Abstract:
A method for determining a user&#39;s body information in a mobile terminal includes determining whether a user touch is detected on a touch panel, which incorporates a Bio Micro Electric Mechanical System (MEMS) technology, and if so, determining the user&#39;s body information which in turn is transmitted to an upper node. Body information analysis results are received from the upper node and displayed subsequently. As a result, a mobile user has an advantage of managing his or her health via on line using a touch panel of a mobile terminal without visiting a hospital separately.

Description:
CLAIM OF PRIORITY 
       [0001]    This application claims the benefit under 35 U.S.C. §119(a) of a Korean patent application filed in the Korean Intellectual Property Office on Aug. 16, 2010 and assigned Serial No. 10-2010-0078701, the entire disclosure of which is hereby incorporated by reference. 
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    1. Field of the Invention 
         [0003]    The present invention relates to an apparatus and a method for determining biological information using a device that can detect a body state when a user touches a touch screen of a mobile terminal, and managing the user&#39;s health based on the detected body information. 
         [0004]    2. Description of the Related Art 
         [0005]    A recent mobile terminal supports a touch screen that uses a touch panel, which includes a panel and a window that can detect a touch. In operation, when using the mobile terminal, a user directly and physically contacts the window, which is made of acryl or tempered glass material. 
         [0006]    However, to date, the window is not used for other purposes or application other than protecting inner parts of the terminal and preventing a reflection thereof. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0007]    An aspect of the present invention is to provide an apparatus and method for acquiring and detecting a user&#39;s health related information via a portable terminal. 
         [0008]    Another aspect of the present invention is to provide an apparatus and a method for managing a user&#39;s health on line by integrating a nano technology and a Bio Micro Electric Mechanical System (MEMS) technology with a window forming a touch panel and determining the user&#39; body information in a mobile terminal. 
         [0009]    In accordance with an aspect of the present invention, a method for determining a user&#39;s body information in a mobile terminal is provided. The method includes determining whether a touch input is detected with respect to a touch panel to which a Bio Micro Electric Mechanical System (MEMS) technology has been applied, when the touch is detected, determining the user&#39;s body information, transmitting the determined body information to an upper node, receiving body information analysis results from the upper node, and displaying the body information analysis results. 
         [0010]    In accordance with another aspect of the present invention, an apparatus of a mobile terminal that determines a user&#39;s body information is provided. The apparatus includes a touch panel including a window to which a Bio Micro Electric Mechanical System (MEMS) technology has been applied and detecting a touch input, a pressure sensor, a modem for transmitting/receiving information to/from an upper node, a controller for, upon detecting the touch input on the touch panel, determining the user&#39;s body information via the touch panel, transmitting the determined body information to the upper node via the modem, and receiving body information analysis results from the upper node via the modem, and a display unit for displaying the body information analysis results. 
         [0011]    In accordance with further another aspect of the present invention, a mobile communication system for performing a user&#39;s health management is provided. The system includes a mobile terminal for determining whether an touch input exists with respect to a touch panel to which a Bio Micro Electric Mechanical System (MEMS) technology has been applied, upon detecting the touch input, determining the user&#39;s body information, transmitting the determined body information to a server, and upon receiving a response from the server, displaying the response, the server for transmitting the body information transmitted by the mobile terminal to a hospital server, and transmitting a response transmitted by the hospital server to the mobile terminal, and the hospital server for analyzing the user&#39;s body information transmitted by the server, and when an abnormal part exists as a result of the body information analysis, transmitting an analysis result including the abnormal part and a processing guide for the abnormal part to the server. 
         [0012]    Other aspects, advantages and salient features of the invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art from the following detailed description, which, taken in conjunction with the annexed drawings, discloses exemplary embodiments of the invention. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0013]    The above and other aspects, features and advantages of certain exemplary embodiments of the present invention will be more apparent from the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which: 
           [0014]      FIG. 1  is a view illustrating a touch panel according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention; 
           [0015]      FIG. 2  is a view illustrating a touch panel that uses a Bio MEMS (Lab on a chip) technology according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention; 
           [0016]      FIG. 3  is a view illustrating a Bio MEMS (Lab on a chip) technology according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention; 
           [0017]      FIG. 4A  is a first flowchart illustrating a process for operating a mobile terminal according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention; 
           [0018]      FIG. 4B  is a second flowchart illustrating a process for operating a mobile terminal according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention; 
           [0019]      FIG. 5  is a flowchart illustrating a process for operating a server according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention; 
           [0020]      FIG. 6  is a flowchart illustrating a process for operating a hospital server according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention; and 
           [0021]      FIG. 7  is a view illustrating a block configuration of a mobile terminal and a network structure according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention. 
       
    
    
       [0022]    Throughout the drawings, like reference numerals will be understood to refer to like parts, components and structures. 
       DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EXEMPLARY EMBODIMENTS 
       [0023]    The following description with reference to the accompanying drawings is provided to assist in a comprehensive understanding of exemplary embodiments of the invention as defined by the claims and their equivalents. It includes various specific details to assist in that understanding but these are to be regarded as merely exemplary. Accordingly, those of ordinary skill in the art will recognize that various changes and modifications of the embodiments described herein can be made without departing from the scope and spirit of the invention. For the purposes of simplicity and to avoid redundancy, descriptions of well-known functions and constructions are omitted for clarity and conciseness. 
         [0024]    The terms and words used in the following description and claims are not limited to the bibliographical meanings, but, are merely used by the inventor to enable a clear and consistent understanding of the invention. Accordingly, it should be apparent to those skilled in the art that the following description of exemplary embodiments of the present invention are provided for illustration purpose only and not for the purpose of limiting the invention as defined by the appended claims and their equivalents. 
         [0025]    It is to be understood that the singular forms “a,” “an,” and “the” include plural referents unless the context clearly dictates otherwise. Thus, for example, reference to “a component surface” includes reference to one or more of such surfaces. 
         [0026]    By the term “substantially” it is meant that the recited characteristic, parameter, or value need not be achieved exactly, but that deviations or variations, including for example, tolerances, measurement error, measurement accuracy limitations and other factors known to skill in the art, may occur in amounts that do not preclude the effect the characteristic was intended to provide. 
         [0027]      FIG. 1  is a view illustrating a touch panel according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention. 
         [0028]    Referring to  FIG. 1 , a nano technology that can collect body fluid generated from a finger or a hand, is applied to a window of the touch panel  100  according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention. 
         [0029]      FIG. 2  is a view illustrating a touch panel that uses a Bio MEMS (i.e., Lab on a chip(LOC)) technology according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention. Note that a Lab-on-a-chip (LOC) is a device that integrates one or more laboratory function on a single chip of only millimeters to a few square centimeters in size. LOC is a subset of MEMS devices. 
         [0030]    Referring to  FIG. 2 , an exemplary embodiment of the present invention uses a Bio MEMS technology that can analyze body fluid collected via the window of the touch panel  200 . According to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, the mobile terminal analyzes body fluid which is left on the surface of the touch panel when a user touches or grips the touch panel of the mobile terminal using the Bio MEMS technology. 
         [0031]      FIG. 3  is a view illustrating the configuration of a Bio MEMS (Lab on a chip) technology according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention. 
         [0032]    Referring to  FIG. 3 , the Bio MEMS (Lab on a chip) technology is a chemical micro processor that integrates various devices required for analysis on a chip having a size of several cm 2 , made of glass, silicon, or plastic using a micro machining technology, and can perform an automated analysis at high speed, high efficiency, and low costs. This technology emerges as an important technology that can reduce costs and time required for new drug exploring in the field of a pharmaceutical industry that rapidly grows recently. 
         [0033]    The Bio MEMS technology is a core platform technology that can be applied to various fields such as a medical diagnosis equipment, medical checkup at home or bedside, chemical or biological process monitoring, a portable environmental polluting material analyzer, a CBR unmanned chemical/living organism agent detection/identifying device as well as use for new drug exploring in a pharmaceutical industry. 
         [0034]    An exemplary embodiment of the present invention applies the Bio MEMS technology to a window substrate by carving device portions on the window substrate using the Bio MEMS (Lab on a chip) technology as illustrated in the drawing. 
         [0035]    An exemplary embodiment of the present invention may use a pressure sensor that can determine a pulse, a blood pressure, etc. The pressure sensor may be built in the window or positioned in a different portion of the mobile terminal other than the window. 
         [0036]    In addition, an exemplary embodiment of the present invention may provide a health management system that can periodically transmit collected information to a server for update, and determine a user&#39;s health state in cooperation with a hospital based on the information stored in the server. 
         [0037]    According to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, a various types of user&#39;s body information may be stored in a server located in a network for a predetermined period, and when a change in the user&#39;s body information value occurs, a medical team in charge may notify the user when analysis is needed for update. 
         [0038]      FIG. 4A  is a first flowchart illustrating a process for operating a mobile terminal according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention and  FIG. 4B  is a second flowchart illustrating a process for operating a mobile terminal according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention. 
         [0039]    Referring to  FIG. 4A  and  FIG. 4B , during operation, a user touches a touch panel (step  405 ). When a window of the touch panel determines body information (step  410 ), the mobile terminal performs the following operations. 
         [0040]    In case of Case I, the mobile terminal stores and analyzes the determined information (step  415 ). 
         [0041]    When an abnormal part is detected as a result of the analysis by the mobile terminal (step  420 ), the mobile terminal stores all analysis results including the abnormal part and then transmits the same to a server (step  430 ), and then displays the analysis results (step  435 ). 
         [0042]    Upon receiving information (response) from the server (step  440 ) relating to the detected result, the mobile terminal stores and displays the received information (step  445 ). 
         [0043]    When the abnormal part is not detected as a result of the analysis by the mobile terminal (step  420 ), the mobile terminal transmits the analysis result to the server (step  425 ), and displays the analysis result (step  435 ). 
         [0044]    In case of Case II, the mobile terminal stores determined body information and transmits the same to the server (step  450 ). Upon receiving a response from the server (step  455 ), the mobile terminal stores and displays the response contents (step  460 ). 
         [0045]    The response contents may include a body information analysis result and a guide for the analysis result. In addition, the server may be a server that belongs to a network of a company to which the mobile terminal has subscribed. 
         [0046]      FIG. 5  is a flowchart illustrating a process for operating a server according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention. 
         [0047]    The server is a server of a company to which a mobile terminal has subscribed. The server may play a role of relaying between the mobile terminal and a hospital server, or analyze body information. The server may not be actually implemented depending on an implementation purpose. 
         [0048]    Referring to  FIG. 5 , the server receives and stores body information from the mobile terminal (step  505 ). 
         [0049]    In the case where analysis of the body information is not required, that is, the mobile terminal analyzes body information or the hospital server analyzes body information (step  510 ), the server transmits received body information to the hospital server (step  550 ). Here, the body information may include an analysis result where the body information has been analyzed by the mobile terminal. 
         [0050]    Upon receiving a response from the hospital server (step  535 ), the server stores the received response and transmits the same to the mobile terminal (step  540 ). 
         [0051]    In the case where the analysis of the body information is required (step  510 ), the server analyzes the body information (step  515 ). 
         [0052]    When an abnormal part is detected as a result of the analysis (step  520 ), the server stores the analysis result regarding the abnormal part, and transmits the same to the hospital server and the mobile terminal, or stores all the analysis results and transmits the same to the hospital server and the mobile terminal (step  525 ). 
         [0053]    When a response is received from the hospital server (step  535 ), the server stores the received response and transmits the same to the mobile terminal (step  540 ). 
         [0054]    When the abnormal part is not detected (step  520 ), the server stores the body information analysis result and transmits the same to the mobile terminal and the hospital server (step  530 ). 
         [0055]    Thereafter, when a response is received from the hospital server (step  535 ), the server stores the received response and transmits the same to the mobile terminal (step  540 ). 
         [0056]      FIG. 6  is a flowchart illustrating a process for operating a hospital server according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention. 
         [0057]    Referring to  FIG. 6 , the hospital server receives and stores a user&#39;s body information (step  610 ). The body information may include analysis results where the body information has been analyzed by a mobile terminal or a server. 
         [0058]    In the case where the analysis of the body information is not required (step  615 ), the hospital server determines whether an abnormal part is detected (step  640 ). This case is for supplementing the analysis of the body information by the server in  FIG. 5  or the mobile terminal in  FIG. 4 , and may be omitted depending on necessity. 
         [0059]    When the abnormal part is detected, the hospital server stores an analysis result regarding the abnormal part and transmits a guide thereof to the server (step  645 ). 
         [0060]    When the abnormal part is not detected, the hospital server stores an analysis result and transmits the analysis result to the server (step  650 ). 
         [0061]    In the case where the analysis of the body information is required (step  615 ), the hospital server analyzes the body information and stores a result thereof (step  620 ). 
         [0062]    When an abnormal part is detected from an analysis result (step  625 ), the hospital server stores the analysis result regarding the abnormal part and transmits a guide thereof to the server (step  635 ). 
         [0063]    When the abnormal part is not detected from the analysis result (step  625 ), the hospital server stores the analysis result and transmits the same to the server (step  630 ). 
         [0064]    The above-described methods according to the present invention can be implemented in hardware, firmware or as software or computer code that can be stored in a recording medium such as a CD ROM, an RAM, a floppy disk, a hard disk, or a magneto-optical disk or downloaded over a network and stored on a non-transitory machine readable medium, so that the methods described herein can be rendered in such software using a general purpose computer, or a special processor or in programmable or dedicated hardware, such as an ASIC or FPGA. As would be understood in the art, the computer, the processor, microprocessor controller or the programmable hardware include memory components, e.g., RAM, ROM, Flash, etc. that may store or receive software or computer code that when accessed and executed by the computer, processor or hardware implement the processing methods described herein. In addition, it would be recognized that when a general purpose computer accesses code for implementing the processing shown herein, the execution of the code transforms the general purpose computer into a special purpose computer for executing the processing shown herein. 
         [0065]      FIG. 7  is a view illustrating a block configuration of a mobile terminal and a network structure according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention. 
         [0066]    Referring to  FIG. 7 , the network includes a mobile terminal  700 , a base station  750 , a server  760 , and a hospital server  770 . 
         [0067]    The mobile terminal includes a modem  710 , a controller  720 , a storage  730 , and an input unit  740 . The input unit  740  includes a body information determination unit  745  and a pressure sensor  747 . 
         [0068]    The modem  710  serves as a module for communicating with a different device, and may include a radio processor and a baseband processor. The radio processor converts a signal received via an antenna into a baseband signal to provide the same to the baseband processor, converts a baseband signal from the baseband processor into a Radio Frequency (RF) signal so that the RF signal may be transmitted on an RF path, and transmits the same via the antenna. 
         [0069]    The controller  720  controls an overall operation of the mobile terminal. For example, the controller  720  performs processes and controls for voice communication and packet communication. More particularly, the controller  720  controls the input unit  740  to analyze body information determined by the input unit  740 . Alternatively, the controller  720  displays information transmitted by the server  760  or the hospital server  770  via a display unit. Though not shown, the display unit may be positioned at the same position as the input unit  740  and may be realized as a touch screen. 
         [0070]    The controller  720  transmits/receives information to/from the base station  750  via the modem  710  wirelessly, and the base station  750  transmits/receives wirelessly received information to/from the server  760  via a wired path. 
         [0071]    The storage  730  stores programs for controlling an overall operation of the mobile terminal and temporary data occurring during an execution of programs. The storage  730  stores body information determined by the input unit  740  and stores information transmitted by the server  760  and the hospital server  770  under control of the controller  720 . 
         [0072]    The input unit  740  includes a touch panel including a window to which the Bio MEMS (lab on a chip) technology has been applied, and a pressure sensor  747  for determining a user&#39;s blood pressure. In  FIG. 7 , the window to which the Bio MEMS (lab on a chip) technology has been applied is denoted by a body information determination unit  745 . The input unit  740  provides body information determined by the body information determination unit  745  and the pressure sensor  747  to the controller  720 . 
         [0073]    When a user touches the input unit  740 , the controller  720  determines the user&#39;s body information. 
         [0074]    When the controller  720  does not analyze the body information, the controller  720  stores the determined body information in the storage  730  and transmits the same to the server  760  via the modem  710 . 
         [0075]    Upon receiving a response from the server  760  via the modem  710 , the controller  720  stores the response contents in the storage  730  and displays the same via a display unit. The response contents may include the body information analysis result and a guide corresponding to the analysis result. 
         [0076]    In case of analyzing the body information, the controller  720  stores the determined body information in the storage  730  and analyzes the body information. 
         [0077]    When an abnormal part is detected as a result of the analysis, the controller  720  stores all analysis results including the abnormal part in the storage  730 , and transmits the same to the server  760  via the modem  710 . In addition, the controller  720  displays the analysis result via the display unit. 
         [0078]    When an abnormal part is not detected as a result of the analysis, the controller  720  transmits the analysis result to the server  760  via the modem  710  and displays the analysis result via the display unit. 
         [0079]    When receiving information (response) from the server  760  via the modem  710 , the controller  720  stores the received information in the storage  730  and displays the same via the display unit. 
         [0080]    Though not shown, like the mobile terminal  700 , the server  760  includes a wired modem, a controller, and a storage. The wired modem of the server  760  is responsible for encoding/decoding and modulation/demodulation of a transmission/reception signal for wired communication. The controller of the server  760  controls the modem and the storage of the server  760 . The storage of the server  760  stores a program for controlling an overall operation of the server  760  and temporary data that occurs during execution of programs, and stores information transmitted by the mobile terminal  700  and the hospital server  770  under control of the controller of the server  760 . 
         [0081]    In the following, an expression that the controller of the server  760  stores denotes that the controller of the server  760  stores via the storage of the server  760 . An expression that the controller of the server  760  transmits/receives information or a specific object denotes that the controller of the server  760  transmits/receives the information or the specific object via the wired modem of the server  760 . 
         [0082]    The controller of the server  760  receives and stores body information from the mobile terminal  700 . In the case where analysis of the body information is not required, that is, the mobile terminal  700  analyzes the body information or the hospital server  770  analyzes the body information, the controller of the server  760  transmits received body information to the hospital server  770 . Here, the body information may include an analysis result where the body information has been analyzed by the mobile terminal. 
         [0083]    When receiving a response from the hospital server, the server  760  stores the received response and transmits the same to the mobile terminal  700 . 
         [0084]    When analysis of the body information is required, the server  760  analyzes the body information. 
         [0085]    When an abnormal part is detected as a result of analysis, the server  760  stores an analysis result regarding the abnormal part and then transmits the same to the hospital server  770  and the mobile terminal  700 , or stores all analysis results and then transmits the same to the hospital server  770  and the mobile terminal  700 . 
         [0086]    When the abnormal part is not detected as a result of analysis, the server  760  stores the body information analysis result and transmits the same to the mobile terminal  700  and the hospital server  770 . 
         [0087]    When receiving a response from the hospital server  770 , the server  760  stores the received response and transmits the same to the mobile terminal  700 . 
         [0088]    Like the mobile terminal  700 , the hospital server  770  includes a wired modem, a controller, and a storage. The wired modem of the hospital server  770  is responsible for encoding/decoding and modulation/demodulation of a transmission/reception signal for wired communication. The controller of the hospital server  770  controls the modem and the storage of the hospital server  770 . The storage of the hospital server  770  stores a program for controlling an overall operation of the hospital server  770  and temporary data that occurs during execution of programs, and stores information transmitted by the mobile terminal  700  and the server  760  under control of the controller of the hospital server  770 . 
         [0089]    In the following description, an expression that the controller of the hospital server  770  stores denotes that the controller of the hospital server  770  stores via the storage of the hospital server  770 . An expression that the controller of the hospital server  770  transmits/receives information or a specific object denotes that the controller of the hospital server  770  transmits/receives the information or the specific object via the wired modem of the hospital server  770 . 
         [0090]    The hospital server  770  receives and stores a user&#39;s body information. The body information may include an analysis result where the body information has been analyzed by the mobile terminal  700  or the server  760 . 
         [0091]    When analysis of the body information by the hospital server  770  is not required, the hospital server  770  determines whether an abnormal part is detected from the analysis result included in the body information. 
         [0092]    When the abnormal part is detected, the hospital server  770  stores an analysis result for the abnormal part and transmits a guide thereof to the server  760 . 
         [0093]    When the abnormal part is not detected, the hospital server  770  stores the analysis result in the server  760 . 
         [0094]    When the analysis of the body information by the hospital server  770  is required, the hospital server  770  analyzes the body information and stores a result thereof. 
         [0095]    When the abnormal part is detected from the analysis result of the hospital server  770 , the hospital server  770  stores the analysis result regarding the abnormal part and transmits a guide thereof to the server  760 . 
         [0096]    When the abnormal part is not detected from the analysis result of the hospital server  770 , the hospital server  770  stores the analysis result and transmits the same to the server  760 . 
         [0097]    Exemplary embodiments of the present invention have an advantage of managing a user&#39;s health on line by determining body information using a touch panel of a mobile terminal. In addition, the user has an advantage of managing his health by only touching a mobile terminal without visiting a hospital separately. 
         [0098]    The above-described methods according to the present invention can be implemented in hardware, firmware or as software or computer code that can be stored in a recording medium such as a CD ROM, an RAM, a floppy disk, a hard disk, or a magneto-optical disk or downloaded over a network and stored on a non-transitory machine readable medium, so that the methods described herein can be rendered in such software using a general purpose computer, or a special processor or in programmable or dedicated hardware, such as an ASIC or FPGA. As would be understood in the art, the computer, the processor, microprocessor controller or the programmable hardware include memory components, e.g., RAM, ROM, Flash, etc. that may store or receive software or computer code that when accessed and executed by the computer, processor or hardware implement the processing methods described herein. In addition, it would be recognized that when a general purpose computer accesses code for implementing the processing shown herein, the execution of the code transforms the general purpose computer into a special purpose computer for executing the processing shown herein. 
         [0099]    Although the invention has been shown and described with reference to certain exemplary embodiments thereof, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that various changes in form and details may be made therein without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims and their equivalents. Therefore, the scope of the present invention should not be limited to the above-described embodiments but should be determined by not only the appended claims but also the equivalents thereof.