Patent Application Titled “Information Management System, And Method For Device Registration Of Measuring Device And Information Terminal” Published Online (USPTO 20220071569): Patent Application

2022 MAR 28 (NewsRx) -- By a News Reporter-Staff News Editor at Insurance Daily News -- According to news reporting originating from Washington, D.C., by NewsRx journalists, a patent application by the inventor KITAMURA, Takashi (Kyoto, JP), filed on September 20, 2021, was made available online on March 10, 2022.

No assignee for this patent application has been made.

Reporters obtained the following quote from the background information supplied by the inventors: “In recent years, it has become widespread to perform health management by: measuring personal health-related information (also referred to as “health information” hereinafter), such as weight, blood pressure value, and activity level, by a measuring device; and recording and analyzing the measurement results by an information terminal, such as a smartphone.

“When such health management is performed, preferably the measuring device and the information terminal are connected to each other and the result of measurement by the measuring device can be automatically acquired by the information terminal without a user having to input the result to the information terminal each time. Specifically, for example, a method can be considered in which an information terminal receives measurement information from a measuring device by near-field wireless communication, but under circumstances in which a plurality of measuring devices of the same type are used, it is necessary to prevent erroneous reception of information from measuring devices other than the device that has actually performed the measurement.

“In order to solve such problems, a predetermined measuring device may be device-registered in a predetermined information terminal, and information may be exclusively acquired from the device-registered measuring device. The device registration is performed by, for example, registering, in an information terminal, identification symbols identifying individual measuring devices, and conventionally a method has been adopted in which identification information printed on a housing of a device or on a seal attached to the housing is manually input to the information terminal.

“With such a method, the task is complex for the user and may result in erroneous input. In contrast, Patent Document 1 proposes that serial information provided on a measuring device be acquired by a receiving device by taking a picture or scanning a code and that the serial information acquired be used for device registration.

“Additionally, pairing (mutual authentication of devices) has spread that uses wireless communication based on Bluetooth (trade name) (for example, Patent Document 2). In a specific authentication method, pairing is performed such that one of the devices transmits, by advertisement, information indicating that the device is ready for pairing and such that the other device receives the information and designates the first device.”

In addition to obtaining background information on this patent application, NewsRx editors also obtained the inventor’s summary information for this patent application: “SUMMARY:

“Technical Problem

“Nevertheless, even in the technology set forth in Patent Document 1 described above, the user must capture an image (or scan) the identification information and thus, in this regard, a complex task arises similarly to the related art. Furthermore, in the technology described in Patent Document 2, in a situation in which a plurality of devices of the same type transmit advertisement information indicating that the devices are ready for pairing, a user fails to determine which of candidates displayed on an information terminal is to be paired and fails to achieve proper pairing.

“In light of the related art such as described above, an object of the present invention is to provide a technology that reduces a burden on a user when the user device-registers a measuring device in an information terminal.

“Solution to Problem

“In order to achieve the above-described object, an information management system according to the present invention includes one or more measuring devices and one or more information terminals, wherein the measuring device includes: a first communication means for transmitting identification information identifying the measuring device; a first output means for outputting a unique pattern in a human-perceivable manner at least when the identification information is transmitted; and a first control means for controlling the first communication means and the first output means, the information terminal includes a second communication means for receiving the identification information; a second output means for outputting a pattern identical to the unique pattern in a human-perceivable manner, the second output means including a display means for displaying information related to the measuring device having transmitted the identification information; a storage means capable of storing the identification information; an input means for receiving an input from a user; and a second control means for controlling the second communication means, the second output means, the storage means, and the input means, the second control means receives, via the input means, an input indicating that the pattern output by the measuring device displayed on the display means is identical to the pattern output by the second output means, and the storage means is caused to store the identification information regarding the measuring device for which the input indicating that the pattern output by the measuring device is identical to the pattern output by the second output means has been provided.

“Note that “unique” described above does not only indicates that a pattern specific to each device is defined in advance but means that at the time of pattern output, the device can be distinguished from the other devices. Thus, the pattern may be a random pattern created each time from an individual seed, an individual random number table, and the like for each device. Additionally, “pattern” as used herein includes a meaning including timing for output, and is not synonymous with frequency. FIG. 11 illustrates an image diagram of a “pattern” of the present specification. The horizontal axis of FIG. 11 represents the time axis. Black squares each indicate the presence of output, and blank portions with no black square indicate the absence of output.

“Additionally, the measuring device described above includes various measuring devices such as: body information measuring devices such as a scale, a body composition meter, a blood pressure monitor, a heart rate monitor, and a thermometer; activity measuring devices such as a pedometer and an activity meter provided in various fitness devices; and environmental information measuring devices such as a temperature and humidity meter, a noise meter, and an illuminometer. Additionally, “information terminal” described above may include stationary information terminals in addition to mobile information terminals such as a smartphone, a tablet terminal, and a laptop computer.

“In addition, “first communication means” described above may be a transmission means that performs only transmission, or may be a transmission and reception means that can also perform reception. Additionally, “second communication means” described above may be a reception means that performs only reception only, or may be a transmission and reception means that can also perform transmission.

“According to the configuration of the system as described above, the human-perceivable, predetermined pattern is simultaneously output by both the measuring device and the information terminal, and thus device registration can be achieved with easy determination of whether the device to be device-registered by the user matches the device indicated in the information terminal as a device registration target.

“Additionally, the first communication means may transmit information related to a measurement value measured by the measuring device, and the second communication means may receive the information related to the measurement value measured by the measuring device. Such a configuration allows the information terminal to easily acquire and manage the measurement value measured by the measuring device.

“Additionally, the first communication means transmits the identification information by a signal for which transmission and stoppage are repeated in the unique pattern, and the second output means provides, as a pattern, an output indicating whether the second communication means has received the signal transmitted from the first communication means. Thus, the pattern identical to the unique pattern may be output in a human-perceivable manner. In this regard, “providing, as a pattern, an output indicating whether the signal is received” refers to, for example, providing the output when the signal is received, and stopping the output when the signal is not received, thus outputting the pattern based on the time-series presence or absence of the output. Note that the presence or absence of the reception of the signal may oppositely correspond to the presence or absence of the output.

“In addition, the first communication means may transmit pattern indication information indicating the unique pattern, the second communication means may receive the pattern indication information, and based on the pattern indication information, the second output means may output a pattern identical to the unique pattern in a human-perceivable manner.

“The configuration described above eliminates the need for the information terminal to hold the information of the pattern associated with the identification information, and even in a case where the measuring device generates a unique pattern each time the identification information is transmitted, the information terminal can output the pattern identical to the pattern output by the measuring device.

“Additionally, the first output means may include a first sound-wave generating means, and the first sound-wave generating means may output sound of the unique pattern by using a sound wave in an audible range. Such a configuration enables the user to auditorially check the pattern output by the measuring device even without viewing the measuring device, allowing the user to perform a device registration operation with focus placed only on the information terminal. This enables a reduction in complicatedness to the user.

“Additionally, the first output means may include a first image display means, and the first image display means may output display that varies in the unique pattern. Such a configuration enables the user to perform the device registration operation by viewing both the measuring device and the information terminal, thus allowing the user to perform device registration even in a situation where generating sound is not appropriate.

“Additionally, the first output means may include a first light emitting means, and the first light emitting means may output light that blinks in the unique pattern. Note that the blink as used herein does not only mean a change in light between turn-on and turn-off, but also includes a change in brightness. Such a configuration allows the user to recognize the pattern output by the measuring device without gazing the measuring device as long as blinks of light are in view, allowing the user to perform the operation with a line of sight focused on the information terminal. This enables the user to perform device registration even in a situation where generating sound is not appropriate.

“Additionally, the second output means may include a second sound-wave generating means, and the second sound-wave generating means may output sound in a pattern identical to the unique pattern by using a sound wave in an audible range. Such a configuration allows the user to check the pattern output by the information terminal even without a need to view the information terminal.

“Additionally, the second output means may include a second image display means, and the second image display means may output display that varies in a pattern identical to the unique pattern. Such a configuration allows the user to check the display means of the information terminal for device registration, while simultaneously checking the output pattern from the information terminal. Additionally, even in a situation where generating sound is not appropriate, device registration can be performed without generation of sound.

“Additionally, the second output means may include a second light emitting means, and the second light emitting means may output light that blinks in a pattern identical to the unique pattern. Such a configuration enables the display means of the information terminal for the device registration operation to be separated from the display means for pattern output, thus allowing the pattern to be visually checked without complicating the display contents of the display means for device registration.”

There is additional summary information. Please visit full patent to read further.”

The claims supplied by the inventors are:

“1. An information management system comprising one or more measuring devices and one or more information terminals, wherein the measuring device includes: a first communication transceiver configured to transmit identification information identifying the measuring device; a first output unit configured to output a unique pattern in a human-perceivable manner at least when the identification information is transmitted, the first output unit including at least one of a speaker, a first light emitter, and a first display; and measuring device processor configured to control the first communication transceiver and the first output unit, the information terminal includes: a second communication transceiver configured to receive the identification information; a second output unit for outputting a pattern identical to the unique pattern in a human-perceivable manner, the second output unit including a second display for displaying information related to the measuring device having transmitted the identification information; a storage capable of storing the identification information; an input unit configured to receive an input from a user, the input unit including at least one of a button and a touch panel; and an information terminal processor configured to control the second communication transceiver, the second output unit, the storage, and the input unit, the information terminal processor is configured to receive, via the input unit, an input indicating that the pattern output by the measuring device displayed on the second display is identical to the pattern output by the second output unit, and the storage is caused to store the identification information regarding the measuring device for which the input indicating that the pattern output by the measuring device is identical to the pattern output by the second output unit has been provided.

“2. The information management system according to claim 1, wherein the first communication transceiver is further configured to transmit information related to a measurement value measured by the measuring device, and the second communication transceiver is further configured to receive the information related to the measurement value measured by the measuring device.

“3. The information management system according to claim 1, wherein the first communication transceiver is further configured to transmit the identification information by a signal for which transmission and stoppage are repeated in the unique pattern, and the second output unit provides, as a pattern, an output indicating whether the second communication transceiver has received the signal transmitted from the first communication transceiver, the pattern output in a human-perceivable manner, the pattern identical to the unique pattern.

“4. The information management system according to claim 1, wherein the first communication transceiver is further configured to transmit pattern indication information indicating the unique pattern, the second communication transceiver is further configured to receive the pattern indication information, and based on the pattern indication information, the second output unit outputs a pattern identical to the unique pattern in a human-perceivable manner.

“5. The information management system according to claim 1, wherein the first output unit includes a first sound-wave generator, and the first sound-wave generator is configured to output sound of the unique pattern by using a sound wave in an audible range.

“6. The information management system according to claim 1, wherein the first image display outputs display that varies in the unique pattern.

“7. The information management system according to claim 1, wherein the first light emitter is configured to output light that blinks in the unique pattern.

“8. The information management system according to claim 1, wherein the second output unit includes a second sound-wave generator, and the second sound-wave generator is configured to output sound in a pattern identical to the unique pattern by using the sound wave in an audible range.

“9. The information management system according to claim 1, wherein the second image display outputs display that varies in a pattern identical to the unique pattern.

“10. The information management system according to claim 1, wherein the second output unit includes a second light emitter, and the second light emitting emitter is configured to output light that blinks in a pattern identical to the unique pattern.

“11. The information management system according to claim 1, wherein the second output unit includes a vibrator, and the vibrator vibrates the information terminal in a pattern identical to the unique pattern.

“12. The information management system according to claim 1, wherein the first communication transceiver includes an oscillation device capable of outputting ultrasonic waves, and the first communication transceiver transmits the identification information using ultrasonic waves, and the microphone of the second communication transceiver is capable of detecting ultrasonic waves, and the second communication transceiver receives the identification information by detecting the ultrasonic waves.

“13. The information management system according to claim 1, wherein the first communication transceiver and the second communication transceiver include a wireless communication means unit capable of transmitting and receiving information to and from each other, and pairing between the measuring device and the information terminal is established by causing the storage to store the identification information.

“14. The information management system according to claim 1, wherein the measuring device is one of a scale, a body composition meter, a blood pressure monitor, a pulse meter, a thermometer, and an activity meter.

“15. A method for device-registering a measuring device in an information terminal, the method comprising the steps of: the measuring device transmitting identification information identifying the measuring device; the measuring device outputting a unique pattern in a human-perceivable manner; the information terminal receiving and acquiring the identification information; the information terminal displaying information related to the measuring device having transmitted the identification information acquired; the information terminal outputting, in a human-perceivable manner, a pattern identical to the pattern output by the measuring device for which the information is displayed on the information terminal; the information terminal receiving an input indicating that the pattern output by the measuring device displayed on the information terminal is identical to the pattern output by the information terminal; and the information terminal storing the identification information regarding the measuring device for which the input indicating that the pattern output by the measuring device is identical to the pattern output by the information terminal has been provided.”

For more information, see this patent application: KITAMURA, Takashi. Information Management System, And Method For Device Registration Of Measuring Device And Information Terminal. Filed September 20, 2021 and posted March 10, 2022. Patent URL: https://appft.uspto.gov/netacgi/nph-Parser?Sect1=PTO1&Sect2=HITOFF&d=PG01&p=1&u=%2Fnetahtml%2FPTO%2Fsrchnum.html&r=1&f=G&l=50&s1=%2220220071569%22.PGNR.&OS=DN/20220071569&RS=DN/20220071569

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