Sensor device, system, and transmission method

Abstract

A sensor device 50 comprises an acquisition unit that acquires biometric information of a subject, a communications unit that performs near field communication, and a control unit, said sensor device 50 being characterized by determining whether acquired biometric information is specific biometric information and, if the biometric information is specific biometric information, using the communications unit to send the biometric information to a server device via a first terminal device 10, and, if the biometric information is not specific biometric information, sending the biometric information to the server device via an unspecified second terminal device 20, by using the communications unit to broadcast the biometric information.

Description

Sensor device, system and transmission method

[0001] The present disclosure relates to a sensor device and the like. This application claims priority to Japanese Patent Application No. 2021-101709, filed on June 18, 2021. All contents of the above-mentioned patent application are incorporated herein by reference.

[0002] Conventionally, a system for managing the physical condition of an individual by using a sensor has been known (for example, see Patent Document 1). Also, a system for managing the physical conditions of multiple workers has been disclosed (for example, see Patent Document 2).

[0003] JP 2010-232963 A JP 2015-154920 A

[0004] One of the purposes of the present disclosure is to provide a system capable of appropriately acquiring the state of a subject, and a sensor device used in the system.

[0005] The system disclosed herein is a sensor device including an acquisition unit that acquires biometric information of a subject, a communication unit that performs short-range wireless communication, and a control unit, wherein the control unit determines whether the acquired biometric information is specific biometric information, and if the biometric information is specific biometric information, transmits the biometric information to a server device via a specific terminal device via the communication unit, and if the biometric information is other than specific biometric information, transmits the biometric information by broadcast via the communication unit, thereby transmitting the biometric information to the server device via an unspecified terminal device.

[0006] The system disclosed herein may include a sensor device that transmits acquired sensor information and a terminal device that transmits sensor information received from the sensor device to a server device, and when the sensor information is transmitted in a connection-type manner, a first terminal device that has established communication with the sensor device transmits the sensor information to the server device, and when the sensor information is transmitted in a broadcast-type manner, a second terminal device that has received the sensor information transmits the sensor information to the server device.

[0007] The transmission method of the present disclosure is a transmission method for transmitting sensor information from a sensor device to a server device via a terminal device, and when the sensor information is transmitted from the sensor device in a connection-type manner, the terminal device that establishes communication with the sensor device transmits the sensor information to the server device, and when the sensor information is transmitted in a broadcast-type manner, any of the terminal devices that receive the sensor information transmits the sensor information to the server device.

[0008] The system of the present disclosure provides a system capable of appropriately acquiring the state of a subject, and a sensor device used in the system.

[0009] FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating an overview of a system in the first embodiment. FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating an overview of a system in the first embodiment. FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating the functional configuration of a first terminal device in the first embodiment. (a) is a diagram illustrating an example of sensor information in the first embodiment, and (b) is a diagram illustrating an example of setting information in the first embodiment. FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating the configuration of a gateway device in the first embodiment. FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating the functional configuration of a second terminal device in the first embodiment. FIG. 5 is a diagram illustrating the functional configuration of a third terminal device in the first embodiment. FIG. 6 is a diagram illustrating the functional configuration of a sensor device in the first embodiment. FIG. 7 is a diagram illustrating an example of setting information of a sensor device in the first embodiment. FIG. 8 is a diagram illustrating the functional configuration of a server device in the first embodiment. FIG. 9 is a diagram illustrating an example of the configuration of a target DB of the server device in the first embodiment. FIG. 10 is a sequence diagram illustrating the flow of a system in the first embodiment. FIG. 11 is a flowchart illustrating sensor setting processing in the first embodiment. FIG. 12 is a flowchart illustrating the operation of a sensor device in the first embodiment. FIG. 13 is a flowchart illustrating the operation of a server device in the first embodiment. FIG. 14 is a flowchart illustrating the operation of a third terminal device in the first embodiment. FIG. 15 is a diagram illustrating an example of operation in a first terminal device in the first embodiment. FIG. 16 is a diagram illustrating an example of operation in a third terminal device in the first embodiment. FIG. 10 is a diagram for explaining an example of operation in the third terminal device in the first embodiment. FIG. 11 is a diagram for explaining an example of operation in the third terminal device in the first embodiment. FIG. 12 is a diagram for explaining an example of operation in the third terminal device in the first embodiment. FIG. 13 is a diagram for explaining an example of operation in the third terminal device in the first embodiment. FIG. 14 is a diagram for explaining an example of operation in the first terminal device in the second embodiment. FIG. 15 is a diagram for explaining an example of operation in the first terminal device in the second embodiment. (a) shows a graph of SpO2 over time, (b) shows a graph of heart rate over time, (c) shows a graph of body temperature over time, and (d) shows a graph of activity level over time. FIG. 16 is a diagram for explaining an example of operation in the first terminal device in the second embodiment.10 is a flowchart illustrating an operation of a sensor device according to a third embodiment; and 11 is a flowchart illustrating an operation of a server device according to a fourth embodiment.

[0010] An embodiment for carrying out the present disclosure will be described below with reference to the drawings. Note that the following embodiment is an example for explaining the present disclosure, and the technical scope of the invention described in the claims is not limited to the following description.

[0011] Generally, there are sensor devices capable of acquiring information about a subject. The sensor devices can acquire, for example, the subject's biological information, sleep information, status information including the subject's movements, and lifestyle patterns. For example, the sensor devices can acquire the subject's heart rate (heart rate), respiration (respiratory rate), body temperature, SpO2, etc. as biological information.

[0012] There are also systems that aggregate information about a subject (hereinafter referred to as subject information) acquired by a sensor device in a server device to manage the subject's physical condition and health. Here, the sensor device has a short-range wireless communication function for communicating with a terminal device, but often does not have a function for directly communicating with the server device or a gateway function for forwarding communications from other devices. Therefore, the sensor device may transmit the acquired information to the server device via a terminal device with a communication function or a gateway device.

[0013] Furthermore, as disclosed in the above cited documents, systems for managing one or more physical conditions have been used in places such as construction sites and factories, where the system requires the provision of a number of sensor devices for acquiring information on subjects and devices for communicating between the sensor devices and a server device, each corresponding to the number of subjects.

[0014] In recent years, managing the health of evacuees has become an issue at evacuation sites during disasters. At such sites, it has been extremely difficult to easily transmit data from sensor devices to a server device and to provide enough devices to communicate with the server device for the number of evacuees.

[0015] Another possible method is for the sensor device to transmit information about the target person using BLE broadcast communication. However, if the sensor device simply uses broadcast communication, all information about the target person will be transmitted to the server device via an unspecified number of terminal devices. This would make the target person's information accessible to third parties, posing a problem of lack of consideration for personal information.

[0016] Health management of evacuees is extremely important in evacuation centers. However, during disasters, it is extremely difficult for a limited number of medical professionals to make rounds and measure the health of evacuees. There is a need for a system that can grasp changes in health conditions in real time while evacuees are in the evacuation center and enable medical professionals to respond quickly when changes in health occur. Particularly during the COVID-19 pandemic, it is necessary to reduce the frequency of contact between evacuees and medical professionals and enable screening and remote response. There is a need to build a system that can operate without introducing new equipment.

[0017] A system for solving such problems will be described below based on detailed embodiments. Note that the following embodiments are examples of the present disclosure, and the invention is not limited to the contents thereof.

[0018] [1. First Embodiment] [1.1 Overall Overview] An overall overview of this embodiment will be described below. Note that in this embodiment, a subject refers to a person whose physical condition or health status is managed using the system.

[0019] "Staff" refers to those working in hospitals, evacuation shelters, and elderly care facilities. For example, staff includes medical professionals such as doctors and nurses, as well as those equivalent to medical professionals and care staff who support patients at elderly care facilities.

[0020] Furthermore, subject information refers to information about the subject who uses the system. Subject information includes not only information that can be acquired by the sensor device, but also information that can be calculated based on the information acquired by the sensor device. Subject information is information that changes, such as numerical values ​​and states, and is information that staff should pay particular attention to. For example, subject information includes the following information:

[0021] (1) Biometric Information Biometric information is information related to the vital signs of a subject. For example, the biological information includes information such as the subject's heart rate, respiration rate, SpO2, blood pressure, blood glucose level, etc. In addition, the biological information in this embodiment may also include information such as the subject's activity level and number of steps.

[0022] (2) Subject's State (State Information) The subject's state is a state of the subject that can be determined from the acceleration of the sensor device, a change in the center of gravity, and the like. The state information is information indicating the subject's state. The state information may include, for example, information such as the subject's posture (standing, lying, sitting, edge-sitting, etc.), sleeping position (for example, lying, supine, etc.), and the subject's movement (walking, standing). The state information may also include the subject's state (sleep state), such as whether the subject is asleep or awake, and the depth of sleep, such as REM sleep or non-REM sleep. The subject's state may also include a stress state.

[0023] (3) Subject's Lifestyle Pattern (Lifestyle Pattern Information) Lifestyle pattern information is information obtained from the subject's movements. The lifestyle pattern information may include, for example, information such as the subject's bedtime, wake-up time, and sleep duration. The lifestyle pattern information may also include information such as the number of times the subject gets out of bed and the number of times the subject goes to the toilet.

[0024] (4) Environmental Information Environmental information is information about the environment in which the subject is located. For example, the environmental information may include the temperature, humidity, sound volume, and brightness of the room in which the subject is located. Based on the sound volume and pattern, the environmental information may also include information about sounds generated by the subject, such as whether or not the subject snores or grinds their teeth, and the duration of such sounds.

[0025] (4) Sleep Information The sleep information is information related to the sleep of the subject. The sleep information may include, for example, the sleep duration, bedtime, wake-up time, sleeping posture, and sleep state (a state indicating sleep or wakefulness) from among the information described above. The sleep information may also include, from among the biological information, the heart rate and respiration of the subject while the subject is sleeping. The sleep information may also include information related to the subject's snoring, teeth grinding, etc.

[0026] 1 is a diagram illustrating an overview of the entire system 1 according to this embodiment. In the system 1, a server device 80 can receive sensor information including biological information of a subject P, such as heart rate, respiration, and SpO2, acquired by a sensor device 50.

[0027] In the system 1, a first terminal device 10, a second terminal device 20, a third terminal device 30, and a server device 80 are connected to a network NW. The first terminal device 10, the second terminal device 20, and the third terminal device 30 can realize the functions of each device by installing and executing the necessary applications on the terminal device. Therefore, each terminal device may be the same hardware.

[0028] The first terminal device 10, the second terminal device 20, and the third terminal device 30 may each have one or more. Furthermore, by installing an application on each device, each device may function as multiple devices. For example, one terminal device may have the functions of both the first terminal device 10 and the second terminal device 20.

[0029] The first terminal device 10 is a device that performs connection-oriented communication with the sensor device 50 via BLE. The first terminal device 10 includes, for example, a smartphone 12 owned by the subject P and a gateway device 15 capable of BLE / WiFi communication. In this case, the first terminal device 10 is a central device, and the sensor device 50 is a peripheral device. The first terminal device 10 may be paired with the sensor device 50 in advance.

[0030] The second terminal device 20 is a terminal device capable of performing broadcast-type communication with the sensor device 50 in BLE. The second terminal device 20 is, for example, a smartphone 22 owned by a third party. In this case, the second terminal device 20 is an observer device, and the sensor device 50 is a broadcaster device. The first terminal device 10 may also perform broadcast-type communication. The second terminal device 20 is an unspecified terminal device owned by someone other than the target person.

[0031] The third terminal device 30 is a display device capable of displaying various types of information. For example, the third terminal device 30 is a display device 32 installed in a hospital or the like on which medical staff such as doctors display information, or a tablet 34 carried by staff at an evacuation site. The display device 32 may also be installed in another location (for example, a hospital located away from the evacuation site) via a network.

[0032] Generally, the first terminal device 10 is the subject's own terminal device (a smartphone owned by the subject), and the second terminal device 20 is another terminal device (a smartphone owned by a third party other than the subject). The third terminal device 30 is a display device or management device used by staff, etc. In the following, the term "terminal device" is a comprehensive expression for each of the above terminal devices, and particularly refers to terminal devices (the first terminal device 10 and the second terminal device 20) that can receive data from the sensor device 50.

[0033] The sensor device 50 is a device capable of acquiring information (subject information) about the subject P. One or more sensor devices 50 are included in the system 1. For example, like the sensor device 52, the subject P can wear the sensor device 50 or have it directly attached to them to acquire the subject information (e.g., biometric information) of the subject P.

[0034] The sensor device 50 may also be a standalone sensor device or a measurement device, such as the sensor device 54. The sensor device 54 may also be a device such as a thermometer, a blood pressure monitor, a pulse oximeter, or a blood glucose meter, or a device that measures the subject's movements, such as a pedometer, an activity meter, or a sleep monitoring device. The sensor device 50 may also be a device that the subject already owns (e.g., a smartwatch, etc.), or may also be a device prepared by the system.

[0035] The sensor device 54 may be any conventional sensor device. The method by which the sensor device 54 acquires biological information such as respiratory rate and heart rate may be, for example, the method described in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2016-30177 (Invention title: Respiratory disorder assessment device, respiratory disorder assessment method, and program, filing date: July 30, 2014). Furthermore, the method by which the sleep state is determined may be, for example, the method described in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2010-264193 (Invention title: Sleep state assessment device, program, and sleep state assessment system, filing date: May 18, 2009) or Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2016-87355 (Invention title: Sleep state assessment device, sleep state assessment method, and program, filing date: November 11, 2014). Furthermore, the method by which the sensor device 54 acquires biological information may be, for example, the method described in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2016-30177 (Invention title: Respiratory disorder assessment device, respiratory disorder assessment method, and program, filing date: July 30, 2014).

[0036] The server device 80 is a device that stores information about subjects and registers the information in the electronic medical record system. The server device 80 receives the information acquired by the sensor device 50 via the first terminal device 10 or the second terminal device 20. The server device 80 stores the received information for each subject.

[0037] Furthermore, the server device 80 may output an alert based on the subject information. For example, when the biometric information value of the subject falls within a warning range, the server device 80 may notify staff or a terminal device.

[0038] [1.1.2 Overview of Communication] An overview of communication in this embodiment will be described with reference to Fig. 2. The sensor device 50 can be connected to the first terminal device 10 and the second terminal device 20 via wireless communication. In this embodiment, the sensor device 50 will be described using an example of communication via short-range wireless communication, and as an example, a case will be described where wireless communication is performed using Bluetooth (registered trademark) and Bluetooth Low Energy (hereinafter, BLE).

[0039] Generally, BLE communication methods include broadcast communication, in which communication is performed without specifying a communication partner, and connection-based communication, in which communication is performed after specifying a communication partner. The sensor device 50 performs connection-based communication with the first terminal device 10 and broadcast-based communication with the second terminal device 20.

[0040] That is, when connection-oriented communication is performed, the sensor device 50 is a peripheral device, and the first terminal device 10 is a central device. The sensor device 50 periodically transmits advertising data (advertising packets) indicating connection-oriented communication, which is received by the first terminal device 10. When the advertising data indicates connection-oriented communication, the first terminal device 10, having received the advertising data, makes a connection request to the sensor device 50, and a connection is established between the sensor device 50 and the first terminal device 10.

[0041] Here, "established connection" means a state in which data can be transmitted and received bidirectionally between two devices. In this case, data can be transmitted and received between the sensor device 50 and the first terminal device 10. For example, this is a state in which a communication path for transmitting and receiving data between the two devices is established.

[0042] Furthermore, for example, if the PDU field of the advertising packet contains data indicating "present" connectivity, the first terminal apparatus 10 determines that the communication indicates connection-oriented communication.

[0043] As a result, the sensor device 50 transmits the sensor information to the server device 80 via RT1, which is a route that does not pass through any unintended terminal devices and that passes through the first terminal device 10 to the server device 80. For example, the sensor device 54 establishes a connection with the gateway device 15 and transmits the sensor information to the gateway device 15. The gateway device 15 also transmits the sensor information received from the sensor device 54 to the server device 80 via the network NW.

[0044] The sensor device 50 may be connectable to a plurality of devices. The sensor device 50 may also establish connections with a plurality of devices.

[0045] When broadcast communication is performed, the sensor device 50 acts as a broadcaster and transmits advertising data (advertising packets) indicating broadcast communication. At this time, the sensor device 50 transmits the advertising data together with the identification information of the sensor device 50 and the information acquired by the sensor device 50 (sensor information).

[0046] When the second terminal device 20 receives the advertising data from the sensor device 50, it transmits the advertising data to the server device 80. Specifically, the second terminal device 20 determines that the advertising data indicates broadcast-type communication. For example, if the PDU field of the advertising packet contains data indicating "none" connectivity, the second terminal device 20 determines that the advertising data indicates broadcast-type communication.

[0047] As a result, the sensor device 50 periodically transmits data (advertising data) including the sensor information. That is, the sensor device 50 broadcasts the data including the sensor information to other devices. Then, upon receiving the advertising data, the second terminal device 20 transmits the data to the server device 80.

[0048] As a result, the sensor information transmitted from the sensor device 50 is transmitted via route RT2 to the server device 80. The second terminal device 20 may be any device among the terminal devices of a third party, and therefore the sensor information can be transmitted using a communication method with high availability.

[0049] For example, the sensor device 54 periodically transmits the sensor information included in advertising data. When the smartphone 22 owned by a third party near the sensor device 54 receives the advertising data, the smartphone 22 transmits the received advertising data to the server device 80.

[0050] The second terminal device 20 may transmit the advertising data as is to the server device 80, or may extract only the sensor information from the advertising data and transmit it to the server device 80. The second terminal device 20 may transmit the sensor information acquired by the sensor device 50 to the server device 80 by any method.

[0051] Furthermore, one or more second terminal devices 20 exist in the system 1. Of the second terminal devices 20 included in the system 1, a device that receives advertising data broadcast from the sensor device 50 transmits sensor information to the server device 80. The system 1 can transmit sensor information from the sensor device 50 to the server device 80.

[0052] By performing broadcast-type communication, the sensor device 50 can use any second terminal device 20, and therefore can reliably transmit sensor information to the server device 80. In other words, it is possible to provide a communication method with high availability.

[0053] In this way, the system of this embodiment can appropriately use the highly reliable first communication method and the highly available second communication method. This allows the system of this embodiment to provide a system that can appropriately collect necessary sensor information in a server device, even in an environment where a large number of people gather, such as an evacuation shelter. Furthermore, the system of this embodiment can be similarly applied to locations other than evacuation shelters, such as sports venues and event venues.

[0054] [1.2 Device Configuration] Next, the configuration of each device in this embodiment will be described. First, the common configuration will be described.

[0055] The control unit is a device that controls the entirety of each device. The control unit realizes various functions by reading and executing various programs stored in the memory unit of each device, and is configured, for example, as one or more control devices. The control unit may be configured, for example, as a SoC (System on a Chip), or may be configured as a single function such as a CPU (Central Processing Unit).

[0056] The storage unit is a device that stores various programs and various data necessary for the operation of each device. The storage unit is configured by a device that can be installed in each device, such as a semiconductor memory or a hard disk drive (HDD). The storage unit may also be configured differently, with a storage device (memory) being a temporary storage area where programs and memory are deployed when the programs are executed, and a storage device being a non-temporary storage area where data, programs, etc. are stored. The program in this embodiment is stored in a non-temporary tangible storage medium that can be read by a computer.

[0057] The communication unit is a device that provides a function for connecting the device to other devices or a network. For example, the communication unit is a network interface card (NIC) that can communicate using a communication method such as a wireless LAN (IEEE 802.11a / b / g) or a wired LAN. The communication unit may also be a communication module that can use mobile communication such as LTE (Long Term Evolution), 4G, 5G, or 6G.

[0058] The short-range wireless communication unit realizes short-range wireless communication. In this embodiment, Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) of Bluetooth (registered trademark) is used, but similar technologies such as Bluetooth 5 are also applicable. The short-range wireless communication unit may also communicate using other methods as long as they can be used by the sensor device to communicate with the terminal device. For example, LPWA (Low Power Wide Area) communication may be used, and communication such as Sigfox, Wi-Fi HaLow, or ZETA may also be used.

[0059] The operation unit is a device through which a user or the like inputs operations into each device. For example, the operation unit may be an external input device such as a keyboard or a mouse, or may be software keys realized using a touch panel.

[0060] The display unit is a device on which each device displays various information. For example, the display unit may be a display device such as an LCD (Liquid Crystal Display) or an organic EL display using OLED (Organic Light Emitting Diode), or an external display device connected via HDMI (registered trademark) or DVI.

[0061] 3 is a diagram illustrating the configuration of the first terminal device 10. The first terminal device 10 has a control unit 100, a storage unit 110, a communication unit 120, a short-range wireless communication unit 130, an operation unit 150, and a display unit 160. The following description will focus on the unique configuration of the first terminal device 10.

[0062] The control unit 100 reads out and executes a program from the storage unit 110, thereby functioning as a setting unit 102, a transfer control unit 104, and a subject information display unit 106.

[0063] The setting unit 102 performs various settings on the sensor device 50. For example, the setting unit 102 sets the type of information to be transmitted to the server device 80 and the communication method for the sensor device 50. The contents set by the setting unit 102 are stored as setting information in the setting information storage area 114. The setting unit 102 also transmits the setting information to the sensor device 50.

[0064] The transfer control unit 104 transmits (transfers) the sensor information received from the sensor device 50 to the server device 80. The transfer control unit 104 acquires the sensor information when a communication path is established between the sensor device 50 and the first terminal device 10 (when pairing with the sensor device 50 has been established in advance and connection has been established). The transfer control unit 104 then transmits the acquired sensor information to the server device 80.

[0065] The subject information display unit 106 displays subject information of the user (subject) of the first terminal device 10. For example, the subject information display unit 106 displays the subject information on the display unit 160 based on the subject information (biometric information) included in the sensor information acquired from the sensor device 50. The subject information display unit 106 displays, for example, specific biometric information values ​​or graphs showing the transition of biometric information values ​​as the biometric information included in the subject information. Furthermore, the subject information display unit 106 may display the subject information stored in the subject information storage area 116, or may acquire and display subject information from the server device 80.

[0066] The storage unit 110 has a sensor information storage area 112, a setting information storage area 114, and a subject information storage area 116 secured therein.

[0067] The sensor information storage area 112 stores the sensor information received from the sensor device 50. The sensor information storage area 112 may store the sensor information temporarily or permanently. The sensor information storage area 112 may temporarily store the sensor information for a period until the sensor information is transmitted to the server device 80.

[0068] 4A is an example of sensor information stored in the sensor information storage area 112. The sensor information includes the sensor device ID (e.g., "012-3456") of the sensor device, the subject ID (e.g., "0001"), the acquisition date and time (e.g., "2021 / 06 / 01 23:10:15"), and information actually acquired by the sensor device 50, such as the heart rate (e.g., "80") and respiratory rate (e.g., "10"), and a memo (e.g., "Having trouble falling asleep").

[0069] The identification ID of the sensor device 50 is unique information for identifying the sensor device 50. The subject ID is the ID of the subject who uses the first terminal device 10. The acquisition date and time may be the date and time when the sensor device 50 acquired the information, or the date and time when the first terminal device 10 acquired the sensor information.

[0070] The information acquired by the sensor device 50 may include one or more pieces of information. For example, the information acquired by the sensor device 50 shown in FIG. 4A includes the heart rate and respiratory rate, which are biological information. In addition, the information acquired by the sensor device 50 may include values ​​such as SpO2, blood pressure, body temperature, and blood glucose level, as well as the sleeping time and the state of the subject (for example, posture and position).

[0071] Furthermore, the information acquired by the sensor device 50 may include multiple pieces of the same type of information, such as heart rate. For example, the sensor device 50 may acquire the heart rate every minute. The sensor device may then compile the acquired heart rates and transmit them as sensor information to the first terminal device 10 every 10 minutes.

[0072] The memo may be arbitrarily input by the subject person, or may include audio input by the first terminal apparatus 10 or a captured image.

[0073] The setting information storage area 114 stores setting information, which is information related to settings for the sensor device 50. For example, FIG. 4B shows an example of setting information stored in the setting information storage area 114. The setting information stores, for each sensor device 50 capable of acquiring sensor information, a sensor device identification ID (e.g., "012-345"), a communication method (e.g., "connection type"), the type of information acquired by the sensor device 50 (e.g., "heart rate, respiratory rate"), the interval at which information is acquired (e.g., "10 minutes"), and a subject ID (e.g., "0001").

[0074] The sensor device identification ID is information for identifying the sensor device 50. For example, it may be identification information unique to the sensor device 50, or may be identification information included in advertising data transmitted by the sensor device 50. It may also be the name of the sensor device 50, or a name given by the system or staff, such as an ID.

[0075] The communication method sets the communication method of the sensor device 50. The communication method can be set to either "connection type" or "broadcast type." The communication method can also be set to "connection type / broadcast type." In this case, the control unit 100 can automatically switch between connection type communication and broadcast type communication, or can perform both types of communication.

[0076] The information to be acquired is set to information to be acquired by the sensor device 50. One or more pieces of information (e.g., biological information) that can be acquired by the sensor device 50 can be set. Alternatively, all pieces of information may be set to be acquired.

[0077] The acquisition interval is set as the interval at which the sensor device 50 acquires information. In the present embodiment, the sensor device 50 transmits the acquired sensor information at the timing of acquisition, but the timing at which the sensor information is acquired and the timing at which the sensor information is transmitted (transmission interval) may be different. For example, the sensor device 50 may set the acquisition interval to 10 minutes and the transmission interval to 60 minutes.

[0078] The subject ID stores identification information for identifying the subject. The subject ID may be identified by matching with the identification ID of the sensor device in the server device 80. In this case, the subject ID does not need to be included in the setting information.

[0079] Note that information (basic information) about the subject may be stored in addition to the subject ID. For example, the basic information may include information about the subject, such as the subject's name, weight, height, person in charge, and evacuation location.

[0080] When pairing is performed, the setting information storage area 114 may also store information related to pairing. When pairing is performed with the sensor device 50 by a function of the OS, information required for pairing (pairing information) is stored in the storage unit 110. This pairing function may be performed by the control unit 100 executing a function of the OS, or may be performed by the control unit 100 executing another application. When pairing is performed by the control unit 100 executing any of the applications in this embodiment, the pairing information may also be stored in the setting information storage area 114.

[0081] The subject information storage area 116 stores subject information of the subject who uses the first terminal device 10. The subject information may be stored based on sensor information acquired by the control unit 100 from the sensor device 50, or may be received from the server device 80 and stored.

[0082] 5 shows the functional configuration of the gateway device 15 when the first terminal device 10 is the gateway device 15. The gateway device 15 is configured to include a control unit 100A, a storage unit 110A, a communication unit 120A, and a short-range wireless communication unit 130A.

[0083] The control unit 100A of the gateway device 15 reads and executes a program stored in the storage unit 110A to implement the functions of the transfer control unit 102A. The transfer control unit 102A implements functions equivalent to those of the transfer control unit 104.

[0084] The storage unit 110A also reserves a storage area for a sensor information storage area 112A. The sensor information storage area 112A temporarily stores the sensor information transferred from the sensor device 50 to the server device 80.

[0085] That is, the first terminal device 10 can provide the same functions whether the smartphone 12 or the gateway device 15 is used.

[0086] [1.2.2 Second Terminal Device] Fig. 6 is a diagram illustrating the configuration of the second terminal device 20. The second terminal device 20 has a control unit 200, a storage unit 210, a communication unit 220, a short-range wireless communication unit 230, an operation unit 250, and a display unit 260. The following description will focus on the unique configuration of the second terminal device 20.

[0087] The control unit 200 functions as a transfer control unit 202 by reading and executing a program stored in the storage unit 210. The transfer control unit 202 transfers (transmits) the sensor information received from the sensor device 50 to the server device 80.

[0088] That is, the transfer control unit 202 receives advertising data (advertising packets) from the sensor device 50 via the short-range wireless communication unit 230. The second terminal device 20 only needs to receive data from the sensor device 50, and does not need to establish a connection with the sensor device 50.

[0089] The transfer control unit 202 transmits the sensor information included in the advertising data to the server device 80. The transfer control unit 202 may transmit the advertising data as is to the server device 80, or may extract the sensor information from the advertising data and transmit the sensor information to the server device 80.

[0090] The storage unit 210 secures a storage area for the sensor information storage area 212. The sensor information storage area 212 is an area for temporarily storing the sensor information received from the sensor device 50. Note that the sensor information stored in the sensor information storage area 212 is preferably deleted after being transmitted to the server device 80.

[0091] [1.2.3 Third Terminal Device] Fig. 7 is a diagram illustrating the configuration of the third terminal device 30. The third terminal device 30 has a control unit 300, a storage unit 310, a communication unit 320, an operation unit 350, and a display unit 360. The following description will focus on the unique configuration of the third terminal device 30.

[0092] The control unit 300 reads and executes the programs stored in the storage unit 310 , thereby functioning as a subject information display control unit 302 and a subject status management unit 304 .

[0093] The subject information display control unit 302 displays various information based on the subject information on the display unit 360 based on the subject information received from the server device 80 and the subject information stored in the subject information storage area 312.

[0094] The subject status management unit 304 notifies staff based on the subject information. For example, the subject status management unit 304 sets thresholds for a caution range and a warning range for each piece of subject information. Then, the subject status management unit 304 executes caution processing or warning processing when each piece of subject information falls within the caution range or the warning range.

[0095] For example, the subject status management unit 304 alerts staff etc. by identifying and displaying the subject information displayed in a list. Furthermore, the subject status management unit 304 alerts staff etc. by outputting an alarm sound when the heart rate of a certain subject falls into the warning range. The subject status management unit 304 manages the health status and physical condition of the entire subject.

[0096] The storage unit 310 secures a storage area for a subject information storage area 312. The subject information storage area 312 stores subject information. The subject information is received from the server device 80 and stored. In addition, staff or the like may input the subject information via the operation unit 350, or additional biological information may be stored from an external device (e.g., a thermometer, a blood pressure monitor, etc.) via the communication unit 320.

[0097] 8 is a diagram illustrating the configuration of the sensor device 50. The sensor device 50 has a control unit 500, a storage unit 510, a short-range wireless communication unit 530, and an acquisition unit 540. The following description focuses on the unique configuration of the sensor device 50.

[0098] The control unit 500 executes a program stored in the storage unit 510 to realize the function of the sensor information transmission unit 502 .

[0099] The sensor information transmission unit 502 transmits the acquired sensor information and the sensor information stored in the sensor information storage area 512 via the short-range wireless communication unit 530. Here, if the communication mode of the sensor device 50 is set to connection-oriented in the setting information, the sensor information transmission unit 502 establishes a connection with the first terminal device 10, which is the connection destination. Then, the sensor information transmission unit 502 transmits the sensor information to the server device 80 via the first terminal device 10.

[0100] On the other hand, when the communication mode of the sensor device 50 is set to broadcast type in the setting information, the sensor information transmission unit 502 transmits the sensor information included in the advertising data. That is, the sensor information transmission unit 502 transmits the sensor information to the server device 80 via a terminal device (e.g., the second terminal device 20) included in the system 1.

[0101] The storage unit 510 reserves storage areas for a sensor information storage area 512 and a setting information storage area 514 .

[0102] The sensor information storage area 512 is an area for temporarily storing sensor information, which is information acquired by the sensor device 50 .

[0103] The setting information storage area 514 stores setting information relating to the settings of the sensor device 50 .

[0104] 9 is a diagram showing an example of setting information stored in the setting information storage area 514. The setting information stores a destination ID (e.g., "325-44587") for identifying a destination device to which sensor information is transmitted, a communication method (e.g., "connection type") of the sensor device 50, information indicating the type of information to be acquired by the sensor device 50 from the subject information (e.g., "heart rate, respiratory rate"), and an acquisition interval (e.g., "10 minutes") for the acquired information. Note that the setting information may also store information about the subject.

[0105] The acquisition unit 540 allows the sensor device 50 to acquire information from various sensors. For example, the acquisition unit 540 is a device that acquires various information such as biological information and sleep information of the subject. For example, the acquisition unit 540 is a pressure sensor, and the control unit 500 can detect the subject's heartbeat and breathing based on signals from the pressure sensor. This allows the sensor device 50 to acquire the subject's heartbeat (heart rate) and breathing (respiratory rate).

[0106] 10 is a diagram illustrating the configuration of the server device 80. The server device 80 has a control unit 800, a storage unit 810, a communication unit 820, an operation unit 850, and a display unit 860. The following description focuses on the unique configuration of the server device 80.

[0107] The control unit 800 reads and executes programs from the storage unit 810, thereby functioning as a subject management unit 802, a sensor management unit 804, a subject information storage unit 806, and a subject status management unit 808. The storage unit 810 also stores a subject database (DB) 812 and a sensor database (DB) 814.

[0108] The subject management unit 802 manages information about subjects stored in the subject DB 812. For example, the subject management unit 802 can store new subjects or delete subjects. Figure 11 is a diagram showing an example of the subject DB 812.

[0109] The subject DB 812 stores basic information (basic information) and subject information in association with each other. For example, as shown in FIG. 11 , the basic information includes a subject ID (e.g., "0003") for identifying the subject, the subject's name (e.g., "Shinyaka Kazuki"), the subject's current location (e.g., an evacuation site in this embodiment (e.g., "ABC Elementary School Evacuation Site"), and the group to which the subject belongs (e.g., "A-3"), which are stored as the subject's basic information. Here, the subject's basic information is information about the subject that is not changed by the sensor device 50. The basic information may be input by the subject, staff, or the like, or may be obtained from an electronic medical record server or the like.

[0110] The subject information is information based on sensor information received from the sensor device 50. The subject information storage unit 806 stores the subject information based on the sensor information in the subject DB 812 for each subject. Here, the subject information includes information stored in chronological order (subject information 1) and information stored by date (subject information 2). Furthermore, the subject information includes information directly obtained from the sensor information, as well as values ​​calculated from values ​​output from the sensor information, results of condition determination, and information on results estimated using machine learning.

[0111] For example, in the case of the sleeping posture of the subject, the sensor device 50 may determine the sleeping posture of the subject and include it in the sensor information. Furthermore, the subject information may be stored as the sleeping posture of the subject determined by any of the first terminal device 10, the second terminal device 20, or the server device 80 based on information (e.g., information regarding the center of gravity or pressure) output from the sensor device 50. One or more pieces of subject information can be stored for each subject.

[0112] The sensor management unit 804 manages the sensor DB 814. For example, the sensor management unit 804 associates a new sensor device 50 with a subject or deletes a sensor device 50. The sensor DB 814 stores sensor IDs and subject IDs in association with each other, as shown in FIG. 12 . Here, the sensor IDs and subject IDs generally have a many-to-one relationship. That is, when the sensor DB 814 is referenced, a subject is uniquely determined for each sensor ID. Depending on the type of sensor device 50, the subject IDs and sensor IDs may have a many-to-many relationship. For example, in the case of a sensor device 50 that uses voice, multiple subject IDs may be associated with the sensor ID of a microphone of the same sensor device 50. Furthermore, the sensor IDs of multiple microphones may be associated with the same subject ID.

[0113] The subject status management unit 808 manages the status of the subject based on the subject information. For example, the subject status management unit 808 sets a caution range and a warning range for each piece of subject information. The subject status management unit 808 also sets a caution range for sleeping position and caution information regarding getting out of bed. The subject status management unit 808 then refers to the subject information and issues an alert when it determines that a situation requiring an alert has arisen.

[0114] For example, an example will be described in which the subject condition management unit 808 manages the condition of the subject based on SpO2. The subject condition management unit 808 sets the value related to SpO2 as follows.

[0115] Caution range: SpO2 greater than 93% but less than 96% Warning range: SpO2 93% or less The subject status management unit 808 references the subject information, and when the SpO2 value falls below 93%, it determines that the SpO2 value has fallen within the caution range and executes notification processing (warning notification processing). The notification processing may be performed, for example, by sending an email, displaying a pop-up, or outputting a warning sound on the third terminal device 30 to notify the user of the SpO2 value (warning notification). Furthermore, when the SpO2 value falls within the caution range, the subject status management unit 808 executes caution notification processing. The notification processing may be performed, for example, by displaying a pop-up or displaying a distinctive mark on the third terminal device 30 to notify the user of the caution. In this case, the notification processing may use different notification methods for the warning and the caution.

[0116] Furthermore, when making a notification, the subject status management unit 808 may change the notification destination or the notification content. For example, when the subject status management unit 808 reports body temperature, heart rate, and respiratory rate as the notification content, the subject status management unit 808 reports the notification to general staff (nurses). When the subject status management unit 808 reports an electrocardiogram waveform as the notification content, the subject status management unit 808 reports the notification to specialists and nurses in the relevant department (in charge). When the subject status management unit 808 reports content related to activity level or posture, the subject status management unit 808 reports the notification to physical therapists and occupational therapists. When the subject status management unit 808 reports a communication problem, the subject status management unit 808 reports the notification to clinical psychologists and social workers. In this way, the subject status management unit 808 determines notification destinations for each professional in advance and sets appropriate notification destinations depending on the notification content. This allows the subject receiving the service to receive appropriate treatment. It also allows the staff providing the service to take appropriate action.

[0117] In this way, the subject status management unit 808 performs notification processing for each subject based on the subject information, thereby enabling the subject status management unit 808 to appropriately manage the health status and physical condition of the subject.

[0118] Furthermore, the subject status management unit 808 may notify the subject using the sensor device 50. For example, the subject status management unit 808 transmits a signal to the sensor device 50 based on the subject information. Upon receiving the signal, the sensor device 50 notifies the subject using, for example, vibration, sound, light, or the like. This makes it possible to notify, for example, a subject who has no subjective symptoms of a change in physical condition that their heart rate is increasing or that their SpO2 value is abnormal.

[0119] [1.3 Processing Flow] Next, the processing flow of this embodiment will be described.

[0120] [1.3.1 Overall System Flow] The overall processing flow of the system in this embodiment will be described with reference to Fig. 13. Fig. 13 is a sequence diagram illustrating the relationship between the sensor device 50, the first terminal device 10, the second terminal device 20, and the server device 80.

[0121] 13 illustrates the sensor information divided into first sensor information and second sensor information. The first sensor information is information that is desired to be transmitted via a specific terminal device, i.e., in a secure environment. In other words, information classified as first sensor information is information that requires consideration of the privacy of the subject, for example. In this case, the sensor device 50 transmits the first sensor information to the server device 80 via the first terminal device 10.

[0122] The second sensor information is information that requires immediacy or reliability. In this case, the sensor device 50 transmits the second sensor information to the server device 80 via the second terminal device 20.

[0123] (1) First Sensor Information A case will be described in which the sensor device 50 transmits the first sensor information to the server device 80. In this case, a program capable of transferring the first sensor information is pre-installed in the first terminal device 10. Furthermore, pairing between the sensor device 50 and the first terminal device 10 may already have been established.

[0124] The sensor device 50 transmits advertising data indicating a connection type (S1002). The first terminal device 10, which has received the advertising data, attempts to establish a connection by transmitting a connection request to the sensor device 50, and the connection is established (S1004). The sensor device 50 then transmits first sensor information including target person information to the connected first terminal device 10 (S1006). Here, a one-to-one connection is established between the sensor device 50 and the first terminal device 10, enabling secure communication. Furthermore, pairing between the sensor device 50 and the first terminal device 10 enables communication with higher security.

[0125] The first terminal apparatus 10 transmits the received first sensor information to the server apparatus 80 (S1008).

[0126] In addition, when the first terminal device 10 establishes a connection with multiple sensor devices 50, it may be configured to transmit the subject information received from the multiple sensor devices 50 to the server device 80 in order of importance.

[0127] For example, when the first terminal device 10 receives the pulse rates (first sensor information) of multiple subjects from multiple sensor devices 50, the first terminal device 10 prioritizes transmitting the data of the subject with the greatest pulse rate variation to the server device 80.

[0128] Furthermore, when the first terminal device 10 receives first sensor information of a second subject that has a higher level of urgency or importance than the first subject while transmitting the first sensor information of the first subject to the server device 80, the first terminal device 10 may temporarily stop transmitting the subject information of the first subject. In this case, the first terminal device 10 resumes transmitting the first sensor information of the first subject after transmitting the subject information of the second subject to the server device 80.

[0129] Based on the received first sensor information, the server device 80 associates the first sensor information with the subject corresponding to the first sensor information and stores the information as subject information (S1010).

[0130] In this way, after a connection is made between the sensor device 50 and the first terminal device 10 (after a secure communication path is established), the sensor device 50 is able to transmit the first sensor information via the first terminal device 10.

[0131] The second terminal device 20 does not receive the first sensor information transmitted by the sensor device 50. Even if the second terminal device 20 receives the first sensor information transmitted by the sensor device 50, it discards the first sensor information. Therefore, the first sensor information is transmitted from the sensor device 50 to the server device 80 via the first terminal device 10. Furthermore, the first sensor information is not transmitted to the server device 80 via the second terminal device 20. This allows the system 1 to transmit the first sensor information using a secure communication path.

[0132] (2) Second Sensor Information A case will be described in which the sensor device 50 transmits the second sensor information to the server device 80. In this case, the description will be given on the assumption that the second terminal device 20 has a program capable of transferring the second sensor information installed in advance.

[0133] In addition, in FIG. 13, the first terminal device 10 is described as having a function of transferring advertising data indicating a broadcast type to the server device 80 when the first terminal device 10 receives the advertising data.

[0134] The sensor device 50 transmits advertising data indicating a broadcast type (S1102, S1104). The sensor device 50 transmits this advertising data together with the second sensor information. That is, the sensor device 50 periodically transmits the second sensor information as a broadcast.

[0135] As described above, the second sensor information is transmitted as advertising data, which means that the second sensor information is transmitted by broadcast. Therefore, in Fig. 13, the second sensor information is transmitted once by the sensor device 50, and is received by the first terminal device 10 in S1102 and the second terminal device 20 in S1104.

[0136] Here, when the first terminal apparatus 10 and the second terminal apparatus 20 are within the BLE communication range, they each receive second sensor information from the sensor apparatus 50 (S1102, S1104). Then, the first terminal apparatus 10 that has received the second sensor information transmits the second sensor information to the server apparatus 80 (S1106). Also, the second terminal apparatus 20 that has received the second sensor information transmits the second sensor information to the server apparatus 80 (S1108).

[0137] In addition, when the second terminal device 20 receives second sensor information from multiple sensor devices 50, it may be configured to transmit to the server device 80 data of higher importance from the second sensor information received from the multiple sensor devices 50.

[0138] For example, when the second terminal device 20 receives the body surface temperatures (second sensor information) of multiple subjects from multiple sensor devices 50, the second terminal device 20 prioritizes transmitting the second sensor information of the subject with the highest body surface temperature to the server device 80.

[0139] Note that while the second terminal device 20 is transmitting the second sensor information of the first subject to the server device 80, if the second terminal device 20 receives subject information of a second subject that is more urgent or important than the first subject, the second terminal device 20 may temporarily stop transmitting the second sensor information of the first subject. In this case, the second terminal device 20 resumes transmitting the second sensor information of the first subject after transmitting the second sensor information of the second subject to the server device 80.

[0140] The server device 80 receives second sensor information from both the first terminal device 10 and the second terminal device 20. In this case, the server device 80 receives the second sensor information from both the first terminal device 10 and the second terminal device 20, resulting in overlapping information. Therefore, the server device 80 deletes the overlapping second sensor information (S1010). Then, the server device 80 stores the subject information by linking it to the subject corresponding to the non-overlapping second sensor information (S1012).

[0141] 13 illustrates a case where the first terminal device 10 and the second terminal device 20 are within a range where communication with the sensor device 50 is possible, but if only the second terminal device 20 is present, it is of course sufficient to process only one device. In this case, the server device 80 does not need to delete duplicate data. Furthermore, if there are three or more terminal devices within a range where communication with the sensor device 50 is possible, it is possible to store the sensor information of only one device and delete the others.

[0142] In this way, even if a connection is not established between the sensor device 50 and each terminal device, the sensor device 50 can freely transmit the second sensor information to the server device 80. As a result, even if communication with the terminal device (first terminal device 10) owned by the sensor device 50 fails or communication with the terminal device (first terminal device 10) is out of range, the sensor device 50 can transmit the sensor information to the server device 80 using any of the terminal devices.

[0143] [1.3.2 Sensor Device Setting Process] The process of setting the operation of the sensor device 50 will be described with reference to Fig. 14. The process of Fig. 14 is executed by a terminal device (e.g., the first terminal device 10) having a setting function for the sensor device 50.

[0144] First, the control unit 100 of the first terminal apparatus 10 establishes a connection with the sensor apparatus 50 (step S104). Note that the first terminal apparatus 10 and the sensor apparatus 50 may be paired. The pairing of the two apparatuses may be performed using a standard function of an operating system (OS, for example, iOS (registered trademark), Android (registered trademark), Windows (registered trademark), etc.), or may be performed using a unique method.

[0145] Note that step S104 will be described assuming that the first terminal apparatus 10 and the sensor apparatus 50 are connected via short-range wireless communication (e.g., BLE), but they may be connected via other communication methods. For example, in this process, the first terminal apparatus 10 and the sensor apparatus 50 may be connected via a wireless LAN or a USB cable, for example.

[0146] Next, the control unit 100 sets the communication mode of the sensor device 50 (step S106; for example, R104 in FIG. 18). Here, the communication mode can be selected from either or both of the "connection type" and "broadcast type."

[0147] There are various possible selection methods, but for example, as shown in region R104 in Fig. 18 (described later), the control unit 100 displays a selection box on the display screen W100. If the user wants to send to a specific device, the user checks the "Device below" field. When this field is checked, the control unit 100 determines that "connection-oriented" has been selected and sets the communication mode to "connection-oriented."

[0148] Furthermore, if the user checks the "broadcast permission" field, the control unit 100 determines that "broadcast type" has been selected, and sets the communication mode to "broadcast type."

[0149] Here, since the two fields are check boxes, the user can select both. If both are selected, the control unit 100 may select the communication mode as "both" or "connection-oriented / broadcast-oriented."

[0150] Alternatively, only one of the two communication methods may be selected. In this case, the control unit 100 may display a radio box instead of the check box in the region R104. If neither method is selected, the control unit 100 may display a message prompting the user to "select one."

[0151] Next, if the sensor device 50 is currently set to connection-oriented communication or if it is set to both, the control unit 100 sets a destination to which the sensor information is to be transmitted (step S108; Yes -> step S110). That is, the control unit 100 sets information about the first terminal device 10 that will transmit the sensor information as the destination. For example, the control unit 100 selects the terminal device (first terminal device 10) that will be the destination in region R104a in FIG. 18.

[0152] The control unit 100 may set multiple destinations to which the sensor device 50 transmits sensor information. When the sensor device 50 is set for broadcast communication, the sensor device 50 does not transmit the sensor information to a specific destination. Therefore, the control unit 100 does not need to set a destination to which the sensor information of the sensor device 50 is transmitted, but may set a priority of the second terminal device 20 to which the information is broadcast. For example, the second terminal device 20 to which the information is broadcast may be set to a terminal device owned by a family member.

[0153] Next, the control unit 100 sets the information to be acquired by the sensor device 50 (step S112; region R106 in FIG. 18 ). For example, the control unit 100 specifies necessary information from among the information that can be acquired. All information that can be acquired by the sensor device 50 may be specified, or one or more pieces of information may be selected. For example, the control unit 100 may select to acquire biological information such as heart rate (rate) and respiration (rate), or may select to acquire information related to sleep, such as sleep duration.

[0154] The control unit 100 may also set the timing of acquisition (region R108 in FIG. 18 ). For example, the control unit 100 may be able to set the time interval for acquiring the biological information, such as acquiring the biological information every minute, every five minutes, or every ten minutes.

[0155] The control unit 100 stores these settings as setting information in the setting information storage area 114. The control unit 100 also transmits the setting information to the sensor device 50. Upon receiving the setting information, the sensor device 50 stores it in the setting information storage area 514.

[0156] The control unit 100 may transmit the setting information to the sensor device 50 by another method. For example, in the first terminal device 10, the control unit 100 may generate the setting information. Then, the first terminal device 10 may transmit the setting information to the sensor device 50. In this case, the method of transmitting the setting information from the first terminal device 10 to the sensor device 50 may use, for example, near field communication (NFC) as short-range wireless communication.

[0157] [1.3.3 Sensor Device Processing] Next, the operation of the sensor device 50 will be described with reference to Fig. 15. First, the control unit 500 of the sensor device 50 refers to the setting information and determines whether connection-oriented communication is to be performed (step S202). Specifically, by referring to the setting information, the control unit 500 determines whether the communication method is set to "connection-oriented communication" or "both."

[0158] If the setting information indicates that connection-oriented communication is to be performed (step S202; Yes), it is determined whether a connection has been established with the destination terminal device (first terminal device 10) (step S206). If the connection has not been established, the control unit 500 does not transmit the sensor information and temporarily ends the process (step S206; No).

[0159] If a connection has been established with the terminal device (first terminal device 10) to be connected to, the sensor device 50 transmits sensor information to the terminal device (step S206; Yes->step S208).

[0160] On the other hand, if the setting information does not specify connection-oriented communication, i.e., broadcast-oriented communication (step S202; No), the control unit 500 determines whether broadcast transmission is possible (step S210).

[0161] If there is sensor information to be distributed by broadcast, the control unit 500 broadcasts the sensor information (step S210; Yes → step S212). Specifically, the sensor device 50 includes the sensor information in advertising data and transmits the advertising data to another terminal device (second terminal device 20).

[0162] The sensor device 50 may temporarily store the sensor information in preparation for loss of the sensor information. For example, when the sensor device 50 is performing connection-oriented communication, it transmits the sensor information in step S208 and stores the sensor information in the sensor information storage area 512. The sensor device 50 may then delete the sensor information when it receives a signal from the first terminal device 10. Furthermore, when the sensor device 50 does not receive a signal from the first terminal device 10 within a predetermined time, it may resend the sensor information to the first terminal device 10.

[0163] Furthermore, when the first terminal device 10 receives sensor information from the sensor device 50, it may transmit the received signal to the sensor device 50. Furthermore, the first terminal device 10 may transmit a signal to the sensor device 50 when the sensor information is deleted from the device, when the sensor information is transmitted to the server device 80, or when the server device 80 notifies the first terminal device 10 that it has received the sensor information.

[0164] Furthermore, when the sensor device 50 is performing broadcast-type communication, it transmits sensor information by broadcast in step S212 and stores the sensor information in the sensor information storage area 512.

[0165] When the server device 80 receives sensor information transmitted by broadcast communication from the first terminal device 10 and / or the second terminal device 20, it transmits a signal to the sender to indicate that the information has been received. The first terminal device 10 or the second terminal device 20 that has received the signal from the server device 80 transmits a signal by broadcast communication indicating that the sensor information has been properly received. When the sensor device 50 receives the signal indicating that the sensor information has been properly received, it deletes the sensor information. Note that the first terminal device 10 or the second terminal device 20 may broadcast a signal indicating that the information has been received to the sensor device 50 at the timing when it receives the sensor information transmitted by broadcast communication.

[0166] [1.3.4 Sensor Information Storage Processing] The sensor information storage processing in the server device will be described with reference to Fig. 16. The control unit 800 of the server device 80 receives the sensor information via the communication unit 820 (step S302; Yes). The control unit 800 then identifies the target person from the sensor information. The following two methods can be considered as a method for identifying the sensor information.

[0167] (1) Identifying a subject from a subject ID included in sensor information For example, if the sensor information is transmitted using a connection-based communication method, the sensor information may include a subject ID. In this case, the control unit 800 extracts the subject ID directly from the sensor information and identifies the subject to whom the sensor information is to be recorded. Note that when referring to personal information (e.g., the subject's name), the control unit 800 can identify the specific personal information by referring to the subject DB 812.

[0168] (2) Identifying a target person from a sensor device ID included in the sensor information. For example, if the sensor information is transmitted using a broadcast communication method, the target person ID is not included in the sensor information. In this case, the control unit 800 extracts the sensor device ID included in the sensor information. Then, the control unit 800 refers to the sensor DB 814, reads the target person ID, and identifies the target person.

[0169] (3) Identifying the target person from the information of the first terminal device 10 The control unit 800 identifies the target person ID from the information of the first terminal device 10 that transmitted the sensor information. For example, the sensor device 50 may include information about the first terminal device 10 that is the transmission destination, or the first terminal device 10 may include identification information when transferring the information (when transmitting from the server device 80). The control unit 800 then identifies the target person ID based on the identification information of the first terminal device 10. Note that the correspondence between the identification information of the first terminal device 10 and the target person ID may be stored in advance in the target person DB 812, or may be stored as separate data.

[0170] Next, the control unit 800 determines whether the received sensor information is duplicated (step S306). For example, the control unit 800 identifies sensor information when the information included in the sensor information is a perfect match or when predetermined items match. The control unit 800 may also determine whether the sensor information is duplicated by using identification information assigned to each piece of sensor information.

[0171] If the sensor information is not duplicated, the control unit 800 extracts the subject information from the sensor information and stores it in the subject DB 812 (step S306; No → step S308).If the sensor information is duplicated, the control unit 800 deletes the duplicated subject information (step S306; Yes → step S310).

[0172] Note that the control unit 800 may prioritize data received earlier as a method for the server device 80 to delete sensor information. For example, the control unit 800 may store the earliest received data and delete data received thereafter.

[0173] Furthermore, the server device 80 may delete data according to the priority of the second terminal device 20. For example, the server device 80 stores duplicated sensor information for a certain period of time and determines whether duplicate data is received. Here, the server device 80 preferentially stores data with a high priority of the second terminal device 20 from which the sensor information was transmitted. For example, among the second terminal devices 20, a terminal device that repeatedly transmits data or a terminal device set by the subject person (for example, a family member's terminal device) may be set to a high priority.

[0174] Furthermore, when the server device 80 receives sensor information from the first terminal device 10 that includes the same type of subject information as that of the second terminal device 20, the server device 80 may prioritize the sensor information received from the first terminal device 10. For example, if the SpO2 value included in the sensor information is a value received from a pulse oximeter by the first terminal device 10 and a value received from a smartwatch by the second terminal device 20, the server device 80 receives sensor information including SpO2 values ​​from both. In this case, the server device 80 may preferentially store the value from the first terminal device 10 if the two SpO2 values ​​fall within a predetermined time range.

[0175] In addition, the server device 80 may preferentially store sensor information received from the first terminal device 10 or the second terminal device 20 with a higher priority, and if the sensor information cannot be received, may store sensor information from the second terminal device 20 with a lower priority.

[0176] 1.3.5 Display Processing in Third Terminal Device Next, an example of display processing in the third terminal device 30 will be described with reference to Fig. 17. The control unit 300 acquires information about the subject from the subject DB 812 of the server device 80 as necessary, and executes processing.

[0177] First, the control unit 300 specifies a display area including a target person to be displayed on the display unit 360 (step S402). For example, the control unit 300 selects a group from among evacuation sites, evacuation areas, and evacuation sites and evacuation areas.

[0178] Next, the control unit 300 displays a list of the subject information (step S404). After identifying the subject to be displayed in step S402, the control unit 300 displays biological information such as the heart rate, respiratory rate, body temperature, SpO2, and activity level as the subject information of the identified subject.

[0179] When displaying each piece of biometric information, the control unit 300 may display a distinguishable indication corresponding to the value of the biometric information. For example, the control unit 300 may display a graph or a color-coded indication according to the biometric information value.

[0180] In particular, the control unit 300 identifies and displays information about the subject in a warning state (step S406). For example, the control unit 300 identifies and displays a warning state for a bioinformation value that is in a warning state among the bioinformation values. For example, the control unit 300 may identify and display a warning state when the SpO2 is below a predetermined value (e.g., 93%).

[0181] Furthermore, when the control unit 300 is in a warning state, it may not only display an identification display, but may also, for example, display a pop-up, sound an alert, or output an alarm to another device (for example, a terminal device owned by a staff member).

[0182] When one subject is selected from the subjects displayed in the list, the control unit 300 displays an individual screen (step S408; Yes → step S410). The individual screen may display, for example, detailed subject information or past history. The individual screen may also display the past history using a graph or the like.

[0183] If a back operation is performed, the control unit 300 executes the process again from step S402 (step S412; Yes->step S402). That is, the control unit 300 switches from the individual screen to the list display screen.

[0184] Furthermore, when an operation to display the sleep state is selected while an individual screen is being displayed, the control unit 300 displays a screen containing information about sleep (step S412; No → step S414; Yes → step S416). For example, the screen containing information about sleep may be a screen that displays a sleep diary showing graphs of going to bed and waking up, and sleep and wakefulness, as well as sleep time, respiratory rate during sleep, and heart rate during sleep. Furthermore, the screen containing information about sleep may display graphs showing past trends in these values.

[0185] If a back operation is performed at this time, the screen may return to the previous screen. For example, if a back operation is performed when a screen including information about sleep is displayed, the individual screen is displayed again (step S418; Yes → step S410).

[0186] 1.4 Operational Example An operational example will be described below using an example screen. Fig. 18 is a diagram showing an example of a display screen W100 when setting the sensor device 50 in the first terminal device 10.

[0187] On the display screen W100, the subject's name and subject's ID are displayed in an area R100 as information about the subject.

[0188] The display screen W100 also displays information about the currently set sensor device 50. Pairing has already been performed with the sensor device 50, and the sensor device 50 is in a connectable state or a connected state.

[0189] Area R102 of the display screen W100 displays the name and sensor device ID of the sensor device 50. Area R104 displays a selectable communication method. For example, the subject can select whether to allow the sensor device 50 to communicate using a "broadcast" method or a specific device (i.e., a connection-based method). When selecting a specific device, the subject can select a device to which the sensor device 50 can currently connect. Both communication methods may be selected.

[0190] In addition, in region R106, one or more pieces of information to be acquired can be selected. In addition, in region R108, the interval at which information is acquired can be selected. The interval at which information is acquired can be any interval.

[0191] 19 to 23 are examples of display screens on the third terminal device 30. The following describes the operation when staff such as medical personnel use the third terminal device 30 to manage evacuees and the like.

[0192] 19 is an example of a display screen W120 displayed on the third terminal device 30. The display screen W120 is an area where a title and a menu are displayed at the top, and an area where information is displayed is secured below that.

[0193] Various information is displayed in the information display area. For example, evacuation sites are displayed in area R120. Area R122 displays tabs that allow users to switch between evacuation site groups. Staff members can select a tab to switch between the list of evacuation sites displayed on the right side.

[0194] A list of subjects is displayed in area L120. By displaying a list of multiple subjects, a highly convenient display screen is provided for staff and the like to manage the biometric information and the like of multiple subjects.

[0195] Area L120 displays one line for each subject. For example, area L122 displays subject information for "Shinyaka Kazuki." Display screen W120 displays the subject information, including sleep time, body surface temperature (body temperature), activity level, SpO2, and pulse rate. Body temperature is displayed as an icon, making it easy for staff and others to visually identify risks. Activity level is also displayed as a graph, providing a highly visible display screen.

[0196] Here, if there is any warning status in the subject information, it is displayed in an identifiable manner. FIG. 20 is an example of a display screen W140 with an identifiable display. For example, the identification display M140 displays a number in the location of a tab, indicating how many warning statuses exist among the subject information included in that tab. Furthermore, in the display screen W140, since the "SpO2" of "Shinyaka Kazuki" is an abnormal value, an identification display M142 (highlighted) is displayed. Here, the identification display may be displayed in a highlighted manner, a boxed display, or a different color. Furthermore, the identification display may be displayed in a flashing manner.

[0197] When tab B is selected on display screen W140, display screen W160 in FIG. 21 is displayed. On display screen W160, the fact that there are two pieces of target person information in a warning state is clearly indicated by tab identification marks. Furthermore, when the actual target persons are displayed in a list, the target person information in two places is identified (highlighted), making it possible to immediately understand that the target person information is in a warning state.

[0198] When individual information in area L122 is selected on the display screen of Fig. 19, the display screen transitions to display screen W200 of Fig. 22. Display screen W200 is an individual screen, and displays information about only one subject.

[0199] For example, the display screen W200 displays the target person's name, evacuation site, and area in region R202. Region R204 may also display a message. The display screen W200 displays four graphs, for example. For example, the display screen W200 displays a graph G202 showing changes in body temperature, a graph G204 showing changes in activity level, a graph G206 showing changes in SpO2, and a graph G208 showing changes in pulse rate.

[0200] The most recently acquired value is displayed at the top of each graph. For example, in graph G202, the body surface temperature "36.9°C" is the body temperature most recently acquired by the sensor device 50. Note that this bioinformation value may not only be the most recently acquired value, but may also be a real-time value or a maximum value (or minimum value).

[0201] In addition, various types of graphs can be displayed. The display screen W210 in Fig. 21 displays a line graph and a bar graph as an example.

[0202] Furthermore, various combinations of line graphs and bar graphs are possible depending on the settings. For example, the display screen W200 displays a single line graph in chronological order in graphs G202 and G208. Note that graph G202 uses different dot shapes for each measurement time. For example, 9:00 a.m. is indicated by a black circle, and 5:00 p.m. is indicated by a white triangle. Graph G206 displays multiple overlapping line graphs. Graph G204 is displayed as a bar graph. The display of these graphs can be changed depending on the settings. In this embodiment, multiple types are displayed for the sake of explanation, but they may also be displayed uniformly as the same type.

[0203] The display screen W200 also displays the sleep time in an area R204 and a display button B202 for displaying information about the sleep time. The display screen W200 also displays a button B204 for saving the screen and saving (memorizing) manually entered values ​​of the subject information.

[0204] Here, when the user selects the display button B202 related to sleep time, the screen transitions to the display screen W220 of Fig. 23. The display screen W220 displays a graph G222 showing a sleep diary, a graph G224 showing sleep time, G226 showing respiratory rate during sleep, and G228 showing heart rate during sleep.

[0205] In this way, according to this embodiment, it is possible to easily grasp the condition of the subject using the third terminal device 30.

[0206] [2. Second Embodiment] Next, a second embodiment will be described. The second embodiment is an embodiment capable of displaying various types of information on the first terminal device 10. Note that in this embodiment, a description of the configuration and processing common to the first embodiment will be omitted, and the description will focus on the differences.

[0207] 24 shows processing executed by the first terminal device 10 in this embodiment. The first terminal device 10 in this embodiment is capable of performing connection-oriented communication, but is also capable of performing broadcast-oriented communication.

[0208] The control unit 100 determines whether the advertising data indicates a connection type or a broadcast type. If the advertising data indicates a connection type, the control unit 100 determines that the advertising data is the first sensor information described in Fig. 13, establishes a connection, and receives the sensor information (step S502; Yes).

[0209] Next, the control unit 100 displays the biometric information (value) included in the subject information from the sensor information on the display unit 160 (step S504). Then, the control unit 100 prompts the subject to input a note as necessary (step S506), and transmits the input note together with the sensor information to the server device 80 (step S508).

[0210] 25 is an example of a display screen displayed on the first terminal device 10. The SpO2 value and the heart rate value are displayed, and a memo field is provided below them. The subject writes a memo in the memo field, and the memo content is stored along with the subject information.

[0211] Furthermore, when an operation to display the subject information is performed, the first terminal apparatus 10 executes a subject information display process (step S510; Yes→step S514). For example, the first terminal apparatus 10 may be configured to be able to switch between and display a graph of the subject's SpO2 over time (e.g., FIG. 26(a)), a graph of the subject's heart rate over time (e.g., FIG. 26(b)), a graph of the subject's body temperature over time (e.g., FIG. 26(c)), and a graph of the subject's activity level over time (e.g., FIG. 26(d)).

[0212] Note that Fig. 26(a) is a diagram showing the change in the subject's SpO2 over two time periods. The graph in Fig. 26(a) begins (June 2), with the lower graph showing the change in SpO2 at 9:00 a.m. and the upper graph showing the change in SpO2 at 5:00 p.m. Fig. 26(b) is a diagram showing the change in the subject's heart rate over two time periods. The graph in Fig. 26(b) begins (June 2), with the lower graph showing the change in heart rate at 9:00 a.m. and the upper graph showing the change in heart rate at 5:00 p.m.

[0213] Furthermore, when first terminal apparatus 10 receives advertising data indicating the broadcast type, it regards the advertising data as the second sensor information described in Fig. 13 and transfers the advertising data to server apparatus 80 (step S516 → step S518). That is, the advertising data includes sensor information, and first terminal apparatus 10 transmits the sensor information to server apparatus 80.

[0214] If the first terminal device 10 is owned by a medical staff member or other such person, the first terminal device 10 may have a function for checking biometric information. For example, the display screen in Fig. 27 displays biometric information transferred by the first terminal device 10. Since the broadcasted sensor information does not include information for identifying the user, the name is displayed as the user, but the identification number corresponding to the ID of the sensor device is displayed as "serial."

[0215] FIG. 27 also displays the body temperature and SpO2 values ​​of each subject's biometric information. If an abnormal value is detected, the staff member can tap on the subject to inquire of the server device 80. Specifically, the first terminal device 10 inquires of the server device 80 about the information of the selected subject. At this time, the server device 80 authenticates whether the user of the first terminal device 10 has the authority to display information about a third party, such as a staff member. If the server device 80 can authenticate that the user is an authorized staff member, it transmits information according to the content of the inquiry. For example, the server device 80 can obtain detailed biometric information about a subject experiencing a specific problem, as well as the transition of the biometric information. Furthermore, the staff member may use the first terminal device 10 to display a display screen such as that shown in FIG. 26 for the selected subject.

[0216] 3. Third Embodiment Next, a third embodiment will be described. In the first embodiment, the communication method of the sensor device 50 was selected as either a connection type or a broadcast type depending on the target user, etc. In this embodiment, by selecting "automatic," the sensor device 50 appropriately switches between the two types and transmits.

[0217] In this embodiment, the process of Fig. 15 is replaced with the process of Fig. 28. The same processes are denoted by the same reference numerals and the description thereof will be omitted.

[0218] First, the control unit 500 determines whether the type of sensor information is low in importance or high in immediacy (step S220).

[0219] That is, the control unit 500 determines whether the information corresponds to the first sensor information or the second sensor information described in Fig. 13. The control unit 500 then transmits the information determined to be the first sensor information using a connection-type communication method. The control unit 500 also transmits the information determined to be the second sensor information using a broadcast-type communication method.

[0220] Here, the first sensor information is information that includes personal information and therefore requires a secure communication method. For example, information acquired by a sensor device 50 equivalent to a medical device is the first sensor information. Alternatively, the subject may specify any item as the first information.

[0221] The second sensor information includes information that is highly timely and information intended to prevent data loss. For example, when the subject is asleep, the subject's body may be disabled and a communication path with the first terminal device 10 may not be established. In this case, transmitting the sensor information in a broadcast format allows for more reliable data transmission.

[0222] Furthermore, information with a high degree of urgency may be the second sensor information. For example, the heart rate is normally the first sensor information, but if it reaches a value that triggers a warning, it may be transmitted to the server device 80 more reliably as the second sensor information.

[0223] Furthermore, the sensor information may be divided into first sensor information and second sensor information depending on the data volume. For example, the control unit 500 may transmit data with a small amount of information, such as simple heart rate, respiratory rate, body temperature, activity level, SpO2, and sleep time, as the second sensor information. Furthermore, the control unit 500 may transmit data with a large amount of data, such as continuous waveform data of an electrocardiogram or continuous waveform data of respiration, as the first sensor information.

[0224] Furthermore, the sensor device 50 of this embodiment may switch to broadcast communication when connection-based communication is not possible. For example, when the sensor device 50 cannot establish a connection with the first terminal device 10 (step S206; No), the sensor device 50 may transmit sensor information using the broadcast communication method (step S210; Yes → step S212).

[0225] The sensor device 50 may transmit the sensor information by a broadcast communication method if communication with the first terminal device 10 is interrupted midway. Furthermore, if a connection with the first terminal device 10 is established while the sensor device 50 is transmitting the sensor information by a broadcast communication method, the sensor device 50 may transmit the sensor information to the first terminal device 10 by connection-oriented communication.

[0226] 28 may be executed as parallel processing. For example, in step S220, the sensor device 50 transmits information determined to be highly important or information selected by the subject to the first terminal device 10 by connection-type communication. Furthermore, the sensor device 50 transmits information determined to be less important, information not particularly selected by the subject, or information requiring high immediacy by broadcast-type communication.

[0227] In this way, the sensor device 50 may use two communication methods in parallel. The sensor device 50 may automatically switch between the two communication methods or use the communication methods simultaneously. In this case, the sensor device 50 may include a plurality of short-range wireless communication units 530.

[0228] [4. Fourth Embodiment] Next, a fourth embodiment will be described. In the fourth embodiment, the server device 80 provides advice depending on the forwarding status of the second terminal device 20. Note that in this embodiment, explanations of configurations and processes common to the first embodiment will be omitted, and the explanation will focus on differences. Figure 29 is a diagram explaining the processing of the server device 80 in the fourth embodiment.

[0229] The control unit 800 counts the terminal devices that have received the sensor information (step S400). If there is a terminal device within a short distance among the second terminal devices 20 other than the target person, the control unit 800 executes a first notification process (step S402; Yes→step S404).

[0230] For example, the transfer rate of the subject's sensor information is tallied for each second terminal device 20. The control unit 800 can determine that the higher the transfer rate, the higher the frequency of contact with the subject. Furthermore, if the transferred sensor information includes radio wave intensity and the distance from the sensor device 50, the control unit 800 can determine that the distance to the subject is close. This allows the control unit 800 to notify close contacts of an infectious disease (e.g., COVID-19).

[0231] The control unit 800 also determines the number of sensor devices transmitting the sensor information transferred by the second terminal device 20, and determines whether the change is within a predetermined range (step S406). If the change in the terminal device is within the predetermined range, the control unit 800 executes a second notification process (step S406; Yes→step S408).

[0232] For example, if there is little change in the second terminal devices 20 transferring the sensor information, for example, the types of terminal devices around the subject (e.g., the types of terminal devices identified from the identification information of the terminal devices) have not changed, or the number of second terminal devices 20 transferring the sensor information has not changed, it can be seen that the subject is always in the same place, or that even if the subject moves, the sensor information is being transmitted from a narrow range where the same second terminal devices 20 can connect. The control unit 800 determines that the subject is at high risk of developing sedentary lifestyle syndrome because the subject is not moving, or notifies the subject that there is an increased risk of developing depression due to lack of communication.

[0233] Although the operation of this embodiment has been described as being performed by the server device 80, it may also be performed by, for example, the first terminal device 10 or the third terminal device 30 held by an authorized person such as a staff member.

[0234] [5. Application Examples and Effects] This system can be effectively used to manage the health of evacuees in evacuation shelters, for example.

[0235] For example, vital data that falls under sensitive personal information (e.g., measurement data from medical equipment) can be transmitted to a server device 80 via a first terminal device 10, such as a dedicated gateway or the individual's personal smartphone, and other data can be broadcast from a sensor device 50 and transmitted to a second terminal device 20, such as a smartphone carried by an evacuee, to the server device 80, including data other than the individual's own data.

[0236] The broadcasted data includes the identification information and vital data of the sensor device 50, and is only associated with personal information when the server device 80 links the sensor device 50 with the subject.

[0237] In addition, this system enables the creation of a more secure environment by setting up a network locally at the evacuation shelter (e.g., Local 5G) and making the link between the identification information of the sensor device 50 and the identification information of the target person viewable only in the local environment.

[0238] In addition, this system can receive data from all terminal devices (smartphones) at evacuation shelters, which reduces the frequency of data loss caused by human bodies.

[0239] In addition, this system utilizes terminal devices such as evacuees' smartphones, minimizing the installation of gateways.

[0240] In this way, evacuation shelters are environments where mutual assistance by local communities is established. Therefore, evacuees with terminal devices such as smartphones are asked to install a dedicated application in advance. This system can send data from environmental sensors or wearable sensors to a server device via various routes using the dedicated application at the evacuation shelter. Therefore, this system allows even people who do not have terminal devices such as smartphones to send data to a server device in real time, making it possible to build a system that minimizes data communication interruptions.

[0241] In addition, this system broadcasts data acquired from the wearable sensors at regular intervals using a beacon system. The gateway and smartphone that acquired the data then forward the data to a server device. If duplicate data from the same ID exists, the server device discards the duplicate data.

[0242] Furthermore, broadcast transmission alone can result in data being received by various devices, making it difficult to protect personal information. Therefore, for devices that acquire vital data, which is considered personal information and requires special consideration, a communication environment is created in which the data is paired to prevent information leaks to the outside. The server device can manage and operate this data and other broadcast data in the same environment.

[0243] To create a more secure environment for broadcasted data, this system builds a local network (e.g., Local 5G) between the server device and the gateway / smartphone, and files linking data IDs (such as sensor device IDs) with personal IDs can be managed within the evacuation shelter (e.g., on the server device). This makes it possible to build a system that eliminates the risk of personal information being leaked to people other than those involved.

[0244] The data to be utilized may be obtained from medical devices or non-medical devices. This system is also capable of utilizing information from medical devices.

[0245] The data stored on the server device may also be accessible to medical institutions. Therefore, based on the screening results, medical personnel can issue medical instructions to evacuees at evacuation shelters or local staff. In other words, health management and guidance can be provided remotely at evacuation shelters with few medical personnel.

[0246] In this way, this system makes it possible to manage the health of people involved in evacuation shelters without any manual effort, something that was previously difficult to do.

[0247] Furthermore, this system can be used in evacuation shelters, which are based on the premise of mutual aid, by utilizing the smartphones of evacuees, making it possible to respond without hassle or cost.

[0248] The sensor device can be connected to a terminal device such as a smartphone owned by the subject using short-range wireless communication, for example, Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE). By using BLE to communicate with the terminal device, the sensor device can perform power-saving communication and can be designed with battery capacity in mind.

[0249] Even when using short-range wireless communication using BLE, the sensor device of this embodiment is able to transmit subject information to a server device without data loss. Generally, due to the characteristics of BLE radio waves, there is a problem that communication with a terminal device such as a smartphone is easily interrupted. This is because BLE radio waves cannot pass through the subject's body, and communication may be interrupted, for example, if the subject is sleeping and positioned between the sensor and the smartphone. As such, the sensor device has a problem in that communication with the terminal device may be interrupted depending on the subject's posture. When communication between the sensor device and the terminal device is interrupted, the sensor device is unable to transmit data to the server device, resulting in a long period of data loss.

[0250] However, in such cases, the sensor device of this system can reliably transmit data by broadcasting the target person information. By broadcasting the target person information, the sensor device can have any terminal device transmit the target person information to the server device. Therefore, the server device can prevent data loss of the target person information.

[0251] [6. Modifications] Although the embodiments of the present invention have been described above in detail with reference to the drawings, the specific configuration is not limited to this embodiment, and designs that do not deviate from the gist of the present invention are also included in the scope of the claims.

[0252] Furthermore, it is intended that the techniques disclosed in the above-described embodiments, application examples, operation examples, and modifications may be implemented, as far as possible, either alone or in combination.

[0253] In addition, the programs that run on each device in the embodiments are programs that control the CPU, etc. (programs that make a computer function) so as to realize the functions of the above-described embodiments. Information handled by these devices is temporarily stored in a temporary storage device (e.g., RAM) during processing, and then stored in various ROMs and HDDs, and is read, modified, and written by the CPU as needed.

[0254] Furthermore, when distributing the program on the market, the program can be stored in a portable, non-transitory recording medium and distributed, or transferred to a server computer connected via a network such as the Internet. In this case, the storage device of the server computer is of course included in the present invention.

[0255] In the above-described embodiment, a communication method using BLE has been described, but a different communication method or a combination of different communication methods may be used. For example, when transmitting highly urgent data, the BLE communication method may be switched to a Wi-Fi communication method. In this case, the second sensor information may be transmitted via a wireless LAN. Furthermore, a wireless LAN may be further combined as a third communication method.

[0256] In addition, in the above-described embodiment, when a communication method other than the communication method using BLE is used, connection-type communication / connectionless communication may be used for connection-type communication / broadcast-type communication.

[0257] Furthermore, the above-described first terminal device 10 and second terminal device 20 may be switched depending on the connection frequency. For example, if there is a second terminal device 20 that has been connected multiple times, the system 1 may switch to the first terminal device 10. Specifically, if the same second terminal device 20 is transferring sensor information, the system 1 may recommend whether to set the second terminal device 20 as the communication destination of connection-oriented communication.

[0258] The above-described processing may be terminated at any timing. For example, the program execution may be terminated, or the program may return to the previous step or the previous operation screen when a stop signal is input from the subject (user), staff, or system. For example, the processing flow of FIG. 17 may also be terminated at any timing.

[0259] 1 System 10 First terminal device 100 Control unit 102 Setting unit; 104 Transfer control unit; 106 Subject information display unit 110 Memory unit 112 Sensor information storage area; 114 Setting information storage area; 116 Subject information storage area 120 Communication unit 130 Near field wireless communication unit 150 Operation unit 160 Display unit 20 Second terminal device 200 Control unit 202 Transfer control unit 210 Memory unit 212 Sensor information storage unit 220 Communication unit 230 Near field wireless communication unit 250 Operation unit 260 Display unit 30 Third terminal device 300 Control unit 302 Subject information display control unit; 304 Subject status management unit 310 Memory unit 312 Subject information storage area 320 Communication unit 350 Operation unit 360 Display unit 50 Sensor device 500 Control unit 502 Sensor information transmission unit 510 Storage unit 512 Sensor information storage area; 514 Setting information storage area 530 Short-range wireless communication unit 540 Acquisition unit 80 Server device 800 Control unit 802 Subject management unit 804 Sensor management unit 806 Subject information storage unit 808 Subject status management unit 810 Storage unit 812 Subject DB 814 Sensor DB 820 Communication unit 850 Operation unit 860 Display unit

Claims

1. A sensor device including an acquisition unit that acquires biological information of a subject, a communication unit that performs short-range wireless communication, and a control unit, The control unit is determining whether the acquired biometric information is specific biometric information; If the biometric information is the specific biometric information, the biometric information is transmitted to a server device via the communication unit and a specific terminal device; When the biometric information is other than the specific biometric information, the biometric information is transmitted by broadcasting through the communication unit, thereby transmitting the biometric information to the server device via an unspecified terminal device. Sensor device.

2. The control unit determines that the acquired biometric information is the specific biometric information when the importance of the acquired biometric information is low or the immediacy of the acquired biometric information is high. The sensor device according to claim 1 .

3. A sensor device that transmits acquired sensor information; a terminal device that transmits the sensor information received from the sensor device to a server device; having When the sensor information is transmitted in a connection-oriented manner, a first terminal device that has established communication with the sensor device transmits the sensor information to the server device; When the sensor information is transmitted in a broadcast format, a second terminal device that receives the sensor information transmits the sensor information to the server device. system.

4. The terminal device sets, for the sensor device, a terminal device to which the sensor information is to be transmitted in the connection type. The system of claim 3.

5. When the sensor information transmitted in the broadcast type is transferred from a plurality of the terminal devices, the server device deletes duplicated sensor information.

5. A system according to claim 3 or 4.

6. The server device determines a state of the subject based on the terminal device that transmitted the sensor information in the connection-type manner. A system according to any one of claims 3 to 5.

7. The server device determines the state of the subject from the distance between the sensor device and a terminal device or a transfer rate of the sensor information from the sensor device. The system of claim 6.

8. When the distance between the sensor device and the terminal device is shorter than a predetermined distance or when the transfer rate of the sensor information from the sensor device is higher than a predetermined transfer rate, a notification is made. The system of claim 7.

9. The server device determines a state of the subject from a change in a second terminal device that has transmitted the sensor information from the sensor device. The system of claim 6.

10. When the sensor information is transmitted and the second terminal device is the same type of terminal device or the number of second terminal devices that have transmitted the sensor information does not change, a notification is performed. The system of claim 9.

11. When the terminal device receives sensor information with a high level of urgency from the sensor device while transmitting the sensor information to the server, the terminal device temporarily stops transmission of the sensor information currently being transmitted and transmits the sensor information with a high level of urgency to the server device with priority. A system according to any one of claims 3 to 10.

12. A method for transmitting sensor information from a sensor device to a server device via a terminal device, comprising: When the sensor information is transmitted from the sensor device in a connection-oriented manner, the terminal device that has established communication with the sensor device transmits the sensor information to the server device; When the sensor information is transmitted in a broadcast format, any terminal device that receives the sensor information transmits the sensor information to a server device. Transmission method.