Measurement terminal and computer program

Abstract

We provide a biometric information measurement terminal that achieves power savings without compromising user convenience. [Solution] The measurement terminal 3 is a measurement terminal for measuring the biological information of a user 300, and comprises a sensor device 40 including a sensor 42 for measuring biological information, a memory 32, and a control unit 31. The memory stores the scheduled measurement period at the measurement terminal. The control unit controls the sensor device to measure the user's biological information when the sensor device is in a normal power consumption state, and determines when to switch the power consumption state of the sensor device between a normal power consumption state in which biological information can be measured by the sensor and a low power consumption state in which power consumption is lower than the normal power consumption state and biological information cannot be measured by the sensor. The control unit switches the power consumption state of the sensor device at the determined switching time. Determining the switching time includes making the waiting time from the end of biological information measurement to switching the sensor device to the low power consumption state shorter when the measurement is completed outside the scheduled measurement period than when the measurement is completed within the scheduled measurement period.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present disclosure relates to a measurement terminal and a computer program.

Background Art

[0002] There is known a measurement terminal that mounts a sensor device including sensors for measurement and measures biological information of a subject. In such a measurement terminal, in order to suppress power consumption, the sensor device may be set to a low power consumption state during non-measurement. The low power consumption state refers to a state where power consumption is lower than during measurement and where biological information cannot be measured.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

[0004] In order to suppress power consumption, it is desirable to keep the sensor device in a low power consumption state. However, when measuring biological information, it is necessary to activate the sensor device, and measurement cannot be performed quickly. Therefore, when the sensor device is in a low power consumption state, it may impair the convenience of a user, such as an operator who attempts to measure biological information or a subject of measurement.

[0005] In this regard, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2007-133621 (hereinafter, Patent Document 1) discloses an electronic device that predicts the usage time from the history of past usage and forms a state of hot boot save in advance and releases the hot boot save. Therefore, there is a need for a measurement terminal and a computer program that can achieve power saving without impairing the convenience of the user in a measurement terminal for biological information.

[0006] According to one embodiment, the measurement terminal is a measurement terminal for measuring a user's biological information, and comprises a sensor device including a sensor for measuring biological information, a memory, and a control unit, the memory storing the scheduled measurement period at the measurement terminal. The control unit controls the sensor device to measure the user's biological information when the sensor device is in a normal power consumption state, and determines the timing for switching the power consumption state of the sensor device between a normal power consumption state in which biological information can be measured by the sensor and a low power consumption state in which power consumption is lower than the normal power consumption state and biological information cannot be measured by the sensor, and switches the power consumption state of the sensor device at the determined switching time. Determining the switching time includes making the waiting time from the end of biological information measurement to switching the sensor device to the low power consumption state shorter when the measurement is completed outside the scheduled measurement period than when the measurement is completed within the scheduled measurement period.

[0007] According to one embodiment, the computer program is a computer program that causes a computer to function as a control device for a measurement terminal that measures a user's biological information. The measurement terminal has a sensor device that includes a sensor for measuring biological information. The computer program controls the sensor device so that it measures the user's biological information when the sensor device is in a normal power consumption state, determines when to switch the power consumption state of the sensor device between a normal power consumption state in which biological information can be measured by the sensor and a low power consumption state in which power consumption is lower than the normal power consumption state and biological information cannot be measured by the sensor, and causes the computer to switch the power consumption state of the sensor device at the determined switching time. Determining the switching time includes obtaining the scheduled measurement period at the measurement terminal and making the waiting time from the end of biological information measurement to the switch of the sensor device to the low power consumption state shorter if the measurement is completed outside the scheduled measurement period than if the measurement is completed within the scheduled measurement period.

[0008] Further details will be described in the embodiments below. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0009] [Figure 1] Figure 1 is a schematic diagram of the measurement system according to an embodiment. [Figure 2] Figure 2 is a diagram illustrating an example of managing the power consumption status of a sensor device in a measurement terminal, and shows an example of a change in the power consumption status of the sensor device. [Figure 3] Figure 3 is a schematic diagram of the management server configuration. [Figure 4] Figure 4 is a schematic diagram of the measurement terminal. [Figure 5] Figure 5 is a flowchart illustrating an example of the processing flow at the measurement terminal. [Figure 6] Figure 6 is a time-series diagram showing an example of the time change in the power consumption state of the sensor device and the signal flow between the management server, the measurement terminal, and the sensor device when the processing shown in Figure 5 is performed at the measurement terminal. [Figure 7] Figure 7 is a time-series diagram showing an example of the time change in the power consumption state of the sensor device and the signal flow between the management server, the measurement terminal, and the sensor device when the processing shown in Figure 5 is performed at the measurement terminal. [Figure 8] Figure 8 is a time-series diagram showing an example of the time change in the power consumption state of the sensor device and the signal flow between the measurement terminal and the sensor device at a measurement terminal related to a comparative example. [Figure 9] Figure 9 is a flowchart illustrating an example of the processing flow at the measurement terminal in the second embodiment. [Figure 10] Figure 10 is a time-series diagram showing an example of the time-dependent changes in the power consumption state of the sensor device and the signal flow between the management server, the measurement terminal, and the sensor device when the processing shown in Figure 9 is performed at the measurement terminal. It corresponds to the time period shown in Figure 7. [Figure 11] Figure 11 is a schematic diagram of the measurement terminal according to the third embodiment. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0010] <1. Overview of the measurement terminal and computer program> (1) The measurement terminal according to the embodiment is a measurement terminal for measuring a user's biological information, comprising a sensor device including a sensor for measuring biological information, a memory, and a control unit, wherein the memory stores the scheduled measurement period at the measurement terminal. The control unit controls the sensor device to measure the user's biological information when the sensor device is in a normal power consumption state, determines when to switch the power consumption state of the sensor device between a normal power consumption state in which biological information can be measured by the sensor and a low power consumption state in which power consumption is lower than the normal power consumption state and biological information cannot be measured by the sensor, and switches the power consumption state of the sensor device at the determined switching time. Determining the switching time includes making the waiting time from the end of biological information measurement to switching the sensor device to the low power consumption state shorter when the measurement is completed outside the scheduled measurement period than when the measurement is completed within the scheduled measurement period.

[0011] As a result, in the measurement terminal according to this embodiment, if the measurement is completed outside the scheduled measurement period, the sensor device switches to a low-power consumption state sooner than if the measurement is completed within the scheduled measurement period. Therefore, the measurement terminal according to this embodiment achieves power savings compared to when the standby time is kept constant at the same level as when the measurement is completed within the scheduled measurement period.

[0012] Furthermore, measurements are likely to be taken during the scheduled measurement period. In such cases, if the sensor device is in a low-power state, it will need to be started up, which may delay the start of measurements. In contrast, with the measurement terminal according to this embodiment, if measurements are completed within the scheduled measurement period, the switch to the low-power state of the sensor device is delayed compared to if measurements are completed outside the scheduled period. Therefore, there is a higher probability that the sensor device is in a normal power state during measurements than if it were to quickly enter a low-power state. Accordingly, the measurement terminal according to this embodiment achieves power saving without compromising the convenience of the user attempting to take measurements.

[0013] (2) The measurement terminal of (1) further comprises a communication unit for communicating with a management server, and the control unit further obtains the measurement schedule period predicted by the management server from the management server and stores it in memory. This allows the measurement terminal to use the measurement schedule period predicted by the management server, obtained from the management server, to switch the power consumption state of the sensor device. Even if the measurement terminal used for measurement is changed or measurements are performed with multiple measurement terminals because the measurement schedule period is predicted by an external device of the measurement terminal, the power consumption state of the sensor device can be switched using the measurement schedule period.

[0014] (3)(1)(2) The measurement terminal preferably has a sensor device that starts intermittently in a low power consumption state, and switching the power consumption state of the sensor device includes switching the sensor device from a low power consumption state to a normal power consumption state when it starts intermittently. Determining the switching time further includes making the interval of intermittent startup shorter when the sensor device is in a low power consumption state within the scheduled measurement period than when it is in a low power consumption state outside the scheduled measurement period. As a result, when the sensor device of the measurement terminal is in a low power consumption state, it starts intermittently at shorter intervals within the scheduled measurement period than outside the scheduled measurement period. As a result, the sensor device starts up earlier within the scheduled measurement period than outside the scheduled measurement period, and the sensor becomes ready for measurement. There is a higher probability that measurements will be taken within the scheduled measurement period than outside the scheduled measurement period. Therefore, the measurement terminal according to the embodiment achieves power saving without impairing the convenience of the user who intends to take measurements.

[0015] (4) The measurement terminal according to (1) to (3), preferably, determining the switching time further includes: when the measurement end condition is satisfied when the measurement is completed within the measurement scheduled period, shortening the standby time compared to the case where the measurement end condition is not satisfied. The measurement end condition is, for example, that the measurement by the measurement scheduler has ended, or when the operator logs in and performs the measurement operation, the operator has logged out, or a combination of these. Thereby, in the measurement terminal, even within the measurement scheduled period, when the measurement end condition is satisfied at the end of the measurement, the sensor device can be switched to the low power consumption state earlier. As a result, the measurement terminal becomes more power-saving.

[0016] (5) The measurement terminal according to (1) to (4), preferably, further includes a display, and the end of the measurement includes that the power consumption state of the display becomes the low power consumption state. Thereby, in the measurement terminal, as the display shifts from the normal power consumption state to the low power consumption state, the sensor device also becomes the low power consumption state, and the power consumption is further reduced.

[0017] (6) The measurement terminal according to (1) to (5), preferably, the control unit further switches the sensor device from the low power consumption state to the normal power consumption state a specified time before the measurement scheduled period. Thereby, in the measurement terminal, the sensor device is in a measurable state at a timing when measurement is likely to be performed, and the convenience of the user who intends to perform the measurement is not impaired.

[0018] (7) The computer program according to the embodiment is a computer program that causes a computer to function as a control device for a measurement terminal that measures a user's biological information. The measurement terminal has a sensor device including a sensor for measuring biological information. The computer program controls the sensor device to measure the user's biological information when the power consumption state of the sensor device is in the normal power consumption state, determines the switching time between the normal power consumption state in which biological information can be measured by the sensor and the low power consumption state in which the power consumption is lower than the normal power consumption state and biological information cannot be measured by the sensor, and causes the computer to switch the power consumption state of the sensor device at the determined switching time. Determining the switching time includes obtaining a scheduled measurement period at the measurement terminal and making the standby time from the end of the measurement of biological information at the measurement terminal to the switching of the sensor device to the low power consumption state shorter when the measurement ends outside the scheduled measurement period than when the measurement ends within the scheduled measurement period. By causing the computer to function as a control device by the computer program according to the embodiment, power saving of the measurement terminal is achieved without impairing the convenience of the user who intends to perform the measurement.

[0019] <2. Example of Measurement Terminal and Computer Program> [First Embodiment] (Configuration of Measurement System) FIG. 1 is a schematic configuration diagram of a measurement system 100 according to the embodiment. The measurement system 100 includes a measurement terminal 3 for biological information and a management server 1. The measurement terminal 3 is used to measure the biological information of a facility user 300 in a facility such as a hospital, a nursing facility, or a sports gym. The measurement terminal 3 and the management server 1 can communicate with each other via a communication network 5 such as the Internet. The measurement result at the measurement terminal 3 is transmitted to the management server 1 and managed by the management server 1. The management server 1 may be able to communicate with an external system (not shown).

[0020] "Biometric information" refers to information obtained from the user 300's body for the purpose of managing the user 300's health status, exercise status, etc., on the management server 1, and includes information representing a person's life activities. Information representing a person's life activities includes information representing the state of the body and information representing the load on the body. Information representing life activities is, for example, information representing the user 300's body temperature. Information representing life activities may also include information representing the state of the user 300's blood vessels, which quantifies the load on the blood vessels, and information related to the user's heart rate, which quantifies the speed of blood flow from the heart, etc.

[0021] The measurement terminal 3 is a terminal device equipped with a sensor for measuring the biometric information of the user 300. In the following example, the biometric information will be information representing body temperature, and the sensor will be a temperature sensor 42. The measurement terminal 3 has a sensor device (module) 40 that includes the temperature sensor 42 and its control circuit (Figure 4).

[0022] The management server 1 stores user information for each user and, prior to measuring biometric information, performs user authentication to identify the user information of user 300. Then, the management server 1 stores the measurement results of user 300's biometric information at the measurement terminal 3, associating them with the user information of user 300 identified through user authentication. User authentication may be, for example, facial recognition using the user's facial image captured by the camera 35 of the measurement terminal 3, or it may be authentication using biometric information such as fingerprints or iris scans.

[0023] The user information registered on the management server 1 includes a record for each user. Each record includes fields such as the user's identification information (hereinafter referred to as User ID), authentication information used to identify the user, name, gender, and date of birth. The User ID is automatically assigned by the management server 1 as a unique ID for each user when a new user is registered in the measurement system 100.

[0024] In the following example, user authentication is performed using facial recognition with the user's face image, and the authentication information is the face image of user 300. The measurement terminal 3 is a terminal device equipped with an input device for inputting authentication information to the management server 1. In the following example, the input device for inputting authentication information is a camera 35 for capturing the face image of user 300 (Figure 4).

[0025] (Overview of the operation of the measurement terminal) The measurement terminal 3 in this embodiment obtains the scheduled measurement period from the management server 1 and uses this period to switch the power consumption state of the sensor device 40 of the measurement terminal 3 between a normal power consumption state and a low power consumption state, which consumes less power than the normal power consumption state and makes it impossible to measure biological information. At this time, the measurement terminal 3 determines a waiting time based on the relationship between the scheduled measurement period and the actual end of the measurement. The waiting time refers to the time it takes to switch the power consumption state of the sensor device 40 from the normal power consumption state to the low power consumption state.

[0026] Figure 2 is a diagram illustrating an example of managing the power consumption status of the sensor device 40 of the measurement terminal 3, and shows an example of the power consumption status and standby time of the sensor device 40. In Figure 2, the passage of time in a day from top to bottom is shown, from 0:00 to 24:00, with each cell representing one hour. For example, the "00:00" cell represents the time from 0:00 to 0:59. In Figure 2, the period from 10:00 to 22:00 is the scheduled measurement period. The periods from 0:00 to 10:00 and from 22:00 to 24:00 are outside the scheduled measurement period. Also in Figure 2, the period from 10:00 to 12:00 is the actual measurement time during which measurements were taken. The measurement time is the time from the start time to the end time of multiple measurements taken at short time intervals that can be considered as continuous measurements.

[0027] During periods outside the scheduled measurement period when no measurements are being taken, the measurement terminal 3 puts the sensor device 40 into a low-power state. In the example in Figure 2, the sensor device 40 is in a low-power state during the periods from 0:00 to 9:00 and from 22:00 to 24:00. The standby time during these periods should be as short as possible, and at least shorter than the standby time during the scheduled measurement period. The standby time during these periods should be, for example, between 0 seconds and 5 minutes, and a specific example is 1 minute.

[0028] A predetermined time before the start of the scheduled measurement period, the measurement terminal 30 prepares the sensor device 40 to switch from a low power consumption state to a normal power consumption state. If the predetermined time is, for example, one hour, then in the example shown in Figure 2, the measurement terminal 30 prepares the sensor device 40 to start up from 9:00 to 10:00. As a result, the sensor device 40 enters a normal power consumption state at 10:00, the start time of the scheduled measurement period, and becomes ready for measurement.

[0029] During the scheduled measurement period, and while measurements are being taken, the sensor device 40 is in a normal power-consumption state. In the example in Figure 2, the sensor device 40 is in a normal power-consumption state during the period from 10:00 to 12:00.

[0030] If the measurement is completed within the scheduled measurement period, the measurement terminal 30 switches the sensor device 40 from the normal power consumption state to the low power consumption state. In the example in Figure 2, the measurement is completed at 12:00 and the sensor device 40 switches to the low power consumption state, and the sensor device 40 remains in the low power consumption state until 22:00. The waiting time during this period is longer than the waiting time outside the scheduled measurement period. For example, the waiting time is longer than the interval between measurements for one user and measurements for the next user during the measurement period, for example, longer than 5 minutes, and a specific example is 30 minutes. The waiting time within the scheduled measurement period may be determined based on past measurement intervals for biological information.

[0031] The end of measurement on the measurement terminal 3 refers to a state where the measurement terminal 3 is no longer capable of measuring biological information, for example, when the power consumption state of the measurement terminal 3 transitions to a low power consumption state. In the following examples, the end of measurement will be defined as the power consumption state of the measurement terminal 3 transitioning to a low power consumption state. Specifically, the end of measurement on the measurement terminal 3 will be defined as the touch panel 34 switching from on to off. Another example of the end of measurement on the measurement terminal 3 is the termination of the application on the measurement terminal 3 that executes the measurement process 311 (see Figure 4), which will be described later.

[0032] The sensor device 40 intermittently starts up in a low-power state and requests a connection from the control unit 31. The control unit 31 outputs a start command in response to the connection request, causing the sensor device 40 to transition from the low-power state to the normal-power state. The shorter the interval between intermittent starts, the sooner the sensor device 40 can return from the low-power state to the normal-power state, but the power consumption increases. Therefore, the interval between intermittent starts during and outside the planned measurement period can be determined considering both power consumption and convenience. For example, during a scheduled measurement period in which there is a high probability of measuring biological information, the interval for intermittent activation may be shorter (e.g., 10 seconds) than outside the scheduled measurement period (e.g., 30 seconds). Also, if a long waiting time is set for transitioning from the normal power consumption state to the low power consumption state within the scheduled measurement period, there is a high probability that additional measurements will be taken during the waiting time, and a low probability that additional measurements will be taken after the waiting time. Therefore, the interval for intermittent activation when transitioning to the low power consumption state may be longer (e.g., 60 seconds) than outside the scheduled measurement period (e.g., 30 seconds). In other words, the longer the waiting time, the longer the interval for intermittent activation may be set. Alternatively, if there are multiple irregular measurements occurring outside the scheduled measurement period, or if the situation is considered urgent, the interval for intermittent activation outside the scheduled measurement period may be shorter than the interval for intermittent activation within the scheduled measurement period.

[0033] (Management server configuration) Management Server 1 consists of a computer, or a single computer and its peripheral devices. Alternatively, Management Server 1 may be implemented by multiple computers working together. Figure 3 is a schematic diagram of Management Server 1. Management Server 1 includes a control unit 11, such as a CPU (Central Processing Unit), a memory 12, such as a ROM (Read Only Memory) or RAM (Random Access Memory), and a communication unit 14, such as a communication module for communicating with other devices. The memory 12 stores the program 121 executed by the control unit 11.

[0034] Furthermore, the management server 1 has a data storage unit 13. The data storage unit 13 is, for example, an HDD (Hard Disk Drive) or an SSD (Solid State Drive). The data storage unit 13 includes a user information storage unit 131 for storing the above-mentioned user information, and a measurement result storage unit 132 for storing measurement results in association with the user information.

[0035] The data storage unit 13 further includes an operator information storage unit 133 for storing information about the operator who operates the measurement terminal 3 to measure the user 300, and a scheduled user information storage unit 134 for storing scheduled user information, which is information that identifies the user 300 scheduled for measurement over a predetermined period.

[0036] Information regarding the operator is used to authenticate the operator and to authorize the authenticated operator to perform the measurement operation, and may, for example, be an image of the operator's face. In this case, the control unit 11 of the management server 1 may authenticate the operator using the face image transmitted prior to the measurement at the measurement terminal 3, and if authentication is successful, instruct the measurement terminal 3 to authorize the operator to perform the operation.

[0037] The scheduled user information may, for example, be information about users (scheduled measurement users) who are scheduled for measurement on a daily basis, or for example, facial images of the scheduled measurement users on a daily basis. The scheduled user information may further include information about scheduled measurement users on a daily basis. The scheduled user information may also include information about scheduled measurement users for shorter time periods than a day, such as morning or afternoon. Furthermore, the scheduled user information may further include information about scheduled measurement users for each operator. In this case, when the control unit 11 of the management server 1 authenticates user 300, it may perform facial recognition to identify the user information and determine whether or not the user is scheduled for measurement. If the user is scheduled for measurement, it may instruct the measurement terminal 3 to allow measurement of user 300. Also, if the measurement system 100 includes multiple measurement terminals 3, the scheduled user information may include information about scheduled measurement users for each measurement terminal 3. In this case, when the control unit 11 of the management server 1 authenticates user 300, it may perform facial recognition to identify the user information and determine whether or not the user is scheduled for measurement for the measurement terminal 3 that sent the facial image. If the user is scheduled for measurement, it may instruct the measurement terminal 3 to allow measurement of user 300.

[0038] The control unit 11 executes the measurement result storage process 111 according to the program 121. The measurement result storage process 111 identifies the user information of the user 300 using the face image of the user 300 received from the measurement terminal 3 and the face image stored as authentication information in the user information storage unit 131, and stores the measurement results of the user 300 received from the measurement terminal 3 in the measurement result storage unit 132 in association with the identified user information. At this time, the control unit 11 stores information indicating the date and time of measurement along with information representing the user 300's body temperature in the measurement result storage unit 132 as the measurement result.

[0039] The control unit 11 executes a prediction process 112 according to the program 121. The prediction process 112 includes a process to predict the scheduled measurement period using measurement results for a predetermined period stored in the measurement result storage unit 132. For example, the control unit 11 may predict the period from the earliest measurement time to the latest measurement time among the measurement results for the previous day or several days including the previous day as the scheduled measurement period for the next day. Alternatively, the control unit 11 may use the earliest measurement time among the measurement results for the previous day or several days including the previous day as the start time of the scheduled measurement period for the next day, and predict the period obtained by multiplying the number of people to be measured by a predetermined measurement time as the scheduled measurement period for the next day. Note that the scheduled measurement period may be set by a specific operator, such as an administrator or operator, instead of being predicted in the prediction process 112.

[0040] The prediction process 112 further includes a process of sending the scheduled measurement period to the measurement terminal 3 at a predetermined timing. The predetermined timing may be, for example, a pre-set time, or the timing when a signal is sent from the measurement terminal 3. The control unit 11 of the management server 1 may, for example, when it receives an inquiry about the scheduled measurement period from the measurement terminal 3, send the scheduled measurement period for the day inquired about to the measurement terminal 3, send the scheduled measurement period for the day to the measurement terminal 3 when the measurement terminal 3 starts up, or send the scheduled measurement period for the next day to the measurement terminal 3 when the measurement is completed at the measurement terminal 3.

[0041] (Configuration of the measurement terminal) The measurement terminal 3 is, for example, a terminal device held in the hand of the operator and used with its sensing range directed towards the user 300. Figure 4 is a schematic diagram of the measurement terminal 3. The measurement terminal 3 includes a camera 35 for capturing a facial image, which is user authentication information, a sensor device 40 including a temperature sensor 42 for measuring body temperature, which is biometric information, and a button 39 as an example of an input device for receiving operator input. The measurement terminal 3 further includes a touch panel 34 as an example of a display device and input device. The measurement terminal 3 may also have a microphone 37 and a speaker 38.

[0042] Buttons 39 include, for example, volume key 39-1 and power key 39-2 (see Figure 1). Pressing the power key 39-2 once when the power is off turns on the power of the measurement terminal 3. Pressing and holding the power key 39-2 when the power is on turns off the power of the measurement terminal 3, and pressing it once briefly turns off the touch panel 34, putting it into a low power consumption state. In addition to operating the power key 39-2, the touch panel 34 of the measurement terminal 3 also turns off if, for example, no operation is performed for a specified period of time.

[0043] The measurement terminal 3 is connected to a touch panel 34, a camera 35, a sensor device 40, a microphone 37, and a speaker 38, and includes a control unit 31, such as a CPU, which controls them, a memory 32, such as ROM or RAM, and a communication unit 33, such as a communication module, which communicates with other devices.

[0044] Memory 32 stores the program 321 executed by the control unit 31. Additionally, the memory 32 temporarily stores the scheduled measurement period received from the management server 1 by the control unit 31. This temporary storage means that, for example, if the scheduled measurement period is one day, it may be deleted at the end of that day, or it may be overwritten when the scheduled measurement period for the next day is obtained from the management server 1.

[0045] The sensor device 40 includes a temperature sensor 42, which is an example of a sensor for measuring biological information, and a sensor control microcontroller 41 that controls the temperature sensor 42. The sensor control microcontroller 41 is connected to the control unit 31 by wire or wireless means. When the sensor device 40 is in a normal power-saving state, the sensor control microcontroller 41 receives a control signal (hereinafter also referred to as an information acquisition command) from the control unit 31 instructing it to measure temperature, causes the temperature sensor 42 to perform the measurement, and transmits the measurement result to the control unit 31.

[0046] Furthermore, when the sensor control microcontroller 41 receives a control signal from the control unit 31 to switch the power consumption state to a low power consumption state (hereinafter also referred to as a sleep instruction) while in the normal power consumption state, it transitions to the low power consumption state.

[0047] When the sensor device 40 is in a low power consumption state, the sensor control microcontroller 41 and the control unit 31 do not communicate. In this case, the sensor control microcontroller 41 intermittently starts up and requests a connection from the control unit 31. Upon receiving an information acquisition command sent from the control unit 31 in response to the connection request, the sensor control microcontroller 41 starts up and the sensor device 40 switches to a normal power consumption state. In this case, the sensor control microcontroller 41 further causes the temperature sensor 42 to perform a measurement in response to the information acquisition command and transmits the measurement result to the control unit 31. Upon receiving a start instruction (hereinafter also referred to as a sleep wake instruction) sent from the control unit 31 in response to the connection request, the sensor control microcontroller 41 starts up at the time specified in the sleep wake instruction and the sensor device 40 switches to a normal power consumption state.

[0048] The control unit 31 outputs an information acquisition command to the sensor control microcontroller 41 in accordance with operations on the touch panel 34, causing it to measure body temperature. The control unit 31 also outputs sleep instructions and sleep wake instructions to the sensor control microcontroller 41 at the timings specified in the sensor control processing 312 described later. When the sensor device 40 is in a normal power consumption state, the sensor control microcontroller 41 can communicate with the control unit 31, so the control unit 31 outputs information acquisition commands and sleep instructions to the sensor control microcontroller 41. When the sensor device 40 is in a low power consumption state, the control unit 31 establishes a communication connection when it receives a connection request from the sensor control microcontroller 41 and outputs information acquisition commands and sleep wake instructions to the sensor control microcontroller 41.

[0049] The sensor device 40 may be an integrated device with the measurement terminal 3, as shown in Figure 4, or it may be a separate device with a configuration other than the sensor device 40, connected by wire or wireless means to a terminal device such as a smartphone. Furthermore, the control unit 31 may have the functions of the sensor control microcontroller 41.

[0050] The control unit 31 executes the measurement process 311 according to the program 321. The measurement process 311 refers to the process of measuring the user's body temperature using the temperature sensor 42 according to the operator's operation on the touch panel 34 or the like, and transmitting the measurement result to the management server 1.

[0051] The control unit 31 executes the sensor control process 312 according to the program 321. The sensor control process 312 determines when to switch the power consumption state of the sensor device 40 between the normal power consumption state and the low power consumption state, and instructs the sensor control microcontroller 41 according to the determined switching time to switch the power consumption state of the sensor device 40.

[0052] (Control at the measurement terminal) Figure 5 is a flowchart illustrating an example of the processing flow at the measurement terminal 3. In Figure 5, as a specific example, the measurement is considered to have ended when the touch panel 34 of the measurement terminal 3 switches from on to off.

[0053] When the control unit 31 of the measurement terminal 3 detects an on / off change in the touch panel 34, it performs the process shown in Figure 5. If the change in the touch panel 34 is from on to off (YES in step S101), the control unit 31 reads the scheduled measurement period from the memory 32 and determines whether the change from on to off of the touch panel 34 occurred within the scheduled measurement period.

[0054] If the touch panel 34 changes from on to off within the scheduled measurement period (YES in step S103), the control unit 31 determines a standby time of 30 minutes (step S105) and an intermittent activation interval of 10 seconds (step S107), and outputs a control signal to the sensor device 40 to switch to a low power consumption state after 30 minutes (sleep instruction) and to perform intermittent activation at 10-second intervals (step S109). The sensor control microcontroller 41 of the sensor device 40 switches the power consumption state according to this control signal, and the sensor device 40 transitions to a low power consumption state after 30 minutes.

[0055] If the touch panel 34 changes from on to off outside of the scheduled measurement period (NO in step S103), the control unit 31 determines a standby time of 1 minute (step S111) and an intermittent startup interval of 30 seconds (step S113). Furthermore, the control unit 31 calculates the timing for switching from the low power consumption state to the normal power consumption state (startup time) from the start time of the scheduled measurement period (step S115). In step S115, the control unit 31 sets the startup time to a specified time (e.g., 15 minutes) before the start time of the scheduled measurement period. The control unit 31 instructs the sensor device 40 to switch to the low power consumption state after 1 minute (sleep instruction), and to perform intermittent startup at 30-second intervals, and outputs a control signal to instruct the sensor device 40 to switch from the low power consumption state to the normal power consumption state (startup) at the calculated startup time (sleep release instruction) (step S117). The sensor control microcontroller 41 of the sensor device 40 switches the power consumption state according to this control signal, and the sensor device 40 transitions to the low power consumption state after 1 minute. Furthermore, at the startup time calculated by the control unit 31, the sensor device 40 enters a normal power consumption state.

[0056] If the touch panel 34 changes from off to on (NO in step S101), the control unit 31 accepts a connection request from the intermittently activated sensor device 40 (YES in step S119) and outputs an information acquisition command to the sensor control microcontroller 41 (step S121). As a result, the sensor device 40 switches to its normal power consumption state (starts up), and the body temperature is measured by the temperature sensor 42 according to the information acquisition command.

[0057] Figures 6 and 7 are time-series diagrams illustrating an example of the time change in the power consumption state of the sensor device 40 and the signal flow between the management server 1, the measurement terminal 3, and the sensor device 40 when the control unit 31 of the measurement terminal 3 executes the process shown in Figure 5. In Figures 6 and 7, "NP" for the sensor represents the normal power consumption state, and "LP" for the sensor represents the low power consumption state. "ON" for the measurement terminal represents the touch panel 34 being on, and "OFF" for the measurement terminal represents the touch panel 34 being off.

[0058] In Figure 6, at time t1, the touch panel 34 switches from off to on, and at time t2, the touch panel 34 switches from on to off. Prior to time t1, the touch panel 34 is off, and the sensor device 40 is in a low power consumption state. During this period, the sensor device 40 is intermittently activated at 30-second intervals, and the sensor control microcontroller 41 sends a connection request R1 to the control unit 31 at 30-second intervals.

[0059] Furthermore, at a predetermined time during this period, the measurement terminal 3 sends inquiry R2 to the management server 1. In response to inquiry R2, the management server 1 sends the scheduled measurement period Sc. The scheduled measurement period Sc is defined as the period from time t3 in Figure 6 to time t6 in Figure 7. Times t1 and t2 are before the start time of the scheduled measurement period (time t3).

[0060] When the touch panel 34 switches from off to on at time t1, the control unit 31 immediately sends an information acquisition command C1 in response to a connection request R1 sent from the sensor control microcontroller 41. As a result, the sensor device 40 starts up at the intermittent startup timing immediately after time t1, and its power consumption state returns to the normal power consumption state. The sensor device 40 causes the temperature sensor 42 to measure body temperature according to the information acquisition command C1 from the control unit 31 and sends the measurement result Cn1 to the control unit 31. The control unit 31 sends the measurement result Cn2, which includes the measured value and the measurement time, to the management server 1.

[0061] When the touch panel 34 switches from on to off at time t2, since time t2 is outside the scheduled measurement period Sc, the control unit 31 outputs a sleep instruction to the sensor control microcontroller 41 to put it into a low-power state after 1 minute, an instruction to set the intermittent startup interval to 30 seconds, and a sleep release instruction C2-1 to start the sensor at a startup time 15 minutes before time t3, which is the start time of the scheduled measurement period Sc. The sleep release instruction is, for example, a control signal that instructs the sensor to start after α seconds. As a result, 1 minute after time t2, the sensor device 40 enters a low-power state, and then intermittently starts up at 30-second intervals to send a connection request R1. Then, 15 minutes before time t3, the sensor device 40 starts up in accordance with the sleep release instruction C2-1.

[0062] Subsequently, when the touch panel 34 switches from off to on, an information acquisition command C1 is output from the control unit 31 to the sensor control microcontroller 41. The sensor control microcontroller 41 causes the temperature sensor 42 to measure body temperature according to the information acquisition command C1 from the control unit 31 and sends the measurement result Cn1 to the control unit 31. The control unit 31 sends the measurement result Cn2, which includes the measured value and the measurement time, to the management server 1.

[0063] In Figure 7, the touch panel 34 switches from on to off at times t4 and t7, and switches from off to on at time t5. Times t4 and t5 are within the planned measurement period Sc, and time t7 is after the end time of the planned measurement period Sc (time t6).

[0064] When the touch panel 34 switches from on to off at time t4, since time t4 is within the scheduled measurement period Sc, the control unit 31 outputs a sleep instruction to the sensor control microcontroller 41 to put it into a low-power state after 30 minutes, and an instruction C3 to set the intermittent activation interval to 10 seconds. As a result, 30 minutes after time t4, the sensor device 40 enters a low-power state, and thereafter intermittently activates at 10-second intervals to send a connection request R1.

[0065] When the touch panel 34 switches from off to on at time t5, the control unit 31 immediately sends an information acquisition command C1 in response to a connection request R1 sent from the sensor control microcontroller 41. As a result, the sensor device 40 starts up at time t5-1, which is the timing for intermittent startup immediately after time t5, and its power consumption state returns to the normal power consumption state. The sensor control microcontroller 41 causes the temperature sensor 42 to measure body temperature according to the information acquisition command C1 from the control unit 31 and sends the measurement result Cn1 to the control unit 31. The control unit 31 sends the measurement result Cn2, which includes the measured value and the measurement time, to the management server 1.

[0066] When the touch panel 34 switches from on to off at time t7, since time t7 is outside the scheduled measurement period Sc, the control unit 31 outputs a sleep instruction to the sensor control microcontroller 41 to put it into a low-power state after 1 minute, and an instruction C2-2 to set the intermittent activation interval to 30 seconds. As a result, the sensor device 40 enters a low-power state 1 minute after time t7, and then intermittently activates at 30-second intervals to send a connection request R1.

[0067] Figure 8 is a time-series diagram showing an example of the time change in the power consumption state of the sensor device and the signal flow between the measurement terminal and the sensor device in the measurement terminal of the comparative example. In the measurement terminal of the comparative example, as in Figures 6 and 7, the waiting time for the sensor device to switch from the normal power consumption state to the low power consumption state is 30 minutes, and the intermittent activation interval in the low power consumption state is 30 seconds.

[0068] In the example shown in Figure 8, the sensor device of the comparative example measurement terminal enters a low-power state after 30 minutes, in accordance with the sleep instruction C from the control unit of the measurement terminal, when the touch panel 34 switches from on to off. In contrast, in Figures 6 and 7, the measurement terminal 3 of the embodiment has different standby times depending on whether the timing of the touch panel 34 switching from on to off is outside or inside the scheduled measurement period Sc. That is, the sensor device 40 of the measurement terminal 3 of the embodiment switches to a low-power state earlier (1 minute) when the touch panel 34 switches from on to off outside the scheduled measurement period Sc than when the touch panel 34 switches from on to off inside the scheduled measurement period Sc. Therefore, the measurement terminal 3 of the embodiment achieves lower power consumption than the measurement terminal of the comparative example.

[0069] Another comparative example is a measurement terminal that can switch the sensor device to a low-power state with a short waiting time (1 minute) when the touch panel switches from on to off. In this comparative example, even if the timing of the touch panel 34 switching from on to off falls within the scheduled measurement period Sc, the sensor device immediately switches to the low-power state. Measurements are likely to be performed within the scheduled measurement period Sc, and the sensor device may need to be activated each time a measurement is taken. Therefore, if the sensor device switches to the low-power state in 1 minute, there is a high possibility that the sensor device will need to be activated, which may impair the convenience of the user attempting to take a measurement. In contrast, in the measurement terminal 3 according to the embodiment, when the touch panel 34 switches from on to off within the scheduled measurement period Sc, the time it takes for the sensor device 40 to switch to the low-power state is longer than when the switch occurs outside the scheduled measurement period Sc. Therefore, the possibility of activating the sensor device 40 when taking another measurement is lower than in the comparative example. As a result, the measurement terminal 3 according to the embodiment does not impair the convenience of the user attempting to take a measurement as much as the measurement terminal according to the comparative example.

[0070] Furthermore, in the example shown in Figure 8, the sensor device of the measurement terminal in the comparative example intermittently starts up at 30-second intervals in a low-power state and sends a connection request R to the control unit of the measurement terminal. When the touch panel switches from off to on at time P1, when the sensor device is in a low-power state, the control unit of the measurement terminal immediately sends an information acquisition command C1 in response to the connection request R sent from the sensor control microcontroller. As a result, the sensor device starts up at time P2, which is the timing of the intermittent start immediately after time P1, and its power consumption state returns to the normal power consumption state. The time from time P1 to time P2 is the sum of the maximum intermittent start interval of 30 seconds and the time required for startup.

[0071] In contrast, in the examples shown in Figures 6 and 7, the sensor device 40 of the measurement terminal 3 according to the embodiment has different intermittent activation intervals outside and inside the scheduled measurement period Sc, with intermittent activation occurring at shorter intervals inside the scheduled measurement period Sc than outside the scheduled measurement period Sc. When the touch panel 34 switches from off to on at time t5, which is inside the scheduled measurement period Sc, the sensor device 40 activates at time t5-1, and the power consumption state returns to the normal power consumption state. The time from time t5 to time t5-1 in Figure 7 is at most 10 seconds plus the time required for activation. Therefore, the measurement terminal 3 according to the embodiment takes less time to become ready for measurement than the measurement terminal according to the comparative example. Inside the scheduled measurement period Sc, there is a higher probability that the temperature sensor 42 of the measurement terminal 3 will measure the body temperature of the user 300 than outside the scheduled measurement period Sc. Therefore, the measurement terminal 3 according to the embodiment does not impair the convenience of the user who intends to take a measurement.

[0072] Furthermore, in the example in Figure 8, the sensor device of the measurement terminal according to the comparative example is activated according to the information acquisition command C1 transmitted from the control unit of the terminal device when a connection request R is received from the sensor device. Therefore, the sensor device of the measurement terminal according to the comparative example may not be in a state where measurement is possible at the start of measurement. In contrast, in the example in Figure 6, the sensor device 40 of the measurement terminal 3 according to the embodiment is activated 15 minutes before the start time t3 of the scheduled measurement period Sc. Thus, the temperature sensor 42 of the measurement terminal 3 according to the embodiment is in a state where measurement is possible at the start time of the scheduled measurement period Sc, when there is a high probability of measuring the body temperature of the user 300, and therefore the convenience of the user who intends to take a measurement is not impaired.

[0073] [Second Embodiment] In the second embodiment, when the touch panel 34 switches from on to off within the scheduled measurement period Scr, the control unit 31 of the measurement terminal 3 shortens the waiting time if the measurement termination condition is met, compared to when the measurement termination condition is not met. The measurement termination condition is, for example, the completion of the measurement of the person scheduled for measurement. In this case, the control unit 11 of the management server 1 identifies the user 300 by facial recognition using the facial image from the measurement terminal 3 and detects the completion of the measurement of the person scheduled for measurement by comparing it with the person information stored in the person information storage unit 134. The completion of the measurement of the person scheduled for measurement is notified from the management server 1 to the measurement terminal 3.

[0074] Figure 9 is a flowchart showing an example of the processing flow in the control unit 31 of the measurement terminal 3 in the second embodiment. The processing in Figure 9 differs from the processing shown in the flowchart of Figure 5 in that it includes an additional step S201. That is, in the second embodiment, the control unit 31 of the measurement terminal 3 determines a waiting time of 1 minute (step S111) and an intermittent startup interval of 30 seconds (step S113) if the detected on / off change of the touch panel 34 is from on to off (YES in step S101), the touch panel 34 changes from on to off within the scheduled measurement period (YES in step S103), and the management server 1 has notified the user that the measurement has ended (YES in step S201). Furthermore, the control unit 31 calculates the timing (startup time) for switching from the low power consumption state to the normal power consumption state from the start time of the scheduled measurement period (step S115). The control unit 31 then instructs the sensor device 40 to switch to a low power consumption state after 1 minute (sleep instruction), and to perform intermittent startup at 30-second intervals, and outputs a control signal that instructs it to switch from the low power consumption state to the normal power consumption state (start) (sleep release instruction) at the calculated startup time (step S117).

[0075] If the completion of the measurement by the person scheduled for measurement has not been notified (NO in step S201), the control unit 31, in the same manner as in the first embodiment, determines a waiting time of 30 minutes (step S105) and an intermittent activation interval of 10 seconds (step S107), and outputs a control signal to the sensor device 40 to switch to a low power consumption state after 30 minutes (sleep instruction) and to instruct intermittent activation at 10-second intervals (step S109).

[0076] The measurement termination condition is not limited to the completion of the measurement for the scheduled user, but may be other conditions. For example, if the control unit 11 of the management server 1 authenticates the operator and, upon successful authentication, allows the operator to operate the measurement terminal 3, the measurement termination condition may be the operator logging out. In this case, the management server 1 notifies the control unit 31 of the measurement terminal 3 that the operator has logged out. As a result, in step S201 of Figure 9, the control unit 31 of the measurement terminal 3 receives notification from the management server 1 that the operator has logged out and performs the same processing as in Figure 9. Furthermore, the measurement termination condition may be the completion of the measurement for the scheduled users for each day of the week or time slot, or the completion of the measurement for each scheduled user for each authenticated user. In addition, the measurement termination condition may be that the latest measurement results for user 300 stored in the measurement result storage unit 132 are appropriate. For example, if there is a measurement error in the latest measurement results for user 300 stored in the measurement result storage unit 132, the measurement may be repeated.

[0077] Figure 10 is a time-series diagram showing an example of the time change in the power consumption state of the sensor device 40 and the signal flow between the management server 1, the measurement terminal 3, and the sensor device 40 when the processing shown in Figure 9 is performed at the measurement terminal 3, and corresponds to the time period shown in Figure 7. In Figure 10, the touch panel 34 switches from on to off at times t4 and t9. Since time t4 is within the scheduled measurement period Sc, the control unit 31 outputs a sleep instruction to the sensor control microcontroller 41 to put it into a low power consumption state after 30 minutes, and an instruction C3 to set the intermittent startup interval to 10 seconds. As a result, the sensor device 40 enters a low power consumption state 30 minutes after time t4.

[0078] On the other hand, if the touch panel 34 switches from on to off at time t9, although time t9 is also within the scheduled measurement period Sc, the management server 1 has sent a notification SG1 earlier indicating the completion of the measurement for the person scheduled for measurement today. In this case, the control unit 31 outputs a sleep instruction to the sensor control microcontroller 41 to put it into a low-power state after 1 minute, and an instruction C2 to set the intermittent startup interval to 30 seconds. As a result, the sensor device 40 enters a low-power state 1 minute after time t9. This achieves even greater power savings than the measurement terminal 3 according to the first embodiment.

[0079] Even within the scheduled measurement period Sc, once the measurement for today's scheduled user is complete, the measurement at measurement terminal 3 is likely to end. In other words, the likelihood of the sensor device 40 being instructed to start is low. Therefore, as shown in the example in Figure 10, even if the waiting time is shorter than when the measurement for the scheduled user has not yet finished (time t4), user convenience will not be compromised.

[0080] As another example, if the touch panel 34 changes from on to off within the scheduled measurement period (YES in step S103), and the latest measurement result of the user 300 stored in the measurement result storage unit 132 is not appropriate, or if the measurement termination conditions are not met, the control unit 31 does not need to issue a sleep command to the sensor device 40. In this case, even if the touch panel 34 changes from on to off, the sensor device 40 will not enter a low-power state. If the measurement termination conditions are not met even if the touch panel 34 changes from on to off, measurement may still be performed. In other words, the sensor device 40 may be instructed to start up. Therefore, by not switching the sensor device 40 to a low-power state, user convenience is not compromised.

[0081] [Third Embodiment] The scheduled measurement period may be predicted by the measurement terminal 3 instead of the management server 1. Figure 11 is a schematic diagram of the measurement terminal 3 according to the third embodiment. The configuration of the measurement terminal 3 according to the third embodiment differs from the configuration of the measurement terminal 3 according to the first embodiment in Figure 4 in that it further includes a data storage unit 36, the data storage unit 36 ​​has a measurement time storage unit 361 for storing the measurement time, and the control unit 31 further executes a prediction process 313 according to the program 321.

[0082] The prediction process 313 may be the same as the prediction process 112 performed by the control unit 11 of the management server 1 according to the first embodiment. In this case, when the control unit 31 of the measurement terminal 3 measures the body temperature of the user 300 in the measurement process 311, it transmits the measurement result to the management server 1 and stores at least the measurement time in the data storage unit 36. As a result, the control unit 31 uses the measurement time to execute the prediction process 313 at a predetermined timing to obtain and store the planned measurement period. In this case, the control unit 31 of the measurement terminal 3 reads the stored planned measurement period and uses it in the process shown in Figure 5.

[0083] Furthermore, the control unit 31 of the measurement terminal 3 may also detect that the measurement completion conditions in the second embodiment have been met. For example, the control unit 31 of the measurement terminal 3 may detect the completion of the measurement of a person scheduled for measurement. In this case, the data storage unit 36 ​​of the measurement terminal 3 may have a person information storage unit and register the person information, or it may obtain the person information from the management server 1. For example, the control unit 31 of the measurement terminal 3 obtains the user ID of the facially authenticated user 300 from the management server 1 and compares it with the person information to detect the completion of the measurement of the person scheduled for measurement. In this case, the control unit 31 of the measurement terminal 3 uses the detection result in the processing shown in Figure 9.

[0084] <3. Addendum> The present invention is not limited to the embodiments described above, and various modifications are possible. Furthermore, although the above description used a sensor device using a temperature sensor as an example, the sensor device is not limited to this, and can be applied to various sensor devices, such as a measuring device that obtains biological information from a facial image of a user 300 captured using a camera 35 or the like. [Explanation of symbols]

[0085] 1: Management server, 3: Measurement terminal, 11, 31: Control unit, 12, 32: Memory, 40: Sensor device, 41: Sensor control microcontroller, 42: Temperature sensor, 112, 313: Prediction processing, 121, 321: Program, 300: User, 312: Sensor control processing, 361: Measurement time storage unit

Claims

1. A measuring terminal for measuring the user's biometric information, A sensor device including a sensor for measuring the aforementioned biological information, Memory and It comprises a control unit and, The memory stores the planned measurement period at the measurement terminal. The control unit, The sensor device is controlled to measure the user's biological information when its power consumption state is in the normal power consumption state. The power consumption state of the sensor device is determined to be switched between a normal power consumption state in which the sensor can measure the biological information and a low power consumption state in which the power consumption is lower than the normal power consumption state and the sensor cannot measure the biological information. When the aforementioned switching is determined, the power consumption state of the sensor device is switched. Determining the switching time includes making the waiting time from the end of the measurement of the biological information to the switching of the sensor device to a low-power state shorter when the measurement is completed outside the scheduled measurement period than when the measurement is completed within the scheduled measurement period. Measurement terminal.

2. It also includes a communication unit for communicating with the management server, The control unit further obtains the predicted measurement period from the management server and stores it in the memory. The measuring terminal according to claim 1.

3. The sensor device intermittently starts up in the low power consumption state. Switching the power consumption state of the sensor device includes switching the sensor device from a low power consumption state to a normal power consumption state during intermittent startup. Determining the switching time further includes shortening the interval of intermittent activation when the sensor device is in a low-power state within the scheduled measurement period compared to when it is in a low-power state outside the scheduled measurement period. The measuring terminal according to claim 1.

4. Determining the switching time further includes shortening the waiting time if the measurement completion conditions are met when the measurement is completed within the scheduled measurement period, compared to when the measurement completion conditions are not met. The measuring terminal according to claim 1.

5. Equipped with an additional display, The end of the measurement includes the display's power consumption state becoming a low power consumption state. The measuring terminal according to claim 1.

6. The control unit further switches the sensor device from the low power consumption state to the normal power consumption state a specified time before the scheduled measurement period. The measuring terminal according to claim 1.

7. A computer program that makes a computer function as a control device for a measurement terminal that measures a user's biometric information, The measurement terminal has a sensor device that includes a sensor for measuring the biological information, The sensor device is controlled to measure the user's biological information when its power consumption state is in the normal power consumption state. The power consumption state of the sensor device is switched between a normal power consumption state in which the sensor can measure the biological information and a low power consumption state in which the power consumption is lower than the normal power consumption state and the sensor cannot measure the biological information. When the aforementioned switching is determined, the computer is instructed to switch the power consumption state of the sensor device. Determining the timing of the aforementioned switchover means The planned measurement period is obtained from the aforementioned measurement terminal. This includes making the waiting time from the end of measurement of the biological information by the measurement terminal until the sensor device switches to the low-power state shorter than the waiting time if the measurement is completed outside the scheduled measurement period, compared to the waiting time if the measurement is completed within the scheduled measurement period. Computer program.

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