Electronic thermometer and thermometer system

Abstract

To provide a technique capable of appropriately notifying health conditions corresponding to body temperature of a person to be measured regardless of an individual difference of the person to be measured, a measurement time zone, a season, and other conditions related to body temperature measurement.SOLUTION: An electronic thermometer includes: a temperature measurement unit for measuring temperature of an end cap; and a control unit that acquires a measurement value of body temperature of a person to be measured on the basis of temperature of the end cap measured by the temperature measurement unit, compares the measurement value of the body temperature with a threshold value that is preset at a value desired by a user, and shows the comparison results to cause a display unit to display the measurement value of the body temperature thereon.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 5

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present disclosure relates to an electronic thermometer. and Thermometer System M Regarding. [Background technology]

[0002] Patent document 1 describes an electronic thermometer that compares the measured body temperature with the average body temperature values ​​for each age and sex stored in a memory unit, and if the measured body temperature is higher or lower than the average by a predetermined value or more, displays this fact on a display unit. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] JP 2008-191032 A Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] However, body temperature varies from person to person, and normal body temperature may differ depending on the time of day and the season. For example, for people with a low normal body temperature, a fever may be suspected even if the body temperature is not normally considered to be a fever (for example, 37 degrees).

[0005] The object of the present disclosure is to provide technology that can appropriately notify a person of their health condition based on their body temperature, regardless of individual differences, the time of day or season of measurement, or other circumstances related to body temperature measurement. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] An electronic thermometer according to one embodiment of the present disclosure comprises a temperature measuring unit that measures the temperature of an end cap, and a control unit that obtains a measured body temperature value of a person being measured based on the temperature of the end cap measured by the temperature measuring unit, compares the measured body temperature value with a threshold value that is preset to a value desired by a user, and displays the result of the comparison on a display unit to display the measured body temperature value.

[0007] In one embodiment, the device further includes a communication unit capable of communicating with an external information processing device, and the control unit sets the value received from the information processing device via the communication unit to the threshold value as the value desired by the user.

[0008] In one embodiment, the communication unit is capable of wireless communication, and the control unit transitions the communication unit to a state in which it is possible to establish communication with the information processing device in response to a predetermined operation being performed on the electronic thermometer.

[0009] In one embodiment, the electronic thermometer further includes a battery that stores power for operating each component of the electronic thermometer, and a power receiving unit that receives power from a power source and stores the power in the battery, and the control unit transitions the communication unit to a state in which communication can be established with the information processing device in response to the predetermined operation being an operation in which a state in which power is supplied to the power receiving unit from the external power source and a state in which power is not supplied are alternately switched between a predetermined number of times within a predetermined time.

[0010] In one embodiment, the power receiving unit has a connection terminal arranged to come into contact with an output terminal for the charging base to output power when the electronic thermometer is placed in the charging base, and the control unit transitions the communication unit to a state in which communication can be established with the information processing device in response to the predetermined operation being an operation in which the connection terminal is alternately switched between a state in which it is in contact with the output terminal of the charging base and a state in which it is not in contact with the output terminal of the charging base a predetermined number of times within the predetermined time.

[0011] In one embodiment, the electronic thermometer further includes a housing that houses the internal structure of the electronic thermometer, and the housing is shaped such that when a portion of the housing is pressed down while the electronic thermometer is housed in the charging base, contact between the output terminal of the charging base and the connection terminal is severed.

[0012] In one embodiment, when the communication unit is in a state in which communication can be established with the information processing device, the control unit causes the display unit to display that effect.

[0013] In one embodiment, the control unit causes the display unit to display the measured body temperature value in accordance with a result of the comparison using a display color.

[0014] A thermometer system according to one embodiment of the present disclosure is a thermometer system including an electronic thermometer and a charging base capable of housing the electronic thermometer, the charging base having an output terminal for outputting power to the electronic thermometer, the electronic thermometer having a temperature measurement unit that measures the temperature of an end cap, a communication unit capable of communicating with an external information processing device, a control unit that acquires a measured body temperature of a person to be measured based on the temperature of the end cap measured by the temperature measurement unit, compares the measured body temperature with a threshold value set by the information processing device to a value desired by a user, and indicates the result of the comparison and causes the measured body temperature to be displayed on a display unit, a battery that stores power for operating each component of the electronic thermometer, and a connection terminal that is provided to come into contact with the output terminal of the charging base when the electronic thermometer is housed in the charging base, and the control unit transitions the communication unit to a state in which communication with the information processing device can be established in response to an operation of alternately switching between a state in which the connection terminal is in contact with the output terminal of the charging base and a state in which it is not in contact with the output terminal of the charging base a predetermined number of times within a predetermined time.

[0015] A display method for an electronic thermometer as one embodiment of the present disclosure is a display method for an electronic thermometer including a temperature measuring unit that measures the temperature of an end cap and a control unit, in which the control unit obtains a measured body temperature value of a person being measured based on the temperature of the end cap measured by the temperature measuring unit, compares the measured body temperature value with a threshold value that is preset to a value desired by a user, and displays the result of the comparison on the display unit to indicate the measured body temperature value. Effect of the Invention

[0016] According to one embodiment of the present disclosure, it is possible to appropriately notify the health condition of a person being measured according to their body temperature, regardless of individual differences between people being measured, the time of measurement, the season, and other circumstances related to the body temperature measurement. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0017] [Figure 1] 1 is a perspective view of an external appearance of an electronic thermometer according to an embodiment, as viewed from the front side; [Diagram 2] 2 is a rear perspective view of the external appearance of the electronic thermometer illustrated in FIG. 1. FIG. [Diagram 3] FIG. 2 is an external perspective view of the charging stand according to the embodiment; [Figure 4] FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating an external appearance of a smartphone according to an embodiment. [Diagram 5] FIG. 1 is a functional block diagram showing a schematic configuration of a thermometer system according to an embodiment. [Figure 6] 2 is a diagram for explaining a display example of the display unit of the electronic thermometer illustrated in FIG. 1. FIG. [Figure 7] 11 is a sequence chart showing a pairing operation between an electronic thermometer and a smartphone. [Figure 8] 11 is a sequence chart showing an operation of updating setting information of an electronic thermometer using a smartphone. [Figure 9] 5 is a diagram illustrating a display example of the display unit of the smartphone illustrated in FIG. 4. [Figure 10] 11 is a sequence chart showing a pairing operation between an electronic thermometer and a smartphone. [Figure 11A] FIG. 13 is a diagram illustrating an operation for putting the electronic thermometer into a pairing mode. [Figure 11B] FIG. 13 is a diagram illustrating an operation for putting the electronic thermometer into a pairing mode. [Figure 12A] 4 is a flowchart showing an example of a process executed by the electronic thermometer of FIG. 1. [Figure 12B] 4 is a flowchart showing an example of a process executed by the electronic thermometer of FIG. 1. [Figure 12C] 4 is a flowchart showing an example of a process executed by the electronic thermometer of FIG. 1. [Figure 12D] 4 is a flowchart showing an example of a process executed by the electronic thermometer of FIG. 1. [Figure 12E] 4 is a flowchart showing an example of a process executed by the electronic thermometer of FIG. 1. [Figure 12F] 4 is a flowchart showing an example of a process executed by the electronic thermometer of FIG. 1. [Figure 13A] 2 is a diagram for explaining a display example of the display unit of the electronic thermometer illustrated in FIG. 1. FIG. [Figure 13B] 2 is a diagram for explaining a display example of the display unit of the electronic thermometer illustrated in FIG. 1. FIG. [Figure 13C] 2 is a diagram for explaining a display example of the display unit of the electronic thermometer illustrated in FIG. 1. FIG. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0018] Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present disclosure will be described with reference to the drawings. In each drawing, parts having the same configuration or function are denoted by the same reference numerals. In the description of this embodiment, the description of parts having the same configuration or function will be omitted or simplified as appropriate.

[0019] A thermometer system 1 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure includes an electronic thermometer 10, a charging base 30, and a smartphone 50. Figs. 1 and 2 are external perspective views of the electronic thermometer 10 according to an embodiment. Fig. 1 is an external perspective view of the electronic thermometer 10 as viewed from the front side, and Fig. 2 is an external perspective view of the electronic thermometer 10 as viewed from the back side. In this specification, when the electronic thermometer 10 is stored in the charging base 30, the side that contacts the charging base 30 is referred to as the back side of the electronic thermometer 10, and the opposite side is referred to as the front side of the electronic thermometer 10.

[0020] 1 and 2, the electronic thermometer 10 according to this embodiment includes a main housing 2, a tail housing 3, an end cap 4, and an internal structure 8. A display unit 15 may be provided on one surface (front surface) of the main housing 2. A contact 6 for receiving power from a charging base 30 may be provided on the other surface (rear surface) of the main housing 2. The main housing 2, the tail housing 3, and the end cap 4 are collectively referred to as a housing 7. The housing 7 houses the internal structure 8.

[0021] In this specification, as shown in Figures 1 and 2, the long axis direction of the electronic thermometer 10 is defined as the Z-axis direction. The positive direction of the Z-axis is toward the tip of the electronic thermometer 10 (i.e., toward the end cap 4), and the negative direction of the Z-axis is toward the tail housing 3. In this specification, the thickness direction of the electronic thermometer 10 is defined as the Y-axis direction. The positive direction of the Y-axis is toward the front side of the electronic thermometer 10. In this specification, the direction perpendicular to the long axis direction (Z-axis direction) and thickness direction (Y-axis direction) of the electronic thermometer 10 is defined as the X-axis direction. The X-axis direction is the width direction of the main housing 2.

[0022] The main housing 2 may be made of a thermoplastic resin having impact resistance, such as butylene-styrene resin. The tail housing 3 may be made of a thermoplastic resin having impact resistance, such as high-impact polystyrene resin. The main housing 2 has an opening on the side opposite to the end cap 4, and is sealed by the tail housing 3. The tail housing 3 is attached to the main housing 2 by ultrasonic fusion or adhesive. The tail housing 3 may be attached to the main housing 2 by a fastening member. In this case, the fastening member may be a screw member such as a bolt or a screw. However, the main housing 2 is not limited to such a configuration. For example, the main housing 2 may be formed by dividing it into two in the Z direction (i.e., the display unit 15 side and the bottom side opposite the display unit 15 side) and fusing them in the vertical direction. In this case, the tail housing 3 is molded at the same time as the main housing 2 is formed.

[0023] The end cap 4 protects a temperature measuring unit 14 (described later) that is disposed inside the end cap 4. The temperature measuring unit 14 detects the temperature of the end cap 4. The end cap 4 may be configured in a form in which it is covered with a metal member such as stainless steel so that the body temperature of the person to be measured is easily conducted to the temperature measuring unit 14. The end cap 4 is a member that comes into contact with the armpit of the person to be measured when the person to be measured measures body temperature by holding the electronic thermometer 10 under his / her armpit.

[0024] In this specification, the subject is a person whose body temperature is measured using the electronic thermometer 10, and the subject includes not only the subject, but also a person who assists the subject in measuring the body temperature. For example, the subject may include the subject's family and medical staff. In this embodiment, an example is described in which the subject is the user of the thermometer system 1, but a person other than the subject may be the user.

[0025] FIG. 3 is an external perspective view of the charging stand 30 according to an embodiment, as seen from the front side. As shown in FIG. 3, the charging stand 30 according to this embodiment includes a housing 22, a housing groove 25, and a pogo pin 26. The housing groove 25 is a groove formed so that the housing 7 of the electronic thermometer 10 can be housed in the charging stand 30. The housing groove 25 houses at least a part of the housing 7. Preferably, 1 / 4 to 2 / 3 of the volume of the housing 7 is housed in the housing groove 25. The electronic thermometer 10 can be housed in the charging stand 30 by being housed in the housing groove 25 so that the back side of the electronic thermometer 10 contacts the surface that forms the housing groove 25. That is, the electronic thermometer 10 is housed in the charging stand 30 so that the surface opposite to the display unit 15 faces the housing groove 25. For example, the electronic thermometer 10 and the charging stand 30 may be provided with a magnet on one side and a ferromagnetic material, such as an iron plate, on the other side, so that the electronic thermometer 10 can be housed in the charging stand 30 by magnetic attraction by the magnet. As described below, when the electronic thermometer 10 is stored in the charging base 30, the contact 6 of the electronic thermometer 10 comes into contact with the pogo pin 26 of the charging base 30, and power is supplied from the charging base 30 to the electronic thermometer 10 via the contact 6 and the pogo pin 26. The charging base 30 may further include a lid that covers the storage groove 25, and such a lid may be detachable. A known method may be used to attach the lid.

[0026] 4 is a diagram showing the appearance of a smartphone 50 as an information processing device according to this embodiment. In this embodiment, a case where the smartphone 50 is used as an example of an information processing device capable of communicating with the electronic thermometer 10 will be described, but other electronic devices such as a tablet, a PC (Personal Computer), or a smartwatch may be used instead of the smartphone.

[0027] In this configuration, the electronic thermometer 10 compares the measured body temperature of the person being measured with a threshold value preset in the electronic thermometer 10, and displays the comparison result by display color or the like to display the measured body temperature. Here, the person being measured can set and change the threshold value set in the electronic thermometer 10 to a value desired by the person being measured, for example, by operating a smartphone 50 capable of communicating with the electronic thermometer 10. Therefore, the person being measured can set the threshold value according to the individual differences of the person being measured, the measurement time period, the season, and other circumstances related to the body temperature measurement. Therefore, according to the configuration of this embodiment, it is possible to appropriately notify the health condition of the person being measured according to their body temperature, regardless of the individual differences of the person being measured, the measurement time period, the season, and other circumstances related to the body temperature measurement.

[0028] Fig. 5 is a functional block diagram showing a schematic configuration of a thermometer system 1 according to one embodiment. As shown in Fig. 5, the thermometer system 1 includes an electronic thermometer 10, a charging base 30, and a smartphone 50. The electronic thermometer 10 and the smartphone 50 are configured to be connected to each other by wire or wirelessly so that they can communicate information with each other. In addition, the electronic thermometer 10 and the charging base 30 are configured to be connected to each other by contact or non-contact so that power can be supplied from the charging base 30 to the electronic thermometer 10.

[0029] 5, the charging stand 30 includes a power supply unit 31 and a battery 32. The charging stand 30 functions as a power source that supplies power to the electronic thermometer 10.

[0030] The power supply unit 31 supplies power to the electronic thermometer 10 in a state where it is connected to the charging base 30 in a contact or non-contact manner so as to be able to supply power from the charging base 30 to the electronic thermometer 10. The power supply unit 31 supplies power to the power receiving unit 13 of the electronic thermometer 10. The power supply unit 31 may be configured to be able to supply power to the power receiving unit 13 under predetermined conditions. For example, the power supply unit 31 may be configured to be able to supply power to the power receiving unit 13 in a state where the electronic thermometer 10 is accommodated in the charging base 30. In this case, the power supply unit 31 may be configured not to supply power when the electronic thermometer 10 is not completely accommodated in the charging base 30.

[0031] For example, in the case of contact-type power supply, the electronic thermometer 10 and the charging base 30 are electrically connected via a contact portion consisting of a contact 6 and a corresponding pogo pin 26. Here, the pogo pin 26 of the charging base 30 functions as an output terminal for outputting power, and the contact 6 of the electronic thermometer 10 functions as a connection terminal for receiving power by contacting the output terminal of the charging base 30. The contact 6 and the corresponding pogo pin 26 are provided on the back surface of the electronic thermometer 10 and the storage groove 25 of the charging base 30, respectively. When the electronic thermometer 10 is stored in the charging base 30, the contact 6 of the electronic thermometer 10 comes into contact with the movable part of the pogo pin 26 of the charging base 30, so that power may be supplied from the power supply unit 31 of the charging base 30 to the power receiving unit 13 of the electronic thermometer 10 via the contact 6 and the pogo pin 26. Alternatively, a pogo pin may be provided on the back surface of the electronic thermometer 10, and a contact may be provided in the storage groove 25 of the charging base 30. In this case, the contacts of the charging base 30 function as output terminals for outputting power, and the pogo pins of the electronic thermometer 10 function as connection terminals for receiving power by contacting the output terminals of the charging base 30. However, the method of supplying power from the charging base 30 to the electronic thermometer 10 is not limited to this, and any known method of supplying power may be used.

[0032] The battery 32 stores the power supplied from the power supply unit 31 to the electronic thermometer 10. The battery 32 can be, for example, a lithium ion battery or a nickel-metal hydride battery. In the thermometer system 1 according to this embodiment, the battery 32 of the charging base 30 functions as a primary battery that stores the power received from an external power source (not shown), and the battery 16 of the electronic thermometer 10 described later functions as a secondary battery that stores the power received from the charging base 30 via the power receiving unit 13. However, instead of this, the battery 16 of the electronic thermometer 10 may store the power received from the external power source via a power cable without using another battery. For example, the charging base 30 may not include the battery 32, and may supply the power received from the external power source via the power cable to the electronic thermometer 10 via the power supply unit 31 after appropriately converting the voltage, current, etc.

[0033] The electronic thermometer 10 includes a control unit 11, a memory unit 12, a power receiving unit 13, a temperature measuring unit 14, a display unit 15, a battery 16, a communication unit 17, a motion sensor 18, and an alarm unit 19. Power is supplied from the battery 16 to each functional block included in the electronic thermometer 10.

[0034] While the electronic thermometer 10 is housed in the charging base 30, it is powered off while receiving power from the charging base 30. When the electronic thermometer 10 is removed from the charging base 30, the electronic thermometer 10 turns on the power. When a temperature rise is measured in the temperature measuring unit 14 within a certain time after the power is turned on, the electronic thermometer 10 starts measuring the temperature. When the electronic thermometer 10 starts measuring the temperature, it predicts the body temperature of the person being measured based on the temperature change from the start of the temperature measurement until a certain time (e.g., several tens of seconds) has elapsed, and displays it on the display unit 15. The electronic thermometer 10 may notify the person by vibrating the notification unit 19 that the prediction has been achieved. If the temperature measurement continues as is, the electronic thermometer 10 may notify the person by vibrating the notification unit 19 that the actual temperature measurement has ended after a certain time (e.g., 10 minutes) has elapsed. When the electronic thermometer 10 is removed from the armpit of the person being measured, the electronic thermometer 10 detects this by a decrease in temperature in the temperature measuring unit 14. When the electronic thermometer 10 is removed from the armpit of the person being measured, it displays the predicted body temperature on the display unit 15 until a certain time (e.g., 4 minutes and 30 seconds) has elapsed since the start of the temperature measurement, and thereafter displays the maximum actually measured body temperature on the display unit 15.

[0035] The control unit 11 controls and manages the entire electronic thermometer 10, including each functional unit of the electronic thermometer 10. The control unit 11 includes at least one processor. The control unit 11 is configured with a processor such as a CPU (Central Processing Unit) that executes a program that defines a control procedure, or a dedicated processor specialized for processing each function. Such programs are stored in the memory unit 12 or a storage medium external to the electronic thermometer 10.

[0036] In this embodiment, the control unit 11 executes a process of acquiring the measured body temperature of the subject based on the temperature detected by the temperature measuring unit 14. The control unit 11 also executes a process of comparing the measured body temperature with a preset threshold value, indicating the result, and displaying the measured body temperature value on the display unit 15, and a process of establishing communication with the smartphone 50 to transmit and receive information related to the setting of the threshold value, etc. Details of the processes executed by the control unit 11 will be described later.

[0037] The storage unit 12 can be composed of a semiconductor memory, a magnetic memory, etc. The storage unit 12 stores various information including, for example, the previously measured body temperature value and a threshold value to be compared with the body temperature of the person being measured, as well as a program for operating the electronic thermometer 10. The storage unit 12 may also function as a work memory.

[0038] The power receiving unit 13 receives power supplied from the charging base 30 as a power source in a state where the power receiving unit 13 is connected to the electronic thermometer 10 by contact or non-contact so as to be able to supply power from the charging base 30. Specifically, the power receiving unit 13 receives power supplied from the power supply unit 31 of the charging base 30. The power receiving unit 13 may be configured to be able to receive power from the power supply unit 31 under a predetermined condition. For example, the power receiving unit 13 may be configured to be able to receive power from the power supply unit 31 in a state where the electronic thermometer 10 is accommodated in the accommodation groove 25 of the charging base 30. In this case, the power receiving unit 13 may be configured not to receive power in a state where the electronic thermometer 10 is not accommodated in the charging base 30. The power receiving unit 13 stores the received power in a battery 16 described later.

[0039] The temperature measuring unit 14 detects the temperature of the end cap 4. The temperature measuring unit 14 includes a temperature sensor that detects the temperature. The temperature measuring unit 14 may have a configuration similar to that of a temperature measuring unit in a known electronic thermometer. The temperature measuring unit 14 may detect the temperature by utilizing a resistance change of a thermistor, for example. The temperature measuring unit 14 is configured to be able to output information on the detected temperature to the control unit 11.

[0040] The display unit 15 displays various information based on the control by the control unit 11. The display unit 15 includes a display device capable of displaying information. The display device may be, for example, a liquid crystal display (LCD), an organic electro-luminescence display (OELD), or an inorganic electro-luminescence display (IELD).

[0041] FIG. 6 is a diagram for explaining a display example of the display unit 15 of the electronic thermometer 10. In the display unit 15, the body temperature display area 61 is an area for displaying the measured body temperature. The "battery" mark 62 is a mark indicating that the voltage of the battery 16 has dropped or that the battery is being charged. For example, when the voltage of the battery 16 has dropped, the electronic thermometer 10 may indicate the drop in the voltage of the battery 16 by displaying the "battery" mark 62 in a blinking manner. Also, for example, while the battery 16 is being charged, the electronic thermometer 10 may indicate that the battery is being charged by displaying only the "battery" mark 62 in the body temperature display area 61 in a blinking manner. The "previous value display" mark 63 is a mark indicating that the body temperature measurement value is obtained by the previous measurement. The previous body temperature measurement value is displayed in the body temperature display area 61 together with the "previous value display" mark 63. The "prediction" mark 64 is displayed when the body temperature of the person being measured is being predicted and when the predicted body temperature value is displayed in the body temperature display area 61.

[0042] Returning to the description of FIG. 5, the battery 16 stores power for operating each component of the electronic thermometer 10. Like the battery 32 of the charging base 30, the battery 16 can be, for example, a lithium ion battery or a nickel-metal hydride battery. As described above, in this embodiment, the battery 32 of the charging base 30 functions as a primary battery that stores power received from an external power source, and the battery 16 of the electronic thermometer 10 functions as a secondary battery that stores power received from the charging base 30. However, instead of this, the battery 16 of the electronic thermometer 10 may store power received from an external power source via a power cable without going through another battery, or may be composed of a commercially available dry cell.

[0043] The communication unit 17 transmits and receives information to and from the smartphone 50 as an external information processing device when the electronic thermometer 10 and the smartphone 50 are connected to be able to communicate information wired or wirelessly. In this embodiment, a case where wireless communication with the smartphone 50 is possible using Bluetooth (registered trademark) will be described as an example of the communication unit 17. However, the communication unit 17 may instead communicate using infrared rays, near field communication (NFC), a wireless LAN (Local Area Network), a wired LAN, or any other communication medium, or any combination of these.

[0044] The motion sensor 18 is a sensor that detects the movement of the electronic thermometer 10. The motion sensor 18 is realized by a configuration similar to that of a known acceleration sensor, but an angular velocity sensor (gyro sensor) may be provided in addition to or instead of the acceleration sensor. The motion sensor 18 is configured to be able to output information on the detected movement of the electronic thermometer 10 to the control unit 11.

[0045] The notification unit 19 notifies the subject of information. In this embodiment, the notification unit 19 includes, for example, a vibration motor (vibrator), and an example is described in which the notification unit 19 notifies the subject of information by vibration. However, instead of or in addition to this, the notification unit 19 may include, for example, a speaker, and notify information by sound. Alternatively, the notification unit 19 may include the display unit 15. In this case, the display unit 15 may also function as the notification unit 19 and notify information by displaying an image. The notification unit 19 may notify, for example, the start of predicted temperature measurement, the start of actual temperature measurement, and the end of temperature measurement.

[0046] The smartphone 50 includes a control unit 51, a storage unit 52, a communication unit 53, an input unit 54, a display unit 55, and a battery 56.

[0047] The control unit 51 is one or more processors. The processor is a general-purpose processor such as a CPU or a GPU (Graphics Processing Unit), or a dedicated processor specialized for a specific process. The control unit 51 may include one or more dedicated circuits, or the one or more processors in the control unit 51 may be replaced with one or more dedicated circuits. The dedicated circuits are, for example, a FPGA (Field-Programmable Gate Array) or an ASIC (Application Specific Integrated Circuit). The control unit 51 controls each unit of the smartphone 50 to execute information processing related to the operation of the smartphone 50.

[0048] The storage unit 52 is one or more semiconductor memories, one or more magnetic memories, one or more optical memories, or a combination of at least two of these. The semiconductor memory is, for example, a random access memory (RAM) or a read-only memory (ROM). The RAM is, for example, a static RAM (SRAM) or a dynamic RAM (DRAM). The ROM is, for example, an electrically erasable programmable ROM (EEPROM). The storage unit 52 functions as, for example, a main storage device, an auxiliary storage device, or a cache memory. The storage unit 52 stores information used in the operation of the smartphone 50, information obtained by the operation of the smartphone 50, and the like.

[0049] The communication unit 53 is one or more communication interfaces. The communication interface is a wired LAN interface, a wireless LAN interface, a Bluetooth (registered trademark) communication interface, or the like. The communication unit 53 receives information used in the operation of the smartphone 50 and transmits information obtained by the operation of the smartphone 50. In this embodiment, an example will be described in which the smartphone 50 transmits and receives setting information of the electronic thermometer 10 and the like through Bluetooth (registered trademark) communication between the smartphone 50 and the electronic thermometer 10.

[0050] The input unit 54 includes one or more input interfaces that receive an input operation by the subject or the like and acquire input information based on the operation by the subject or the like. The input unit 54 is, for example, but is not limited to, a physical key, a capacitive key, a pointing device, a touch screen integrated with the display of the display unit 55, or a microphone that receives voice input. In this embodiment, an example in which the input unit 54 is provided as a touch screen integrated with the display of the display unit 55 will be described.

[0051] The display unit 55 displays various information based on the control of the control unit 51. The display unit 55 includes a display device capable of displaying information. The display device can be, for example, a liquid crystal display (LCD), an organic electroluminescence display (OLED), an inorganic electroluminescence display (IELD), or the like.

[0052] The functions of the smartphone 50 may be realized by executing a program on a processor included in the control unit 51. That is, the functions of the smartphone 50 may be realized by software. The program causes a computer to execute processes included in the operation of the smartphone 50, thereby causing the computer to realize a function corresponding to the processing of the step. However, some or all of the functions of the smartphone 50 may be realized by a dedicated circuit included in the control unit 51. That is, some or all of the functions of the smartphone 50 may be realized by hardware. In addition, the smartphone 50 may be realized by a single information processing device, or may be realized by cooperation of multiple information processing devices.

[0053] In this embodiment, an example will be described in which the electronic thermometer 10 sets a value received by communication with the smartphone 50 via the communication unit 17 as a threshold value to be compared with the measured body temperature of the person being measured. As described above, the electronic thermometer 10 and the smartphone 50 transmit and receive information by Bluetooth (registered trademark) communication, which is a wireless communication. To perform such wireless communication, it is necessary to perform a pairing process in advance to register the electronic thermometer 10 in the smartphone 50 as a communication partner.

[0054] Fig. 7 is a sequence chart showing the pairing operation between the electronic thermometer 10 and the smartphone 50. The processing of each step in Fig. 7 is executed based on the control of the control unit 11 of the electronic thermometer 10 and the control unit 51 of the smartphone 50. As a premise for the following processing, a case will be described in which the electronic thermometer 10 has not been paired with any information processing device other than the smartphone 50.

[0055] In step S1, the control unit 11 of the electronic thermometer 10 turns off the power of the electronic thermometer 10 in response to the housing 7 of the electronic thermometer 10 being accommodated in the charging base 30. The control unit 11 may detect that the housing 7 has been accommodated in the charging base 30, for example, by the start of power supply to the power receiving unit 13. Note that this step S1 may be omitted.

[0056] In step S2, the control unit 11 of the electronic thermometer 10 causes the display unit 15 to display that the communication unit 17 is in a pairing mode in which communication can be established with the smartphone 50. The control unit 11 may indicate that the electronic thermometer 10 is in the pairing mode, for example, by displaying "P" in the body temperature display area 61 of the display unit 15. In this manner, in this embodiment, whether or not pairing is possible is displayed on the display unit 15 of the electronic thermometer 10, so that the person to be measured, etc., can check whether or not pairing is possible by referring to the display unit 15.

[0057] In step S3, the control unit 51 of the smartphone 50 starts an app (application program) for setting the electronic thermometer 10 in response to an operation input by the person to be measured or the like to the input unit 54. For example, the control unit 51 may start the app in response to selection of an icon (design) indicating the app for setting the electronic thermometer 10.

[0058] In step S4, the control unit 51 of the smartphone 50 displays on the display unit 55 a connection permission indicating that pairing with the electronic thermometer 10 is possible. The control unit 51 may also display on the display unit 55 an explanatory text with illustrations of a series of operations for pairing with the electronic thermometer 10.

[0059] In step S5, the control unit 51 of the smartphone 50 receives an instruction for pairing from the person being measured or the like.

[0060] In step S6, the control unit 51 of the smartphone 50 performs a pairing process with the electronic thermometer 10 in response to the operation input to the input unit 54 by the person to be measured or the like in step S5. In the pairing process, device information of the electronic thermometer 10 may be transmitted from the electronic thermometer 10 to the smartphone 50. Such device information of the electronic thermometer 10 may include information such as the model, serial number, and medical device certification number of the electronic thermometer 10. Such device information of the electronic thermometer 10 may be transmitted from the electronic thermometer 10 to the smartphone 50 when communication is established between the electronic thermometer 10 and the smartphone 50 after pairing, rather than during the pairing process.

[0061] When the pairing process between the electronic thermometer 10 and the smartphone 50 is completed, in step S7, the control unit 11 of the electronic thermometer 10 causes the display unit 15 to display that the pairing process is completed. For example, the control unit 11 may indicate that the pairing is completed by displaying "End" in the body temperature display area 61 of the display unit 15.

[0062] In step S8, the control unit 11 of the electronic thermometer 10 turns off the power of the electronic thermometer 10. The control unit 11 may turn off the power, for example, when a certain time has elapsed since the completion of pairing was displayed in step S7. When the person to be measured or the like confirms that pairing is complete, he or she removes the electronic thermometer 10 from the charging base 30.

[0063] On the other hand, in step S9, the control unit 51 of the smartphone 50 causes the display unit 55 to display that the pairing process has been completed. For example, the control unit 51 may indicate that the pairing has been completed by displaying, on the display unit 55, a pattern or the like indicating that the pairing has been completed.

[0064] In step S10, the control unit 51 of the smartphone 50 ends the application for setting the electronic thermometer 10. The application may be ended in response to an operation input to the input unit 54 by the person to be measured or the like, for example.

[0065] 7, when the electronic thermometer 10 is turned on and then the app is started on the smartphone 50, communication is automatically established between the electronic thermometer 10 and the smartphone 50. This makes it possible to set and update the setting information of the electronic thermometer 10 by the smartphone 50. The process of setting and updating the setting information of the electronic thermometer 10 by the paired smartphone 50 will be described with reference to FIG. 8. FIG. 8 is a sequence chart showing the operation of updating the setting information of the electronic thermometer 10 by the smartphone 50. The process of each step in FIG. 8 is executed based on the control of the control unit 11 of the electronic thermometer 10 and the control unit 51 of the smartphone 50.

[0066] In step S11, the control unit 11 of the electronic thermometer 10 turns on the power of the electronic thermometer 10. The control unit 11 may turn on the power in response to, for example, the electronic thermometer 10 being removed from the charging base 30 by the person being measured, or the motion sensor 18 detecting a movement of the electronic thermometer 10 (for example, a movement similar to that of shaking a mercury thermometer).

[0067] In step S12, the control unit 51 of the smartphone 50 starts an application for setting the electronic thermometer 10 in response to an operation input by the person to be measured or the like to the input unit 54. For example, the control unit 51 may start the application in response to selection of an icon indicating the application for setting the electronic thermometer 10.

[0068] In step S13, the smartphone 50 and the electronic thermometer 10 establish communication between each other. The establishment of communication is performed automatically in response to the start of the app of the smartphone 50 in step S12, but may also be performed in response to an operation of the app of the smartphone 50 or the electronic thermometer 10 by the person to be measured, etc.

[0069] In step S14, the control unit 51 of the smartphone 50 causes the display unit 55 to display a screen for setting the electronic thermometer 10. FIG. 9 is a diagram showing an example of the setting screen for the electronic thermometer 10 displayed on the display unit 55 of the smartphone 50.

[0070] 9, the Bluetooth connection button 71 is a button that allows the subject to set whether or not the communication unit 53 of the smartphone 50 communicates based on Bluetooth (registered trademark). The brightness setting button 72 is a button that allows the subject to set the brightness of the display unit 15 of the electronic thermometer 10. In the example of FIG. 9, the subject can set the brightness to two levels: dark and bright.

[0071] The color setting area 73 is an area for setting a threshold value to be compared with the measured value of the body temperature of the person being measured. In this embodiment, the person being measured can set the threshold value to be compared with the measured value of the body temperature of the person being measured by sliding the slider 74. In this embodiment, the electronic thermometer 10 compares the measured value of the body temperature of the person being measured with the set threshold value, and displays the measured value of the body temperature by indicating the comparison result by the display color of the display unit 15 or the like. For example, the electronic thermometer 10 may display the measured value in green on the display unit 15 when the measured value of the body temperature of the person being measured is less than the set threshold value, and may display the measured value in red on the display unit 15 when the measured value is equal to or greater than the set threshold value. The slider 74 may be configured to select the threshold value in 0.1 degree increments within the range of 32.0 degrees to 42.0 degrees. The slider 74 may also be configured to disable the red display and to set the display color to green regardless of the measured value of the body temperature of the person being measured. In this way, in this embodiment, the result of comparing the measured body temperature with a preset threshold value is displayed using a display color to display the measured body temperature, allowing the person being measured to easily understand their health condition based on their body temperature.

[0072] The device information display area 75 is an area that displays device information of the electronic thermometer 10. The device information of the electronic thermometer 10 may include, for example, information such as the model, serial number, and medical device certification number of the electronic thermometer 10. As described above, such device information may be transmitted from the electronic thermometer 10 to the smartphone 50 when pairing with the electronic thermometer 10 is performed or when communication is established.

[0073] In step S15, the control unit 51 of the smartphone 50 accepts input of setting operations by the person being measured or the like on the setting screen exemplified in FIG.

[0074] In step S16, the control unit 51 of the smartphone 50 transmits setting information to the electronic thermometer 10. Such setting information includes the brightness of the display unit 15 of the electronic thermometer 10 and a threshold value for comparing with the measured body temperature of the person being measured, and may further include date and time information measured by the clock means of the smartphone 50. The date and time information is used to adjust the date and time of the clock means of the electronic thermometer 10. The clock means of the smartphone 50 and the electronic thermometer 10 may be configured, for example, by a method based on a quartz oscillator. The setting information may be transmitted, for example, in response to an instruction to transmit the setting information from the person being measured, etc., to the input unit 54 of the smartphone 50.

[0075] In step S17, the control unit 11 of the electronic thermometer 10 updates the information stored in the memory unit 12 based on the setting information received from the smartphone 50. Specifically, the control unit 11 updates information stored in the memory unit 12, such as the brightness of the display unit 15 of the electronic thermometer 10 and the threshold value to be compared with the measured body temperature of the person being measured. If date and time information is also received from the smartphone 50, the date and time of the timing means of the electronic thermometer 10 is adjusted according to the date and time information.

[0076] In step S18, the smartphone 50 and the electronic thermometer 10 disconnect the communication established between them. The communication is automatically disconnected in response to an update based on the setting information in the electronic thermometer 10, but may also be disconnected in response to an operation of the smartphone 50 app or the electronic thermometer 10 by the person to be measured, etc.

[0077] In step S19, the control unit 11 of the electronic thermometer 10 turns off the power of the electronic thermometer 10. The control unit 11 may automatically turn off the power in response to, for example, the disconnection of communication with the smartphone 50 in step S18.

[0078] In step S20, the control unit 51 of the smartphone 50 ends the application for setting the electronic thermometer 10. The application may be ended in response to an operation input to the input unit 54 by the person to be measured or the like, for example.

[0079] As described above, the electronic thermometer 10 obtains the measured body temperature of the subject based on the temperature of the end cap 4 measured by the temperature measuring unit 14, compares the measured body temperature with a preset threshold, and displays the comparison result on the display unit 15. Here, the threshold to be compared with the measured body temperature is set to a value desired by the user. In this embodiment, the measured body temperature is compared with a preset threshold value desired by the user, and the comparison result is displayed on the display unit 15, so that the user can set the threshold value according to the circumstances regarding the body temperature measurement. Therefore, according to the present disclosure, it is possible to appropriately notify the health condition of the subject according to the body temperature regardless of the individual differences of the subject, the measurement time period, the season, and other circumstances regarding the body temperature measurement.

[0080] The electronic thermometer 10 also includes a communication unit 17 capable of communicating with an external information processing device, and the value received from the information processing device via the communication unit 17 is set as the threshold value as the user's desired value. Therefore, the user can operate an information processing device such as a smartphone 50 to set the threshold value of the electronic thermometer 10. The threshold value to be compared with the measured body temperature value may be set in the electronic thermometer 10 by the user's operation input to the electronic thermometer 10. The charging base 30 may also be provided with a reception unit that receives the threshold value setting from the user and a communication unit that communicates with the electronic thermometer 10, and the reception unit of the charging base 30 may transmit the received threshold value to the electronic thermometer 10 via the communication unit to set the threshold value in the electronic thermometer 10.

[0081] When the electronic thermometer 10 according to this embodiment is not paired with any device, it is in a pairing mode in which communication with an information processing device can be established while it is housed in the charging base 30. On the other hand, after the electronic thermometer 10 is paired with some information processing device such as a smartphone 50, it is in a non-pairing mode in which pairing is not performed even while it is housed in the charging base 30. Therefore, in order to pair with another smartphone 50 after pairing with a certain smartphone 50, it is necessary to shift the electronic thermometer 10 to the pairing mode again. In this embodiment, the electronic thermometer 10 is shifted to the pairing mode in response to the user repeating the operation of pressing and then releasing the housing 7 of the electronic thermometer 10 housed in the charging base 30 a predetermined number of times within a predetermined time. Therefore, according to this embodiment, the user can easily perform pairing of the electronic thermometer 10 with the information processing device.

[0082] Fig. 10 is a sequence chart showing the pairing operation between the electronic thermometer 10 in the non-pairing mode and the smartphone 50. The processing of each step in Fig. 10 is executed based on the control of the control unit 11 of the electronic thermometer 10 and the control unit 51 of the smartphone 50. As a premise for the following processing, a case will be described in which the electronic thermometer 10 has already been paired with another information processing device other than the smartphone 50.

[0083] In step S21, similarly to step S1, the control unit 11 of the electronic thermometer 10 turns off the power of the electronic thermometer 10 in response to the housing 7 of the electronic thermometer 10 being housed in the charging stand 30. Note that this step S21 may be omitted.

[0084] In step S22, the control unit 11 of the electronic thermometer 10 determines whether a predetermined operation has been performed on the electronic thermometer 10. In this embodiment, the control unit 11 determines whether such an operation has been performed to alternate between a state in which power is supplied to the power receiving unit 13 from an external power source and a state in which power is not supplied, a predetermined number of times within a predetermined time. An example of this process will be described with reference to Figures 11A and 11B. Figures 11A and 11B are diagrams explaining an operation for switching the electronic thermometer 10 in the non-pairing mode to the pairing mode.

[0085] 11A, the housing 7 of the electronic thermometer 10 and the charging base 30 are shaped so that when a part of the housing 7 (e.g., the tail housing 3) is pressed down by hand while the electronic thermometer 10 is housed in the charging base 30, the end cap 4 of the electronic thermometer 10 is lifted up. When the end cap 4 is lifted up, the output terminal (e.g., the pogo pin 26) of the charging base 30 is disconnected from the connection terminal (e.g., the contact 6) of the electronic thermometer 10. Therefore, by pressing down a part of the housing 7 housed in the charging base 30, the electronic thermometer 10 is switched from a state in which power is supplied from an external power source via the power receiving unit 13 to a state in which power is not supplied.

[0086] 11B, when the housing 7 is released, the electronic thermometer 10 is again housed in the charging base 30, and the output terminal of the charging base 30 and the connection terminal of the electronic thermometer 10 come into contact. Therefore, by stopping pressing the housing 7, the electronic thermometer 10 switches from a state in which power is not being supplied from the external power source to a state in which power is being supplied.

[0087] Therefore, the electronic thermometer 10 may determine whether or not an operation has been performed as a predetermined operation, in which a state in which power is supplied to the power receiving unit 13 from an external power source and a state in which power is not being supplied are alternately switched a predetermined number of times within a predetermined time. Here, the predetermined time may be, for example, 30 seconds. The predetermined number of times may be, for example, 5 times. If a predetermined operation has been performed on the electronic thermometer 10 (YES in step S22), the control unit 11 transitions to pairing mode and proceeds to step S23, and if not (NO in step S22), returns to step S22.

[0088] The process contents of steps S23 to S31 are the same as those of steps S2 to S10 in FIG. 7, and therefore a detailed description thereof will be omitted.

[0089] In this way, when the electronic thermometer 10 is in the non-pairing mode, the communication unit 17 is shifted to a pairing mode in which communication can be established between the electronic thermometer 10 and the information processing device in response to a predetermined operation being performed on the electronic thermometer 10. For example, the electronic thermometer 10 may shift to the pairing mode in response to an operation in which a state in which power is supplied from an external power source and a state in which power is not supplied are alternately switched a predetermined number of times within a predetermined time. Specifically, for example, the housing 7 of the electronic thermometer 10 may have a shape such that when a part of the housing 7 is pressed while the electronic thermometer 10 is housed in the charging base 30, the contact between the output terminal of the charging base 30 and the connection terminal of the electronic thermometer 10 is cut off. According to this configuration, the user can easily pair the electronic thermometer 10 with the information processing device by repeating the operation of pressing and then releasing the housing 7 of the electronic thermometer 10 housed in the charging base 30 a predetermined number of times within a predetermined time.

[0090] Next, the process in which the electronic thermometer 10 measures the temperature of the person to be measured will be described with reference to Figs. 12A to 12F and 13A to 13C. Figs. 12A to 12F are flowcharts showing an example of the process executed by the electronic thermometer 10. Figs. 13A to 13C are diagrams for explaining a display example of the display unit 15 of the electronic thermometer 10. The operation of the electronic thermometer 10 described with reference to Figs. 12A to 12F and 13A to 13C corresponds to the display method of the electronic thermometer 10 according to this embodiment. The process of each step in Figs. 12A to 12F is executed based on the control of the control unit 11 of the electronic thermometer 10. As a prerequisite for the following process, the electronic thermometer 10 is stored in the charging base 30, and the power of the electronic thermometer 10 is turned off.

[0091] In step S41, the control unit 11 determines whether or not the electronic thermometer 10 has been removed from the charging base 30. For example, the control unit 11 detects that the electronic thermometer 10 has been removed from the charging base 30 in response to the power receiving unit 13 switching from a power receiving state to a power not receiving state. If the electronic thermometer 10 has been removed from the charging base 30 (YES in step S41), the process proceeds to step S42, and if not (NO in step S41), the process continues with step S41.

[0092] In step S42, the control unit 11 turns on the power of the electronic thermometer 10. Here, the control unit 11 may further cause the display unit 15 to display a screen such as that shown in Fig. 13A in green display color. After completing the process of step S42, the control unit 11 proceeds to step S43.

[0093] In step S43, the control unit 11 drives the notification unit 19 to vibrate the electronic thermometer 10 for a predetermined time. By vibrating the electronic thermometer 10, the control unit 11 can notify the person being measured that the electronic thermometer 10 is powered on. After completing the process of step S43, the control unit 11 proceeds to step S44.

[0094] In step S44, if the measured value of the body temperature obtained by the previous measurement is stored in the memory unit 12, the control unit 11 causes the display unit 15 to display the measured value together with the "previous value display" mark 63. At this time, the control unit 11 may also cause the display unit 15 to display the result of comparing the measured value of the body temperature with a preset threshold value. For example, the control unit 11 may display the measured value of the body temperature in red if it is equal to or greater than the threshold value, and display the measured value in green if it is less than the threshold value. FIG. 13B shows an example of a screen displaying the measured value of the body temperature obtained by the previous measurement. If the measured value of the body temperature obtained by the previous measurement is not stored in the memory unit 12, the control unit 11 may display, for example, "--.-" in the body temperature display area 61. The order of the processes of steps S42 to S44 may be changed as appropriate. After completing the process of step S44, the control unit 11 proceeds to step S45.

[0095] In step S45, the control unit 11 causes the display unit 15 to display a display indicating that the temperature measurement is ready. For example, the control unit 11 may cause the display unit 15 to display a screen as shown in Fig. 13C in green. After completing the process of step S45, the control unit 11 proceeds to step S46.

[0096] In step S46, the control unit 11 judges whether or not the temperature measuring unit 14 has detected that the temperature of the end cap 4 has risen in a predetermined pattern. The control unit 11 detects that the end cap 4 has been placed under the armpit of the person being measured when the temperature of the end cap 4 has risen in a predetermined pattern. The control unit 11 may detect that the temperature of the end cap 4 has risen in a predetermined pattern, for example, when the temperature measured by the temperature measuring unit 14 has risen by a certain amount or more within a predetermined time. If the control unit 11 detects that the temperature of the end cap 4 has risen in a predetermined pattern (YES in step S46), the control unit 11 proceeds to step S47, and if not (NO in step S46), the control unit 11 continues the processing of step S46.

[0097] In step S47, the control unit 11 starts predictive temperature measurement to predict the subject's body temperature based on the change in temperature measured by the temperature measurement unit 14. Predictive temperature measurement can be performed using a conventionally known predictive temperature measurement method. After completing the process of step S47, the control unit 11 proceeds to step S48.

[0098] In step S48, the control unit 11 displays the "Prediction" mark 64 in green on the display unit 15, and also displays the progress of the predictive temperature measurement. For example, the control unit 11 may indicate the progress of the predictive temperature measurement by displaying a number of "-"s such as "-", "--", and "---" in the body temperature display area 61 as the predictive temperature measurement progresses. After completing the process of step S48, the control unit 11 proceeds to step S49.

[0099] In step S49, the control unit 11 determines whether or not the predictive temperature measurement has been completed. If the predictive temperature measurement has been completed (YES in step S49), the control unit 11 proceeds to step S50, and if not (NO in step S49), the control unit 11 returns to step S48.

[0100] In step S50, the control unit 11 determines whether the predicted temperature value acquired by the predictive temperature measurement is within a temperature range that should be displayed in red. For example, the control unit 11 may determine that the predicted temperature value is within a temperature range that should be displayed in red if it is equal to or greater than a threshold value stored in the storage unit 12, and may determine that the predicted temperature value is within a temperature range that should be displayed in green if it is less than the threshold value. If the predicted temperature value is within a temperature range that should be displayed in red (YES in step S50), the control unit 11 proceeds to step S51, and if not (NO in step S50), the control unit 11 proceeds to step S52.

[0101] In step S51, the control unit 11 sets red as the display color of characters, marks, and the like to be displayed on the display unit 15. After completing the process of step S51, the control unit 11 proceeds to step S53.

[0102] In step S52, the control unit 11 sets to green the display color of characters, marks, and the like to be displayed on the display unit 15. After completing the process of step S52, the control unit 11 proceeds to step S53.

[0103] In step S53, the control unit 11 stores the measurement-related data acquired in association with the predicted temperature measurement in the storage unit 12. Such measurement-related data may include, for example, the predicted temperature measurement value, the actual temperature measured by the temperature measurement unit 14, the measurement date and time, and the display color set in step S51 or step S52. After completing the process of step S53, the control unit 11 proceeds to step S54.

[0104] In step S54, the control unit 11 drives the notification unit 19 to vibrate the electronic thermometer 10 for a predetermined time. By vibrating the electronic thermometer 10, the control unit 11 can notify the person being measured that the predictive temperature measurement has ended. Upon completing the process of step S54, the control unit 11 proceeds to step S55. The process of step S54 may be performed at an appropriate timing after the process of step S49 and before the process of step S56 described later.

[0105] In step S55, the control unit 11 causes the display unit 15 to display the predicted temperature value in the set display color. After completing the process of step S55, the control unit 11 proceeds to step S56.

[0106] In step S56, the control unit 11 judges whether or not the temperature measuring unit 14 has detected that the temperature of the end cap 4 has decreased in a predetermined pattern. The control unit 11 detects that the end cap 4 has been removed from the subject's armpit when the temperature of the end cap 4 has decreased in a predetermined pattern. The control unit 11 may detect that the temperature of the end cap 4 has decreased in a predetermined pattern, for example, when the temperature measured by the temperature measuring unit 14 has decreased by a certain amount or more within a predetermined time. If the control unit 11 detects that the temperature of the end cap 4 has decreased in a predetermined pattern (YES in step S56), the process proceeds to step S74, and if not (NO in step S56), the process proceeds to step S57.

[0107] In step S57, the control unit 11 determines whether a certain time (e.g., 4 minutes and 30 seconds) has passed since the start of predictive temperature measurement. If the certain time has passed since the start of predictive temperature measurement (YES in step S57), the control unit 11 proceeds to step S58, and if not (NO in step S57), the control unit 11 returns to step S56.

[0108] In step S58, the control unit 11 turns off the display of the "Prediction" mark 64 on the display unit 15, starts actual temperature measurement, and displays the progress of the actual temperature measurement. For example, similar to the display of the progress of actual temperature measurement, the control unit 11 may indicate the progress of the actual temperature measurement by displaying a number of "-"s such as "-", "--", and "---" in the body temperature display area 61 as the actual temperature measurement progresses. After completing the process of step S58, the control unit 11 proceeds to step S59.

[0109] In step S59, the control unit 11 stores the maximum temperature measured by the temperature measuring unit 14 after the start of actual temperature measurement in the memory unit 12. After completing the process of step S59, the control unit 11 proceeds to step S60.

[0110] In step S60, the control unit 11 determines whether or not the temperature measurement unit 14 has detected that the temperature of the end cap 4 has decreased in a predetermined pattern. The process of step S60 can be performed in the same manner as in step S56. If the control unit 11 has detected that the temperature of the end cap 4 has decreased in a predetermined pattern (YES in step S60), the process proceeds to step S63, and if not (NO in step S60), the process proceeds to step S61.

[0111] In step S61, the control unit 11 determines whether a certain time (e.g., 10 minutes) has passed since the start of predictive temperature measurement. If the certain time has passed since the start of predictive temperature measurement (YES in step S61), the control unit 11 proceeds to step S62, and if not (NO in step S61), the control unit 11 returns to step S58.

[0112] In step S62, the control unit 11 drives the notification unit 19 to vibrate the electronic thermometer 10 for a predetermined time. By vibrating the electronic thermometer 10, the control unit 11 can notify the subject that the actual temperature measurement has been completed. After completing the process of step S62, the control unit 11 proceeds to step S68.

[0113] In step S63, the control unit 11 determines whether the maximum temperature measured by the temperature measuring unit 14 since the start of the actual temperature measurement is within the temperature range to be displayed in red. For example, the control unit 11 may determine that the maximum temperature measured in the actual temperature measurement is within the temperature range to be displayed in red if it is equal to or greater than the threshold value stored in the memory unit 12, and may determine that the temperature is within the temperature range to be displayed in green if it is less than the threshold value. If the maximum temperature measured in the actual temperature measurement is within the temperature range to be displayed in red (YES in step S63), the control unit 11 proceeds to step S64, and if not (NO in step S63), the control unit 11 proceeds to step S65.

[0114] In step S64, the control unit 11 sets red as the display color of characters, marks, and the like to be displayed on the display unit 15. After completing the process of step S64, the control unit 11 proceeds to step S66.

[0115] In step S65, the control unit 11 sets to green the display color of characters, marks, etc. displayed on the display unit 15. After completing the process of step S65, the control unit 11 proceeds to step S66.

[0116] In step S66, the control unit 11 causes the display unit 15 to display the maximum temperature measured by the temperature measuring unit 14 after the start of the actual temperature measurement in the set display color. After completing the process of step S66, the control unit 11 proceeds to step S67.

[0117] In step S67, the control unit 11 stores the measurement-related data acquired in association with the actual temperature measurement in the memory unit 12. Such measurement-related data may include, for example, the latest actual temperature measurement value, the highest temperature measured by the temperature measuring unit 14 since the start of the actual temperature measurement, the measurement date and time, and the display color set in step S64 or step S65. After completing the process of step S67, the control unit 11 proceeds to step S74.

[0118] In step S68, the control unit 11 determines whether or not the maximum temperature measured by the temperature measuring unit 14 since the start of actual temperature measurement is within the temperature range that should be displayed in red. The process of step S68 can be performed in the same manner as in step S63. If the maximum temperature measured by the actual temperature measurement is within the temperature range that should be displayed in red (YES in step S68), the control unit 11 proceeds to step S69, and if not (NO in step S68), the control unit 11 proceeds to step S70.

[0119] In step S69, the control unit 11 sets red as the display color of characters, marks, and the like to be displayed on the display unit 15. After completing the process of step S69, the control unit 11 proceeds to step S71.

[0120] In step S70, the control unit 11 sets to green the display color of characters, marks, etc. displayed on the display unit 15. After completing the process of step S70, the control unit 11 proceeds to step S71.

[0121] In step S71, the control unit 11 causes the display unit 15 to display the maximum temperature measured by the temperature measuring unit 14 after the start of actual temperature measurement in the set display color. After completing the process of step S71, the control unit 11 proceeds to step S72.

[0122] In step S72, the control unit 11 stores the measurement-related data acquired in association with the actual temperature measurement in the storage unit 12. The process of step S72 can be performed in the same manner as in step S67. After completing the process of step S72, the control unit 11 proceeds to step S73.

[0123] In step S73, the control unit 11 determines whether or not the temperature measurement unit 14 has detected that the temperature of the end cap 4 has decreased in a predetermined pattern. The process of step S73 can be performed in the same manner as in step S56. If the control unit 11 has detected that the temperature of the end cap 4 has decreased in a predetermined pattern (YES in step S73), the process proceeds to step S74, and if not (NO in step S73), the process of step S73 continues.

[0124] In step S74, the control unit 11 determines whether or not the electronic thermometer 10 has been stationary for 10 seconds. The control unit 11 may detect the electronic thermometer 10 being stationary based on the fact that the motion sensor 18 has not detected any movement of the electronic thermometer 10. If the control unit 11 detects the electronic thermometer 10 being stationary for 10 seconds (YES in step S74), the process proceeds to step S75, and if not (NO in step S74), the process proceeds to step S76.

[0125] In step S75, the control unit 11 turns off the display of the display unit 15. After completing the process of step S75, the control unit 11 returns to step S74. Note that if a certain time (e.g., 3 minutes) has elapsed since the process of step S74 was first started, the control unit 11 may turn off the power to the electronic thermometer 10.

[0126] In step S76, the control unit 11 turns on the display of the display unit 15. After completing the process of step S76, the control unit 11 proceeds to step S77.

[0127] In step S77, the control unit 11 determines whether the electronic thermometer 10 has been shaken. The control unit 11 may determine that the electronic thermometer 10 has been shaken based on the motion sensor 18 detecting the movement of the electronic thermometer 10. If the control unit 11 determines that the electronic thermometer 10 has been shaken (YES in step S77), it turns off the display of the display unit 15 and then proceeds to step S45, and if not (NO in step S77), it proceeds to step S78.

[0128] In step S78, the control unit 11 determines whether or not the temperature measurement unit 14 has detected that the temperature of the end cap 4 has increased in a predetermined pattern. The process of step S78 can be performed in the same manner as in step S46. If the control unit 11 has detected that the temperature of the end cap 4 has increased in a predetermined pattern (YES in step S78), the process proceeds to step S47, and if not (NO in step S78), the process proceeds to step S79.

[0129] In step S79, the control unit 11 determines whether or not the electronic thermometer 10 has been placed in the charging base 30. For example, the control unit 11 detects that the electronic thermometer 10 has been placed in the charging base 30 in response to the power receiving unit 13 switching from a state in which it is not receiving power to a state in which it is receiving power. If the electronic thermometer 10 has been placed in the charging base 30 (YES in step S79), the process proceeds to step S80, and if not (NO in step S79), the process returns to step S74.

[0130] In step S80, the control unit 11 turns off the power of the electronic thermometer 10. After completing the process of step S80, the control unit 11 proceeds to step S81.

[0131] In step S81, the control unit 11 receives power from the power supply unit 31 of the charging stand 30 to the power receiving unit 13, and starts charging the battery 16. When the process of step S81 ends, the process of the flowchart ends.

[0132] As described above, the electronic thermometer 10 according to the present embodiment acquires the measured body temperature of the subject based on the temperature of the end cap 4 measured by the temperature measuring unit 14 and displays it on the display unit 15. Here, the electronic thermometer 10 compares the measured body temperature with a preset threshold value, and displays the measured body temperature in a first display color when the measured body temperature is less than the threshold value, and displays the measured body temperature in a second display color when the measured body temperature is equal to or greater than the threshold value. The threshold value to be compared with the measured body temperature can be preset to a value desired by the user through an operation via an information processing device such as a smartphone 50. Therefore, according to the present disclosure, the user can set an appropriate threshold value and appropriately notify the health condition of the subject according to the body temperature, regardless of the individual differences of the subject, the measurement time period, the season, and other circumstances related to the body temperature measurement. Note that the method of showing the result of the comparison between the measured body temperature and the threshold value is not limited to switching the display color of the measured body temperature. For example, the electronic thermometer 10 may show the result of the comparison between the measured body temperature and the threshold value by the background color of the display unit 15 or a pattern showing the comparison result. The electronic thermometer 10 may be capable of setting a number of different thresholds (e.g., T1, T2 (T2>T1)) and display 15 to indicate which of the ranges (e.g., less than T1, T1 or more and less than T2, and T2 or more) the measured body temperature of the person being measured falls into, as determined by the number of thresholds. The electronic thermometer 10 may be capable of setting a threshold corresponding to the measurement time period or season, and may switch the threshold based on a timekeeping means included in the electronic thermometer 10. If the threshold value to be compared with the measured body temperature is changed during temperature measurement, and the difference between the measured body temperature and the threshold value changes as a result, the electronic thermometer 10 may appropriately update the result of the comparison between the measured body temperature and the threshold value, for example by switching the display color of the measured body temperature.

[0133] Furthermore, the electronic thermometer 10 according to this embodiment transitions the communication unit 17 to a pairing mode in which communication can be established with an information processing device in response to a predetermined operation being performed on the electronic thermometer 10 while it is housed in the charging base 30. Therefore, according to the present disclosure, the user can easily pair the electronic thermometer 10 with the information processing device.

[0134] The present disclosure is not limited to the above-described embodiments. For example, multiple blocks shown in the block diagram may be integrated, or one block may be divided. Multiple steps shown in the flowchart may be executed in parallel or in a different order depending on the processing capacity of the device executing each step, or as necessary, instead of being executed in chronological order as described. Other modifications are possible without departing from the spirit of the present disclosure. [Explanation of symbols]

[0135] 1: Thermometer system 2: Main body housing 3: Tail housing 4: End cap 6: Contact point 7: Housing 8: Internal structure 10:Electronic thermometer 11: Control unit 12: Storage part 13: Power receiving unit 14: Temperature measurement section 15: Display section 16: Battery 17: Communications Department 18: Motion sensor 19: Notification Department 22: Cabinet 25: Storage groove 26: Pogo pin 30: Charging stand 31: Power supply unit 32: Battery 50: Smartphone 51: Control unit 52: Storage part 53: Communications Department 54: Input section 55: Display section 56: Battery 61: Body temperature display area 62: "Battery" mark 63: "Previous value display" mark 64: "Prediction" mark 71: Bluetooth connection button 72: Brightness setting button 73: Color setting area 74: Slider 75: Device information display area

Claims

1. An electronic thermometer, a temperature measuring unit for measuring the temperature of the end cap; A control unit that acquires a measured value of the body temperature of the subject based on the temperature of the end cap measured by the temperature measuring unit, compares the measured body temperature with a threshold value that is preset to a value desired by a user, and displays the measured body temperature on a display unit to show the result of the comparison. A communication unit capable of wirelessly communicating with an external information processing device; A battery that stores power for operating each component of the electronic thermometer; a power receiving unit that receives power from a power source and stores the power in the battery; Equipped with The control unit is transitioning the communication unit to a state in which communication can be established with the information processing device in response to an operation of alternately switching a state in which power is supplied to the power receiving unit from the external power source and a state in which power is not supplied thereto a predetermined number of times within a predetermined time; a value received from the information processing device via the communication unit is set as the threshold value as a value desired by the user; Electronic thermometer.

2. the power receiving unit includes a connection terminal that is provided so as to come into contact with an output terminal for outputting electric power from the charging base when the electronic thermometer is accommodated in the charging base; the control unit transitions the communication unit to a state in which communication with the information processing device can be established in response to an operation of alternately switching, as the predetermined operation, a state in which the connection terminal is in contact with the output terminal of the charging stand and a state in which the connection terminal is not in contact with the output terminal of the charging stand a predetermined number of times within the predetermined time. The electronic thermometer according to claim 1 .

3. Further comprising a housing for accommodating an internal structure of the electronic thermometer; the housing has a shape such that when a part of the housing is pressed down while the electronic thermometer is housed in the charging base, contact between the output terminal of the charging base and the connection terminal is cut off. The electronic thermometer according to claim 2.

4. The electronic thermometer according to claim 1 , wherein when the communication unit is in a state capable of establishing communication with the information processing device, the control unit causes the display unit to display that fact.

5. The electronic thermometer according to claim 1 , wherein the control unit causes the display unit to display the measured body temperature while indicating the result of the comparison by a display color.

6. A thermometer system including an electronic thermometer and a charging base capable of accommodating the electronic thermometer, the charging stand includes an output terminal for outputting power to the electronic thermometer; The electronic thermometer comprises: a temperature measuring unit for measuring the temperature of the end cap; A communication unit capable of communicating with an external information processing device; a control unit that acquires a measured body temperature of the subject based on the temperature of the end cap measured by the temperature measuring unit, compares the measured body temperature with a threshold value set by the information processing device to a value desired by a user, and displays the result of the comparison on a display unit; and A battery that stores power for operating each component of the electronic thermometer; a connection terminal provided to come into contact with the output terminal of the charging stand when the electronic thermometer is accommodated in the charging stand; Equipped with the control unit transitions the communication unit to a state in which communication with the information processing device can be established in response to an operation of alternately switching a state in which the connection terminal is in contact with the output terminal of the charging stand and a state in which the connection terminal is not in contact with the output terminal of the charging stand a predetermined number of times within a predetermined time. Thermometer system.

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