Data buffer apparatus with wireless transmission function

• US 8,810,356 B2
• Filed: 12/13/2010
• Issued: 08/19/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 10/06/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: National Yang-Ming University
• Original Assignee: National Yang-Ming University
• Inventors: Kuo, Bo-Jau, Yang, Ching-Hsiu
• Primary Examiner(s): Syed, Nabil
• Assistant Examiner(s): TUN, NAY L
• Application Number:
  US12/966,731
• Publication Number:
  US 20120086543A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,345 Days
• Field of Search: 340/3.3, 340/3.31, 340/3.32, 340/539.11, 340/539.12, 340/286.07, 600/485, 600/301, 128/900, 128/903, 4553431-3436
• US Class Current: 340/3.31
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0022 Monitoring a patient using a global network, e.g. telephone networks, internet
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 40/67 for remote operation
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/10 Connection setup
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 128/90 Blood pressure recorder
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 128/903 Radio telemetry

Abstract

The present invention relates to a data buffer apparatus with wireless transmission function, including a transmission interface module, a memory module, a wireless transmission module and a microprocessor module. The transmission interface module is coupled to a monitoring unit and continuously receives at least one transmission signal data to be stored in the memory module. When the memory module has the transmission signal data, the microprocessor module controls the wireless transmission module to attempts to establish a wireless connection. If the wireless connection is successfully established, the transmission signal data will be sent. If the wireless connection can not be established, it will attempt to establish the wireless connection again after a period of time.

Claims

1. A data buffer apparatus with wireless transmission for coupling to a health monitor by a UART interface, including:

a UART interface module, coupled to the health monitor with the UART interface and receiving at least a signal data that are continuously measured by the health monitor;

a FIFO memory module, coupled to the UART interface module for storing the signal data;

a wireless transmission module, used to establish a wireless connection, for transmitting the signal data to a reception unit through a wireless method;

a battery module to provide power to the data buffer apparatus; and

a microprocessor module, coupled to the FIFO memory module and the wireless transmission module, only processes data transmission and power consumption of the battery module;

wherein, when the FIFO memory module is stored with the signal data, the microprocessor module controls the wireless transmission module to attempt to establish the wireless connection;

if the wireless connection is established successfully, the signal data sent in first to be processed is sent out first to the reception unit through the wireless connection from the FIFO memory module;

if the wireless connection is not successfully established, the microprocessor module will attempt to establish the wireless connection again after a period of time, the signal data is buffered in the FIFO memory module;

wherein a first level of power is used when the wireless connection is successful and a second lower level of power is used when the wireless connection is not successful.

2. The data buffer apparatus according claim 1, wherein the wireless transmission module is a wireless module including one of RF, WIFI, Bluetooth or WiMax.

3. The data buffer apparatus according claim 1, wherein the health monitor is one of a hemadynamometer, blood sugar meter, thermometer, palpitation meter, electrocardiogram or physiological sensing meter.

4. The data buffer apparatus according claim 1, wherein the reception unit includes a wireless reception module, which establishes the wireless connection with the wireless transmission module for receiving the signal data.

5. The data buffer apparatus according claim 4, wherein the reception unit is a computer or a microcomputer system that is connected to the network.

6. The data buffer apparatus according claim 1, wherein the data buffer apparatus has three operation modes:

mode 1 is a sleeping mode, when there is no signal data in the FIFO memory module, the battery module consumption is lower than 10 mAmp;

mode 2 is a standby mode, when the data buffer apparatus attempts to establish the wireless connection or during the period of time, the battery module consumption is lower than 20 mAmp;

mode 3 is data transmission mode, when the data buffer apparatus transmits the signal data to the reception unit, the battery module consumption reaches its peak;

after the data buffer apparatus has finished signal data transmission, the data buffer apparatus enters the sleeping mode.

7. The data buffer apparatus according claim 1, wherein the wireless transmission module further includes an antenna.

8. The data buffer apparatus according claim 1, wherein the signal data is a physiological signal, including one of a body temperature, blood pressure, blood sugar, pulse, electrocardiogram, respiration or EEG.