Vital sign box, medium, and information aggregation

• US 6,800,059 B2
• Filed: 12/20/2000
• Issued: 10/05/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 09/10/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Company Limited (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Company Limited (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Inventors: Tsutsui, Junji, Muraki, Kyoko, Saeki, Norio
• Primary Examiner(s): Yuen, Henry C.
• Assistant Examiner(s): HUYNH, HAI H
• Application Number:
  US09/742,196
• Publication Number:
  US 20020115912A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,385 Days
• Field of Search: 600/200, 600/300, 600/301, 600/347, 600/412, 600/474, 600/502, 600/438, 600/508, 600/509, 600/549, 250/580, 250/582, 250/370.09, 250/307.14, 378/98.8
• US Class Current: 600/300
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2560/0431 Portable apparatus, e.g. comprising a handle or case
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0013 Medical image data A61B1/00011, A61B6/56, A61B8/56 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0022 Monitoring a patient using a global network, e.g. telephone networks, internet
• 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 5/318 Heart-related electrical modalities, e.g. electrocardiography [ECG]
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 10/60 for patient-specific data, e.g. for electronic patient records
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 40/63 for local operation

Abstract

An vital sign box has a plurality of vital sensors measuring predetermined biological, chemical, or physical conditions of a living body; an camera taking a picture of a predetermined object; and a housing containing the plurality of vital sensors and the camera.

Claims

1. A vital sign box comprising:

a plurality of vital sensors measuring predetermined biological, chemical, or physical conditions of a living body;

a camera for taking a picture of a predetermined object; and

a housing containing the plurality of vital sensors and the camera, wherein the camera when the vital sign box is used is rotatable, and can be fixed at a predetermined angle.

2. The vital sign box according to claim 1, further comprising a base that is rotatable, can be fixed at a predetermined angle, and houses the camera at the time of detachment.

3. The vital sign box according to claim 1, wherein the camera is detachable.

4. The vital sign box according to claim 1, wherein the camera has a lighting section emitting light to the object.

5. The vital sign box according to claim 1, further comprising a display displaying an object whose image is taken by the camera.

6. The vital sign box of claim 1 wherein the plurality of vital sensors transmits measurements of the plurality of predetermined biological, chemical, or physical conditions, using an electric wave, the vital sign box further comprising;

a reception sensor receiving measurements from the plurality of vital sensors;

memory recording measurements received by the reception sensor; and

a housing containing the plurality of vital sensors, the reception sensor, and the memory.

7. The vital sign box according to claim 6, wherein the electric wave is an infrared ray having a predetermined wavelength.

8. The vital sign box of claim 1 wherein the housing comprises a lid that contains the plurality of vital sensors and the display.

9. The vital sign box according to claim 8, wherein the display is movable;

wherein the housing has a display fixing section to fix the display; and

wherein the display lies in a bottom section of the housing at the time of non-use and can be fixed in a status that the display stands to the bottom section of the housing with using the display fixing section at the time of use.

10. The vital sign box of claim 1 further comprising:

a speaker outputting measurements, measured by the vital sensors, by sound, the speaker located in the housing.

11. The vital sign box of claim 1 further comprising:

a memory recording measurements measured by the vital sensors and/or objects whose images are taken by the camera; and

a communication terminal of transmitting all or part of measurements measured by the vital sensors, an object whose image is taken by the camera, measurements recorded in the memory, and objects recorded in the memory;

wherein the memory, and the communication terminal are located in the housing.

12. The vital sign box according to claim 11, wherein the communication terminal receives predetermined information from a communication partner, and wherein the vital sign box comprises a display that is contained in the housing, and not only displays all or part of measurements measured by the vital sensors, an object whose image is taken by the camera, measurements recorded in the memory, and objects recorded in the memory, but also displays information from the communication partner inputted by the communication terminal.

13. The vital sign box according to claim 12, wherein one of information from the communication partner, which is displayed in the display, is arrowhead information for specifying a predetermined position of the display, and the arrowhead is displayed in the display with all or part of measurements measured by the vital sensors, an object whose image is taken by the camera, measurements recorded in the memory, and objects recorded in the memory that are displayed in the display.

14. The vital sign box according to claim 13, wherein the arrowhead information is coordinate information of the position when the arrowhead is let to be displayed in the display, and the display has shape information of the arrowhead to be displayed and displays the arrowhead on the basis of the coordinate information from the communication partner.

15. The vital sign box of claim 1 further comprising:

a microphone inputting sound; and

a communication terminal transmitting sound inputted by the microphone;

the microphone and the communication terminal located in the housing.

16. The vital sign box of claim 1 further comprising:

a display displaying inquiry items to a user;

an inquiry result input section of inputting an inquiry result to inquiries in the display;

a communication terminal transmitting the inquiry result inputted by the inquiry result input section;

wherein the display, the inquiry result input section, and the communication terminal are located in the housing.

17. The vital sign box according to claim 16, wherein the communication terminal is a device inputting predetermined information from a communication partner to whom the inquiry result is sent and the display also displays information from the communication partner that is inputted by the communication terminal.

18. The vital sign box according to claim 16, wherein the communication terminal is a device inputting predetermined information from a communication partner to whom the inquiry result is sent, and the vital sign box further comprises a speaker that is contained in the housing and outputs information from the communication partner, which is inputted by the communication terminal, with using sound.

25. The vital sign box according to any one of claims 1, 6, 19, 8, 21, 10, 11, 24, 15, or 16, wherein the housing has a lid and a main body;

wherein a clamp for closing the lid and fixing the lid to the main body of the housing is provided in each of a main body of the housing and the lid; and

wherein a handle is provided in the main body of the housing.

29. The vital sign box according to any one of claims 1-2, 3, or 4-28, further comprising a password input section of inputting a password of a user, wherein measurements measured by the vital sensors, and/or an object whose image is taken by the camera are managed with being associated with a password inputted in the password input unit.

30. The vital sign box according to any one of claims 1-2, 3, or 4-28, wherein all or part of the plurality of vital sensors and/or the camera each have an electric power storage section storing electric power.

31. The vital sign box according to any one of claims 1-2, 3, or 4-28 further comprising a display displaying usage of a vital sign box.

32. The vital sign box according to claim 31, wherein all or part of the usage is displayed by an image.

33. The vital sign box according to claim 32, wherein the image is a graphic image of measurements measured by a vital sensor.

34. The vital sign box according to claim 31, wherein the display is a touch panel type liquid crystal display and changes display contents by a predetermined portion of the liquid crystal display being touched by a user.

35. A medium that bears a program and/or data for letting a computer execute all or part of functions of the vital sign box according to claim 31, the medium with which a computer can perform processing.

36. An information aggregation, wherein the information aggregation is a program and/or data for letting a computer execute all or part of functions of the vital sign box according to claim 31.

37. The vital sign box according to any one of claims 1-2, 3, or 4-28, further comprising a speaker outputting usage of a vital sign box by sound.

38. The vital sign box according to claim 37, further comprising:

a display displaying usage of a vital sign box; and

a change instruction input section of inputting an instruction for changing an output of the usage from an output where sound from the speaker is used to an output where display in the display is used.

39. The vital sign box according to any one of claims 5, 20, 8, 21, 12, 16, or 28, wherein the display is a touch panel type display having a software keyboard function.

19. A vital sign box comprising:

a plurality of vital sensors measuring predetermined biological, chemical, or physical conditions of a living body; and

a housing with a lid that contains at least the plurality of vital sensors, wherein the lid has a shank that becomes a substantially shaft when the lid is opened and closed;

wherein the shank is provided in the housing so that a main body of the housing has a front section and a rear section to the shank; and

wherein the lid can be fixed in a status that the lid stands to a bottom section of the vital sign box with using the shank when the vital sign box is used.

20. The vital sign box according to claim 19, further comprising a display that is provided and fixed inside the lid of the housing, and displays measurements measured by the vital sensors.

21. A vital sign box comprising:

a plurality of vital sensors measuring predetermined biological, chemical, or physical conditions of a living body;

memory recording measurements measured by the vital sensors;

a display that displays measurements measured by the vital sensors, and/or a plurality of measurements recorded in the memory, and determines a display range and/or a display scale with each of the measurements, which are displayed, being as a reference; and

a housing that contains the plurality of vital sensors, the memory, and the display.

22. The vital sign box according to claim 21, wherein each of the measurement to be a reference is a newest measurement and the item to be determined is a display range.

23. The vital sign box according to claim 21, wherein, when at least one of the plurality of vital sensors measures upper and lower limits of the predetermined condition substantially at the same time, the display simultaneously displays the measurements, which are measured and are upper and lower limits, and/or a plurality of measurements, which are recorded in the memory, with classifying the measurements into the upper limits and the lower limits whose display areas are divided separately.

24. A vital sign box comprising:

a plurality of vital sensors measuring predetermined biological, chemical, or physical conditions of a living body;

a power supply section that is provided so as not to contact with the vital sensors and supplies electric power from the outside of the vital sign box to all or part of the plurality of vital sensors with using an electromagnetic wave by electromagnetic induction; and

a housing containing the plurality of vital sensors, and the power supply section.

26. A vital sign box comprising:

a speaker outputting inquiry items to a user by sound;

an inquiry result input section inputting an inquiry result to inquiries from the speaker;

a communication terminal transmitting the inquiry result inputted by the inquiry result input section; and

a housing containing the speaker, the inquiry result input section, and the communication terminal;

wherein the housing has a lid and a main body;

wherein a clamp for closing the lid and fixing the lid to the main body of the housing is provided for each of the main body of the housing and the lid; and

wherein a handle is provided in the main body of the housing.

27. The vital sign box according to claim 26, wherein the communication terminal is a device inputting predetermined information from a communication partner to whom the inquiry result is sent, and the speaker also outputs information from the communication partner, which is inputted by the communication terminal, with using sound.

28. The vital sign box according to claim 26, wherein the communication terminal is a device inputting predetermined information from a communication partner to whom the inquiry result is sent, and the vital sign box further comprises a display that is contained in the housing and displays information from the communication partner that is inputted by the communication terminal.

40. A vital sign box comprising:

a speaker outputting inquiry items to a user by sound;

an inquiry result input section inputting an inquiry result to inquiries from the speaker;

a communication terminal transmitting the inquiry result inputted by the inquiry result input section;

a housing containing the speaker, the inquiry result input section, and the communication terminal; and

a password input section of inputting a password of a user, wherein measurements measured by the vital sensors, and/or an object whose image is taken by the camera are managed with being associated with a password inputted in the password input unit.

42. The vital sign box according to claim 40 or claim 41, wherein the communication terminal is a device inputting predetermined information from a communication partner to whom the inquiry result is sent, and the vital sign box further comprises a display that is contained in the housing and displays information from the communication partner that is inputted by the communication terminal.

48. The vital sign box according to any one of claims 40-47, wherein the communication terminal is a device inputting predetermined information from a communication partner to whom the inquiry result is sent, and the speaker also outputs information from the communication partner, which is inputted by the communication terminal, with using sound.

41. A vital sign box comprising:

a speaker outputting inquiry items to a user by sound;

an inquiry result input section inputting an inquiry result to inquiries from the speaker;

a communication terminal transmitting the inquiry result inputted by the inquiry result input section;

a housing containing the speaker, the inquiry result input section, and the communication terminal;

wherein all or part of the plurality of vital sensors and/or the camera each have an electric power storage section storing electric power.

43. A vital sign box comprising:

a speaker outputting inquiry items to a user by sound;

an inquiry result input section inputting an inquiry result to inquiries from the speaker;

a communication terminal transmitting the inquiry result inputted by the inquiry result input section;

a housing containing the speaker, the inquiry result input section, and the communication terminal; and

a display displaying usage of a vital sign box;

wherein the display is a touch panel type liquid crystal display and changes display contents by a predetermined portion of the liquid crystal display being touched by a user.

44. The vital sign box according to claim 43, wherein all or part of the usage is displayed by an image.

45. The vital sign box according to claim 44, wherein the image is a graphic image of measurements measured by a vital sensor.

46. The vital sign box according to claim 43, further comprising a password input section of inputting a password of a user, wherein measurements measured by the vital sensors, and/or an object whose image is taken by the camera are managed with being associated with a password inputted in the password input unit.

47. The vital sign box according to claim 43, wherein all or part of the plurality of vital sensors and/or the camera each have an electric power storage section storing electric power.

49. The vital sign box according to any one of claims 43-47, wherein the communication terminal is a device inputting predetermined information from a communication partner to whom the inquiry result is sent, and the vital sign box further comprises the display that is contained in the housing and displays information from the communication partner that is inputted by the communication terminal.