JPH0755583A - Electronic clinical thermometer - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To obtain an easy-to-use cliniced thermometer adapted to the application by a user by counting specified measuring time from the start of a sampling to tell the end of a temperature inspection. CONSTITUTION:With a switch turned ON, a CPU 8 initializes a memory 7 and starts the operation of a timer to await a temperature detection signal 2. A digital signal 6 is read at a sampling time and stored into a maximum value register of the memory 7 to be displayed 3. Then, a measuring frequency counter is gained by 1. Following the second operation, when the temperature of a sensor section 2 rises and approaches a body heat and a data coincides with a register value, a coicidence frequency counter is gained by 1 and after the display, a measurement frequency counter is gained by 1. When readings of the coincidence, measurement frequency counters reach specified values, a buzzer 5 is driven 9 to gain a timer for the buzzer by 1. This operation is repeated at each sampling cycle and when the timer for the buzzer is expired, the buzzer 5 is turned OFF. Thus, when changes in the temperature inspected almost in equililvium, the CPU 8 is sure to activate the buzzer 5 thereby enabling the detecting of approximate body temperature as quick as possible.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an electronic thermometer having a notification means such as a buzzer.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In recent years, many electronic thermometers notify the temperature detection status by sound. Even if the temperature measurement status is simply stated, the functions of electronic thermometers are diversifying in today's world. The notification according to is required.

Electronic thermometers that are widely used at present are equipped with a body temperature predicting function and a measured temperature measuring function. The body temperature prediction function is a function of predicting the body temperature in a short time, for example, about 3 minutes, and promptly informing the user of the standard of the body temperature, and is used for personal body temperature measurement that does not require accuracy. Further, the actual temperature measurement function is further subdivided into a time type and a stable detection type depending on how to determine the end of temperature measurement. For the time type, the temperature measurement end time is preset to 10 minutes, etc.
Depending on the user's application, a buzzer or similar sounds at a break in time, such as 5 minutes for mouth measurement and 10 minutes for armpit measurement, and medical institutions that emphasize temperature measurement accuracy. Used in. In addition, the stable detection type sounds a buzzer similar to the above when the temperature rise within a predetermined time falls below a predetermined temperature rise rate (almost equilibrium state), and it is possible to measure temperature suitable for each user. However, if the temperature changes a little after the temperature value measured is almost in equilibrium, the end of temperature measurement may not be notified, which makes it difficult to manage the time.

By the way, even if the electronic thermometer is equipped with various functions as described above, the user can detect the temperature with the same buzzer sound, for example, whether it is a knot during the temperature measurement, the temperature measurement is completed, or the temperature is measured. The current situation is that the user cannot judge that the temperature value is a standard value or a precise value, because it has to be judged by the user's own sense of time.

[0005]

Thus, it can be said that the conventional electronic thermometer described above has been enhanced in the temperature measuring function, but it is hard to say that the user is still easy to use in terms of notification.

The present invention has been made to solve the above problems, and an object thereof is to provide an easy-to-use electronic thermometer adapted to the user's application.

[0007]

In order to achieve the above-mentioned object, the electronic thermometer according to the first aspect of the present invention is brought into contact with a temperature measuring portion of a human body, detects the temperature of the portion, and outputs a signal corresponding to the temperature. And a temperature calculation means for calculating a temperature of the temperature measurement site based on the sampled signal from the sensor section, a signal from the sensor section at predetermined intervals, and the temperature calculated by the temperature calculation means. Display means, a time measuring means for measuring a measurement elapsed time from the start of sampling for a predetermined time, a notification means for notifying the end of temperature measurement when a predetermined time is measured by the time measuring means, and a sampling cycle for each sampling cycle by the temperature calculating means. A detection means for detecting that the temperature calculated each time has reached an almost equilibrium state, and the duration of the almost equilibrium state detected by the detection means is measured. And time measuring means that, when this time the duration the measuring means is measured over a predetermined time and said informing means is non-broadcast, and a means for instructing to notify the said notification means.

The electronic clinical thermometer according to the second aspect of the present invention includes a sensor unit which is applied to a temperature measuring region of the human body, detects the temperature of the region for each sampling cycle, and converts the temperature into an electric signal corresponding to the temperature, and a sensor unit. Calculating unit for converting the electric signal of the temperature into a temperature, a display unit for displaying the value of the temperature converted by the calculating unit, and a lapse of time since the operation of the calculating unit is started. And a stability detector that outputs a second control signal when it is counted a predetermined number of times that the temperature values are compared with the previous temperature value for each sampling cycle and that they are almost the same value for each sampling cycle. The stability detecting unit and the notifying unit that emits sound with different modulation according to the input of the first and second control signals from the time measuring unit are provided.

[0009]

According to the first aspect of the invention, the duration of the substantially equilibrium state is measured by the time measuring means even when the temperature calculated each time the sampling period reaches the almost equilibrium state and the temperature slightly fluctuates. If the notification means is not notified at this time, the notification means reliably notifies the end of the thermometry, so that the user can promptly know the body temperature as a reference value without waiting for the highly accurate body temperature measurement completion time (specified time). become able to.

According to the second aspect of the present invention, whether the temperature information is a standard notification,
Since the notification means emits sound with different modulation depending on whether the notification of highly accurate temperature detection is made, the electronic thermometer is adapted to the user's application, and the electronic thermometer is easy to use.

[0011]

Embodiments of the present invention will now be described in detail with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 is an external view of an electronic clinical thermometer according to an embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing a circuit configuration of the electronic clinical thermometer of FIG.

As shown in FIG. 1, the body 1 of this electronic thermometer is provided with a sensor portion 2 at its thin and pointed tip. The sensor unit 2 senses the temperature of a temperature-sensing site of the human body (in the mouth, armpit, etc.) and converts it into an electric signal (resistance value, etc.). For example, a thermosensitive element such as a thermistor, The protective cap covers the surface of the heat-sensitive element. Further, a display unit 3 for digitally displaying the temperature value is provided in the substantially central portion of the surface of the main body 1. For the display unit 3, for example, a liquid crystal display element or the like is used. It is also possible to use a light emitting diode or the like for the display unit 3. Further, a switch 4 for instructing an internal electronic circuit to start and stop the operation is provided near the display unit 3 on the surface of the main body 1. A buzzer 5 is provided as a notification means near the switch 4 on the surface of the main body 1. As the buzzer 5, for example, a piezoelectric buzzer or the like is used.

In FIG. 2, 6 is an A / D converter,
The analog signal (temperature detection signal) from the sensor unit 2 is converted into a digital signal. Reference numeral 7 denotes a memory, which includes a ROM area for storing a program for executing each arithmetic processing such as a temperature arithmetic operation and a time measuring arithmetic operation, and a RAM area for storing data for arithmetic operation execution. The RAM area is provided with storage areas for variable data such as a maximum value register, a measurement number counter as timer 1 and a match number counter as timer 2. Reference numeral 8 denotes a CPU, which reads a program from the memory 7 when the switch 4 is turned on, and samples a digital signal from the A / D converter 6 according to the program to execute each arithmetic processing. A drive circuit 9 drives the buzzer 5 according to an instruction from the CPU 8.

Next, the operation of this electronic thermometer will be described with reference to the flow chart of FIG.

In the case of this electronic thermometer, when the switch 4 is turned on from the state where all functions are stopped, the CPU 8 reads the program from the memory 7 and executes the following arithmetic processing.

As shown in the figure, the CPU 8 jumps to the head address of the program, and first, the RAM of the memory 7.
Initialization in the area is performed, for example, initialization processing for clearing the value of the highest value register, the value of the timer for measuring the sampling timing, the value of the coincidence counter and the value of the measurement counter, etc. (step 301). Then, the CPU 8 enters a standby state for sampling the temperature detection signal from the sensor unit 2 while starting the operation of the timer (step 302).

When the timer reaches the sampling timing, the CPU 8 reads the digital signal (digital data) from the A / D converter 6 (step 303).

Then, the CPU 8 compares the sampled data with the value of the highest value register in the memory 7 (step 304). At this time, the value of the highest value register has already been cleared, and the sampled data is not at least the same as the value of the highest value register (step 305).
In this case, the CPU 8 resets the match counter,
After that, since it is larger than the value of the highest value register (step 306), the newly sampled data is stored in the highest value register (step 307), and the updated new data value is displayed on the display unit 3 (step 306). 308) and then increment the measurement counter.

When the temperature of the sensor unit 2 gradually rises after the second sampling and approaches the body temperature, the sampled data and the value of the maximum value register may coincide with each other. In this case, the CPU 8 increments the coincidence counter (step 309), displays the value of the highest value register on the display unit 3 as it is, and then increments the measurement counter (step 310).

If the coincidence number counter and the measurement number counter do not reach the predetermined number (time-up does not occur) (step 311) and the buzzer 5 is already informed (step 312), the buzzer drive processing operation is performed. Is not performed, the process returns to step 302 and the above-mentioned processing is executed again.

On the other hand, if the conditions in steps 311 and 312 are satisfied, the CPU 8 instructs the drive circuit 9 to drive the buzzer 5, and the drive circuit 9 causes the buzzer 5 to operate according to this instruction.
To output a buzzer signal to drive the buzzer 5 (step
313).

At this time, the buzzer signal needs to be latched for a predetermined time. Therefore, this apparatus is provided with a buzzer timer, and the value of the buzzer timer is incremented as the buzzer is driven (step 314). This operation is repeated every sampling cycle, and when the buzzer timer times out (step 315), the CPU 8
Turns off the buzzer 5 (step 316), sets the buzzer notification flag (step 317), and resets the buzzer timer (step 318).

After that, the CPU 8 judges whether or not the measurement is completed by checking the state of the switch 4 (step 319), ends the operation when the switch is turned off, and otherwise returns to the confirmation of the sampling time (step 302).

As described above, according to the electronic thermometer of this embodiment, there is almost no change in the actual body temperature detected by the sensor unit 2 (almost in equilibrium state), and at this time, the number of coincidences does not change even if the temperature slightly fluctuates. If the buzzer 5 is not notified even if it does not reach the specified time (10 minutes) when it is counted and reaches the specified number of times, the CPU 8 will definitely sound the buzzer 5, so the user will be able to set the specified time (completion of highly accurate temperature measurement You can quickly know the body temperature as a reference value without waiting for (time).

The present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment, and in addition to this, for example, a timer of about 10 minutes (the time when an accurate body temperature can be measured by measuring the armpit body temperature) and a transistor switch are newly added. It is possible to automatically stop without using the switch 4 by providing the auto-off circuit. The body temperature may be accurately notified using the auto-off circuit and the notification means, and thereafter the display unit 3 may be statically driven until the auto-off time.

Further, a modulation circuit may be provided in the drive circuit 9 so that different buzzer sounds can be emitted when the time-up detection of the coincidence number counter and the measurement number counter is made, and the notifying means can be provided. The information may be notified by human voice, and various modifications are possible.

Next, an electronic clinical thermometer of an embodiment according to the second invention will be described with reference to FIG. The figure is a block diagram showing the internal configuration of the electronic thermometer.

In the figure, 40 is a sensor section. The sensor unit 40 detects the temperature of a human body temperature measurement site (in the mouth, armpit, etc.) and converts it into an electric signal (for example, frequency). Reference numeral 41 denotes a calculation unit, which converts an electric signal from the sensor unit 40 into temperature.
A power supply unit 42 supplies power to the calculation unit 41. Four
A display unit 3 displays the temperature value converted by the calculation unit 41. Reference numeral 44 denotes a time measuring unit, which measures the elapsed time after power is supplied to the arithmetic unit 41 and outputs a first control signal when a predetermined time has elapsed. Reference numeral 45 is a stability detection unit, which compares the values for each measurement each time and repeats a predetermined number of times, for example, 30
When the values are the same, such as times, the second control signal is output. Reference numeral 46 is a buzzer as a notification means. Reference numeral 47 denotes a buzzer driving unit, which performs different modulations according to the control signals from the time measuring unit 44 and the stability detecting unit 45.
Drive 6

In the case of this electronic thermometer, when power is supplied from the power supply unit 42 to the calculation unit calculation unit 43, the calculation unit 43 performs a temperature detection operation, that is, an electric signal (temperature detection signal) from the sensor unit 40 at each sampling cycle. Start sampling. Further, the calculation unit 43 outputs a time measurement signal to the time measurement unit 44 when the temperature measurement operation starts, and the time measurement unit 44 starts time measurement. Then, the arithmetic unit 43 converts the temperature when the temperature detection signal is sampled, and displays the temperature value of the conversion result on the display unit 43 each time.

The time measuring unit 44, which has measured the elapsed time from the start of the power supply, sends the first control signal to the buzzer drive unit 47 at the time points, for example, 5 minutes in the mouth and 10 minutes under the armpit. Then, the buzzer drive unit 47 causes the buzzer 46 to sound by modulating the sound according to the first control signal.

On the other hand, when the sensor unit 40 is applied to the temperature measurement site of the human body, the temperature of the sensor unit 40 gradually rises to the temperature of the temperature measurement site over time. When the temperature of the sensor unit 40 approaches the temperature of the temperature measurement site, the result of comparing the values for each measurement, that is, the rate of temperature rise decreases. When the rate of increase becomes less than or equal to a predetermined value, the stability detector 45
Counts the number of times for each sampling of the calculation unit 43. When this count value continues for 30 times or more, the stability detection unit 45 outputs a second control signal for instructing the sounding of the buzzer 47 to the buzzer drive unit 47, and the buzzer drive unit 47 outputs the second control signal when the above-mentioned first control signal. The buzzer 46 is caused to sound with a different sound modulation.

As described above, according to the electronic thermometer of this embodiment, when the user measures the body temperature, when the user desires a highly accurate value (temperature measurement after a lapse of a predetermined time) as a temperature measurement value, or a standard value ( When the user wants to measure temperature by decreasing the temperature rise rate), the buzzer 46 is sounded with different sound modulation, so that the user can know the body temperature value according to the use / need. As a standard usage,
This is effective when the temperature cannot be measured for a long time, such as for infants. In addition, as a highly accurate method of use, it is effective for detailed body temperature measurement such as for women.

In the case of this embodiment, the buzzer drive unit 47
2 buzzer timing circuits in the integrated circuit
There is an advantage that it can be realized at low cost because it is only necessary to prepare the type and it does not involve a large circuit addition.

[0035]

As described above, according to the first aspect of the present invention, even if the temperature slightly fluctuates after the temperature measurement value is almost in the equilibrium state, the notification means is surely notified if the notification means is not yet notified. The user can quickly know the body temperature as a reference value without waiting for the highly accurate body temperature measurement completion time (specified time), so the user can use the electronic thermometer according to the application. .

Further, according to the second aspect of the invention, since the notifying means gives different tones depending on the purpose of temperature measurement,
The user can selectively use a standard temperature measurement and a highly accurate temperature measurement depending on the timbre, and the electronic thermometer becomes easy to use.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is an external view of an electronic thermometer according to an embodiment of the first invention.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing an internal configuration of the electronic clinical thermometer of FIG.

FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing an operation of the electronic thermometer of this embodiment.

FIG. 4 is a block diagram showing an embodiment of an electronic clinical thermometer according to an embodiment of the second invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

1 ... Main body, 2, 40 ... Sensor part, 3, 43 ... Display part, 4
... switch, 5, 46 ... buzzer, 6 ... A / D converter, 7
... memory, 8 ... CPU, 9 ... drive circuit, 41 ... arithmetic unit,
42 ... Power supply unit, 44 ... Time measurement unit, 45 ... Stability detection unit,
47 ... Buzzer drive unit.

Claims (2)

[Claims] 1. A sensor unit which is brought into contact with a temperature-measured region of a human body and detects a temperature of the region and outputs a signal corresponding to the temperature, and a signal from the sensor unit is sampled and sampled at predetermined intervals. Temperature calculation means for calculating the temperature of the temperature measurement site based on a signal, display means for displaying the temperature calculated by the temperature calculation means, and time measurement means for measuring a measurement elapsed time from the start of sampling for a predetermined time An informing means for informing the end of the temperature measurement when a predetermined time is measured by the time measuring means, and a detecting means for detecting that the temperature calculated each time by the temperature calculating means in each sampling cycle has reached an almost equilibrium state, Time measuring means for measuring the duration of the substantially equilibrium state detected by the detecting means, and the duration of the predetermined time by the time measuring means When the upper measured and the notification means has not been broadcast, electronic thermometer characterized by comprising an instruction means for instructing to notify the said notification means. 2. A sensor unit which is applied to a temperature detection region of a human body and detects the temperature of the region at every sampling cycle and converts it into an electric signal corresponding to the temperature, and an electric signal from this sensor unit is converted into temperature. An arithmetic unit, a display unit for displaying the temperature value converted by the arithmetic unit, and a time for outputting the first control signal after the elapse of a predetermined time after measuring the elapsed time from the start of the operation of the arithmetic unit. A measuring unit, a stability detecting unit that outputs a second control signal when the temperature values are compared with the previous temperature value for each sampling cycle, and a predetermined number of times when the temperature values are substantially the same are counted; An electronic clinical thermometer, comprising: an informing unit that emits sound with different modulation according to input of each of the first and second control signals from the measuring unit.