U.S. patent application number 14/229522 was filed with the patent office on 2014-10-09 for system with distributed process unit.
This patent application is currently assigned to Gemtek Technology Co., Ltd.. The applicant listed for this patent is Gemtek Technology Co., Ltd.. Invention is credited to HUNG WEN CHEN.
Application Number | 20140300491 14/229522 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 51654058 |
Filed Date | 2014-10-09 |
United States Patent
Application |
20140300491 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
CHEN; HUNG WEN |
October 9, 2014 |
SYSTEM WITH DISTRIBUTED PROCESS UNIT
Abstract
The present invention provides a system with a separate
computing unit, comprising: a sensing device comprising a power
supply unit, a sensing unit configured to sense a user's
physiological information, and a first wireless communication unit
via which the physiological information that has not yet undergone
the computing and processing operations is transmitted externally,
the power supply unit electrically connecting and supplying power
to the sensing unit and the first wireless communication unit; and
a primary computing device comprising a computing unit, a display
unit, and a second wireless communication unit, the second wireless
communication unit receiving and transmitting the physiological
information to the computing unit to undergo the computing
operation and informing the user of a result of the computing
operation via the display unit; wherein the sensing device
transmits, via the first wireless communication unit, a wireless
signal to the primary computing device according to a preset
criterion.
Inventors: |
CHEN; HUNG WEN; (Zhubei
City, TW) |
|
Applicant: |
Name |
City |
State |
Country |
Type |
Gemtek Technology Co., Ltd. |
Hsinchu |
|
TW |
|
|
Assignee: |
Gemtek Technology Co., Ltd.
Hsinchu
TW
|
Family ID: |
51654058 |
Appl. No.: |
14/229522 |
Filed: |
March 28, 2014 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
340/870.07 |
Current CPC
Class: |
H04L 67/10 20130101;
A61B 5/0015 20130101; H04W 4/80 20180201 |
Class at
Publication: |
340/870.07 |
International
Class: |
G08B 21/02 20060101
G08B021/02; A61B 5/00 20060101 A61B005/00 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Mar 29, 2013 |
CN |
201320155258.X |
May 31, 2013 |
CN |
201310214981.5 |
Jul 4, 2013 |
CN |
201310279676.4 |
Claims
1. A system with a separate computing unit, comprising: a sensing
device comprising a power supply unit, a sensing unit configured to
sense a user's physiological information, and a first wireless
communication unit via which the physiological information that has
not yet undergone the computing and processing operations is
transmitted externally, the power supply unit electrically
connecting and supplying power to the sensing unit and the first
wireless communication unit; and a primary computing device
comprising a computing unit, a display unit, and a second wireless
communication unit, the second wireless communication unit
receiving and transmitting the physiological information to the
computing unit to undergo the computing operation and informing the
user of a result of the computing operation via the display unit;
wherein the sensing device transmits, via the first wireless
communication unit, a wireless signal to the primary computing
device according to a preset criterion.
2. The system with a separate computing unit of claim 1, wherein
the first wireless communication unit is selected from one of a
Zigbee communication unit, a WiFi communication unit, an NFC
communication unit, a RFID communication unit, a Bluetooth
communication unit, and an infrared communication unit.
3. The system with a separate computing unit of claim 1, wherein
the second wireless communication unit is selected from one of a
Zigbee communication unit, a WiFi communication unit, an NFC
communication unit, a RFID communication unit, a Bluetooth
communication unit, and an infrared communication unit.
4. The system with a separate computing unit of claim 1, wherein
the physiological information is selected from the information
relating to the user's blood pressure, pulse, voice, and
vibration.
5. The system with a separate computing unit of claim 1, wherein
the display unit is selected from one of a screen, an audio device,
and at least one LED lamp.
6. The system with a separate computing unit of claim 1, wherein
the primary computing device further comprises a control interface
unit providing a physiological information reading interface for
making available the corresponding information according to the
user's click selection.
7. The system with a separate computing unit of claim 6, wherein
the control interface unit further provides a sensing device
setting interface configured to transmit, via the second wireless
communication unit, an uncoded wireless setting signal to the
sensing device according to the click selection made by the
user.
8. The system with a separate computing unit of claim 7, wherein
the sensing device changes a value of a register thereof according
to the wireless setting signal.
9. The system with a separate computing unit of claim 1, wherein
the criterion is set to be that the user's physiological
information is regularly sensed with the sensing unit and the
wireless signal is regularly transmitted to the primary computing
device via the first wireless communication unit.
10. The system with a separate computing unit of claim 1, wherein
the criterion is set to be that the wireless signal is transmitted
to the primary computing device via the first wireless
communication unit when the sensing unit senses that the user's
physiological information exceeds a critical value.
11. The system with a separate computing unit of claim 1, wherein
the sensing device is a heart stent with sensing capability, and
the physiological information relates to a width of a cardiac blood
vessel.
12. The system with a separate computing unit of claim 1, wherein
the sensing device is a contact lens with sensing capability, and
the physiological information relates to a blood pressure measured
at ocular capillaries.
13. The system with a separate computing unit of claim 1, wherein
the sensing device is a wristband with sensing capability, and the
physiological information is blood pressure-related information or
pulse-related information.
14. The system with a separate computing unit of claim 1, wherein
the primary computing device further comprises an identity
authentication unit configured to perform an identity
authentication procedure on the sensing device.
15. The system with a separate computing unit of claim 1, further
comprising one or more other sensing devices from which the primary
computing device synchronously receives wireless signals.
16. A system with a separate computing unit, comprising: a sensing
device comprising a power supply unit, a sensing unit configured to
sense a user's physiological information, and a first wireless
communication unit via which a warning message is transmitted
externally when the sensing unit senses that the physiological
information exceeds a standard value, the power supply unit
electrically connecting and supplying power to the sensing unit and
the first wireless communication unit; and a warning device
comprising a warning unit and a second wireless communication unit,
the warning unit performing a warning operation after the second
wireless communication unit has received the warning message.
17. The system with a separate computing unit of claim 16, wherein
the warning device further comprises a computing unit configured to
perform the computing operation on the physiological information
contained in the warning message, and performs various respective
warning operations according to a result of the computing
operation.
18. The system with a separate computing unit of claim 16, wherein
the warning device is a pocket-sized computer or a
microcomputer.
19. The system with a separate computing unit of claim 16, wherein
the warning unit is selected from one of an audio device, a display
device, and a vibration device.
Description
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] This non-provisional application claims priority under 35
U.S.C. .sctn.119(a) on Patent Application No(s). CN201320155258.X
filed in China on Mar. 29, 2013, CN201310214981.5 filed in China on
May 31, 2013, and CN201310279676.4 filed in China on Jul. 4, 2013,
the entire contents of which are hereby incorporated by
reference.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0002] 1. Field of the Invention
[0003] The present invention relates to a separate computing
system, and more particularly, to a wireless communication system
with a separate computing unit.
[0004] 2. Description of the Prior Art
[0005] Due to technological advancement, wearable electronic
apparatuses are becoming more popular with consumers and come in a
wide variety of categories and functionalities. In this regard,
users expect wearable electronic apparatuses, such as a contact
lens capable of measuring capillary blood pressure or a wristband
capable of taking the pulse, to have excellent electronic
detection/computation functionality while maintaining minimized
weight and low power consumption.
[0006] Minimized weight and low power consumption, however, are
usually secured at the expense of electronic detection/computation
functionality because a high-performance processor, which is
prerequisite to excellent detection/computation functionality,
inevitably consumes much power and causes heat dissipation
problem.
[0007] Accordingly, how to reduce the weight and power consumption
of a wearable electronic apparatus is an imperative issue to be
addressed.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0008] In view of the aforesaid drawbacks of the prior art, the
present invention involves transmitting, via wireless transmission,
the data to be computed from a wearable electronic apparatus to a
high-performance processor equipped in a mobile communication
device, such as a smartphone, a tablet computer, or a hand-held
game console, or to a microcomputer equipped with a separate
computing processor, to undergo the processing and computing
operations, and displaying the result of the processing and
computing operations on a screen of the mobile communication
device. Alternatively, the user can directly enter an instruction
to the mobile communication device via an interface of the mobile
communication device to manipulate the settings of the wearable
electronic apparatus. A processor or microprocessor of an existing
mobile device, such as a smartphone, not only features a high
computation clock rate but also has multiple cores for executing
program instructions separately and independently, thereby
increasing the speed of program execution with the multiplexing of
parallel computing.
[0009] According to an object of the present invention, there is
provided a system with a separate computing unit, comprising: a
sensing device comprising a power supply unit, a sensing unit
configured to sense a user's physiological information and a first
wireless communication unit via which the physiological information
that has not yet undergone the computing and processing operations
is transmitted externally, the power supply unit electrically
connecting and supplying power to the sensing unit and the first
wireless communication unit; and a primary computing device
comprising a computing unit, a display unit and a second wireless
communication unit, the second wireless communication unit
receiving and transmitting the physiological information to the
computing unit to undergo the computing operation and informing the
user of a result of the computing operation through the display
unit; wherein the sensing device transmits, via the first wireless
communication unit, a wireless signal to the primary computing
device according to a preset criterion.
[0010] According to the above conception, the first wireless
communication unit or/and the second wireless communication unit
is/are selected from one of a Zigbee communication unit, a WiFi
communication unit, an NFC communication unit, a RFID communication
unit, a Bluetooth communication unit, and an infrared communication
unit.
[0011] According to the above conception, it is preferable that the
physiological information is selected from the information relating
to the user's blood pressure, pulse, voice and vibration, and that
the display unit is selected from a screen, an audio device and at
least one LED lamp.
[0012] According to the above conception, it is preferable that the
primary computing device further comprises a control interface unit
providing a physiological information reading interface for making
available the corresponding information according to the user's
click selection. Moreover, the control interface unit further
provides a sensing device setting interface configured to transmit,
via the second wireless communication unit, an uncoded wireless
setting signal to the sensing device according to the click
selection made by the user. The sensing device changes the value of
a register thereof according to the wireless setting signal.
[0013] According to the above conception, it is preferable that the
criterion is set to be that the user's physiological information is
regularly sensed with the sensing unit and the wireless signal is
regularly transmitted to the primary computing device via the first
wireless communication unit. Alternatively, the criterion is set to
be that the wireless signal is transmitted to the primary computing
device via the first wireless communication unit when the sensing
unit senses that the user's physiological information exceeds a
critical value.
[0014] According to the above conception, it is preferable that the
sensing device is a heart stent with sensing capability, and the
physiological information relates to a width of a cardiac blood
vessel. Alternatively, the sensing device is a contact lens with
sensing capability, and the physiological information relates to
the blood pressure measured at ocular capillaries. Alternatively,
the sensing device is a wristband with sensing capability, and the
physiological information relates to the blood pressure or
pulse.
[0015] According to the above conception, it is preferable that the
primary computing device further comprises an identity
authentication unit configured to perform an identity
authentication procedure on the sensing device, and one or more
other sensing devices from which the primary computing device
synchronously receives wireless signals.
[0016] According to the object of the present invention, there is
provided a system with a separate computing unit comprising: a
sensing device comprising a power supply unit, a sensing unit
configured to sense a user's physiological information and a first
wireless communication unit via which a warning message is
transmitted externally when the physiological information sensed
exceeds a standard value, the power supply unit electrically
connecting and supplying power to the sensing unit and the first
wireless communication unit; and a warning device comprising a
warning unit and a second wireless communication unit, the warning
unit performing a
[0017] warning operation after the second wireless communication
unit has received the warning message.
[0018] According to the above conception, the warning device
further comprises a computing unit configured to perform the
computing operation on the physiological information contained in
the warning message, and performs various respective warning
operations according to a result of the computing operation. It is
preferable that the warning device is a pocket-sized computer or a
microcomputer, and that the warning unit is selected from one of an
audio device, a display device and a vibration device.
[0019] With the aforementioned arrangement, a wearable electronic
apparatus requires either no processor at all or only a simple
microprocessor because all the complicated computing operations can
be performed on a mobile communication device, such as a
smartphone, or a microcomputer with a separate processor by means
of wireless transmission, thereby fulfilling the goals of minimized
weight, low power consumption, reduced cost, and enhanced computing
capability.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0020] FIG. 1 is a block diagram illustrating the function of a
separate computing system according to the first embodiment of the
present invention.
[0021] FIG. 2 is a flow chart illustrating the operation of the
separate computing system according to the first embodiment of the
present invention.
[0022] FIG. 3 is a block diagram illustrating the function of a
separate computing system according to the second embodiment of the
present invention.
[0023] FIG. 4 is a flow chart illustrating the operation of the
separate computing system according to the second embodiment of the
present invention.
[0024] FIG. 5 is a block diagram illustrating the function of a
separate computing system according to the third embodiment of the
present invention.
[0025] FIG. 6 is a flow chart illustrating the operation of the
separate computing system according to the third embodiment of the
present invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENTS
[0026] The present invention will be described more fully
hereinafter with specific embodiments by reference to the
accompanying drawings. Reference numerals used herein refer to
those shown in the drawings. When used herein, the words
"comprise", "comprises", and "comprising" are open-ended terms and
shall be construed as "include, without limitation", "includes,
without limitation", and "including, without limitation",
respectively. Moreover, a person having ordinary knowledge in the
art understands that the same component/product may have a number
of different names. For instance, the terms "processor" and
"computing unit" refer to the same thing. Hence,
components/products having functions similar to those described
herein and belonging to the same technical field as the present
invention fall within the scope of the present invention.
[0027] Referring to FIG. 1, there is shown a block diagram
illustrating the function of a separate computing system according
to the first embodiment of the present invention. As shown in FIG.
1, there is a separate computing system 100 of the present
invention, comprising: a primary computing device 1 comprising a
display unit 11, a computing unit 12, a memory unit 13, a signal
receiving unit 14, and a power supply unit 15; and a sensing device
2 comprising a signal transmission unit 21, a sensing unit 22, and
a power supply unit 23.
[0028] The sensing unit 22 of the sensing device 2 is capable of
detecting a user's physiological information such as, for example,
information relating to one or more of the user's blood pressure,
pulse, voice, vibration, and temperature. The signal transmission
unit 21 of the sensing device 2 receives a message from the sensing
unit 22 and transmits externally the message via wireless
communication. Preferably, the signal transmission unit 21 is
selected from one of a WiFi communication unit, an NFC
communication unit, a RFID communication unit, a Bluetooth
communication unit, a Zigbee communication unit, and an infrared
communication unit. The power supply unit 23 of the sensing device
2, which can be, for example, one of a lead-acid battery, a
nickel-cadmium battery, a nickel-hydride battery and a lithium ion
battery, is configured to supply power to all electronic components
in the sensing device 2.
[0029] The signal receiving unit 14 of the primary computing device
1 receives information transmitted by the signal transmission unit
21 of the sensing device 2. Preferably, the signal receiving unit
14 is selected from one of a WiFi communication unit, an NFC
communication unit, a RFID communication unit, a Bluetooth
communication unit, a Zigbee communication unit, and an infrared
communication unit. The computing unit 12 of the primary computing
device 1 performs the processing or computing operation on the
information received by the signal receiving unit 14, stores a
result of the processing or computing operation in the memory unit
13 and/or displays the result of the processing or computing
operation on the display unit 11. The computing unit 12 refers
generally to a logical computing device capable of executing
complex computer programs, such as an integrated circuit central
processing unit or a microprocessor. The computing unit 12 can have
one or more cores and is preferably capable of parallel computing
or synchronous multithreaded computing. The memory unit 13 includes
a volatile memory and/or a nonvolatile memory and is configured to
store the data of the primary computing device 1. The power supply
unit 15, which can be, for example, one of a lead-acid battery, a
nickel-cadmium battery, a nickel-hydride battery and a lithium ion
battery, is configured to supply power to all electronic components
in the primary computing device 1. Moreover, the display unit 11 of
the primary computing device 1 is selected from one of a screen, a
projection device, an audio device, and at least one LED lamp.
[0030] Referring to FIG. 2, there is shown a flow chart
illustrating the operation of the separate computing system
according to the first embodiment of the present invention. As
shown in FIG. 2, steps S21.about.S22 are implemented on the sensing
device 2, and steps S23.about.S25 are implemented on the primary
computing device 1. For the sake of better understanding of the
present invention, the primary computing device 1 is exemplified by
a smartphone, and the sensing device 2 is exemplified by a
wristband capable of sensing physiological information. The
physiological information is preferably the blood pressure-related
information or pulse-related information. However, a person having
ordinary knowledge in the art understands that the primary
computing device 1 can be one of other mobile communication
devices, such as a tablet computer, a notebook computer, a
hand-held game console, and a multimedia player, and that the
sensing device 2 can be a contact lens with sensing capability or a
heart stent with sensing capability, without departing from the
spirit and scope of the present invention. The first embodiment
described herein is to be deemed as illustrative, rather than
restrictive, of the scope of the present invention.
[0031] In step S21, the sensing unit 22 of the sensing device 2
senses the user's physiological information such as, for example,
one of the blood pressure-related information, the pulse-related
information, the estimated step count-related information, and the
body temperature-related information, but not limited thereto. In
step S22, the signal transmission unit 21 of the sensing device 2
transmits externally the physiological information having not yet
undergone the computing and processing operations. The phrase
"having not yet undergone the computing and processing operations"
refers to the condition that the value detected by the sensing unit
22 is directly transmitted externally via wireless transmission
without special encoding or encrypted computation. Thus, the
sensing device 2 does not require any high-performance computing
unit. Moreover, in practice, it is feasible to set a transmission
condition for the sensing device 2, for example, under which
wireless signals are regularly transmitted to the primary computing
device 1 via the signal transmission unit 21, or wireless signals
are transmitted externally via the signal transmission unit 21 when
the sensing unit 22 senses that the subject's physiological
information exceeds a critical value.
[0032] Referring to step S23, the signal receiving unit 14 of the
primary computing device 1 receives the physiological information.
As shown in step S24, the physiological information is then
transmitted to the computing unit 12 to undergo the computing
operation whose result can, for example, be used to determine
whether the blood pressure-related information is within a normal
range, determine whether the pulse-related information is within a
normal range, calculate the calories burned or the distance walked
according to the estimated step count-related information, and
determine whether the body temperature-related information is
within a normal range, but is not limited thereto. In step S25, the
primary computing device 1 informs a user 5, via the display unit
11, of a result of the processing or computing operation which
indicates whether, for example, various data relating to the user's
blood pressure, pulse, calories, and body temperature are within
their respective normal ranges, hence the user 5 can obtain the
physiological information in a real-time manner and knows whether
or not the physiological information is within a normal range. It
is to be noted that the user 5 watching the display unit 11 and the
subject being measured by the sensing device 2 can be the same
person or different persons, and thus the separate computing system
of the present invention is widely applicable to the measurement
made by the physician/patient or oneself.
[0033] As can be seen from the above embodiment, certain
physiological information, after being obtained by the sensing
device 2, is transmitted, via wireless transmission, to the primary
computing device 1 to undergo the computing and processing
operations performed by the computing unit 11 of the primary
computing device 1, and then the result of the computing and
processing operations is displayed on a screen (i.e., the display
unit 11) of the primary computing device 1. With such arrangement,
the sensing device 2 is exempted from complicated processing or
computing operations, and thus the number of essential components
thereof can be minimized (for example, no high-performance
processor or memory is required), thereby fulfilling the goals of
minimized weight and low power consumption. In other words, the
present invention is advantageous in that the sensing device 2,
instead of being equipped with components of high power consumption
and great weight, such as a processor, a memory and a display unit,
exploits a central processing unit of a smartphone (i.e., the
primary computing device 1) to perform the computing operation, and
that the result of the computing operation is presented to the user
5 on the screen (i.e., the display unit 11) of the smartphone,
thereby reducing the weight and power consumption.
[0034] Moreover, as the sensing device 2 of the present invention
is characterized by minimized weight and low power consumption, it
is applicable not only to the aforesaid wristband but also to a
heart stent with sensing capability that detects a width of a
cardiac blood vessel of a user with a sensing unit 22 thereof.
Alternatively, the sensing device 2 is applicable to a contact lens
with sensing capability that detects the blood pressure at the
user's ocular capillaries with a sensing unit 22 thereof.
[0035] Referring to FIG. 3, there is shown a block diagram
illustrating the function of a separate computing system according
to the second embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 3 is
different from FIG. 1 in that the sensing device 2 has a first
wireless communication unit 24 for receiving and transmitting
wireless signals, and that the primary computing device 1 has a
second wireless communication unit 16 for receiving and
transmitting wireless signals. In the second embodiment, the
primary computing device 1 and the sensing device 2 communicate
with each other by one of WiFi communication, NFC communication,
RFID communication, Bluetooth communication, Zigbee communication,
and infrared communication. In other words, unlike the signal
transmission unit 21 and the signal receiving unit 14 of the first
embodiment, the first wireless communication unit 24 and the second
wireless communication unit 16 of the second embodiment are capable
of two-way (receiving-and-transmitting) wireless communication.
Moreover, in the second embodiment, the primary computing device 1
further has a control interface unit 17. The control interface unit
17 provides a physiological information reading interface for
making available the corresponding information according to the
user's click selection. For instance, the user can make enquiries,
via the physiological information reading interface, as to the
fluctuations in body temperature over the past week or the average
pulse over the past hour.
[0036] Referring to FIG. 4, there is shown a flow chart
illustrating the operation of the separate computing system
according to the second embodiment of the present invention. As
shown in FIG. 4, steps S41.about.S42 are implemented on the primary
computing device 1, and steps S43.about.S44 are implemented on the
sensing device 2. For the sake of better understanding of the
present invention, the primary computing device 1 and the sensing
device 2, like those disclosed in the first embodiment, are
exemplified by a smartphone and a wristband capable of sensing
physiological information, respectively. Similarly, the second
embodiment is illustrative, rather than restrictive, of the scope
of the present invention. The flow chart in FIG. 4 omits similar
operation processes depicted in FIG. 2, such as the regular
transmission of physiological information relating to the sensed
blood pressure, pulse, calories, body temperature, etc., to the
primary computing device 1 by the sensing device 2.
[0037] Referring to step S41, the user enters a sensing device
setting instruction via a touchscreen or a physical key (i.e., the
control interface unit) of the smartphone (i.e., the primary
computing device 1). For instance, the user clicks on the
touchscreen to set the current physiological information to be
detected as the pulse-related information and set the detection
interval to be 10 minutes. In step S42, the smartphone transmits,
via the second wireless communication unit 16, an uncoded wireless
setting signal based on the sensing device setting instruction, and
the wireless setting signal contains the sensing device setting
instruction which has just been entered by the user.
[0038] In step S43, the first wireless communication unit 24 of the
sensing device 2 (i.e., the wristband) receives the wireless
setting signal. In step S44, the sensing device changes the value
of a register thereof according to the wireless setting signal such
that it detects a subject's pulse once every 10 minutes. Hence, the
primary computing device 1 can not only display the data sensed by
the sensing device 2 but also allow the user to directly and
conveniently manipulate the measurement settings of the sensing
device 2.
[0039] Referring to FIG. 5, there is shown a block diagram
illustrating the function of a separate computing system according
to the third embodiment of the present invention. The embodiment
illustrated in FIG. 5 is different from the embodiments illustrated
in FIGS. 1 and 3 in that the primary computing device 1 is capable
of synchronously controlling multiple sensing devices (exemplified
by a first sensing device 3 and a second sensing device 4) via the
second wireless communication unit 16, and that the primary
computing device 1 further comprises an identity authentication
unit 18 configured to perform an identity authentication procedure
on the first sensing device 3 and the second sensing device 4. In
practice, the identity authentication unit 18 performs the identity
authentication procedure according to the hardware IDs or media
access control addresses (also known as MAC addresses) of the first
sensing device 3 and the second sensing device 4.
[0040] Referring to FIG. 6, there is shown a flow chart
illustrating the operation of the separate computing system
according to the third embodiment of the present invention. As
shown in FIG. 6, steps S61 and S62 are implemented on the first
sensing device 3, steps S63 and S64 are implemented on the second
sensing device 4, and steps S65.about.S67 are implemented on the
primary computing device 1. For the sake of better understand of
the present invention, the primary computing device 1 is
exemplified by a smartphone, the first sensing device 3 is
exemplified by a heart stent with sensing capability, and the
second sensing device 4 is exemplified by a contact lens with
sensing capability. Similarly, the third embodiment is
illustrative, rather than restrictive, of the scope of the present
invention.
[0041] Referring to step S61, a heart stent (i.e., the first
sensing device 3) undergoes the identity authentication procedure
performed by the smartphone (i.e., the primary computing device 1)
via, a first sensing communication unit 31. In step
[0042] S63, the contact lens (i.e., the second sensing device 4)
undergoes the identity authentication procedure performed by the
smartphone via a second sensing communication unit 41. In step S65,
the wireless authentication signals from the heart stent and the
contact lens, after being received by the smartphone, are delivered
to the identity authentication unit 18 that performs the identity
authentication procedure on the sensing devices. In steps S62 and
S64, the heart stent starts to sense the user's physiological
information (e.g. a width of a cardiac blood vessel), and the
contact lens also starts to sense the user's physiological
information (e.g. the blood pressure at ocular capillaries) after
successful identity authentication, and then the sensed
physiological information is transmitted to the smartphone.
Moreover, it is preferable that the heart stent and/or the contact
lens are/is configured to transmit, via, the first sensing
communication unit 31 or the second sensing communication unit 41,
wireless signals to the smartphone only when the sensed
physiological information exceeds a critical value (for example,
when the blood pressure exceeds 140 mmHg) so as to reduce the power
consumption.
[0043] Referring to steps S66.about.S67, the second wireless
communication unit 16 of the smartphone receives and transmits the
physiological information to the computing unit 12 to undergo the
computing operation, and informs the user of a result of the
computing operation via a screen (i.e., the display unit 11).
Hence, the user knows the width of a cardiac blood vessel and blood
pressure in a real-time manner. In other words, the user can
instantly obtain information measured by multiple sensing
devices.
[0044] Moreover, according to the conception of the present
invention, another application involves the combination of a
sensing device and a warning device. The sensing device comprises a
power supply unit, a sensing unit, and a first wireless
communication unit. The power supply unit is configured to
electrically connect and supply power to the sensing unit and the
first wireless communication unit. The sensing unit is configured
to sense the user's physiological information and to transmit
externally a warning message via the first wireless communication
unit when the sensed physiological information exceeds a standard
value. A warning device comprises a warning unit and a second
wireless communication unit. After the second wireless
communication unit has received the warning message, the warning
unit performs a warning operation.
[0045] For instance, the sensing device is an electronic
sphygmomanometer equipped with a short-range wireless communication
unit and embedded in a garment. The sensing device transmits, via
the short-range wireless communication unit, a
[0046] warning message to a microcomputer (i.e., the warning
device) regularly or when the sensed physiological information
exceeds a standard value (for example, when the sensed blood
pressure exceeds 140 mmHg). The microcomputer has a buzzer (i.e.,
the warning unit) and a second wireless communication unit. After
the second wireless communication unit has received the warning
message, the buzzer starts to sound to warn the user.
[0047] Preferably, the warning device further comprises a computing
unit (e.g. a microprocessor) configured to perform the computing
operation on the physiological information contained in the warning
message, and performs various respective warning operations
according to the result of the computing operation. For example,
slow sounds are generated when the blood pressure falls within the
range of 140-160 mmHg, and short interval sounds are generated when
the blood pressure exceeds 160 mmHg. It is preferable that the
warning device is a pocket-sized computer or a microcomputer, and
that the warning unit is selected from one of an audio device, a
display device, and a vibration device.
[0048] In conclusion, a separate computing system of the present
invention enables complex calculation operations and display to be
performed on a smartphone via wireless transmission, and thus a
sensing device, such as a wristband, a contact lens, or a heart
stent, requires either no processor at all or only a simple
microprocessor for facilitating the display of content. Therefore,
the sensing device not only has electronic sensing capability but
also fulfills the goals of minimized weight and low power
consumption.
[0049] The preferred embodiments described above are exemplary and
are not intended to limit the scope of the present invention.
Hence, any equivalent modification or variation made to the
aforesaid embodiments without departing from the spirit and scope
of the present invention shall fall within the scope of the
appended claims.
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