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 - 82 . (canceled)  
   
   
       83 . An inhaler for discharging a medicine in the form of fine droplets and enabling a user to inhale the medicine, comprising: 
 storage means storing personal information about the user including information about a prescription for the user;    a tank which contains the medicine and has a code for identifying a type of contained medicine;    a discharge head for discharging a medicine supplied from said tank in the form of fine droplets; and    discharge permission means for permitting operation of said discharge head only when a collation result on the medicine contained in said tank and a medicine written on the prescription indicates coincidence upon reading the code.    
   
   
       84 . The inhaler according to  claim 83 , wherein said tank and said discharge head are integrally formed.  
   
   
       85 . The inhaler according to  claim 83 , wherein said discharge permission means inhibits operation of said discharge head with respect to a usage pattern different from a formula written in the prescription.  
   
   
       86 . The inhaler according to  claim 83 , further comprising input means, and said discharge permission means permits operation of said discharge head only when the information stored in said storage means coincides with the information input from said input means.  
   
   
       87 . The inhaler according to  claim 83 , further comprising an authentication sensor for performing biometrical authentication with respect to the user, and said discharge permission means permits operation of said discharge head only when a biometrical characteristic of the user stored in said storage means coincides with information from said authentication sensor.  
   
   
       88 . The inhaler according to  claim 83 , wherein the code is electrically readable.  
   
   
       89 . The inhaler according to  claim 83 , wherein the code is optically readable.  
   
   
       90 . The inhaler according to  claim 83 , further comprising means for inhibiting reuse of said tank when inhaling operation is performed a predetermined number of times.  
   
   
       91 . The inhaler according to  claim 83 , further comprising means for inhibiting reuse of said discharge head when inhaling operation is performed a predetermined number of times.  
   
   
       92 . A discharge head control method for an inhaler being provided with storage means for storing personal information about a user including information about a prescription for the user, a tank which contains the medicine and has a code for identifying a type of contained medicine, and a discharge head for discharging a medicine supplied from the tank in the form of fine droplets, wherein said method comprises the steps of: 
 collating the medicine contained in the tank with a medicine written on the prescription upon reading the code; and    enabling operation of the discharge head only when the collation result indicates coincidence of the both.    
   
   
       93 . The method according to  claim 92 , further comprising the step of inhibiting the operation of the discharge head with respect to a usage pattern different from a formula written in the prescription.  
   
   
       94 . The method according to  claim 92 , wherein the inhaler further comprises input means, and said method further comprises the step of permitting the operation of the discharge head only when the information stored in the storage means coincides with the information input from the input means.  
   
   
       95 . The method according to  claim 92 , wherein the inhaler further comprises an authentication sensor for performing biometrical authentication with respect to the user, and said method further comprises the step of permitting the operation of the discharge only when a biometrical characteristic of the user stored in the storage means coincides with information from the authentication sensor.  
   
   
       96 . The method according to  claim 92 , further comprising the step of inhibiting reuse of the tank when inhaling operation is performed a predetermined number of times.  
   
   
       97 . The method according to  claim 92 , further comprising the step of inhibiting reuse of the discharge head when inhaling operation is performed a predetermined number of times.  
   
   
       98 . A computer program for implementing the discharge head control method, said inhaler being provided with storage means for storing personal information about a user including information about a prescription for the user, a tank which contains the medicine and has a code for identifying a type of contained medicine, and a discharge head for discharging a medicine supplied from the tank in the form of fine droplets, wherein said computer program comprises program codes for implementing the steps of: 
 collating the medicine contained in the tank with a medicine written on the prescription upon reading the code; and    enabling operation of the discharge head only when the collation result indicates coincidence of the both.    
   
   
       99 . A storage medium for storing a program code for implementing the discharge head control method, said inhaler being provided with storage means for storing personal information about a user including information about a prescription for the user, a tank which contains the medicine and has a code for identifying a type of contained medicine, and a discharge head for discharging a medicine supplied from the tank in the form of fine droplets, wherein said storage medium stores program codes for implementing the steps of: 
 collating the medicine contained in the tank with a medicine written on the prescription upon reading the code; and    enabling operation of the discharge head only when the collation result indicates coincidence of the both.