Tamper Detector

Abstract

To realize an opening detector that can be easily and detachably attached to a packaging material.SOLUTION: An opening detector 40 comprises a case 50 to be attached to a packaging material 20 whose electrical characteristics are changed when it is opened, and a detection part 44 for detecting the opening of the packaging material 20 on the basis of the change of the electrical characteristics. The case 50 comprises sandwiching structures 51 and 52 for detachably sandwiching and holding the packaging material.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 2

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present technology relates to tamper detectors. [Background technology]

[0002] Conventionally, there are known techniques for detecting the opening of a storage section in a packaging material (e.g., a press-through package) that has a storage section for storing tablets or the like, and one example of such a technique is disclosed in Patent Document 1. Patent Document 1 describes an opening detection device (opening detector) that is attached to the packaging material and detects the opening of the storage section. The opening detector described in Patent Document 1 is attached so that its terminal section (connecting section) comes into contact with a circuit pattern on an opening detection sheet attached to the packaging material, thereby establishing electrical continuity. The opening detector detects the opening of the storage section by detecting breakage of the circuit pattern based on the current value measured when a voltage is applied to the circuit pattern. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Publication No. 2020-189636 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] As described above, the opening detector is attached so that its connection portion contacts the circuit pattern on the packaging material. However, it is not easy to detachably connect the connection portion of the opening detector to the circuit pattern on the packaging material. When the packaging material is opened, force is applied to the packaging material, which easily causes the circuit pattern to shift position, making it easy for the connection portion of the opening detector to come out of contact with the circuit pattern on the packaging material. While the connection can be made stronger by using a separate fastener, this adds work to the work of attaching the fastener to the opening detector and the packaging material, increasing the effort required for the installation work.

[0005] The present technology has been developed based on the above-described circumstances, and aims to realize an opening detector that can be easily and detachably attached to a packaging material. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] The means for solving the above problems are as follows.

[0007] <1> An opening detector comprising a housing that is attached to a packaging material whose electrical characteristics change when opened, and a detection unit that detects the opening of the packaging material based on the change in the electrical characteristics, wherein the housing has a clamping structure that detachably clamps and holds the packaging material.

[0008] <2> The housing includes a first housing arranged on a first main surface side of the packaging material, and a second housing arranged on a second main surface side of the packaging material, sandwiching the packaging material between the first housing and the second housing, and at least one of the first housing and the second housing is displaced so as to sandwich the packaging material. <1> The opening detector described in

[0009] <3> The second housing has an engaging portion that engages with the first housing, and the first housing is provided with a first communication hole that communicates with the engaging portion. <2> The opening detector described in

[0010] <4> the engaging portion is at a first position in a clamped state in which the packaging material is held between the first housing and the second housing, and at a second position in a non-clamped state in which the packaging material is not held; The above-mentioned movable member is displaceable from the first position to the second position. <3> The opening detector described in

[0011] <5> The engaging portion is coupled to the first housing at both the first position and the second position. <4> The opening detector described in

[0012] <6> The packaging material has a circuit pattern that is broken when opened, and one of the first housing and the second housing has a connection portion that is electrically connected to the circuit pattern. <2> from <5> 10. The opening detector according to claim 9,

[0013] <7> At least one of the first housing and the second housing has a protruding portion that protrudes toward the packaging material and is not electrically connected to the circuit pattern. <6> The opening detector described in

[0014] <8> The protruding portion has a tapered end. <7> The opening detector described in

[0015] <9> The protrusion is made of an elastic material, an adhesive material, or a high-friction material. <7> or <8> The opening detector described in

[0016] <10> At least one of the first housing and the second housing has a positioning portion for positioning the packaging material. <2> from <9> 10. The opening detector according to claim 9,

[0017] <11> The above-mentioned device has an operation unit for performing a predetermined process inside the housing, and the first housing has a second communication hole for operating the operation unit from the outside. <2> from <10> 10. The opening detector according to claim 9, [Effects of the Invention]

[0018] According to the present technology, it is possible to realize an opening detector that can be easily and detachably attached to a packaging material. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0019] [Figure 1] Schematic diagram of an opening management system according to the first embodiment. [Figure 2] A perspective view of an opening detector attached to a packaging material [Figure 3] Perspective view of the tamper detector [Figure 4] Perspective view of the internal components of the tamper detector [Figure 5] A perspective view of the opening detector in which the second housing is displaced upward. [Figure 6] Enlarged perspective view of the right part of the first housing [Figure 7] Cross section of line II in Figure 3 [Figure 8] Cross section of line II-II in Figure 5 [Figure 9] Bottom view of the tamper detector [Figure 10] Perspective view of the tamper detector [Figure 11] A perspective view of the opening detector in which the second housing is displaced upward. [Figure 12] FIG. 12 is an enlarged perspective view of the first protrusion and the second protrusion of FIG. 11 ; [Figure 13] Exploded perspective view of packaging material [Figure 14A] Flowchart showing the processing of the opening management system [Figure 14B] Flowchart showing the processing of the opening management system [Figure 15A] Flowchart showing the processing of the opening management system [Figure 15B] Flowchart showing the processing of the opening management system [Figure 16] Schematic diagram of an opening management system according to a second embodiment. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0020] <Embodiment 1> An opening management system 10 according to a first embodiment will be described with reference to Figs. 1 to 15B. Some of the figures show X-axis, Y-axis, and Z-axis, and are drawn so that each axial direction is a common direction in each figure. The directions along the X-axis, Y-axis, and Z-axis are defined as the left-right direction, the front-rear direction, and the up-down direction, respectively. However, these directions are merely defined for convenience and should not be interpreted in a limiting manner.

[0021] The opening management system 10 is a system for managing the administration of a tablet drug T (an example of a contained item) based on the opening state of a packaging material 20 that contains the drug T. In this embodiment, an opening management system for drugs is exemplified as the opening management system 10, but the contained items may be items other than the drug T, and the opening management system 10 is widely applicable to the opening management of packaging materials. As shown in FIG. 1 , the opening management system 10 includes an opening detector 40 attached to the packaging material 20, a management server (application server) 60, and an information processing terminal 70. The management server 60 and the information processing terminal 70 are connected to a communication network 80.

[0022] As shown in FIG. 1 , one opening detector 40 is attached to each packaging material 20. The opening detector 40 is connected to a communication network 80 via low-power wide-area (LPWA) wireless communication. LPWA is a wireless communication technology that achieves long-distance transmission while reducing power consumption (e.g., a transmission distance of 10 km or more with a transmission power of 1 W or less) and is also known as a fundamental technology for the Internet of Things (IoT). LPWA communication services are provided by multiple communication carriers, such as Sigfox (registered trademark), LoRa (registered trademark), and NB-IoT. The opening detector 40 is wirelessly connected to an LPWA base station 85, which is connected to an LPWA communication server (LPWA cloud server) 86. The communication server 86 is also connected to the communication network 80. Therefore, the opening detector 40 can communicate with a management server 60 connected to the communication network 80 via the communication server 86. Each opening detector 40 has unique ID information, and the management server 60 can communicate with each opening detector 40.

[0023] The opening detector 40 only needs to be communicatively connected to at least one of the management server 60 and the information processing terminal 70, and a communication technology other than LPWA may be adopted as the communication means of the opening detector 40. For example, a low-power wireless communication technology such as BLE (Bluetooth Low Energy (registered trademark)) is preferable, but more common technologies such as Wi-Fi and LTE may also be used.

[0024] As shown in FIG. 1 , the information processing terminal 70 is a general-purpose information processing device such as a smartphone or computer. The information processing terminal 70 is intended for use by patients and medical professionals at hospitals or pharmacies that prescribe the drug T, but the user is not particularly limited (hereinafter, the user of the information processing terminal 70 will be simply referred to as the user). Multiple information processing terminals 70 may be provided, each used by a different user. The information processing terminal 70 executes a program that allows the user to input registration information such as the time of taking the drug T and to display the opening status of the drug T. In this embodiment, the program is installed on the information processing terminal 70 as application software (hereinafter, referred to as an app). However, the program may not be installed and may be executed via browser software, for example. The information processing terminal 70 embodies the input means and display means of the opening management system 10, thereby eliminating the need for these functions in the opening detector 40. This allows the opening detector 40 to be miniaturized and its power consumption to be reduced.

[0025] The management server 60 provides information and processing results in response to requests from the information processing terminal 70 or the opening detector 40. The management server 60 refers to a means for realizing server functions that executes programs that realize these functions. In this embodiment, the management server 60 is exemplified as a server computer as shown in FIG. 1, but it may also be a server that exists virtually in a network space using distributed computing or the like. The management server 60 may also perform processing using artificial intelligence.

[0026] 1, the management server 60 includes at least a communication unit 61 for connecting to the communication network 80, and an information generation unit 62. The management server 60 is capable of communicating with the information processing terminal 70 via the communication unit 61, and is also capable of communicating with the opening detector 40 via the communication server 86. The information generation unit 62 generates setting information for causing the opening detector 40 to perform predetermined processing related to opening detection based on the registration information from the information processing terminal 70. The processing of the management server 60 will be described in detail below.

[0027] 2 to 4, the opening detector 40 includes a plurality of (12 in this embodiment) connection units 41, an LPWA communication module 42, an LED 45 (an example of a notification unit), a reset button 46 (an example of an operation unit), a rechargeable battery 47 (an example of a power supply unit), a circuit board 49, and a housing 50. The circuit board 49 is mounted with the connection units 41, the communication module 42, the LED 45, the reset button 46, and a connector insertion portion 37A for connecting an external power source to the rechargeable battery 47. The housing 50 houses the circuit board 49 on which the various units are mounted, and the rechargeable battery 47, and also serves as an attachment portion that detachably clamps and holds the packaging material 20.

[0028] As shown in Fig. 4, the connection portion 41 includes a support 41A and a contact 41B. The support 41A is mounted on a substrate 49 and is generally cylindrical in this embodiment, but the shape is not limited thereto. The contact 41B protrudes upward from the upper surface of the support 41A (the surface opposite the substrate 49), and at least the protruding end thereof is conductive. When the packaging material 20 is attached to the opening detector 40 (Fig. 2), the contact 41B comes into contact with a circuit pattern 32 (described later) of the packaging material 20, and becomes conductive.

[0029] 4, the communication module 42 includes a communication unit 43 (specifically, an antenna), a control unit 44 (specifically, a microcomputer), and a storage unit 48 (specifically, a ROM and a RAM). The communication unit 43 is wirelessly connected to a base station 85 and can communicate with the management server 60 via a communication server 86. The storage unit 48 stores a control program for the opening detector 40, ID information, etc.

[0030] The control unit 44 controls each unit of the opening detector 40 based on the control program in the storage unit 48 and setting information transmitted from the management server 60. The control unit 44 also includes a timer with a timekeeping function, and also serves as a detection unit that detects whether the packaging material 20 has been opened. The control unit (detection unit) 44 passes a current through the connection unit 41 and detects the voltage generated in the circuit pattern 32 of the packaging material 20. The control unit 44 then compares the detected voltage value with a predetermined threshold value, and if the detected voltage value is equal to or less than the threshold value, determines that the circuit pattern 32 is not broken and is in an unopened state, and if the detected voltage value is greater than the threshold value, determines that the circuit pattern 32 is broken and is in an opened state. The control unit 44 may determine the opening state based on the resistance value of the circuit pattern 32, which changes due to the break, or may determine the opening state based on the current value when a predetermined voltage is applied.

[0031] The LED 45 lights up (blinks) in a predetermined pattern when the detection result (determination result) of the control unit 44 is an unopened state, thereby notifying the user of a missed dose. The LED 45 also lights up when the opening detector 40 is connected to an external power source, etc. The LED 45 is built into the housing 50, and the light emitted from the LED 45 is transmitted through the housing 50. More specifically, the housing 50 is formed of a material and with a thickness that allows the light emitted from the LED 45 to transmit through. The LED 45 is merely one example of a notification unit, and the notification unit may be a light-emitting means other than an LED, a sound-generating means such as a buzzer, a display means that displays a message, or a combination of these.

[0032] The housing 50 is made of a resin material and has a rounded, horizontally elongated rectangular parallelepiped shape as shown in FIGS. 3 and 5 . The housing 50 includes a first housing 51 and a second housing 52. The first housing 51 occupies the majority of the housing 50 and has a recessed upper front portion. The second housing 52 is a lid that covers the recessed upper front portion of the first housing 51. The second housing 52 is attached to the first housing 51 so as to be displaceable in the vertical direction (Z-axis direction). As the second housing 52 displaces, the packaging material 20 is sandwiched and held between the first housing 51 and the second housing 52, as shown in FIG. 2 . In other words, the housing 50 has a clamping structure consisting of the first housing 51 and the second housing 52 as an attachment portion for the packaging material 20. Each part of the housing 50 will be described in detail below. However, except for FIG. 2 , the packaging material 20 is not shown in order to clearly show the structure of the housing 50.

[0033] As shown in Figures 5 to 8, the first housing 51 has a tray-shaped bottom 51A that opens upward, and an upper part 51B that covers the opening of the bottom 51A from above. The bottom 51A houses a rechargeable battery 47, and a board 49 is placed on the rechargeable battery 47. The board 49 is covered from above by the upper part 51B. The upper part 51B is provided with a through-hole 51B1 through which the connection part 41 attached to the board 49 passes, and the contact 41B of the connection part 41 protrudes from the through-hole 51B1 and is exposed to the outside (Figures 6 and 11).

[0034] As shown in FIGS. 7 to 9, the bottom 51A of the first housing 51 is provided with two first communication holes 51C that respectively communicate with two engagement portions 52B of the second housing 52 (described later). The first communication holes 51C are provided so as to overlap the engagement portions 52B in a plan view. Furthermore, a portion of the opening edge of the first communication holes 51C of the bottom 51A of the first housing 51 protrudes upward, and a protrusion 51A1 is formed on the protruding end. The protrusion 51A1 engages (fits) with a convex portion 52B1 of the engagement portion 52B of the second housing 52 (FIGS. 7 and 8).

[0035] 5, an alignment mark 51A2 (an example of an alignment portion) is provided on the front surface of the bottom 51A. In this embodiment, the alignment mark 51A2 is formed as a convex portion at the center in the left-right direction (X-axis direction) on the front surface of the bottom 51A. The alignment mark 51A2 serves as an index for aligning with a predetermined position on the packaging material 20 (for example, an end 32A of the circuit pattern 32 of the packaging material 20). This makes it easier to align the packaging material 20 when attaching it to the opening detector 40, and ensures that the circuit pattern 32 of the packaging material 20 and the contactor 41B of the opening detector 40 come into reliable contact and are electrically conductive.

[0036] 5, an insertion hole 51D for inserting a connector into the connector insertion portion 37A is provided on the right side of the first housing 51, and a second communication hole 51E that communicates with the space in which the reset button 46 is located is provided on the back side of the first housing 51, as shown in Fig. 10. By inserting an operating pin or the like from the outside into the second communication hole 51E and pressing the reset button 46, it is possible to cause the control unit 44 to perform a reset process that returns the control unit 44 to its initial state.

[0037] As shown in FIGS. 7 and 8, 11, and 12, the second housing 52 includes a cover 52A, two engaging portions 52B, two first protrusions 52C, and a second protrusion 52D. The cover 52A extends above the exposed portion of the contacts 41B. The cover 52A includes a ceiling wall 52A1 that covers the contacts 41B from above and a right side wall 52A2 (another example of an alignment portion) that covers the contacts 41B from the right. The cover 52A does not cover the contacts 41B from the front or left, but has a substantially L-shaped opening 52A3 that opens to the front and left. By providing the right side wall 52A2 and the opening 52A3 in the cover 52A, when attaching the packaging material 20, the packaging material 20 can be inserted through the opening 52A3 and aligned in a state where it abuts against the right side wall 52A2. Furthermore, the left side of the lid portion 52A is open by the opening 52A3, so that it can be used for packaging materials 20 of different sizes (lengths in the short side direction).

[0038] As shown in FIGS. 7 and 8, the engaging portion 52B extends downward from the cover portion 52A and engages (fits) with the bottom portion 51A of the first housing 51. A protrusion 52B1 is formed on the extending end of the engaging portion 52B, and the protrusion 52B1 is adapted to engage with the protrusion 51A1 of the bottom portion 51A. When the protrusion 52B1 of the engaging portion 52B is positioned below the protrusion 51A1 (FIG. 7, hereinafter referred to as the first position), the second housing 52 is in a state where it is displaced downward, and the packaging material 20 is sandwiched and held between the first housing 51 and the second housing 52. On the other hand, when the protrusion 52B1 of the engaging portion 52B is positioned above the protrusion 51A1 (FIG. 8, hereinafter referred to as the second position), the second housing 52 is in a state where it is displaced upward, and the packaging material 20 is not held between the first housing 51 and the second housing 52. The engaging portion 52B engages with and is connected to the bottom portion 51A of the first housing 51 in both the first position and the second position.

[0039] When the cover portion 52A is pushed downward from above, the protrusion 52B1 of the engaging portion 52B slides downward from above the projection 51A1, displacing the engaging portion 52B from the second position to the first position. Furthermore, when an operating pin or the like is inserted through the first communicating hole 51C from the outside and the protrusion 52B1 is operated with the operating pin or the like, the engaging portion 52B is displaced from the first position to the second position. More specifically, as shown in FIG. 9, the opening detector 40 is positioned so that the bottom 51A faces upward. In this state, an operating pin or the like is inserted through the first communicating hole 51C from the outside, and the protrusion 52B1 is pushed downward (toward the upper portion 51B) while moving the protrusion 52B1 left and right (for example, in the direction of the hollow arrows in FIG. 7). This causes the protrusion 52B1 to slide along the inclined surface 51A1S of the projection 51A1. This allows the engaging portion 52B to easily displace from the first position to the second position. In this way, to change the packaging material 20 from the clamped state (first position) to the non-clamped state (second position), it is necessary to move the protrusion 52B1 using an operating pin or the like. Direct operation by hand or the like is not possible, making it easier to prevent erroneous operation. Furthermore, in the clamped state, the packaging material 20 can be held more stably. Furthermore, in the non-clamped state (second position), the inclined surface 51A1S of the protrusion 51A1 is covered by the protrusion 52B1. Therefore, it is difficult to completely remove the second housing 52 from the first housing 51 by displacing the protrusion 52B1 from the outside using an operating pin or the like. This allows the second housing 52 to be displaceable in the vertical direction (Z-axis direction) relative to the first housing 51, but is connected so as not to be completely removed. The communication of the first communication hole 51C with the engaging portion 52B means that the first communication hole 51C is connected to the space (first position) in which the engaging portion 52B exists in the clamped state.

[0040] The first protrusion 52C is made of a flexible soft material and is provided so as to protrude downward from the lid portion 52A as shown in Figures 11 and 12. The first protrusion 52C has a horizontally elongated rectangular parallelepiped shape and two first protrusions 52C are provided with a gap in the left-right direction (X-axis direction). The second protrusion 52D is made of a hard material and has a rod shape with a tapered tip and is provided between the two second protrusions 52D. When the packaging material 20 is attached to the opening detector 40 (Figure 2), the protruding surface (lower surface) of the first protrusion 52C and the tip of the second protrusion 52D are pressed against the surface of the main body 21 of the packaging material 20.

[0041] The provision of the first protrusion 52C and the second protrusion 52D improves the holding force when sandwiching and holding the packaging material 20. The first protrusion 52C and the second protrusion 52D do not contact the circuit pattern 32 of the packaging material 20 and are non-conductive, thereby improving the holding force while not affecting the opening detection. Note that the material and shape of the first protrusion 52C and the second protrusion 52D can be changed as appropriate as long as they can improve the holding force by providing an anti-slip effect, and they may be made of, for example, an elastic material, an adhesive material, a high-friction material, etc. Also, only one of the first protrusion 52C and the second protrusion 52D may be provided, rather than both.

[0042] According to the housing 50 having the above-described configuration, the opening detector 40 and the packaging material 20 can be easily and firmly attached without using a separate fastener. In addition, the displacement of the second housing 52 makes it easy to realize the attachment / detachment function.

[0043] As shown in Fig. 13, the packaging material 20 comprises a main body 21 that contains a tablet drug T, and an opening detection sheet 30 that is attached to the main body 21. In this embodiment, a known PTP (press-through package) is exemplified as the main body 21, but it may be anything other than a PTP as long as it can contain the contents. The main body 21 has a rectangular (oblong) shape overall and comprises a sheet-like container provided with a storage section 22 that contains the drug T, and a lid member 24. The lid member 24 is attached to the sheet-like container to cover an opening 22A of the storage section 22, sealing the storage section 22.

[0044] As shown in FIG. 13 , the tamper detection sheet 30 has a planar shape and planar size corresponding to the main body 21 and is attached to the lid 24 of the main body 21. The tamper detection sheet 30 is a sheet-like composite material in which a substrate 31, a circuit pattern 32, and a protective layer 33 are laminated in this order from the main body 21 side. The circuit pattern 32 is a plurality of wirings formed by printing conductive ink or the like on the substrate 31. The circuit pattern 32 is formed to include the same number of current paths as the number of storage sections 22, and a portion of each current path overlaps the opening 22A of the storage section 22 in a planar view. The protective layer 33 is formed of a resin material and covers and protects the circuit pattern 32. The protective layer 33 is formed on the surface of each wiring constituting the circuit pattern 32 except for the end portions 32A. In other words, the protective layer 33 does not cover the end portions 32A of the circuit pattern 32, and the end portions 32A are exposed to the outside.

[0045] The packaging material 20 is attached to the opening detector 40 so that the front surface (first main surface) of the opening detection sheet 30 faces the first housing 51 and the front surface (second main surface) of the main body 21 faces the second housing 52 (FIG. 2). When the packaging material 20 is attached, the end 32A of the circuit pattern 32 comes into contact with the contact 41B of the connection portion 41 of the opening detector 40, establishing electrical continuity.

[0046] According to the packaging material 20 configured as described above, when the drug T is pushed out of the storage section 22, the opening detection sheet 30 is broken along with the lid material 24. This causes the circuit pattern 32, which overlaps the storage section 22 in a plan view, to break. As a result, the voltage value generated in the circuit pattern 32 differs before and after the break (before and after the drug T is pushed out), and as described above, the control unit 44 of the opening detector 40 can determine whether the packaging material 20 is opened or unopened.

[0047] Next, specific processing of the opening management system 10 configured as described above will be described with reference to Figures 14A, 14B, 15A, and 15B. Hereinafter, the flow of information from the information processing terminal 70 to the management server 60, the communication server 86, and the opening detector 40 in this order will be referred to as downstream communication (downlink), and conversely, the flow of information from the opening detector 40 to the communication server 86, the management server 60, and the information processing terminal 70 in this order will be referred to as upstream communication (uplink).

[0048] The user launches the app on the information processing terminal 70 and inputs the registration information for the opening detector 40. When inputting the registration information, the user reads the ID information attached to the housing 50 of the opening detector 40 and inputs it into the information processing terminal 70, or the information processing terminal 70 reads it directly, and the management server 60 records the correspondence between the ID information of the opening detector 40 and the identification information of the information processing terminal 70. An encrypted cryptographic code, rather than plaintext ID information, may be attached to the housing 50 of the opening detector 40, and the cryptographic code may be decrypted into ID information by the management server 60. The ID information of the opening detector 40 may be device-specific information for the opening detector 40 or the information processing terminal 70. The identification information of the information processing terminal 70 may be device-specific information for the information processing terminal 70, or may be information specific to the user who uses the information processing terminal 70.

[0049] 14A, the input registration information is transmitted by the information processing terminal 70 via downlink to the management server 60 (S100). Specifically, the registration information includes the time of taking the drug T (an example of the detection time), the opening detection frequency of the opening detector 40, the notification settings of the opening detector 40, the transmission frequency of the opening detection result from the opening detector 40, and the frequency of requests for transmission of setting information from the management server 60. Furthermore, the registration information transmitted via downlink to the management server 60 associates the ID information of the opening detector 40 with the identification information of the information processing terminal 70.

[0050] When medication is taken multiple times a day, the medication time includes the time of each dose. For example, if medication is taken three times a day after meals, the medication times include the times after breakfast, lunch, and dinner. The frequency of opening detection is set to whether detection is performed periodically at regular intervals (hereinafter referred to as periodic detection) or continuously (hereinafter referred to as real-time detection), and further to the time interval for periodic detection (e.g., 5, 10, 15, 20, 30, 60, or 120 minutes). Setting periodic detection can save more power than real-time detection, and the longer the time interval for periodic detection is set, the more power can be saved. In this embodiment, the case where periodic detection is set will be specifically described.

[0051] The notification setting of the opening detector 40 is a setting for the lighting pattern of the LED 45 when the medication is forgotten (unopened), and can be selected from a plurality of patterns with different lighting (flashing) times. The transmission frequency of the opening detection result from the opening detector 40 is a setting for whether or not information transmission (uplink) from the opening detector 40 is performed only when there is a change in the opening detection result. If it is set to only when there is a change in the opening detection result, the data transmission frequency of the opening detector 40 can be reduced, thereby saving power. In this embodiment, a case where it is set to transmit data only when there is a change in the opening detection result will be specifically described.

[0052] The frequency of requests for transmission of setting information from the management server 60 (hereinafter referred to as the periodic downlink frequency) can be set to either once a day (for example, after the medication time after dinner) or multiple times (for example, after breakfast, lunch, and dinner). By adjusting the periodic downlink frequency, it is possible to update the setting information of the opening detector 40 while minimizing the power consumption of the opening detector 40 associated with the updates. In this embodiment, a specific description will be given of a case where the periodic downlink frequency is set after each medication time.

[0053] As shown in Fig. 14A, when the opening detector 40 is activated, it transmits initial data via uplink (S200). The data (uplink data) transmitted from the opening detector 40 via uplink includes ID information, the time of opening, the opening detection result (the determination result by the control unit 44 regarding the opening state of each storage section 22), the remaining charge of the rechargeable battery 47, whether the circuit pattern 32 of the packaging material 20 is connected to the connection section 41, and whether the standalone mode is activated. The initial data is uplink data when the opening detector 40 is activated or when the reset button 46 is turned on. Since the uplink data includes the ID information of the opening detector 40, even if there are multiple opening detectors 40 (even if there are multiple packaging materials 20 (and therefore pharmaceuticals T)), opening detection can be performed for each opening detector 40, and each opening detector 40 can issue a notification based on the opening state.

[0054] The independent mode is an operating mode that is activated when radio wave conditions are poor and downlink data, which will be described later, is not transmitted to the opening detector 40. In the independent mode, uplink data is transmitted at regular intervals based on a timer provided in the control unit 44 of the opening detector 40, rather than at the data transmission frequency (frequency of transmitting the opening detection result) set in the registration information entered in the app. According to the independent mode, even when radio wave conditions are poor and the downlink data is not transmitted normally to the opening detector 40, uplink data is transmitted from the opening detector 40. However, since the current time included in the downlink data is not transmitted to the opening detector 40, the process of flashing the LED 45 to issue an alert to notify the user of a missed dose is not executed when the independent mode is activated.

[0055] 14A, when the communication server 86 receives the uplink data from the opening detector 40, it transfers the uplink data to the management server 60 and also makes a callback request (transmission request) for setting information to the management server 60 (S300). The management server 60 receives the uplink data transferred from the communication server 86 (S400). The information generation unit 62 of the management server 60 generates setting information for causing the opening detector 40 to perform predetermined processing related to opening detection based on the registration information transmitted from the information processing terminal 70 in step S100, and outputs (transmits) this setting information (hereinafter referred to as downlink data) in response to the callback request from the communication server 86 (S402). In this embodiment, the downlink data is setting information generated as 64-bit data, and includes the registration information described above and the current time.

[0056] 14A, the communication server 86 receives downlink data from the management server 60 and transfers it to the opening detector 40 (S302). The downlink data is overwritten in the storage unit 48 of the opening detector 40, and the setting information of the opening detector 40 is updated (S202). Therefore, after the update, the control unit 44 of the opening detector 40 will execute a predetermined process related to opening detection based on the updated setting information.

[0057] Next, as shown in FIG. 14B, the control unit 44 of the opening detector 40 determines whether or not this is the final dose of the day (for example, the third dose if the dose is taken three times a day) (S204). If this is the final dose (YES in S204), the control unit 44 sets a timer to switch the operation mode of the opening detector 40 to a power-saving mode (night mode) after a certain period of time has elapsed (for example, after four hours have elapsed) (S208). The night mode is a type of power-saving mode, and is an operation mode that stops periodic detection in addition to the operation of the standby mode described below. In the power-saving mode, the opening detector 40 is placed in a standby state during times when no medication is being taken and opening detection is not necessary, such as at night, and power consumption can be reduced by not performing opening detection.

[0058] After the timer is set, when the opening detector 40 requests downlink data for the next day (S210), a callback request is issued from the communication server 86 (S304), and the downlink data is output (transmitted) from the management server 60 (S404). The downlink data is transmitted to the opening detector 40 via the communication server 86 (S306). The downlink data is overwritten in the memory unit 48 of the opening detector 40, and the setting information of the opening detector 40 is updated (S212). Then, after the timer set time in step S206 has elapsed, the opening detector 40 is switched to power-saving mode and enters a standby state (S214). On the other hand, if it is not the final dose in step S204 (NO in S204), the control unit 44 switches the operating mode of the opening detector 40 to power-saving mode (standby mode) (S214). Standby mode is a type of power saving mode, and is an operating mode in which opening detection (current is passed through connection portion 41 of opening detector 40, the voltage generated in circuit pattern 32 of packaging material 20 is detected, and the opening state is determined) is not performed.

[0059] After being switched to the power-saving mode (S214 in FIG. 14B), the opening detector 40 is activated from the power-saving mode at a predetermined timing (for example, in the case of periodic detection, the timing is activated by a timer of the control unit 44 based on the detection interval included in the downlink data) as shown in FIG. 15A (S220). Then, the control unit 44 performs opening detection for each container 22 to determine the opening state (S222), and if the opening state is found, outputs (transmits) uplink data (S238). The uplink data is transmitted to the management server 60 via the communication server 86 (S320) (S420), and the opening status is displayed on the information processing terminal 70 (S120). On the other hand, if the opening state is found to be unopened in step S222, the control unit 44 switches the opening detector 40 to the power-saving mode (standby mode) (S226).

[0060] Next, when the current time is after the medication time (YES in S228), the control unit 44 cancels the power saving mode (standby mode) (S229) and executes the opening detection again (S230). If the packaging material 20 is unopened (NO in S230), the packaging material 20 has not been opened (and thus the drug T has not been taken out) even after the medication time has passed, so an alert is issued by flashing the LED 45 (S232). On the other hand, if the packaging material 20 is opened (YES in S230), the process returns to step S222.

[0061] Next, the control unit 44 waits the set periodic detection time interval and performs opening detection again (S234). If the package is in an unopened state (NO in S234), there is no change from the unopened state (NO in S230), which was the result of the previous opening detection, so uplink data is not output (sent), and the alert is stopped after a certain time has passed (S236), and the process returns to step S222. On the other hand, if the package is in an opened state (YES in S234), there is a change from the unopened state (NO in S230), which was the result of the previous opening detection, so uplink data is output (sent) to the communication server 86 (S238). The uplink data includes data indicating the opening time, which is the current time when the control unit 44 of the opening detector 40 detected the opening state. As described above, the uplink data is sent to the management server 60 via the communication server 86 (S320) (S420), and the opening status is displayed on the information processing terminal 70 (S120). The management server 60 transfers the uplink data to the information processing terminal 70, and the information processing terminal 70 displays the opening status including at least the opening time based on the uplink data. The management server 60 also acquires the ID information of the opening detector 40 included in the uplink data, and transfers the uplink data to the information processing terminal 70 that has entered the registration information associated with this ID information.

[0062] After outputting the uplink data (S238), the control unit 44 of the opening detector 40 determines whether the current time is after the final administration time (S240). The final administration time is the latest of the multiple administration times included in the downlink data. The final administration time is the latest time after the administration time at which the drug T should be taken. Since the drug T is required to be taken after the administration time and by the final administration time at the latest, the packaging material 20 is required to be opened after the administration time and by the final administration time. If the current time is not after the final administration time (NO in S240), the process returns to step S222 and the above-described opening detection process is repeated.

[0063] If the current time is after the last medication time (YES in S240), as shown in FIG. 15B, the opening detector 40 requests downlink data (S242), a callback request is issued from the communication server 86 (S322), and the downlink data is output (transmitted) from the management server 60 (S422). The downlink data is transmitted to the opening detector 40 via the communication server 86 (S324). The downlink data is overwritten in the memory unit 48 of the opening detector 40, and the setting information of the opening detector 40 is updated (S244). After the update, the opening detector 40 switches to power-saving mode (S246).

[0064] <Embodiment 2> An opening management system 110 according to the second embodiment will be described with reference to Fig. 16. In the second embodiment, the same configurations, actions, and effects as those in the first embodiment will not be described again.

[0065] In the unsealing management system 110, the unsealing detector 140 is communicatively connected to the information processing terminal 170 via BLE (Bluetooth Low Energy (registered trademark)). The unsealing detector 140 includes a communication module for BLE, and the information processing terminal 170 has a BLE function. Thereby, the unsealing detector 140 is paired and connected to the information processing terminal 170, and can communicate with the management server 60 connected to the communication network 80 via the information processing terminal 170. In this way, even in a situation where LPWA communication is not available (for example, in an area where the base station 85 is not installed), unsealing detection and notification based on the unsealing state can be realized.

[0066] <Other embodiments> The present invention is not limited to the embodiments described above and in the drawings. For example, the following embodiments are also included in the technical scope of the present invention.

[0067] (1) The shape of the housing 50 shown in the figure is an example and can be changed as appropriate.

[0068] (2) The shape of the packaging material 20, the number and intervals of the accommodating portions 22, etc. shown in the figure are examples and can be changed as appropriate.

[0069] <Examples of utilization of uplink data> As described above, the management server 60 may transfer the uplink data to the information processing terminal 70 as it is, or may transmit various processed data generated by information processing based on the uplink data to the information processing terminal 70. Further, the management server 60 may transmit the uplink data or the processed data to terminals other than the information processing terminal 70 that has input the registration information.

[0070] The uplink data and processed data may be transmitted to a terminal used by a person who takes the drug T packaged in the packaging material 20, or may be a terminal of the medical institution that prescribed the drug T, or a terminal of the pharmaceutical manufacturer that manufactures the drug T, or a terminal of the packaging material manufacturer that manufactures the packaging material 20, or a terminal of a distributor along the distribution route of the drug T. The management server 60 is preferably configured to make the uplink data and processed data inaccessible from outside and to transmit the uplink data and processed data only to authentic destinations. The management server 60 may encrypt and record the uplink data and processed data so that only authentic destinations can decrypt them.

[0071] As described above, the management server 60 may perform the following information processing based on the uplink data. The management server 60 may create an opening time database that stores the registration information entered at the information processing terminal 70 and the opening time indicated by the uplink data. Furthermore, the management server 60 may determine whether the medication is being taken appropriately by comparing the medication taking time indicated in the registration information with the opening time, and may transmit processed data indicating the determination result to various terminals. Such processed data is useful not only to the prescriber of the drug T, such as a doctor or pharmacist, but also to the person taking the drug T.

[0072] The management server 60 may generate processed data by statistically processing the opening times stored in the opening time database. Specifically, the management server 60 may statistically process the opening times for each attribute (e.g., age, gender, etc.) of the person taking the medicine T, or may statistically process the opening times for each type of medicine T. Furthermore, the management server 60 may generate a prediction model that predicts the medication status of the medicine T by performing machine learning using the opening times stored in the opening time database as training data. The management server 60 may transmit data indicating the medication status predicted by the prediction model to each terminal as processed data.

[0073] The packaging material 20 is not necessarily limited to packaging pharmaceutical products T, but may be used to package any package that is opened and consumed. Furthermore, the packaging material need not necessarily be sealed as long as it can accommodate the opening detector 40. The packaging material may also be a sticker affixed to both the container that contains the package and the package, and may be broken when the package is removed from the container. For example, the packaging material may be a sticker affixed to both a file container and a book or booklet. For example, when the present invention is applied to a package with a fixed expiration date, such as food, it is possible to verify whether the product is being consumed at the appropriate time based on the opening time indicated by the uplink data. Even when the present invention is applied to a package with an indefinite expiration date, the consumption status of the package can be ascertained based on the opening time indicated by the uplink data, thereby providing useful information to package suppliers and producers. [Explanation of symbols]

[0074] 10: Opening management system, 20: Packaging material, 32: Circuit pattern, 40, 140: Opening detector, 41: Connection unit, 43: Communication unit, 44: Control unit (detection unit), 45: LED (alarm unit), 46: Reset button (operation unit), 50: Housing, 51: First housing (clamping structure), 51A2: Alignment mark (alignment unit), 51C: First communication hole, 51E: Second communication hole, 52: Second housing (clamping structure), 52A2: Right side wall portion (alignment unit), 52B: Engagement portion, 52C: First protrusion, 52D: Second protrusion

Claims

1. a housing attached to a packaging material whose electrical characteristics change when opened; a detection unit that detects the opening of the packaging material based on the change in the electrical characteristics, the housing has a clamping structure that detachably clamps and holds the packaging material, The housing includes: a first housing disposed on a first main surface side of the packaging material; a second housing disposed on a second main surface side of the packaging material, sandwiching the packaging material between the first housing and the second housing; At least one of the first housing and the second housing is displaced so as to sandwich the packaging material, the second housing has an engaging portion that extends to engage with the first housing and has a protrusion at an end of the extending portion; the first housing is provided with a first communication hole having a protrusion at an opening edge thereof that engages with the protrusion of the engagement portion, the engaging portion is in a first position in a clamped state in which the packaging material is held between the first housing and the second housing, and in a second position in a non-clamped state in which the packaging material is not held; An opening detector in which the engaging portion can be displaced from the first position to the second position by inserting an operating tool from outside into the first communication hole and moving the convex portion of the engaging portion.

2. The tamper detector according to claim 1 , wherein the engaging portion is connected to the first housing in both the first position and the second position.

3. the packaging material has a circuit pattern that is broken when opened, The opening detector according to claim 1 or 2, wherein one of the first housing and the second housing includes a connection portion that is electrically connected to the circuit pattern.

4. The opening detector according to claim 3 , wherein at least one of the first housing and the second housing has a protruding portion that protrudes toward the packaging material and is not electrically connected to the circuit pattern.

5. The opening detector according to claim 4, wherein the protruding portion has a tapered protruding end.

6. 6. The opening detector according to claim 4, wherein the protrusion is made of an elastic material, an adhesive material, or a high-friction material.

7. The opening detector according to claim 1 , wherein at least one of the first housing and the second housing has an alignment portion for aligning the packaging material.

8. an operation unit for causing a predetermined process to be performed is provided inside the housing; The opening detector according to claim 1 , wherein the first housing is provided with a second communication hole for operating the operation unit from the outside.

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