Portable terminal and health management method and system using portable terminal

Abstract

A portable terminal carried and owned by each user is provided with a display screen, a communication unit, a memory storing personal information about each user, and an input/output device such as an inhaler. A database that communicates with each portable terminal is provided with a personal information storage unit storing the personal information about each user carrying the portable terminal, a medical information storage unit storing information about a medical facility, a drugstore, a medicine, and the input/output device, and a communication unit for communicating with each portable terminal. In the database, the user of the portable terminal is identified by collating the part of the information transmitted from the communication unit with information stored in the personal information storage unit. When a specific signal is transmitted from the communication unit, communication is performed with a medical facility while information, of the information stored in the medicine information storage unit, which is necessary for the user is provided for the portable terminal as an emergency measure. This makes it possible to properly and quickly handle an emergency.

1 - 50 . (canceled)  
     
     
         51 . A portable terminal which is arranged to be carried by a user, including: 
 storage means storing personal information about the user, including information about a clinical chart of the user and prescription;    an inhaler for discharging a medicine in the form of fine droplets and making the user inhale the droplets;    and driving control means for changing a parameter associated with discharging of the medicine within a predetermined period of time in which the user executes the inhalation so as to enable the user to efficiently inhale the medicine in accordance with the information of the prescription.    
     
     
         52 . The terminal according to  claim 51 , wherein the medicine is discharged in a plurality of steps within the predetermined period of time in which the inhalation is executed.  
     
     
         53 . The terminal according to  claim 51 , further comprising a sensor for detecting an inhalation rate of the user, and said driving control means changes the parameter in accordance with a signal from said sensor.  
     
     
         54 . The terminal according to  claim 51 , wherein a medicine and a timing at which the parameter is changed are stored in said storage means in association with each other.  
     
     
         55 . The terminal according to  claim 51 , wherein the parameter includes a discharging speed of the droplets.  
     
     
         56 . The terminal according to  claim 51 , wherein the parameter includes a driving frequency.  
     
     
         57 . The terminal according to  claim 51 , wherein the parameter includes a size of the droplet.  
     
     
         58 . The terminal according to  claim 51 , wherein the parameter includes a main droplet/sub-droplet ratio of the droplets.  
     
     
         59 . The terminal according to  claim 51 , wherein the parameter includes a discharge scheme.  
     
     
         60 . The terminal according to  claim 51 , wherein said inhaler comprises a discharge head for discharging a medicine by using heat energy.  
     
     
         61 . The terminal according to  claim 51 , wherein said storage means is a detachable memory card.  
     
     
         62 . A method of driving an inhaler of a portable terminal which is arranged to be carried by a user, comprising the steps of: 
 providing storage means for storing personal information about the user, including information about a clinical chart of the user and prescription, and an inhaler for discharging a medicine in the form of fine droplets and making the user inhale the droplets, with the portable terminal; and    changing a parameter associated with discharging of the medicine within a predetermined period of time in which the user executes the inhalation so as to enable the user to efficiently inhale the medicine in accordance with the information of the prescription.    
     
     
         63 . The method according to  claim 62 , wherein the medicine is discharged in a plurality of steps within the predetermined period of time in which the inhalation is executed.  
     
     
         64 . The method according to  claim 62 , wherein an inhalation rate of the user is detected, and the parameter is changed in accordance with the detected inhalation rate.  
     
     
         65 . The method according to  claim 62 , wherein a medicine and a timing at which the parameter is changed are stored in the storage means in association with each other.  
     
     
         66 . The method according to  claim 62 , wherein the parameter includes a discharging speed of the droplets.  
     
     
         67 . The method according to  claim 62 , wherein the parameter includes a driving frequency.  
     
     
         68 . The method according to  claim 62 , wherein the parameter includes a size of the droplet.  
     
     
         69 . The method according to  claim 62 , wherein the parameter includes a main droplet/sub-droplet ratio of the droplets.  
     
     
         70 . The method according to  claim 62 , wherein the parameter includes a discharge scheme.