DESCRIPTION
INFORMATION-GATHERING DEVICE
5 [Technical Field]
[OOOl]
The present invention relates to a sheet-like
information-gathering device capable of wirelessly transmitting
press information about a button to a host device through a
10 communication module.
[Background Art]
[0002]
A sheet-like test device made by forming conductive
patterns on a sheet through serigraph, and electrically connecting
15 terminals of the conductive patterns to pads of a communication
module through conductive adhesive has been put to practical use
(see JP-A 2008-516248 (Kokai)).
[0003]
The test device disclosed in this publication can be sent to a
20 user as a mail. When the user receives it and removes the cover
sheet, the user can find some selection buttons and explanations
thereof on the inner page. When the user presses an arbitrary
selection button in accordance with the explanations, the
information is stored in a communication module embedded in a
25 paper substrate, and the stored information can be read into a host
device through close proximity wireless communication.
[0004]
However, in the test device disclosed in JP-A 2008-516248
(Kokai), the user cannot cancel a selection button pressed by
30 mistake, and information about the selection button pressed by
mistake is directly transmitted to the host device.
[0005]
Further, each selection button is connected to a terminal
having a different conductive pattern, which means that the total
35 number of selection buttons is limited by the number of terminals
of the conductive patterns. Since the size of the paper substrate
is limited, it is not easy to increase the number of terminals of the
conductive patterns, which makes it impossible to provide many
selection buttons.
[0006]
5 As another problem, when many selection buttons are
provided on the paper substrate, it is not easy for elderly people or
disability people to select an appropriate button and it takes much
time to read the explanation generally described in small print.
[0007]
10 The present invention has been made considering the above
problems, to provide a user-friendly information-gathering device
enabling users to select buttons easily.
[0008]
In order to solve the above problems, one aspect of the
15 present invention provides a sheet-like information-gathering
device including:
a plurality of selection buttons to be pressed by a user; and
a communication module capable of storing at least
identification information about the user and information about a
20 pressed selection button, to wirelessly transmit the stored
information to a host device has a cancel button to cancel the
information about the selection button pressed by the user,
wherein the communication module has an IC chip and a
button cell which supplies power-supply voltage to this IC chip,
25 the IC chip having:
a storage which stores information which identifies the
pressed selection button and information about the time of the
press, in chronological order;
a controller which performs control to store the information
30 in the storage; and
a wireless communication unit which performs close
proximity wireless communication with the host device,
the controller, when the cancel button is pressed, to store,
in the storage, information requesting to cancel press information
35 about the selection button pressed immediately before the cancel
button is pressed.
Further, another aspect of the present invention provides an
information-gathering device including:
a plurality of buttons arranged on a first layer of a sheet
substrate, to be arbitrarily selected;
5 a plurality of switch contacts arranged on a second layer of
the sheet substrate, corresponding to the buttons;
a terminal unit having a plurality of terminals arranged on a
line on the second layer; and
a plurality of conductive patterns connecting the switch
10 contacts to the terminals,
in which two or more of the buttons are partially arranged in
one direction so that one ends of switch contacts corresponding to
the buttons are connected to an identical terminal of the terminal
unit through the conductive patterns, and that the other ends
15 thereof are connected to a ground terminal of the terminal unit
through the conductive patterns.
[0009]
The present invention can provide a user-friendly
information-gathering device enabling users to select buttons
20 easily.
[Brief Description of Drawings]
[OOlO]
[Fig. 11 An external view of an information-gathering device
according to a First embodiment of the present invention.
25 [Fig. 21 A development view of the information-gathering
device of Fig. 1.
[Fig. 31 A block diagram showing a schematic structure of a
communication module 10.
[Fig. 41 A block diagram showing an example of the internal
30 structure of an ASIC 12.
[Fig. 51 A flow chart showing an example of a use procedure
of a dose record card 1 of Fig. 1.
[Fig. 61 A development view of a paper substrate 30 serving
as the base of the dose record card 1.
35 [Fig. 71 A diagram explaining a manufacturing process of
the dose record card 1 according to the first embodiment.
[Fig. 81 A diagram showing the information-gathering device
according to a second embodiment of the present invention.
[Fig. 91 A development view of the information-gathering
device of Fig. 8.
5 [Description of Embodiments]
[ O O l l ]
Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be
explained in detail.
(First Embodiment)
10 A first embodiment is characterized in recording the date
and time when a patient takes medicine and his/her condition after
taking the medicine. Fig. 1 is an external view of an
information-gathering device according to the first embodiment.
The information-gathering device of Fig. 1 is a foldable sheet-like
15 dose record card 1 made of paper or plastic sheet. When
unfolding the dose record card 1, an information input face 2
appears as shown in Fig. 2.
[0012]
After a patient has a medical examination in the hospital
20 and prescription medicine for the patient is dispensed, the dose
record card 1 of Fig. 1 is passed to the patient. With this dose
record card 1, the patient can record his/her physical condition by
pressing selection buttons by him/herself after taking medicine.
[0013]
2 5 The information input face 2 of the dose record card 1 of Fig.
2 has three faces: a first face 2a having a start button 3 and a
cancel button 4; a second face 2b having medicine (pills) 5 to be
taken by the patient; and a third face 2c having selection buttons
for inputting the symptom level of the patient. The characters
30 "dose record card 1" are described on the back face of the first face
2a, as shown in Fig. 1.
[0014]
On the third face 2c, a plurality of symptoms are described
in relation to the efficacy of the medicine. In the example of Fig. 2,
35 five types of symptoms, which are namely (1) Symptom 1, (2)
Symptom 2, (3) Symptom 3, (4) Symptom 4, and (5) Symptom 5,
are described, and the patient can select one of three levels
(severe, moderate, and mild) concerning each symptom. The
patient first selects a specific symptom by pressing any one
selection button in a first button line 6 having selection buttons 6a
5 to 6e corresponding to five types of symptoms, and then presses
any one selection button in second button lines 7 having selection
buttons 7a to 7c corresponding to the levels of each symptom. In
this way, the patient can input the level of a specific symptom after
taking medicine. The patient is not necessarily required to answer
10 on all of the five types of symptoms, and may answer on only a
part of symptoms.
[00 151
As shown in Fig. 2, the selection buttons 6a to 6e
constituting the first button line 6 are arranged in the X-direction,
15 and the selection buttons constituting the second button lines 7 are
arranged in the Y-direction to form a plurality of lines nearly in
parallel to the first button line 6.
[0016]
Note that the symptoms and their levels described on the
20 third face 2c are shown merely as an example, and those may be
arbitrarily changed depending on the type of medicine.
[0017]
The patient initially presses the start button 3 when using
the dose record card 1. After that, the patient takes medicine by
25 pushing with a finger a case of a pill 5 arranged on the second face
2b to take out the pill 5 from the underside of the second face 2b.
Then, the patient presses selection buttons 6 and 7 applicable to
the symptom level after taking the medicine.
[OOlS]
3 0 Information about the start button 3, cancel button 4, cases
of the pills 5, and selection buttons 6 and 7 pressed by the patient
is automatically stored in a communication module incorporated in
the dose record card 1.
[0019]
35 Fig. 3 is a block diagram showing a schematic structure of a
communication module 10. The communication module 10 of Fig.
3, which is a thin film having a thickness smaller than that of paper,
has an ASIC (Application Specific Integrated Circuit) 12 mounted
on a film substrate 11, a crystal oscillator 13, a button cell 14, a
speaker 15, a plurality of pads 16 formed along the long side of the
5 film substrate 11, an antenna pattern 17 formed along the outer
edge of the film substrate 11, and conductive patterns 18 formed
on the film substrate 11.
[0020]
Fig. 3 is a functional block diagram of the internal structure
10 of the communication module 10, and each circuit component and
pattern arrangement can be arbitrarily changed in size, shape, and
number in the actual configuration.
[0021]
Fig. 4 is a block diagram showing an example of the internal
15 structure of the ASIC 12. The ASIC 12 of Fig. 4 has a storage 21
which stores information about the start button 3, cancel button 4,
respective cases of the pills 5, and selection buttons, each of
buttons being pressed by the patient together with time
information in chronological order, a controller 22 which performs
20 control to store the press information in the storage 21, and a
wireless communication unit 23 which wirelessly communicates
with a host computer (not shown).
[0022]
The storage 21 stores information for identifying a button
25 pressed by the patient together with information about the time
when the button was pressed. The cancel button 4 is provided to
cancel the information about the button pressed immediately
before the cancel button 4 is pressed. When the storage 21 stores
information identifying the press of the cancel button 4 and
30 information about the time when the button was pressed, the host
computer cancels the information about the button pressed
immediately before the cancel button 4 is pressed.
[0023]
Such a cancel button 4 makes it possible to cancel the
35 information about the button pressed immediately before the
cancel button 4 is pressed. Actually, it is impossible to eliminate
or overwrite the information once stored in the storage 21. When
incorrect information is stored in the storage 21 by mistake,
information showing that the stored information is incorrect is
additionally stored by pressing the cancel button 4. This makes it
5 possible for the host computer to simply and correctly judge
whether the information read thereby is correct. Further, the
patient is freed from a mental burden that no mistake is acceptable,
since the patient can redo the button operation as many times as
he/she likes.
10 [0024]
The wireless communication unit 23 transmits/receives
information to/from the host computer through so-called NFC (Near
Field Communication, close proximity wireless communication).
The system and frequency band used in the wireless
15 communication by the wireless communication unit 23 should not
be particularly limited. For example, the wireless communication
may be performed in 13.56 MHz band using a wireless method
based on IS0 14443.
[0025]
20 The NFC, which can transmit and receive power based on its
standards, makes it theoretically possible to drive the
communication module 10 without a cell. Note that the
communication module 10 of the present embodiment has the
button cell 14 since it has the speaker 15 consuming relatively
25 large amount of power.
[0026]
It is inevitable that the button cell 14 is dead after
long-term use. Since the dose record card 1 according to the
present embodiment is generally made of paper undurable to
30 long-term use, it is based on the assumption that the dose record
card 1 itself is exchanged when the battery is dead.
[0027]
Fig. 5 is a flow chart showing an example of a use procedure
of the dose record card 1 of Fig. 1. First, a doctor or a medical
35 expert in the hospital initializes the dose record card 1 having
predetermined prescription medicine embedded therein by passing
the dose record card 1 over a reader connected to the host
computer, and then information for identifying the patient is stored
in the storage 21 in the dose record card 1 (Step S l ) . Further,
date and time when the patient should take the pills are written by
5 hand etc. beside each pill embedded in the second face 2b. This
write operation is not essential, and may be handled by the patient
as needed.
[0028]
After that, the dose record card 1 is passed to the patient
10 (Step S2). The patient opens the dose record card 1, and presses
the start button 3 first before taking a pill (Step S3). After that,
the patient pushes out and takes a pill at a specified time (Step
S4).
[0029]
15 After taking the pill, the patient presses a selection button
corresponding to an applicable symptom level, in accordance with
the description on the third face 2c (Step S5).
[0030]
Press information about the start button 3 and the case of
20 each pill 5 pressed by the patient is automatically stored in the
storage 21 of the communication module 10, together with time
information. Further, when the start button 3 or selection button
is incorrectly pressed, the patient presses the cancel button 4
immediately after the mistake to store, in the storage 21,
25 information showing that the previous press information is
incorrect. In this way, incorrect button operation can be
practically cancelled.
[0031]
The patient brings the dose record card 1 to the hospital
30 after taking all medicines or at the time of the next medical
examination (Step S6). Then, a doctor or a medical expert in the
hospital receives the dose record card 1 from the patient, and
passes it over the reader connected to the host computer to read
the information stored in the storage 21 of the dose record card 1
35 into the host computer and to display the information on a screen
(Step S7). The doctor performs a medical examination on the
patient referring to the information stored in the dose record card 1
and displayed on the screen to check the efficacy of the taken
medicine (Step S8).
[00321
5 Since the dose record card 1 stores every symptom felt by
the patient after taking the medicine, the doctor can correctly and
concretely grasp the symptoms of the patient after taking the
prescription medicine in chronological order without relying on the
patient's memory, which makes it possible to treat the patient
10 accurately while preventing diagnostic errors.
[0033]
Next, a concrete structure of the dose record card 1
according to the present embodiment will be explained. The
above-mentioned dose record card 1 has a three-layer structure
15 obtained by folaing a paper substrate in three in the longitudinal
direction so that the information input face 2 shown in Fig. 2
appears on the top face. Further, folding this paper substrate into
three in the lateral direction leads to the structure shown in Fig. 1.
Hereinafter, conductive patterns formed on a base paper substrate
20 will be explained.
[0034]
Fig. 6 is a development view of a paper substrate 30 serving
as the base of the dose record card 1. Divisional substrates 30a,
30b, and 30c are obtained by dividing the paper substrate 30 of Fig.
25 6 into three in the longitudinal direction along folding lines 61, the
divisional substrates having different conductive patterns 18,
openings, etc. Note that these three divisional substrates 30a-30c
are foldable along the folding lines 61, and are not physically
separated from each other.
30 [0035]
The divisional substrate 30b in the middle of Fig. 6 is a
lowermost substrate 30b arranged in the bottom layer and having
the conductive patterns 18 formed thereon. The divisional
substrate 30c on the right side of the lowermost substrate 30b is
35 an intermediate substrate 30c arranged on the lowermost
substrate 30b and having mainly openings 62 and perforations 63.
The divisional substrate 30a on the left side of the lowermost
substrate 30b is an uppermost substrate 30a arranged on the
intermediate substrate 30c and having conductive patterns 38 for
establishinglbreaking electrical continuity of switch contacts.
5 [0036]
As mentioned later, the structure of Fig. 2 can be obtained
by dividing the paper substrate 30 into three, folding the
intermediate substrate 30c over the lowermost substrate 30b,
bonding them through thermo-compression, folding the uppermost
10 substrate 30a over the intermediate substrate 30c, and bonding
them through thermo-compression. Therefore, the back face of
the uppermost substrate 30a shown in Fig. 6 corresponds to the
information input face 2 shown in Fig. 2.
[0037]
15 Before folding the intermediate substrate 30c over the
lowermost substrate 30b to bond them through
thermo-compression, the communication module 10 is joined on
the lowermost substrate 30b and the intermediate substrate 30c is
bonded thereon through thermo-compression. In this way, the
20 communication module 10 is sandwiched between the lowermost
substrate 30b and the intermediate substrate 30c. Accordingly,
the conductive patterns 18 and the communication module 10
formed on the lowermost substrate 30b are not visible externally
when the dose record card 1 is completed. Similarly, the
25 conductive patterns on the uppermost substrate 30a are not visible
externally since the uppermost substrate 30a is folded over the
intermediate substrate 30c and these are bonded through
thermo-compression.
[0038]
3 0 Next, the conductive patterns 18 formed on the lowermost
substrate 30b will be explained using Fig. 6. The conductive
patterns 18 of Fig. 6 are formed on first to third pattern faces 30bl
to 30b3 corresponding to the first to third faces 2a to 2c obtained
by dividing the information input face 2 into three in the lateral
35 direction.
[0039]
The first pattern face 30bl has a switch contact 31
corresponding to the start button 3, and a switch contact 32
corresponding to the cancel button 4. The second pattern face
5 30b2 has six switch contacts 33 corresponding to the cases of the
pills 5. The third pattern face 30b3 has 15 switch contacts 34 to
37 corresponding to the selection buttons for selecting the
symptom and symptom level of the patient.
[0040]
10 Of the switch contacts 31 to 37, the six switch contacts 33
corresponding to the cases of the pills 5 are electrically connected
in the initial state, and the other switch contacts 31, 32, and 34 to
37 are electrically disconnected in the initial state.
[0041]
15 The switch contact 33 corresponding to the case of each pill
5 is physically broken and electrically disconnected when the case
is pressed to take out the pill. Each of the other switch contacts
31, 32, and 34 to 37 is electrically connected temporarily only
while its corresponding button is pressed and the circular
20 conductive pattern 38 provided on the back face of the information
input face 2 touches its corresponding switch contact.
roo421
As stated above, in the initial state, some of the switch
contacts 31 to 37 are electrically connected while the others are
25 electrically disconnected. The state of each switch contact can be
switched by physically breaking the switch contact, or by bringing
the switch contact into contact with another conductive pattern.
LO0431
One ends of the switch contacts 31 to 37 shown in Fig. 6 are
30 connected to their corresponding terminals in a terminal unit 39 on
the first pattern face 30bl through the conductive patterns 18, and
the other ends thereof are connected to a ground terminal through
the conductive patterns 18. The terminal unit 39 has terminals
corresponding to the total number of switch contacts, and ground
35 terminals provided on the both sides of the terminal unit 39. The
conductive pattern (hereinafter referred to as ground pattern 18a)
extending from the ground terminals is formed along the outer
edge of the first to third pattern faces 30b3 to surround other
conductive patterns and switch contacts. This ground pattern 18a
is formed thicker than the other conductive patterns to reduce
5 noises.
[0044]
As stated above, every switch contacts is connected
between its corresponding terminal and the ground pattern 18a.
Therefore, when the state of any one switch contact changes,
10 information about the change is transmitted to the communication
module 10 through a dedicated terminal. The storage 21 in the
communication module 10 stores information for identifying the
switch contact whose state changed and information about the
time when the state of the contact point changed.
15 [0045]
The switch contacts on the third pattern face 30b3 are
grouped into a first switch contact line 34 corresponding to the first
button line arranged in the X-direction, and second switch contact
lines 35 to 37 corresponding to the second button lines arranged in
20 the Y-direction to be nearly in parallel to the first button line.
[0046]
One ends of five switch contacts constituting each of the
second switch contact lines 35 to 37 are connected to a common
terminal, and the other ends thereof are connected to the ground
25 terminal. These five switch contacts are connected in parallel.
The example of Fig. 6 shows three second switch contact lines 35
to 37 each having five switch contacts connected in parallel.
[0047]
When there is a change in the state of any one of switch
30 contacts 35 to 37 connected in parallel, information about the state
change is transmitted to the communication module 10 through the
same terminal, which means that the information is not enough to
enable the communication module 10 to identify which switch
contact changed. Thus, in the present embodiment, the state of a
35 switch contact in the first switch contact line 34 should be changed
before changing the state of a switch contact in the second switch
contact lines 35 to 37, which is a rule defined to identify which one
of the switch contacts in the second switch contact lines 35 to 37
changed.
[0048]
5 More concretely, the state of any one switch contact in the
first switch contact line 34 is changed first, to detect the position of
this switch contact in the X-direction. Then, three switch contacts
which are included in the second switch contact lines 35 to 37 and
positioned in the same X-direction are determined as selection
10 options. Next, if the state of any one of these three switch
contacts changed, information about the switch contact is
transmitted to the communication module 10.
[0049]
As stated above, the combination of information about a
15 change in the state of a switch contact in the first switch contact
line 34 and information about a change in the state of a switch
contact in the second switch contact lines 35 to 37 makes it
possible to correctly transmit the state of a specific switch contact
in the second switch contact lines 35 to 37 to the communication
20 module 10.
[0050]
Connecting one ends of a plurality of parallel-connected
switch contacts to a common terminal achieves reduction in the
total number of terminals in the terminal unit 39 and the number
25 of the conductive patterns 18, which is effective particularly when
the pattern area is limited. Although a plurality of switch contacts
in the second switch contact lines 35 to 37 are connected in
parallel, there is no practical problem, since the state of a specific
switch contact in the second switch contact lines 35 to 37 can be
30 correctly identified by referring to the state of a switch contact in
the first switch contact line 34 arranged in parallel to the second
switch contact lines 35 to 37.
[0051]
Fig. 7 is a diagram explaining a manufacturing process of
35 the dose record card 1 according to the first embodiment.
Hereinafter, a manufacturing process of the dose record card 1
according to the first embodiment will be explained using Fig. 7.
First, predetermined character information (e.g., character
information on the face of Fig. 1 or Fig. 2) is printed on the back
face of the paper substrate 30 having the size as shown in Fig. 6
5 (Step S11). Next, the conductive patterns 18, switch contacts 31
to 37, and terminals of the terminal unit 39 are formed on the
lowermost substrate 30b in the middle of the three divisional
substrates shown in Fig. 6 (Step S12). Similarly, the circular
conductive patterns 38 are formed on the uppermost substrate 30a,
10 corresponding to the positions of the switch contacts. These are
formed through serigraph using, e.g., conductive carbon, copper
oxide, or silver.
[0052]
Next, anisotropic conductive adhesive is applied nearly on
15 the entire surface of the lowermost substrate 30b and uppermost
substrate 30a, avoiding the parts around the switch contacts 31 to
37, the location of the communication module 10, and the parts
around the conductive patterns 38 (Step S13). Even when this
anisotropic conductive adhesive, which has electroconductivity only
20 in one direction (X-direction), is applied on the terminals of the
terminal unit 39 and on the conductive patterns 18, there is no fear
that different terminals are short-circuited to each other.
[0053]
Note that it is also possible to attach a conductive adhesive
25 tape only to the terminal unit 39, while applying non-conductive
adhesive on the other parts. The basic material of the adhesive or
adhesive tape is epoxy resin or acrylic resin compounded with
particles of a conductive material.
[0054]
30 Next, the outline of the paper substrate 30 is cut and
shaped using a metal mold, and the folding line 61 is formed at the
boundary of each divisional substrate by performing a creasing
process (Step S14). In this process, on the intermediate substrate
30c, the holes (openings) 62 are formed at the positions
35 corresponding to the communication module 10 and respective
buttons, and the perforations 63 are formed at the positions
corresponding to the pills 5. Further, folding lines 64 are formed
in each divisional substrate to divide the divisional substrate into
three in the lateral direction.
[0055]
5 Next, the intermediate substrate 30c is folded over the
lowermost substrate 30b along the folding line 61 to glue and bond
the divisional substrates through thermo-compression using a roller
(Step S15).
[0056]
10 Next, the communication module 10 is mounted on the first
pattern face 30bl exposed through a hole provided in the
intermediate substrate 30c (Step S16). Here, the pads 16 of the
communication module 10 are positionally adjusted to the terminal
unit 39 on the first pattern face 30b1, and those are bonded
15 through thermo-compression using the above-mentioned
anisotropic conductive adhesive or conductive tape.
[0057]
Next, the uppermost substrate 30a is folded over the
intermediate substrate 30c along the folding line 61 to glue and
20 bond the divisional substrates through thermo-compression using a
roller (Step 517). By performing the process as stated above, the
dose record card 1 shown in Fig. 2 is completed.
[0058]
As stated above, the dose record card 1 according to the
25 first embodiment has the cancel button 4 for cancelling the button
operation immediately before the cancel button 4 is pressed, in
addition to various selection buttons such as the start button 3,
which eliminates the fear that incorrect information due to incorrect
button operation is transmitted to the communication module 10
30 without cancel information, and improves reliability of the
information transmitted to the communication module 10 and host
computer.
[0059]
Further, the cancel button 4 can reduce a mental burden on
35 the patient thinking that no mistake is acceptable in the button
operation.
[0060]
Further, since parallel-connected switch contacts
corresponding at least a part of selection buttons 35 to 37 are
connected to the same terminal, selection buttons can be provided
5 in the card as many as possible without being influenced by the
total number of terminals in the terminal unit 39 and the number
of the pads 16 of the communication module 10. This makes it
possible to store various types of selection information in the
communication module 10, and to gather the efficacy of medicine
10 taken by the patient in more detail. Further, although a plurality
of parallel-connected switch contacts are connected to the same
terminal, there is no practical problem, since information about the
press of a specific button can be correctly detected and transmitted
to the communication module 10 by referring to other switch
15 contacts.
Further, since the switch contacts corresponding to the
selection buttons 35 to 37 are connected in parallel, the
arrangement of the selection buttons 35 to 37 can be arbitrarily
changed, which increases degrees of freedom of the arrangement
20 of the buttons while making it easy to select a user-friendly button
arrangement for lessening the frequency of incorrect operation.
[0061]
(Second Embodiment)
A second embodiment to be explained below is
25 characterized in the arrangement of switch contacts which is
different from the first embodiment.
[0062]
Fig. 8 is a diagram showing the information-gathering
device according to the second embodiment of the present
30 invention. The information-gathering device of Fig. 8 is a distress
level record card 40 for recording the distress level of the patient,
and Fig. 9 shows a development view thereof. Folding this
development view leads to an appearance similar to Fig. 1.
[0063]
3 5 The distress level record card 40 of Fig. 8 has the
information input face 2 having the first to third faces 2a to 2c.
The first face 2a has a start button (start instruction button) 41,
three selection buttons 42 for selecting a distress level of the
patient, and a dose record button 43 to be pressed after taking
medicine. The second face 2b has a stop button 44 (start
5 instruction button) 44 for stopping alarm, and three selection
buttons 45 for selecting a distress level of the patient. The third
face 2c has a start button 46 for starting checking a discomfort
level, and three selection buttons 47 for selecting a discomfort
level of the patient.
10 [0064]
In the distress level record card 40 of Fig. 8, when the
patient presses the dose record button 43 after taking medicine,
the alarm automatically rings one hour later. When the alarm
rings, the patient first stops the alarm by pressing the stop button
15 44, and then selects a distress level again.
[0065]
After pressing the start button on the first face 2a, the
patient operates buttons sequentially from the top to the bottom
following instructions, which is the use originally intended. As a
20 general rule, it is required to correctly press a specified button in
the button operation. However, it may be difficult for the patient
confused with a sudden alarm ring to find the stop button 44
immediately. As a result, the alarm continues ringing for a long
time, which may impose an unnecessary mental burden on the
25 patient.
[0066]
Accordingly, in the present embodiment, the same function
can be fulfilled by pressing any one of the start buttons 41 and 46
and stop button 44. That is, when any one of the start buttons 41
30 and 46 and stop button 44 is pressed, the same selection
information is transmitted to the communication module 10. Thus,
the patient is allowed to press any one of the three buttons, i.e.
the start buttons 41 and 46 and stop button 44, to stop the alarm.
This makes it possible to select a button easily, which leads to the
35 improvement of the convenience of the patient.
[0067]
Further, in the distress level record card 40 of Fig. 8, after
pressing any one of the start buttons 41 and 46 or after pressing
the stop button 44, the patient is required to select a distress level
5 or a discomfort level from the selection buttons 42, 45, and 47.
Since these selection buttons are provided corresponding to each
of the start buttons 41 and 46 and stop button 44, it is possible to
correctly detect whether the selection button pressed by the
patient shows the distress level initially selected, the distress level
10 selected again after that, or the discomfort level selected after that.
Thus, press information about the selection buttons 42, 45, and 47
can be correctly transmitted to the communication module 10,
regardless of which one of the two start buttons 41 and 46 and
stop button 44 was pressed by the patient.
15 [0068]
Accordingly, in the present embodiment, the patient is
allowed to press any one of the two start buttons 41 and 46 and
stop button 44 before pressing the selection buttons 42, 45, and 47
concerning distress level or discomfort level.
20 [0069]
For example, when the alarm starts ringing, the patient may
stop the alarm by pressing the start button 41 or 46 on the first
information input face 2 or third information input face 2, before
selecting a selection button on the second information iriput face 2.
25 [0070]
Fig. 9 shows three divisional substrates obtained by dividing
the distress level record card 40 of Fig. 8 into three in the
longitudinal direction. The lowermost substrate 30b in the middle
has the first to third pattern faces 30bl to 30b3 obtained by
30 dividing the lowermost substrate 30b into three in the lateral
direction. Each pattern face has switch contacts 51 to 57
corresponding to the start buttons 41 and 46, stop button 44, and
selection buttons. Further, the uppermost substrate 30a on the
left side of the lowermost substrate 30b has the circular conductive
35 patterns 38 for switching between electrical connection and
disconnection of the switch contacts.
[0071]
As stated above, in the present embodiment, the same
function can be fulfilled by pressing any one of the two start
buttons 41 and 46 and stop button 44, without identifying each
5 button. In order to achieve this feature, the three switch contacts
51, 54, and 56 corresponding to the three buttons 41, 44, and 46
are connected in parallel so that one ends of the switch contacts
are connected to a common terminal and the other ends thereof
are connected to a ground terminal. Thus, when any one of the
10 two start buttons 41 and 46 and stop button 44 is pressed, the
same press information is transmitted to the communication
module 10.
[0072]
As stated above, in the second embodiment, so that the
15 same function is fulfilled when any one of the switch buttons 41
and 46 and stop button 44 is pressed, switch contacts 51, 54, and
56 corresponding to these buttons are connected in parallel, one
ends thereof are connected to a common terminal and the other
ends thereof are connected to a ground terminal. Accordingly, the
20 patient can press a button at the position he/she can press easily,
which improves convenience. Particularly, when quick response is
required for the patient to stop the sound of the alarm for example,
the patient has no need to make an effort to search a button,
which prevents a mental burden on the patient.
25 [0073]
(Another Modification Example)
Each of the first and second embodiments is shown as an
example, and any changes may be made in the arrangement and
number of various buttons, the arrangement and number of switch
30 contacts corresponding to the buttons, forms of the conductive
patterns 18 connected to the switch contacts, and the number of
terminals of the terminal unit 39, depending on the intended use of
the information-gathering device.
[0074]
3 5 The characteristics of the first embodiment and the
characteristics of the second embodiment may be arbitrarily
combined together. For example, the distress level record card 40
according to the second embodiment may have a cancel button, or
the dose record card 1 according to the first embodiment may have
a plurality of buttons having the same function.
5 [0075]
The information-gathering devices according to the first and
second embodiments should not be limited only to the dose record
card 1 and distress level record card 40, and can be applied to
various purposes (e.g., follow-up record card for diabetes
10 treatment, follow-up record card for rheumatism treatment,
painldose record card, etc.) Further, the information-gathering
device should not be necessarily limited to medical purposes, and
may be used for various purposes such as questionnaire gathering,
as long as the information-gathering device can record any
15 information and transmit the recorded information to the host
computer through wireless communication.
[0076]
The assembly structure of the information-gathering devices
according to the first and second embodiments should not be
20 limited to Fig. 6 etc. The base material should not be necessarily
paper, and may be replaced with another material such as resin.
Further, the communication module 10 should not be necessarily a
cell-driven type, and may be driven without a battery by
accumulating power received through NFC to perform wireless
25 communication using the accumulated power.
[0077]
While certain embodiments have been described, these
embodiments have been presented by way of example only, and
are not intended to limit the scope of the inventions. Indeed, the
30 novel methods and systems described herein may be embodied in
a variety of other forms; furthermore, various omissions,
substitutions and changes in the form of the methods and systems
described herein may be made without departing from the spirit of
the inventions. The accompanying claims and their equivalents
35 are intended to cover such forms or modifications as would fall
within the scope and spirit of the inventions.
21

CLAIMS
[Claim 11
A sheet-like information-gathering device comprising:
a plurality of selection buttons to be pressed by a user; and
a communication module capable of storing at least
identification information about the user and information about a
pressed selection button, to wirelessly transmit the stored
information to a host device, comprising:
a cancel button to cancel the information about the selection
button pressed by the user,
wherein the communication module has an IC chip and a
button cell which supplies power-supply voltage to this IC chip,
the TC chip comprising:
a storage configured to store information which identifies
the pressed selection button and information about the time of the
press, in chronological order;
a controller configured to perform control to store the
information in the storage; and
a wireless communication unit configured to perform close
proximity wireless communication with the host device,
the controller, when the cancel button is pressed, to store,
in the storage, information requesting to cancel press information
about the selection button pressed immediately before the cancel
button is pressed.
[Claim 21
The information-gathering device of claim 1,
wherein at least a part of the selection buttons are arranged
in two-dimensional directions so that a plurality of selection buttons
are arranged in each direction,
the selection buttons arranged in the two-dimensional
directions comprising:
a first button line having a plurality of selection buttons
arranged in a first direction; and
a plurality of second button lines arranged in a second
direction to be nearly in parallel to the first button line, and
the controller stores, in the storage, a combination of press
information about one selection button selected from the first
button line and press information about a plurality of selection
buttons which are included in the second button lines and located
on a line identical to the line of the selected selection button.
[Claim 31
The information-gathering device of claim 2, comprising:
a plurality of switch contacts formed on a sheet substrate,
corresponding to the selection buttons;
a terminal unit having a plurality of terminals arranged on a
line on the sheet substrate; and
a plurality of conductive patterns connecting the switch
contacts to the terminals,
wherein the switch contacts comprise:
a first switch contact line provided corresponding to the first
button line, the first switch contact line having a plurality of switch
contacts arranged in the first direction; and
second switch contact lines provided corresponding to the
second button lines, each second switch contact line having a
plurality of switch contacts arranged in the second direction to be
nearly in parallel to the first button line, and
one ends of the switch contacts arranged in the first
direction in the second switch contact lines are connected to an
identical terminal in the terminal unit, and the other ends thereof
are connected to a ground terminal of the terminal unit.
[Claim 41
The information-gathering device of claim 1, wherein the
controller can store new information in the storage within storage
capacity of the storage, but the controller is inhibited to eliminate
and overwrite the information already stored in the storage.
[Claim 51
The information-gathering device of claim 1, wherein the
controller stores, in the storage, information which identifies a
pressed button selected from the selection buttons and the cancel
button together with information about the time when the button
was pressed.
[Claim 61
The information-gathering device of claim 1, wherein the
sheet substrate is a sheet member made of paper or plastic and
folded to form a plurality of layers, each layer having the selection
buttons on its surface, and the communication module is
sandwiched between two layers adjacent to each other.
[Claim 71
An information-gathering device comprising:
a plurality of buttons arranged on a first layer of a sheet
substrate, to be arbitrarily selected;
a plurality of switch contacts arranged on a second layer of
the sheet substrate, corresponding to the buttons;
a terminal unit having a plurality of terminals arranged on a
line on the second layer; and
a plurality of conductive patterns arranged on the second
layer, to connect the switch contacts to the terminals,
wherein two or more of the buttons are partially arranged in
one direction so that one ends of switch contacts corresponding to
the buttons are connected to an identical terminal of the terminal
unit through the conductive patterns, and that the other ends
thereof are connected to a ground terminal of the terminal unit
through the conductive patterns.
[Claim 81
The information-gathering device of claim 7,
wherein the buttons comprise:
a plurality of button lines each having two or more buttons
showing two or more options, one of which is to be selected; and
a plurality of start instruction buttons instructing to start
selection from each button line,
wherein one ends of a plurality of switch contacts
corresponding to the start instruction buttons are connected to an
identical terminal of the terminal unit through the conductive
patterns, and the other ends thereof are connected to a ground
terminal of the terminal unit through the conductive patterns.
[Claim 91
The information-gathering device of claim 8, wherein at
least one of the start instruction buttons also instructs to stop an
alarm ring.
[Claim 101
The information-gathering device of claim 7, wherein the
sheet substrate is a sheet member made of paper or plastic and
folded to form a plurality of layers, each layer having the selection
buttons on its surface, and the switch contacts and the conductive
patterns are sandwiched between two layers adjacent to each
other.
[RANJNA MEHTA-DU'TT]
OF REMFRY & SAGAR
ATTORNEY FOR TI= APPI,ICANT[S]