Patent Application Titled “Measurement Apparatus” Published Online (USPTO 20220071522): Patent Application

2022 MAR 30 (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 inventors DENO, Toru (Kyoto, JP); HIRATA, Hideie (Kyoto, JP); ITO, Takuya (Kyoto, JP); KITAMURA, Takashi (Kyoto, JP), filed on September 21, 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 increasingly popular to use measurement apparatuses to measure personal health-related information (hereinafter referred to as health information), such as weight, blood pressure value, and an amount of activity, and to record and analyze the measurement results on information terminals such as smart phones for health management.

“In this kind of health management, changes in the measurement results by a measurement apparatus over time is useful information. In this case, in addition to the measurement results, it is necessary to record the date/time information when the measurement is performed.

“Patent Document 1 discloses a technique in which a biological information measurement apparatus provided with a real time clock (RTC) transmits the measured biological information and the time information supplied by the RTC to a data center.”

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

“Technical Problem

“However, the RTC alone can only acquire the elapsed time after the power-on of the measurement apparatus. On the other hand, if a clock is installed in each measurement apparatus to record the measurement date/time, the cost will increase. Another problem is that when multiple types of health information are collected by multiple types of measurement apparatuses, it is necessary to synchronize the RTCs of each measurement apparatus.

“In view of the above-mentioned known techniques, an object of the present invention is to provide a measurement apparatus that can acquire measurement date/time information without having a clock in a measurement unit.

“Solution to Problem

“To solve the above-mentioned problems, a measurement apparatus according to the present invention includes a measurement unit including a timing unit configured to measure an elapsed time from predetermined timing as a count value, a first measurement result accumulation unit configured to plurally accumulate a first measurement result including measurement information acquired through measurement, identification information uniquely assigned to the measurement information in order of acquisition of the measurement information and the count value at a time of measurement, and a transmission unit configured to transmit the first measurement result accumulated in the first measurement result accumulation unit, a reception unit configured to receive the first measurement result from the measurement unit, a second measurement result accumulation unit configured to accumulate a second measurement result including at least date/time information at the time of the measurement and the measurement information included in the first measurement result received from the measurement unit, and a measurement date/time calculation unit configured to calculate a measurement date/time at which the measurement information is acquired by subtracting a difference between the count value at a reference date/time and the count value at the time of the measurement from the reference date/time for the first measurement result, the reference date/time being a time point when communication with the measurement unit is established.

“Here, the above-mentioned measurement apparatus is not limited to a device configured as a unit, and may be a system independently composed of a plurality of devices. In addition, the measurement apparatus includes an apparatus including a plurality of measurement units.

“The independent device including the measurement unit and the transmission unit includes body information measurement apparatuses such as weight scales, body composition meters, blood pressure monitors, heart rate monitors, and thermometers, activity measurement apparatuses such as pedometers and activity meters provided in various fitness equipment, environmental information measurement apparatuses such as temperature and humidity meters, sound level meters, and illuminometers, and various other measurement apparatuses. In addition, the above-mentioned measurement information includes body information such as weight, body fat percentage, blood pressure, heart rate (pulse), and body temperature, an amount of activity such as the number of steps, running distance, and heat consumption, environment information such as room temperature, humidity, noise level, and illuminance, and other values of various quantities depending on the measurement apparatus.

“In addition, the independent device including the reception unit and the measurement date/time calculation unit includes portable information terminals such as smart phones, tablet terminals, and laptops, as well as stationary information terminals.

“With the timing unit that measures the elapsed time from predetermined timing, the above-mentioned configuration can acquire measurement date/time information based on the count value acquired by the timing unit even without having a clock in the measurement unit. Since it is not necessary to provide a clock in the measurement unit, the cost of the measurement unit can be reduced, and in turn, the cost of the entire measurement apparatus can be reduced.

“In addition, in the above-described measurement apparatus, the measurement unit may calculate the difference, and transmit the difference to the measurement date/time calculation unit.

“In addition, in the above-described measurement apparatus, the difference may be calculated at the measurement date/time calculation unit on a basis of the count value at the reference date/time and the count value at the time of the measurement transmitted from the measurement unit.

“In this manner, the processing load at the measurement unit can be reduced because the calculation of the difference is not performed at the measurement unit.

“In addition, in the above-described measurement apparatus, the measurement unit may stores power recovery information related to a loss and a recovery of power at the measurement unit, and the measurement date/time calculation unit may determine whether the measurement information included in the first measurement result is acquired before the power loss on a basis of the power recovery information received from the measurement unit, and, when the measurement information is acquired before the power loss, the measurement date/time calculation unit may calculate the measurement date/time of the measurement information corresponding to the first measurement result by adding, to the measurement date/time included in the second measurement result that is finally accumulated in the second measurement result accumulated in the second measurement result accumulation unit and for which the measurement date/time has been calculated, a difference between the count value at the time of the measurement corresponding to the second measurement result that is finally accumulated and the count value at the time of the measurement corresponding to the first measurement result.

“In this manner, with the timing unit that measures the elapsed time from predetermined timing, it is possible to acquire the measurement date/time information based on the count value acquired by the timing unit even without having a clock in the measurement unit. Since it is not necessary to provide a clock in the measurement unit, the cost of the measurement unit can be reduced, and in turn, the cost of the entire measurement apparatus can be reduced. Further, even in the case where the power of the measurement unit is lost and the elapsed time up to that point is cleared, the measurement date/time information can be acquired without providing a clock in a measurement unit.

“Here, the loss and recovery of the power include a loss of the power due to detaching a battery from the measurement apparatus, and a recovery of the power due to attaching a battery to the measurement apparatus, i.e., replacement of a battery. In this case, the power recovery information corresponds to the battery replacement information, and a power recovery flag described later corresponds to a battery replacement flag. In addition, the loss and recovery of the power include a loss of the power due to pulling the power plug of the measurement apparatus out of the outlet, and a recovery of the power due to plugging of the power plug of the measurement apparatus into the outlet. Further, the loss and recovery of the power include a case where the power of the measurement apparatus whose power plug is plugged in the outlet is lost due to cut-off of power supply to the outlet due to power outage and the like, and the power of the measurement apparatus whose power plug is plugged in the outlet is recovered due to restart of power supply to the outlet.

“In addition, in the above-described measurement apparatus, at a time of a first power recovery after the power loss, the measurement unit may assign a power recovery flag as power recovery information to all the first measurement results accumulated in the first measurement result accumulation unit, and the measurement date/time calculation unit may determine that the measurement information included in the first measurement result assigned with the power recovery flag has been acquired before the power loss.

“In addition, in the above-described measurement apparatus, at a first power recovery after the power loss, the measurement unit may assign a power recovery flag that is the power recovery information to a latest first measurement result in the first measurement results accumulated in the first measurement result accumulation unit, the measurement unit may transmit the first measurement result accumulated in the first measurement result accumulation unit in order from a latest one, and the measurement date/time calculation unit may determine that the measurement information included in the first measurement result assigned with the power recovery flag and the first measurement result received after the first measurement result assigned with the power recovery flag has been acquired before the power loss.”

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

The claims supplied by the inventors are:

“1. A measurement apparatus comprising: a monitor including a clock configured to measure an elapsed time from predetermined timing as a count value, a first memory configured to plurally accumulate a first measurement result including measurement information acquired through measurement, identification information uniquely assigned to the measurement information in order of acquisition of the measurement information and the count value at a time of measurement, and a transmitter configured to transmit the first measurement result accumulated in the first memory; a receiver configured to receive the first measurement result from the monitor; a second memory configured to accumulate a second measurement result including at least date/time information at the time of the measurement and the measurement information included in the first measurement result received from the monitor; and a processor configured to calculate a measurement date/time at which the measurement information is acquired by subtracting a difference between the count value at a reference date/time and the count value at the time of the measurement from the reference date/time for the first measurement result, the reference date/time being a time point when communication with the monitor is established, wherein the monitor stores power recovery information related to a loss and a recovery of power at the monitor; and the processor determines whether the measurement information included in the first measurement result is acquired before the loss and the recovery of the power on a basis of the power recovery information received from the monitor, and, when the measurement information is acquired before the loss and the recovery of the power, the processor calculates the measurement date/time of the measurement information corresponding to the first measurement result by adding, to the measurement date/time included in the second measurement result that is finally accumulated in the second measurement result accumulated in the second memory and for which the measurement date/time has been calculated, a difference between the count value at the time of the measurement corresponding to the second measurement result that is finally accumulated and the count value at the time of the measurement corresponding to the first measurement result.

“2. The measurement apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the monitor calculates the difference, and transmits the difference to the processor.

“3. The measurement apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the difference is calculated at the processor on a basis of the count value at the reference date/time and the count value at the time of the measurement transmitted from the monitor.

“4. The measurement apparatus according to claim 2, wherein at a time of a first power recovery after the power loss, the monitor assigns a power recovery flag as power recovery information to all the first measurement results accumulated in the first memory; and the processor determines that the measurement information included in the first measurement result assigned with the power recovery flag has been acquired before the power loss.

“5. The measurement apparatus according to claim 2, wherein at a first power recovery after the power loss, the monitor assigns a power recovery flag that is the power recovery information to a latest first measurement result in the first measurement results accumulated in the first memory; the monitor transmits the first measurement result accumulated in the first memory in order from a latest one; and the processor determines that the measurement information included in the first measurement result assigned with the power recovery flag and the first measurement result received after the first measurement result assigned with the power recovery flag has been acquired before the power loss.

“6. The measurement apparatus according to claim 2, wherein at a first power recovery after the power loss, the monitor stores, as reference identification information, the identification information included in the measurement information included in a latest first measurement result in the first measurement results accumulated in the first memory, and when it is indicated that the identification information assigned to the measurement result is acquired at a time point before the reference identification information as a result of comparison between the identification information assigned to each measurement information and the reference identification information at a time of transmission of the first measurement result, the monitor assigns a power recovery flag as the power recovery information to the measurement information and performs the transmission; and for a measurement result assigned with the power recovery flag, the processor determines that the measurement information that is received has been acquired before the power loss.

“7. The measurement apparatus according to claim 2, wherein at a first power recovery after the power loss, the monitor stores, as reference identification information, the identification information included in the measurement information included in a latest first measurement result in the first measurement results accumulated in the first memory, and when, at transmission of the first measurement result in descending order of the identification information from the latest first measurement result in the first measurement results accumulated in the first memory, the identification information included in the first measurement result to be transmitted is identical to the reference identification information as a result of comparison between the identification information included in the first measurement result to be transmitted and the reference identification information, the monitor assigns a power recovery flag that is the power recovery information to the first measurement result to be transmitted and performs the transmission; and the processor determines that the measurement information included in the first measurement result assigned with the power recovery flag and the first measurement result received after the first measurement result assigned with the power recovery flag has been acquired before the power loss.

“8. The measurement apparatus according to claim 2, wherein at a first power recovery after the power loss, the monitor stores, as reference identification information that is the power recovery information, the identification information of a latest first measurement result in the first measurement results accumulated in the first memory, and transmits the reference identification information at a time of transmission of the first measurement result; and when it is indicated that the identification information of the first measurement result that is received is acquired at a time point before the reference identification information as a result of comparison between the identification information and the reference identification information, the processor determines that the measurement information included in the first measurement result has been acquired before the power loss.

“9. The measurement apparatus according to claim 2, wherein when the count value at the time of the measurement corresponding to the second measurement result finally accumulated in the second memory is not accumulated in the first memory, or when it is indicated that the count value at the time of the measurement corresponding to the first measurement result is before the count value at a time of one previous measurement of the first measurement result, the monitor or the processor sets the difference as invalid; and for the first measurement result that is acquired before the power loss and is measured on and after the measurement of the first measurement result whose difference is invalid, the processor sets the measurement date/time as invalid and performs accumulation in the second .

“10. The measurement apparatus according to claim 9, wherein the processor is further configured to display the measurement information in a time-series manner, wherein for the second measurement result whose measurement date/time is invalid, the processor generates a temporary graph in which the measurement information of the second measurement result assigned with the identification information that is successive is disposed in a time-series manner in accordance with the difference of the count value at the time of the measurement between the measurement information assigned with the identification information that is successive, and disposes the temporary graph such that a center in a time direction of the temporary graph matches a center in the time direction between the measurement dates/times that are not invalid immediately before and after the second measurement result whose measurement date/time is invalid.”

There are additional claims. Please visit full patent to read further.

For more information, see this patent application: DENO, Toru; HIRATA, Hideie; ITO, Takuya; KITAMURA, Takashi. Measurement Apparatus. Filed September 21, 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=%2220220071522%22.PGNR.&OS=DN/20220071522&RS=DN/20220071522

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