Patent Application
20230101759
This patent application is based upon and claims the benefit of priority under 35 USC 119 of Japanese Patent Application No. 2021-155046 filed on Sep. 24, 2021, the entire disclosure of which, including the specification, claims, drawings, and abstract, is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.
The present disclosure relates to a sensor device.
Conventionally, there have been provided sensor devices which are configured to be attached to a holding member (an edge portion of training pants, a belt, or the like) to measure and analyze a movement form or a movement pace of a moving person. For example, a sensor device described in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2020-99413 is made up of an acceleration sensor with a clip provided thereon and is designed to be mounted on a back side of a human body by making use of a waist belt. This sensor device can wirelessly communicate with a terminal device such as a smartphone or the like using a predetermined system.
This sensor device is mounted as close to the human body as possible so as to detect a motion of the human body in a more secured fashion. As a result, the conventional sensor device is mounted on an inner side of the holding member which is a side facing a certain part of the human body so that a casing portion, in which a sensor element is provided, can contact closely the human body. This may result in a case in which an antenna for communication with the terminal device is positioned inside clothing. Then, in the case that the clothing becomes wet due to sweat exuded during exercise or rain, the casing including the antenna is positioned between the human body which is wet due to exuded sweat and the wet clothing. This causes the human body which is wet due to the exuded sweat and the wet clothing to constitute a dielectric, whereby the antenna is disposed between the dielectrics. The transmission and reception status of a radio communication differs between when the clothing is wet and when the clothing is dry. To deal with this problem, when the sensitivity of the antenna is controlled so that the antenna exhibits its optimum performance in an intermediate status between when the clothing is wet and when the clothing is dry, there is caused a problem in that the performance (sensitivity) of the antenna is reduced when the clothing is wet and dry.
According to an aspect of the present disclosure, there is provided electronic equipment comprising:
Further features of the present disclosure will become apparent from the following description of exemplary embodiments (with reference to accompanying drawings).
Referring to the accompanying drawings, an embodiment of the present disclosure will be described. A sensor device 10 shown in
The sensor device 10 can be used by bringing the contact surface 23 into contact with a skin 110 on a back side of the user 100. When the user 100 takes exercise such as running, a movement of the body of the user 100, who is running, is detected and transmitted by a measuring unit 512 and a communication unit 524, respectively, which are possessed by the sensor device 10, so that the movement so detected and transmitted is analyzed at a terminal device such as a smartphone. The measuring unit 512 and the communication unit 524 will be described in detail later on.
In the following description, when referring to an up-down direction, a left-right direction, and a front-rear direction of the sensor device 10, those directions are so referred to in such a state that the sensor device 10 is mounted on the body of the user 100 as described before. In the case of the up-down direction, an end of the sensor device 10 directed towards the head of the user 100 is referred to up, while an end of the sensor device 10 directed towards the legs of the user 100 is referred to as down. In the case of the left-right direction, a lateral side of the sensor device 10 directed to the left arm of the user 100 is referred to as left, while a lateral side of the sensor device 10 directed towards the right arm of the user 100 is referred to as right. In the case of the front-rear direction, a side of the sensor device 10 which is to be in contact with the skin 110 of the user 100 is referred to as front, while a side of the sensor device 10 which is opposite to the front side is referred to as rear, as shown in
As shown in
The hinge portion 35 has a rotational shaft 35a. The rotational shaft 35a is passed through a bearing hole of a first bearing 21a, which projects from an upper portion on a front surface of the first main body portion 21, and a bearing hole of a second bearing 22a, which projects from an upper portion on a rear surface of the second main body portion 22, so as to couple the first main body portion 21 and the second main body portion 22 together in a rotatable fashion.
A torsion coil spring 35b (refer to
Multiple projections 21b, 22b are provided on the front surface of the first main body portion 21 and the rear surface of the second main body portion 22, respectively, so that the projections 21b, 22b can bite into the closing 120 so as to hold the closing 120 therebetween when the clothing 120 is held by the first main body portion 21 and the second main body portion 22.
A lock component 36 is provided at an upper end portion of the first main body portion 21. The lock component 36 includes a projecting portion 36b, which is provided on a front surface of a flat plate-like main body portion 36a thereof. An engagement hole 36c (refer to
On the other hand, a push-up projecting portion 22c is provided at an upper end portion on the rear surface of the second main body portion 22 which lies opposite to the lock component 36 on the first main body portion 21. The lock component 36 is provided on the first main body portion 21 in such a manner as to move in the engagement hole 36c, which is formed into the elongated hole, in a longitudinal direction (substantially in the up-down direction) of the engagement hole 36c. When the user 100 operates the lock component 36 in such a manner as to move downwards, the projecting portion 36b is brought into abutment with the push-up portion 22c and then rides on the push-up portion 22c. As a result, even though the first main body portion 21 is caused to move towards the second main body portion 22 at an upper side than the rotational shaft 35a (that is, the first main body portion 21 is caused to move away or open from the second main body portion 22 at a lower side than the rotational shaft 35a) , since the projecting portion 36b is in abutment with the push-up portion 22c, the first main body portion 21 is restricted from moving towards the second main body portion 22. In this way, the rotation of the second main body portion 22 about the rotational shaft 35a relative to the first main body portion is locked. To release the locked rotation of the second main body 22, the lock component 36 is moved upwards to release the state in which the projecting portion 36b rides on the push-up portion 22c. When the second main body portion 22 is released from the rotation-locked state, the first main body portion 21 can rotate about the rotational shaft 35a.
The second main body portion 22 has a substantially rectangular parallelepiped box-like shape which is long in the up-down direction and thick in the front-rear direction. The second main body portion 22 is formed as a case for accommodating a circuit board 50 (refer to
A button switch 24, which functions as an operation unit 518, and two LEDs 251, 252, which function as a display unit 516, are provided on an upper surface of the second main body portion 22. When the user 100 operates and pushes down the button switch 24, operations can be performed such as supplying power to the sensor device 10, causing a measuring unit 512 to start detection, and the like, and a status of the sensor device 10 such as an operation mode or the like is indicated by illumination states of the LEDs 251, 252. A lid portion 26 is provided on a lower surface of the second main body portion 22 so as to cover a USB terminal (not shown).
Next, referring to
On the other hand, an antenna 530, which is configured to receive and transmit radio waves, is provided in the first main body portion 21 of the sensor device 10 (refer to
The processor 510 is made up of a Central Processing unit (CPU), which functions as at least one processor, a microcomputer, or the like and executes various types of processing by reading out programs stored in the storage unit 514. The storage unit 514 is made up of a flash memory, which functions as at least one memory, an Electrically Erasable Programmable ROM (EEPROM), and the like.
The storage unit 514 stores system programs and application programs that the processor 510 executes, as well as data necessary for the processor 510 to execute these programs. The measuring unit 512 measures information on the user 100. The measuring unit 512 has a motion sensor unit 512a and a vital information sensor unit 512b. The motion sensor unit 512a includes sensor elements such as a three-axis acceleration sensor, a gyro-sensor, a terrestrial magnetic sensor, and the like and can detect a movement of the subject unit (the sensor device 10) as a movement of a waist part of the user 100 who wears the sensor device 10, so that the motion sensor unit 512a outputs a detection signal so detected to the processor 510. The vital information sensor unit 512b includes various types of sensors for obtaining pulses of the user 100 and outputs a detection signal to the processor 510.
The display unit 516 includes the LEDs 251, 252, which are provided in, for example, the main body portion 20. The operation unit 518 includes, for example, the button switch 24 and outputs an operation signal, which indicates an operation state of the button switch 24 by the user 100, to the processor 510. Illumination states of the LEDs 251, 252 are controlled by the processor 510 in accordance with the operation signal indicating the operation state of the button switch 24 by the user 100.
The positional information detection unit 20 includes a Large Scale Integration (LSI) circuit having CPU, a memory, a filter, a modulator/demodulator, and the like and can derive positional information data of the sensor device 10 based on a reception signal from the positioning satellite received by way of the antenna 530, so that the positional information data so derived is output to the processor 510.
The environmental information detection unit 522 includes, for example, an atmospheric pressure sensor for measuring an atmospheric pressure at a place where the sensor device 10 (the main body portion 20) is located, and a detection signal detected by the environmental information detection unit 522 is output to the processor 510.
The communication unit 524 includes a circuit for transmitting and receiving a signal to and from the outside device (the terminal device) by way of the antenna 530 in a predetermined radio or wireless system, and this circuit has a filter, an amplifier, and a modulator/demodulator. The predetermined radio or wireless system is, for example, Bluetooth (a registered trademark) , Bluetooth Law Energy (BLE) from Version 4 on of Bluetooth (the registered trademark), or the like. The communication unit 524 processes a transmission signal which is input from the processor 510, amplifies the transmission signal so processed, modulates the transmission signal so amplified, and transmits it to the outside device (the terminal device) by way of the antenna 530. In addition, the communication unit 524 demodulates a reception signal received by way of the antenna 530, amplifies the reception signal so demodulated, processes the reception signal so amplified, and outputs it to the processor 510.
The processor 510 executes various processing based on the detection signal detected by the measuring unit 512 (the motion sensor unit 512a, the vital information sensor module 512b), the positional information data obtained by the positional information detection unit 520, the detection signal detected by the environmental information detection unit 522 to thereby derive indexed data representing moving states of the user 100 such as a speed, a pitch, a stride, a vertical motion of the waist of the user 100 who is running or walking, and transmits the indexed data so derived as transmission signals to the outside device (the terminal device) by way of the communication unit 524. The outside device (the terminal device), for example, analyzes the movement of the user 100 based on the indexed data so transmitted.
In addition, as shown in
When the sensor device 10 is attached to the closing 120, the first main body portion 21 is disposed on the outer side of the closing 120 (the edge portion 121) , while the second main body portion 22 is disposed on the inner side of the closing 120. That is, the antenna 530 is disposed on the outer side of the closing 120. As a result, even if the closing 120 gets wet due to sweat exuded from the skin 110 of the user 100 as a result of movement or exercise, or rain, the antenna 530 is prevented from being held by the body of the user 100 which gets wet due to the sweat and the wet clothing 120 therebetween or is prevented from being covered with the wet closing 120, whereby the sensitivity of the antenna 530 is maintained in a good condition.
Thus, while the embodiment of the present disclosure has been described heretofore, the present disclosure is never limited by the embodiment so described, and hence, the present disclosure can be carried out while being modified variously. For example, while the circuit unit 500 is described as being provided in the second main body portion 22, the present disclosure is not limited thereto, and hence, a configuration may be adopted in which a second circuit unit including the measuring unit 512 (the motion sensor unit 512a) and the processor 510 is provided in the second main body portion 22, while the positional information detection unit 520 and the communication unit 524 (or one part of elements of the positional information detection unit 520 and one part of elements of the communication unit 524) , as well as the antenna 530 are provided in the first main body portion 21. In the case that the one part of the elements of the positional information detection unit 520 and the one part of the elements of the communication unit 524 are provided in the first main body portion 21, the other parts of the positional information detection unit 520 and the communication unit 524 are provided in a first circuit unit.
The holding member is not limited to the edge portion 121 of the closing 120, and hence, the holding member can be a belt or the like. In addition, the sensor device 10 can be attached to a certain part of the body of the user 100 other than the back of the body. While a clip-like attaching portion is adopted in the present embodiment, an attaching portion which is fixed with a fastening tool such as a snap button or a button may be adopted for the holding member. For example, the sensor device 10 can also be fastened to a belt or the like with a snap button.
Thus, according to the embodiments of the present disclosure, the sensor device 10 has the first main body portion 21 and the second main body portion 22, which are configured to be detachably attached to the edge portion 121 of the closing 120 which constitutes the holding member worn on a certain part of the body of the user 100. The first main body portion 21 is disposed on the outer side of the edge portion 121 which lies opposite to the side facing the waist part constituting the certain part of the body, and the antenna 530 for receiving or transmitting a radio wave is provided in the first main body portion 21. The second main body portion 22 is disposed on the inner side of the edge portion 121 which is the side facing the waist part constituting the certain part of the body, and the circuit unit 500 including the measuring unit 512 for measuring the information on the user 100 is provided in the second main body portion. As a result, the sensitivity of the antenna 530 can be improved irrespective of the states of the clothing 120 (whether the closing 120 is in the wet state due to sweat or in the dry state).
The first main body portion 21 and the second main body portion 22 constitute the clip-like configuration by being coupled together rotatably. As a result, the sensor device 10 can easily be attached to the holding member. In addition, the circuit unit 500 further includes the processor 510, the positional information detection unit 520, and the communication unit 524. As a result, the sensor device 10 can easily be controlled. The measuring unit 512 includes the vital information sensor unit 512b for obtaining pulses and the motion sensor unit 512a for measuring the movement of the subject device. As a result, the motion and the status of the body when the high-degree movement is made can be analyzed. In addition, the second main body portion 22 includes the circuit board 50 which includes at least the part of the circuit unit 500. As a result, the individual units of the circuit unit 500 are accommodated in the second main body portion 22, and the measuring unit 512 for measuring the information on the user 100 is disposed close to at least the body, thereby making it possible to detect the information of the user with good precision.
In addition, the circuit unit 500 has the first circuit unit which is provided in the first main body portion 21 and which includes the positional information detection unit 520 and the communication unit 524 and the second circuit unit which is provided in the second main body portion 22 of the main body portion 20 which is disposed on the inner side of the clothing 120 and which includes the measuring unit 512 and the processor 510. As a result, the second main body portion 22, which is disposed close to the body, can be formed thin.
The first main body portion 21 and the second main body portion 22 have the guide passages 55 for guiding the signal lines 51 which electrically connect the antenna 530 with the circuit board 50. As a result, the signal lines 51 can be protected, while allowing the antenna 530 and the circuit board 50 to be connected electrically together in a proper fashion.
The second main body portion 22 includes the contact surface 23, which is configured to be in contact with the body of the user 100, on the surface which lies opposite to the surface facing the first main body portion 21. As a result, the second main body portion 22 including the measuring unit 512 is allowed to be brought into contact with the body on the contact surface 23, thereby making it possible to increase the measuring accuracy of the information on the user 100.
In addition, the circuit unit 500 includes the environmental information detection unit 522 for detecting an environment around the main body portion 20. As a result, a movement environment at the time of data collection can be recorded.
While the present disclosure has been described with reference to the exemplary embodiments, it is to be understood that the present disclosure is not limited to the disclosed exemplary embodiments. The scope of the following claims is to be accorded the broadest interpretation so as to encompass all such modifications and equivalent structures and functions.
| Number | Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2021-155046 | Sep 2021 | JP | national |
