8,

wherein the second display controller is configured to control the display component to display a telephone number in the emergency status.

10. The biological sample measurement apparatus according to claim 9,

wherein the second display controller is configured to control the display component to display a method of treating hyperglycemia or hypoglycemia in the emergency status.

11. The biological sample measurement apparatus according to claim 1,

wherein the apparatus is a wireless blood glucose meter configured so that the biological data measurement component measures a blood glucose level.