Measurement system, clinical thermometer, and information processing program

Abstract

The present invention provides a measurement system, a clinical thermometer, and an information processing program, that are capable of performing accurate body temperature measurement.　A measurement system according to one aspect of the present invention includes a clinical thermometer (110) that performs temperature measurement in a state of being attached to a body temperature measurement object, and an information terminal (120) that is capable of wireless communication with the clinical thermometer (110). The information terminal (120) transmits a measurement instruction signal to the clinical thermometer (110). The clinical thermometer (110) performs temperature measurement a plurality of times, triggered by reception of the measurement instruction signal, and transmits measurement result information indicating a result of the plurality of times of temperature measurement to the information terminal (120). The information terminal (120) performs processing based on the result of the plurality of times of temperature measurement indicated by the received measurement result information.

Description

Measurement system, thermometer and information processing program

[0001] The present invention relates to a measurement system, a thermometer, and an information processing program.

[0002] 2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, there is known a stick-on thermometer that measures body temperature by sticking a measurement sensor unit to the surface of a measurement site of a body temperature measurement target.

[0003] Patent Document 1 describes a temperature measurement device that includes a device attached to a subject to be measured and an external reader, the device being supplied with power by receiving radio waves from the reader, measuring the temperature, and transmitting the measurement results to the reader via radio waves, and the reader calculating the temperature change rate from the transmitted temperature data and checking its stability. Patent Document 2 describes a body temperature measurement system that includes a body temperature tag having an antenna and a processing unit, and a data reader, the processing unit receiving power wirelessly from the data reader, and when measuring the body temperature, passing current through a semiconductor temperature sensor multiple times to obtain multiple detection signals, and wirelessly transmitting the average value of the signals to the data reader.

[0004] Japanese Patent Publication No. 2003-270051 Japanese Patent Publication No. 2011-027515

[0005] To measure body temperature accurately, it is conceivable to perform the measurement multiple times and determine whether the thermometer (body temperature measurement tag) fits snugly to the part to be measured based on the results. For example, by wirelessly transmitting a measurement instruction command from an information terminal to the thermometer, the thermometer taking a measurement in response to the measurement instruction command and wirelessly transmitting the measurement results to the information terminal multiple times, the information terminal can obtain the results of the multiple measurements and determine whether the body temperature measurement tag fits snugly to the part to be measured.

[0006] However, if an error or delay occurs when transmitting and receiving wireless signals between the information terminal and the thermometer, accurate body temperature measurement may not be possible. For example, if an error or delay occurs when transmitting a measurement instruction command from the information terminal to the thermometer, a discrepancy occurs between the transmission interval of the measurement instruction command and the measurement interval of the thermometer, making it difficult to estimate the measurement interval of the thermometer based on the transmission interval of the measurement instruction command. Furthermore, if an error or delay occurs when transmitting measurement results from the thermometer to the information terminal, a discrepancy occurs between the reception interval of the measurement results and the measurement interval of the thermometer, making it difficult to estimate the measurement interval of the thermometer based on the reception interval of the measurement results.

[0007] If it becomes difficult to estimate the measurement interval of the thermometer, it becomes difficult to accurately determine whether the temperature measurement tag is fitting to the part to be measured based on multiple measurement results, which may result in an inaccurate temperature measurement.

[0008] In one aspect, the present invention has been made in consideration of the above circumstances, and an object of the present invention is to provide a measurement system, a thermometer, and an information processing program that can perform accurate body temperature measurements.

[0009] In order to solve the above problems, the present invention employs the following configuration.

[0010] (1) A measurement system including a thermometer that measures temperature while attached to a body temperature measurement target, and an information terminal capable of wireless communication with the thermometer, wherein the information terminal transmits a measurement instruction signal to the thermometer, the thermometer performs multiple temperature measurements upon receiving the measurement instruction signal, and transmits measurement result information indicating the results of the multiple temperature measurements to the information terminal, and the information terminal performs processing based on the results of the multiple temperature measurements indicated by the received measurement result information.

[0011] According to (1), the thermometer performs multiple temperature measurements in response to a single measurement instruction signal received from the information terminal, so there is no variation in the sampling intervals of the information from the multiple temperature measurements, making it possible to accurately determine whether the measurement tag of the thermometer is compatible with the part to be measured.

[0012] (2) The measurement system according to (1), wherein the thermometer is battery-less.

[0013] According to (2), by making it battery-less, it is possible to produce an inexpensive thermometer.

[0014] (3) The measurement system according to (1) or (2), wherein the thermometer performs the temperature measurements multiple times at predetermined intervals based on an internal clock of the thermometer.

[0015] According to (3), a single measurement instruction signal received from the information terminal can be used as a trigger to accurately perform multiple temperature measurements at predetermined intervals based on the internal clock of the thermometer.

[0016] (4) The measurement system according to (3), wherein the information terminal transmits the measurement instruction signal including interval information indicating the predetermined interval to the thermometer, and the thermometer performs the temperature measurements multiple times at the predetermined interval based on the interval information.

[0017] According to (4), the measurement instruction signal sent from the information terminal to the thermometer contains interval information that indicates the interval between temperature measurements in the thermometer. Therefore, the measurement interval can be flexibly changed by the measurement instruction signal from the information terminal without having to remake the thermometer (body temperature tag) (without having to rewrite the firmware).

[0018] (5) The measurement system according to any one of (1) to (4), wherein the information terminal transmits the measurement instruction signal to the thermometer, the measurement instruction signal including count information indicating the number of times to measure the temperature, and the thermometer performs the temperature measurements multiple times based on the count information.

[0019] According to (5), the measurement instruction signal sent from the information terminal to the thermometer includes count information that instructs the number of temperature measurements to be taken by the thermometer. Therefore, the number of measurements can be flexibly changed by the measurement instruction signal from the information terminal without having to remake the thermometer (body temperature tag) (without having to rewrite the firmware).

[0020] (6) A measurement system according to any one of (1) to (5), wherein the information terminal determines the validity of the results of the multiple temperature measurements based on the results of the multiple temperature measurements, and outputs temperature information indicating a temperature based on at least one of the results of the multiple temperature measurements based on the result of the validity determination.

[0021] According to (6), an accurate body temperature can be obtained when the measurement tag of the thermometer is fitted to the part to be measured, based on the determination result of the validity of the measurement result information.

[0022] (7) A thermometer that measures temperature while attached to a body temperature measurement target, comprising: a temperature sensor that measures the temperature of the body temperature measurement target; an antenna capable of wireless communication with an information terminal; and a processing circuit that, upon receiving a measurement instruction signal from the information terminal via the antenna, performs multiple temperature measurements using the temperature sensor and transmits measurement result information indicating the results of the multiple temperature measurements to the information terminal via the antenna.

[0023] According to (7), the thermometer's processing involves simply performing multiple temperature measurements in response to a single measurement instruction signal received from the information terminal, and then transmitting the results of the multiple temperature measurements directly to the information terminal, making it possible to produce an inexpensive thermometer.

[0024] (8) An information processing program for an information terminal including an antenna capable of wireless communication with a thermometer that measures temperature while attached to a body temperature measurement target, and a processing circuit, the information processing program causing the processing circuit to execute the following processes: send a measurement instruction signal to the thermometer via the antenna; receive measurement result information from the thermometer via the antenna indicating the results of multiple temperature measurements performed by the thermometer in response to the transmission of the measurement instruction signal; and perform processing based on the results of the multiple temperature measurements indicated by the received measurement result information.

[0025] According to (8), the thermometer performs multiple temperature measurements in response to a single measurement instruction signal received from the information terminal, so there is no variation in the sampling intervals of the information from the multiple temperature measurements, making it possible to accurately determine whether the measurement tag of the thermometer is compatible with the part to be measured.

[0026] According to the present invention, it is possible to provide a measurement system, a thermometer, and an information processing program that can perform accurate body temperature measurements.

[0027] 1 is a diagram showing an example of a measurement system 100 of the present invention. FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing the functional configuration of the measurement system 100. FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing the functional configuration of an information terminal 120. FIG. 3 is a sequence diagram showing the operation of the information terminal 120 and the thermometer 110 in the measurement system 100. FIG. 4 is a sequence diagram showing the operation of the measurement system 100 when it is determined that the measurement result information is invalid. FIG. 5 is a sequence diagram showing a first modified example of the operation of the information terminal 120 and the thermometer 110 in the measurement system 100. FIG. 6 is a sequence diagram showing a second modified example of the operation of the information terminal 120 and the thermometer 110 in the measurement system 100. FIG. 7 is a sequence diagram showing a third modified example of the operation of the information terminal 120 and the thermometer 110 in the measurement system 100. FIG. 8 is a sequence diagram showing a fourth modified example of the operation of the information terminal 120 and the thermometer 110 in the measurement system 100.

[0028] DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS An embodiment according to one aspect of the present invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0029] <Measurement System 100> Fig. 1 is a diagram showing an example of a measurement system 100 of the present invention. As shown in Fig. 1, the measurement system 100 includes a thermometer 110 and an information terminal 120.

[0030] The thermometer 110 is an instrument that measures the temperature of a subject while attached to the subject. The thermometer 110 is a device capable of wireless communication with the information terminal 120. The "subject" is, for example, a human being. "Attached to the subject" means that at least a temperature sensor provided on the thermometer 110 is attached to a measurement site of the subject. The "measurement site" is, for example, the armpit. The thermometer 110 is, for example, a body temperature tag. The thermometer 110 may be formed, for example, in a disk shape with an adhesive applied to its surface so that it can be attached to the site where the temperature is to be measured. The thermometer 110 transmits measurement result information indicating the result of the temperature measurement to the information terminal 120 via wireless communication.

[0031] The information terminal 120 is a terminal capable of wireless communication with the thermometer 110. For example, the information terminal 120 is a smartphone, a tablet terminal, a laptop computer, a desktop computer, a wearable terminal, or the like. The "wireless communication" may use, for example, radio frequency identification (RFID), which can read and write information from a body temperature tag of the thermometer 110 without contact using radio waves. Alternatively, near field communication (NFC), which is specialized for short-range communication and operates in a high frequency (13.56 MHz) band, may be used.

[0032] The information terminal 120 transmits a measurement instruction signal to the thermometer 110 via wireless communication to cause the thermometer 110 to perform temperature measurement. The information terminal 120 is also magnetically coupled to the thermometer 110, for example, and supplies power to the thermometer 110 by generating an induced electromotive force due to radio waves. The information terminal 120 also receives measurement result information measured by the thermometer 110 from the thermometer 110 via wireless communication.

[0033] Fig. 2 is a block diagram showing the functional configuration of the measurement system 100. As shown in Fig. 2, the thermometer 110 in the measurement system 100 includes a temperature sensor 111, an antenna 112, and a processing circuit 113. The temperature sensor 111, the antenna 112, and the processing circuit 113 are provided inside the housing of the thermometer 110, which has a disk shape.

[0034] The thermometer 110 is a battery-less thermometer. A "battery-less thermometer" is a thermometer that does not have a battery in the thermometer 110 and can operate using radio waves received from an external device (for example, the information terminal 120) as a power source. For example, if the wireless communication between the thermometer 110 and the information terminal 120 is RFID, the body temperature tag of the thermometer 110 is a passive tag. Also, if the wireless communication between the thermometer 110 and the information terminal 120 is NFC, the body temperature tag of the thermometer 110 is a tag that operates in passive mode.

[0035] The temperature sensor 111 is configured, for example, by a thermistor. However, the temperature sensor 111 may also be configured by a thermocouple. When the thermometer 110 is attached, for example, under the armpit of the person being measured, heat is transferred from the surface of the housing, and the resistance value of the temperature sensor 111 changes in response to the heat. The temperature sensor 111 measures the temperature of the measurement site based on the resistance value and outputs the measured temperature value to the processing circuit 113.

[0036] The antenna 112 is capable of wireless communication with the antenna 121 of the information terminal 120. The antenna 112 also functions as a power supply unit that supplies a predetermined voltage to the temperature sensor 111 and the processing circuit 113 based on the power supplied from the information terminal 120. The antenna 112 converts an AC voltage based on the radio waves received from the information terminal 120 into a predetermined DC voltage and supplies it to the temperature sensor 111 and the processing circuit 113. The antenna 112 also transmits body temperature data of the person being measured, which is measured by the thermometer 110, to the information terminal 120.

[0037] The processing circuit 113 includes, for example, a communications circuit and a processor, and controls the overall operation of the thermometer 110 and executes various processes. The processor of the processing circuit 113 is composed of, for example, a microprocessor, and its operation is defined by embedded firmware. The processing circuit 113 (processor) initiates multiple temperature measurements at the measurement site in response to reception of a measurement instruction signal via communication with the information terminal 120. "Reception of a measurement instruction signal" refers to a single reception of the measurement instruction signal. The processing circuit 113 also converts the temperature measurement value (analog signal) at the measurement site output from the temperature sensor 111 into body temperature data (digital signal) representing the body temperature of the subject. The processing circuit 113 stores the converted body temperature data in a memory unit provided within the processing circuit 113. A thermometer ID, which is identification information for the thermometer 110, is stored in this memory unit, and the processing circuit 113 associates the body temperature data with the thermometer ID and stores it in the memory unit. Furthermore, the processing circuit 113 (communication circuit) transmits the converted body temperature data from multiple times as measurement result information indicating the results of the temperature measurement to the information terminal 120 via the antenna 112.

[0038] As shown in FIG. 2 , the information terminal 120 in the measurement system 100 includes an antenna 121 and a processing circuit 122 .

[0039] The antenna 121 is capable of wireless communication with the antenna 112 of the thermometer 110. The antenna 121 generates radio waves at a predetermined frequency (e.g., 13.56 MHz) and supplies power to the antenna 112 of the thermometer 110 by magnetically coupling with the antenna 112 of the thermometer 110. The antenna 121 also transmits a measurement instruction signal output from the processing circuit 122 to the thermometer 110. The antenna 121 also receives body temperature data of the person being measured transmitted from the thermometer 110.

[0040] The processing circuit 122 outputs a measurement instruction signal to the antenna 121 to be transmitted to the thermometer 110. The processing circuit 122 also performs processing based on the subject's multiple body temperature data (measurement result information) received from the information terminal 120. "Processing based on multiple body temperature data" refers to, for example, determining the validity of at least some of the results of multiple temperature measurements and, if determined to be valid, outputting temperature information indicating the temperature based on at least some of the results of the multiple temperature measurements. Determining the validity of the results of multiple temperature measurements refers to, for example, determining whether the results of the multiple temperature measurements are stable, whether the temperature changes over time in the results of the multiple temperature measurements are small, and whether the results of the multiple temperature measurements indicate that the body temperature tag has adapted to the measurement site. "Adapted" not only means that the body temperature tag is attached to the appropriate position on the measurement site, but also that the measured temperature does not fluctuate irregularly and, for example, shows a steady rising curve. The temperature based on the results of multiple temperature measurements refers to, for example, the average value of the results of multiple temperature measurements, the result of the last temperature measurement in the multiple temperature measurements, or a temperature predicted from the results of multiple temperature measurements. Outputting the temperature information means determining the temperature information as a measurement result, for example, displaying the temperature information on the display unit of the information terminal 120, transmitting the temperature information to another device, recording the temperature information in non-volatile memory, etc. The functions of the information terminal 120 will be described further below with reference to FIG.

[0041] <Configuration of Information Terminal 120> Fig. 3 is a block diagram showing the functional configuration of the information terminal 120. In addition to the antenna 121 and processing circuit 122 described in Fig. 2, the information terminal 120 includes an antenna 123, a display unit 124, an operation unit 125, and a data storage unit 126. The processing circuit 122 also includes a second wireless communication circuit 131, a first wireless communication circuit 132, a RAM 133, and a controller 134.

[0042] The display unit 124 is configured, for example, by a liquid crystal display or an organic EL display, and displays various information related to the measurement system 100. The operation unit 125 is a user interface that accepts user operations, such as buttons or a touch panel. The buttons include buttons that are physically provided on the information terminal 120 and virtual buttons displayed on the display unit 124.

[0043] The data storage unit 126 is a recording medium that stores parameters necessary for implementing predetermined processing, control programs, and multiple body temperature data (measurement result information) of the subject received from the thermometer 110. The data storage unit 126 is configured, for example, by a hard disk drive (HDD) or a semiconductor storage device (SSD).

[0044] The second wireless communication circuit 131 of the processing circuit 122 is a communication circuit for short-range wireless communication, for example, a circuit (module) for communication according to RFID standards. The second wireless communication circuit 131 transmits a measurement instruction signal to the thermometer 110 by performing RFID communication with the thermometer 110, and receives multiple body temperature data (measurement result information) of the person being measured by the thermometer 110. Furthermore, when performing RFID communication with the thermometer 110, the second wireless communication circuit 131 transmits radio waves to the thermometer 110 to supply power. The second wireless communication circuit 131 continues to send radio waves to supply power to the thermometer 110 from the time it transmits the measurement instruction signal until it receives the measurement result information.

[0045] The first wireless communication circuit 132 is a communication circuit for performing cellular communication, such as a circuit (module) for performing communication in accordance with standards such as 4G, 5G, LTE (Long Term Evolution: registered trademark), etc. The first wireless communication circuit 132 is also a communication circuit for performing wireless LAN communication, such as a circuit (module) for performing communication in accordance with standards such as Wi-Fi (registered trademark).

[0046] The antenna 121 is an antenna for performing RFID communication by the second wireless communication circuit 131. The antenna 123 is an antenna for performing cellular communication and wireless LAN communication by the first wireless communication circuit 132.

[0047] The RAM 133 is configured by a semiconductor device such as a DRAM or an SRAM, and temporarily stores information and also serves as a working area for the controller 134 .

[0048] The controller 134 executes a control program to perform predetermined processing. In this embodiment, the data storage unit 126 is pre-installed with, for example, a body temperature measurement application software for the information terminal 120 as a control program, and the controller 134 executes the body temperature measurement application software to perform predetermined processing. For example, when the body temperature measurement application software is launched and a temperature measurement start operation is performed, the controller 134 controls the second wireless communication circuit 131 to transmit a measurement instruction signal to the thermometer 110. The controller 134 also controls the second wireless communication circuit 131 to receive multiple body temperature data (measurement result information) of the subject transmitted from the thermometer 110. The controller 134 generates temperature information of the subject based on the received measurement result information. The controller 134 associates the generated temperature information with the subject (e.g., subject ID) and stores it in the data storage unit 126. The controller 134 may also transmit the confirmed temperature information of the subject to another device (e.g., an external server) via the first wireless communication circuit 132.

[0049] <Operation of Measurement System 100> Next, an example of operation of the measurement system 100 will be described with reference to Fig. 4. Fig. 4 is a sequence diagram showing the operation of the information terminal 120 and the thermometer 110 in the measurement system 100.

[0050] First, to measure body temperature using the measurement system 100, the thermometer 110 of the measurement system 100 shown in Fig. 1 is attached to the armpit of the person being measured, for example. The person being measured launches the body temperature measurement application software on the information terminal 120 in a position where RFID communication is possible with the thermometer 110 of the person being measured, and performs an operation to start body temperature measurement. Note that even if the person being measured does not perform the start operation, the body temperature measurement application on the information terminal 120 may be automatically launched at a predetermined time, for example, and body temperature measurement may begin.

[0051] Based on the operation to start body temperature measurement, the information terminal 120 transmits a measurement instruction signal to the thermometer 110 to start the temperature measurement (step S11). The information terminal 120 also transmits to the thermometer 110 radio waves capable of supplying power to operate the thermometer 110.

[0052] The thermometer 110 is activated by the supplied power and performs a first temperature acquisition of the subject's body temperature based on the measurement instruction signal received from the information terminal 120 (step S12). After completing the first temperature acquisition in step S12, the thermometer 110 converts the acquired first temperature measurement value into body temperature data representing the subject's body temperature and records the converted body temperature data in the memory of the thermometer 110 as the first body temperature data (step S13). The thermometer 110 waits until a predetermined time (interval) set as the time for one temperature acquisition and temperature recording has elapsed (step S14). The predetermined time is measured from the time the temperature acquisition process started. The waiting time in step S14 is the predetermined time from the time the first temperature acquisition (step S12) process started.

[0053] The thermometer 110 measures the temperature multiple times (N times) at predetermined intervals, triggered by receiving a single measurement instruction signal. The thermometer 110 measures the temperature based on its internal clock. The "predetermined interval" is, for example, an interval of one second. However, it does not have to be a constant interval. One example of "multiple times (N times)" is N=10 times. The predetermined interval and the multiple times are, for example, determined in advance and set in the information terminal 120 and the thermometer 110.

[0054] Next, the thermometer 110 acquires the temperature a second time (step S15), records the body temperature data related to the second temperature acquisition (step S16), and waits for the second temperature acquisition and temperature recording (step S17). The thermometer 110 similarly repeats temperature acquisition and temperature recording N=10 times, for example, at one-second intervals. Then, the thermometer 110 completes the Nth temperature acquisition (step S21) and the recording of the body temperature data related to the Nth temperature acquisition (step S22).

[0055] When the thermometer 110 has completed obtaining and recording the temperatures N times, it transmits first measurement result information indicating the result of the first temperature measurement stored in the memory unit as a measurement result signal (first time) to the information terminal 120 (step S23). Similarly, the thermometer 110 transmits a measurement result signal (second time) indicating the second measurement result information (step S24) to a measurement result signal (N time) indicating the N-th measurement result information (step S31) sequentially for each measurement result information.

[0056] Next, the information terminal 120 determines the validity of the measurement result information based on the measurement result information indicating the results of multiple (N) temperature measurements received from the thermometer 110 (step S32). In this example, the following description will be given assuming that the measurement result information is determined to be valid. Note that once the information terminal 120 has finished receiving the measurement result information from the thermometer 110, it stops supplying power to the thermometer 110.

[0057] Next, the information terminal 120 outputs temperature information indicating a temperature based on at least one of the results of the multiple temperature measurements (step S33). For example, if the information terminal 120 determines that the latest measurement result information of the multiple (N) temperature measurements is stable, it outputs temperature information indicating the latest measured temperature to the display unit 124.

[0058] <When Measurement Result Information is Determined to be Invalid> Figure 5 is a sequence diagram showing the operation of the measurement system 100 when the measurement result information is determined to be invalid. As shown in Figure 5, the processes from step S11 to step S32 are the same as the processes from step S11 to step S32 described in the operation example of Figure 4. However, this example is the operation when it is determined in step S32 that the measurement result information indicating the results of multiple (N) temperature measurements is invalid.

[0059] If the measurement result information is determined to be invalid, the information terminal 120 does not confirm the measurement result information received from the thermometer 110 as the measurement result, and does not output the temperature information to the display unit 124, for example. In this case, the information terminal 120 may wait a certain amount of time and then repeat the process from step S11. For example, after 30 seconds, the information terminal 120 may perform 10 measurements at 1-second intervals. Furthermore, if valid measurement result information cannot be obtained even after several remeasurements, the information terminal 120 may display a message such as "Please make sure the thermometer is set properly" on the display unit 124 of the information terminal 120.

[0060] <First Modified Example of Operation of Measurement System 100> Fig. 6 is a sequence diagram showing a first modified example of the operation of the information terminal 120 and the thermometer 110 in the measurement system 100. As shown in Fig. 6, the processes from step S11 to step S22 are the same as the processes from step S11 to step S22 described in the operation example of Fig. 4.

[0061] When the thermometer 110 has completed acquiring and recording the temperatures N times, it transmits all the information recorded in the memory unit, from the first measurement result information indicating the results of the first temperature measurement to the Nth measurement result information indicating the results of the Nth temperature measurement, as a measurement result signal (1st to Nth) all at once to the information terminal 120 (step S23).

[0062] The processes from step S32 to step S33 are the same as the processes from step S32 to step S33 described in the operation example of FIG.

[0063] In this way, the "measurement result information" may be transmitted by multiple signals (e.g., a signal for each temperature measurement) as described above in Figures 4 and 5, or may be transmitted collectively by a single signal as in this first modified example.

[0064] <Second Modification of Operation of Measurement System 100> FIG. 7 is a sequence diagram showing a second modification of the operation of the information terminal 120 and the thermometer 110 in the measurement system 100. As shown in FIG.

[0065] First, the information terminal 120 transmits a measurement instruction signal to the thermometer 110 to start temperature measurement (step S11). Next, the thermometer 110 acquires the subject's body temperature for the first time based on the measurement instruction signal received from the information terminal 120 (step S12). The processing up to this point is the same as the processing from step S11 to step S12 described in the operation example of FIG. 4.

[0066] Next, when the thermometer 110 completes the first temperature acquisition, it converts the acquired first temperature measurement value into body temperature data representing the body temperature of the person being measured, and transmits the converted body temperature data to the information terminal 120 as a measurement result signal (first time) as first measurement result information indicating the result of the first temperature measurement (step S41).

[0067] When the information terminal 120 receives the measurement result signal (first time) from the thermometer 110, it records the information contained in the signal in the data memory unit 126 as first time measurement result information indicating the result of the first temperature measurement (step S42).

[0068] Next, the thermometer 110 waits until a predetermined time (interval) set as the time for one temperature acquisition has elapsed (step S14). After the waiting time in step S14 has elapsed, the thermometer 110 performs a second temperature acquisition (step S15). These processes are the same as the processes in steps S14 and S15 described in the operation example of FIG. 4.

[0069] As in the case of the first temperature acquisition, when the second temperature acquisition is completed, the thermometer 110 converts the acquired second temperature measurement value into body temperature data representing the body temperature of the subject, and transmits the converted body temperature data as second measurement result information indicating the result of the second temperature measurement to the information terminal 120 as a measurement result signal (second time) (step S43). Then, as in the case of the first temperature recording, the information terminal 120 records the information included in the measurement result signal (second time) received from the thermometer 110 in the data storage unit 126 as second measurement result information indicating the result of the second temperature measurement (step S44).

[0070] The thermometer 110 repeats temperature acquisition N=10 times, for example, at one-second intervals, similar to the operational example described in Fig. 4. Then, when the thermometer 110 completes the Nth temperature acquisition (step S21), it transmits a measurement result signal (Nth time) as Nth time measurement result information indicating the result of the Nth temperature measurement to the information terminal 120 (step S45). The information terminal 120 also records the Nth time measurement result information included in the measurement result signal (Nth time) in the data storage unit 126, similar to the first and second temperature recordings described above (step S46).

[0071] The processes from step S32 to step S33 are the same as the processes from step S32 to step S33 described in the operation example of FIG.

[0072] In this way, in the second modified example, the thermometer 110 transmits the temperature measurement results (measurement result information for each measurement) obtained at each measurement to the information terminal 120 for each measurement.

[0073] <Third Modification of Operation of Measurement System 100> Figure 8 is a sequence diagram showing a third modification of the operation of the information terminal 120 and the thermometer 110 in the measurement system 100. In the example of operation of the measurement system 100 described above, the information terminal 120 transmits only a measurement instruction signal to the thermometer 110 to start temperature measurement, and the thermometer 110, upon receiving the measurement instruction signal, performs temperature measurement according to a predetermined interval and number of temperature measurements. In contrast, in this third modification, the information terminal 120 instructs the thermometer 110 not only to start measurement but also to the measurement interval, so that the thermometer 110 performs temperature measurements multiple times according to the measurement interval.

[0074] First, the information terminal 120 transmits a measurement instruction signal including interval information instructing the interval at which to measure the temperature to the thermometer 110 (step S11).

[0075] The thermometer 110 sets the interval for performing temperature measurements in the thermometer 110 based on the measurement instruction signal (interval information) received from the information terminal 120 (step S51). As a result, the thermometer 110 measures the temperature of the person being measured according to the measurement interval set in step S51 and the number of measurements (e.g., N = 10) that are predetermined for the information terminal 120 and the thermometer 110 as described above.

[0076] The processes from step S12 to step S33 in this third modified example are the same as the processes from step S12 to step S33 described in the operation example of FIG.

[0077] 9 is a sequence diagram showing a fourth modified example of the operation of the information terminal 120 and the thermometer 110 in the measurement system 100. In the third modified example described above, the case where the information terminal 120 instructs the thermometer 110 not only to start measurement but also to the measurement interval, but in this fourth modified example, a case where the information terminal 120 instructs the thermometer 110 not only to start measurement but also to the number of measurements, will be described.

[0078] First, the information terminal 120 transmits a measurement instruction signal including number information instructing the number of times to measure the temperature to the thermometer 110 (step S11).

[0079] The thermometer 110 sets the number of times to measure the temperature in the thermometer 110 based on the measurement instruction signal (number of times information) received from the information terminal 120 (step S52). As a result, the thermometer 110 measures the temperature of the person being measured in accordance with the number of times to measure the temperature set in step S52 and the measurement interval (e.g., 1 second interval) that is predetermined for the information terminal 120 and the thermometer 110 as described above.

[0080] The processes from step S12 to step S33 in the fourth modified example are the same as the processes from step S12 to step S33 described in the operation example of FIG.

[0081] Although the third modification has been described as transmitting a measurement instruction signal including interval information, and the fourth modification has been described as transmitting a measurement instruction signal including count information, the present invention is not limited to this. For example, a measurement instruction signal including interval information and count information may be transmitted to thermometer 110, and thermometer 110 may perform temperature measurement according to the measurement interval and count.

[0082] As described above, in the measurement system 100, the information terminal 120 transmits a measurement instruction signal to the thermometer 110, and the thermometer 110 performs multiple temperature measurements upon receiving the measurement instruction signal. The thermometer 110 then transmits measurement result information indicating the results of the multiple temperature measurements to the information terminal 120, and performs processing based on the results of the multiple temperature measurements indicated by the measurement result information received by the information terminal 120. With this configuration, the thermometer 110 performs multiple temperature measurements upon receiving a single measurement instruction signal from the information terminal 120. Therefore, there is no variation in the sampling intervals between the multiple temperature measurements. Therefore, it is possible to accurately determine whether the measurement tag on the thermometer 110 is properly fitted to the measurement site (e.g., underarm) of the subject based on the information from the multiple temperature measurements. This allows the subject's accurate body temperature to be obtained based on the measurement result information.

[0083] Furthermore, the thermometer 110 of the measurement system 100 is a battery-less thermometer, and is activated by power supplied via wireless communication from the information terminal 120. This makes it possible to manufacture an inexpensive thermometer 110.

[0084] Furthermore, the thermometer 110 of the measurement system 100 is capable of performing multiple temperature measurements at predetermined intervals based on the internal clock of the thermometer 110, triggered by a single measurement instruction signal received from the information terminal. This makes it possible to obtain measurement result information with consistent sampling intervals.

[0085] Furthermore, in the measurement system 100, the information terminal 120 transmits a measurement instruction signal to the thermometer 110, including interval information instructing a predetermined interval, and the thermometer 110 performs multiple temperature measurements at the predetermined interval based on the interval information. This allows the measurement interval of the thermometer 110 to be flexibly changed by the measurement instruction signal from the information terminal 120, without having to redesign the thermometer 110 (body temperature tag) (without rewriting the firmware). Similarly, the measurement instruction signal transmitted from the information terminal 120 to the thermometer 110 can be configured to include count information instructing the number of temperature measurements to be performed by the thermometer 110. In this case, the number of measurements of the thermometer 110 can be flexibly changed by the measurement instruction signal from the information terminal 120, without having to redesign the thermometer 110 (body temperature tag) (without rewriting the firmware).

[0086] Furthermore, in the measurement system 100, the information terminal 120 determines the validity of the results of multiple temperature measurements and outputs temperature information indicating a temperature based on at least one of the results of the multiple temperature measurements based on the validity determination result. With this configuration, an accurate body temperature can be obtained when the measurement tag of the thermometer 110 is fitted to the measurement site of the person being measured based on the validity determination result of the measurement result information, and the body temperature can be displayed on the display unit 124, for example.

[0087] <Information Processing Program> The control method of the information terminal 120 described in the above embodiment can be realized by executing a prepared control program on a computer. This control program is recorded on a computer-readable storage medium and executed by being read from the storage medium. Furthermore, this control program may be provided in a form stored on a non-transitory storage medium such as a flash memory, or may be provided via a network such as the Internet.

[0088] Although the embodiments of the present invention have been described in detail above, the above description is merely an example of the present invention in every respect, and various improvements and modifications can be made without departing from the scope of the present invention.

[0089] Although various embodiments have been described above, it goes without saying that the present invention is not limited to such examples. It is clear that a person skilled in the art can conceive of various modifications or alterations within the scope of the claims, and it is understood that these also naturally fall within the technical scope of the present invention. Furthermore, the components of the above embodiments may be combined in any manner as long as they do not deviate from the spirit of the invention.

[0090] This application is based on a Japanese patent application (Patent Application No. 2024-032110) filed on March 4, 2024, the contents of which are incorporated herein by reference.

[0091] REFERENCE SIGNS LIST 100 Measurement system 110 Clinical thermometer 111 Temperature sensor 112, 121, 123 Antenna 113, 122 Processing circuit 120 Information terminal 124 Display unit 125 Operation unit 126 Data storage unit 131 Second wireless communication circuit 132 First wireless communication circuit 133 RAM 134 Controller

Claims

1. A measurement system including a thermometer that measures temperature while attached to a subject, and an information terminal capable of wireless communication with the thermometer, wherein the information terminal transmits a measurement instruction signal to the thermometer, the thermometer performs multiple temperature measurements upon receiving the measurement instruction signal, and transmits measurement result information indicating the results of the multiple temperature measurements to the information terminal, and the information terminal performs processing based on the results of the multiple temperature measurements indicated in the received measurement result information.

2. The measurement system according to claim 1, wherein the thermometer is battery-less.

3. The measurement system according to claim 1, wherein the thermometer performs the plurality of temperature measurements at predetermined intervals based on an internal clock of the thermometer.

4. A measurement system as claimed in claim 3, wherein the information terminal transmits the measurement instruction signal including interval information indicating the predetermined interval to the thermometer, and the thermometer performs the temperature measurements multiple times at the predetermined interval based on the interval information.

5. A measurement system according to claim 1, wherein the information terminal transmits the measurement instruction signal to the thermometer, the measurement instruction signal including count information indicating the number of times to measure the temperature, and the thermometer performs the temperature measurements multiple times based on the count information.

6. A measurement system according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the information terminal determines the validity of the results of the multiple temperature measurements based on the results of the multiple temperature measurements, and outputs temperature information indicating a temperature based on at least one of the results of the multiple temperature measurements based on the result of the validity determination.

7. A thermometer that measures the temperature of a subject when attached to the subject, comprising: a temperature sensor that measures the temperature of the subject; an antenna capable of wireless communication with an information terminal; and a processing circuit that, upon receiving a measurement instruction signal from the information terminal via the antenna, performs multiple temperature measurements using the temperature sensor and transmits measurement result information indicating the results of the multiple temperature measurements to the information terminal via the antenna.

8. An information processing program for an information terminal equipped with an antenna capable of wireless communication with a thermometer that measures temperature while attached to a subject to be measured, and a processing circuit, the information processing program causing the processing circuit to execute the following processes: send a measurement instruction signal to the thermometer via the antenna; receive measurement result information from the thermometer via the antenna indicating the results of multiple temperature measurements performed by the thermometer in response to the transmission of the measurement instruction signal; and perform processing based on the results of the multiple temperature measurements indicated by the received measurement result information.

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