JP4050974B2 - Wireless sensor - Google Patents

Description

[0001]
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a wireless sensor that detects an object to be detected contained in a specimen such as blood, serum, or plasma, and transmits a detection result in a non-contact manner.
[0002]
[Prior art]
Conventionally, various types of biosensors have been proposed for detecting an object to be detected such as a specific substance or a specific component contained in a sample such as a specimen. A biosensor is a chemical sensor that uses or imitates an excellent substance recognition function of a living organism, and there are biomaterial sensors using biological materials, biomimetic sensors using artificial materials, and the like.
[0003]
Detection of an object to be detected using this biosensor involves dropping a predetermined amount of sample onto the biosensor and measuring whether a predetermined reaction has occurred in the biosensor using the dropped sample using a separate measuring device or the like. (For example, refer to Patent Document 1).
[0004]
[Patent Document 1]
JP-A-5-196596 [0005]
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
By the way, conventionally, for example, when a sample is collected as a sample, whether a predetermined amount of the sample is taken out from the sample container containing the collected sample and dropped on the biosensor to determine whether a predetermined reaction has occurred. It was necessary to obtain a detection result by performing measurement. For this reason, it takes time to obtain a detection result, and it may be difficult to perform detection quickly and easily.
[0006]
An object of the present invention is to provide a wireless sensor that can easily detect whether or not an object to be detected is contained in a sample such as blood, serum, or plasma, and can quickly and easily obtain a detection result. That is.
[0007]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
The wireless sensor according to claim 1 includes an IC tag that transmits information in a non-contact manner and a plurality of electrode pairs formed on a surface of the IC tag, and each of the plurality of electrode pairs is in a sample. The wireless sensor is coated with an insulating material that is decomposed by different objects to be detected, and the IC tag transmits a signal indicating each energization state between the plurality of electrode pairs. And
[0008]
According to the wireless sensor of claim 1 , a plurality of electrode pairs are formed on the surface of the IC tag, and each of the plurality of electrode pairs is coated with an insulating material that is decomposed by different objects to be detected. Therefore, it is possible to detect a plurality of objects to be detected simultaneously by one wireless sensor depending on whether or not electricity is applied between the electrode pairs, and to transmit the detection results in a non-contact manner using an IC tag. Accordingly, it is possible to easily detect whether or not the detected object is included in the sample by directly inserting the wireless sensor into the sample, and for example, transmitting a detection result to an inspection system or the like. Thus, the inspection result can be obtained quickly.
[0009]
According to a second aspect of the present invention, the wireless sensor includes: an IC tag that transmits information in a non-contact manner; and a plurality of electrode pairs formed on a surface of the IC tag, each of the plurality of electrode pairs A wireless sensor coated with different thicknesses by an insulating material decomposed by an object contained in the specimen, wherein the IC tag is a signal indicating each energization state between the plurality of electrode pairs Is transmitted.
[0010]
According to the wireless sensor of the second aspect, a plurality of electrode pairs are formed on the surface of the IC tag, and each of the plurality of electrode pairs has a different thickness depending on the insulating material to be decomposed by the object to be detected. Since it is coated, it is possible to detect an object to be detected and measure its concentration depending on whether or not an electric current is applied between the electrode pair, and the detection result can be transmitted in a non-contact manner using an IC tag. Therefore, it is possible to easily measure whether or not the detected object is contained in the sample by directly inserting the wireless sensor into the sample, and the concentration of the detected object. The inspection result can be obtained promptly by transmitting.
[0011]
The wireless sensor according to claim 3 is characterized in that the IC tag is formed of a material that does not affect the properties of the specimen. According to the wireless sensor of the third aspect, when the wireless sensor is directly inserted into the sample, it is possible to appropriately prevent the input wireless sensor from affecting the test result.
[0016]
According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, the wireless sensor further includes a sample identification information storage unit for receiving information without contact with the IC tag and storing sample identification information of the sample, and the sample identification information storage unit. The specimen identification information received is stored.
[0017]
According to the wireless sensor of the fourth aspect , the IC tag receives and stores the specimen identification information. Therefore, for example, the detection result of the detected object and the specimen identification information for identifying which patient the specimen was collected from can be transmitted to the inspection system or the like from the IC tag. Management can be performed easily and appropriately.
[0018]
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
Hereinafter, a wireless sensor according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.
[0019]
FIG. 1 is a diagram showing an outline of a wireless sensor according to this embodiment. The wireless sensor 2 includes an IC tag 4 that can transmit and receive information in a non-contact manner and an electrode pair 10 disposed to face each other at a predetermined interval. The IC tag 4 detects an energized state between the electrode pair 10 and records an IC chip 6 that records the presence / absence of an object to be detected and an antenna 8 that transmits information recorded on the IC chip 6. I have. The electrode pair 10 is connected to the IC chip 6 and coated with an insulating material 11.
[0020]
FIG. 2 is a side view of the wireless sensor 2 according to the embodiment. As shown in FIG. 2, the IC chip 6 and the antenna 8 are provided inside the material forming the IC tag 4, and the electrode pair 10 is formed on the surface of the IC tag 4. Here, the material that forms the IC tag 4 is formed of a material that does not affect the properties of the specimen, for example, a material such as polyester, polyethylene, polypropylene, or PET (polyethylene terephthalate).
[0021]
Here, as the IC tag 4, an RFID tag that can read and write information in a non-contact manner, for example, an RFID (Radio Frequency Identification) tag is used. The IC tag 4 has a very thin shape such as a film. The size is such that it can be accommodated together with the sample in the sample container. For example, an IC tag having a size of about 0.4 mm square is used as a fine one.
[0022]
Moreover, as the insulating substance 11 that coats the electrode pair 10, a substance that is decomposed by an object to be detected, for example, a lipid film that is an insulating substance that is decomposed by a lipase when the object to be detected is a lipase. Used. Here, only the portion of the electrode pair 10 formed on the surface of the IC tag 4 is coated with the insulating material 11, and the other portions are not coated.
[0023]
FIG. 3 is a block configuration diagram of the wireless sensor 2. The wireless sensor 2 includes the IC tag 4 as described above, and an antenna 8 and an electrode pair 10 are connected to the IC tag 4. The IC chip 6 provided in the IC tag 4 includes a data control unit 12 that controls processing of data in the IC chip 6. Connected to the data control unit 12 are an energization detection unit 14 that detects energization between the electrode pair 10 and a data storage unit 16 that stores a detection result of whether or not an object to be detected is included in the sample. ing.
[0024]
Here, in addition to the detection result, in the data storage unit 16, information on the patient from which the sample is collected, that is, from which patient the sample contained in the sample container together with the wireless sensor 2 is collected. Sample identification information for identification is recorded. The sample identification information is transmitted from the IC tag writer to the wireless sensor 2 when collecting a sample from a patient, and is received by the wireless sensor 2 via the antenna 8 and then stored in the data storage unit 16. Remembered.
[0025]
FIG. 4 is a diagram for explaining processing for detecting whether or not an object to be detected is included in a sample collected using the wireless sensor 2 according to this embodiment.
[0026]
As shown in FIG. 4, the sample container 20 containing the sample 22 and the wireless sensor 2 is disposed at a position facing the antenna 24. The antenna 24 is connected to an IC tag reader / writer (IC tag R / W) 26, and the IC tag R / W 26 is connected to a test system 28 for storing and managing information related to the test of a specimen through a wireless network or the like. Has been.
[0027]
Hereinafter, a process for detecting whether or not an object to be detected is included in the collected specimen will be described. In the following, blood is used as a specimen, and whether or not lipase is contained as an object to be detected in blood is detected by a wireless sensor in which the electrode pair 10 is coated with a lipid film that is decomposed by lipase. Will be described as an example.
[0028]
First, blood is collected from the patient, and the collected blood is stored in the sample container 20. Here, the wireless sensor 2 is accommodated in the specimen container 20 in advance, and specimen identification information is written in the IC tag 4 when blood is collected from the patient. That is, for example, when a wristband with a barcode recording a patient ID for identifying a patient is wound around the wrist of a patient from whom blood is collected, the wristband wound around the patient's arm The patient ID recorded in the attached barcode is read through a barcode reader (not shown), and the read patient ID is transmitted as sample identification information to the IC chip 6 through the antenna 8 and stored in the data storage unit 16. To do.
[0029]
Note that after the blood 22 is stored in the sample container 20, the wireless sensor 2 may be inserted into the sample container 20 and the sample identification information may be stored in the IC chip 6 included in the IC tag 4.
[0030]
Next, as shown in FIG. 4, the sample container 20 containing the collected blood 22 and the wireless sensor 2 is placed at a position facing the antenna 24, that is, within a range where radio waves transmitted from the antenna 24 reach. Deploy. At this time, since the sample container is disposed at a position facing the antenna 24, the IC tag 4 receives power transmission by radio waves transmitted via the antenna 24. For example, when an electromagnetic induction type RFID tag is used as the IC tag 4, coils are used as the antenna 8 and the antenna 24, and power is generated in the IC tag 4 using the induced voltage due to the induction current flux of the two coils. .
[0031]
Here, when lipase is contained in the blood 22, the lipid film that coats the electrode pair 10 is decomposed by the lipase. At this time, a current flows between the electrode pair 10, and the IC tag 4 detects that the current is detected between the electrode pair 10 by the energization detection unit 14. On the other hand, when the lipase is not contained in the blood 22, the electrode pair 10 is insulated by a lipid film, so that no current flows between the electrode pair 10, and the electrode pair 10 in the IC tag 4. No energization is detected between them. Note that the energization detection result (energization detection or non-energization detection or the like) by the energization detection unit 14 is stored in the data storage unit 16 as the detection result of the detected object.
[0032]
Next, the specimen identification information and the detection result stored in the data storage unit 16 are transmitted to the IC tag R / W 26 via the antenna 8. That is, sample identification information for identifying from which patient the blood 22 contained in the sample container 20 together with the wireless sensor 2 is collected and the detection result detected by the energization detection unit 14 are represented by the IC tag R / Send to W26.
[0033]
The IC tag R / W 26 receives the specimen identification information and detection result transmitted from the wireless sensor 2 via the antenna 24, and transmits the received specimen identification information and detection result to the inspection system 28. In the inspection system 28, the received specimen identification information and detection result are stored in a data storage unit (not shown).
[0034]
The wireless sensor according to the embodiment of the present invention includes an electrode pair coated with an insulating material that is decomposed by an object to be detected. Whether or not an object is included is detected. Therefore, the object to be detected contained in the sample can be easily detected by directly inserting the wireless sensor into the collected sample.
[0035]
In addition, the detection object is detected by direct injection into the specimen, and the detection result is transmitted in a non-contact manner, so it is easy and quick to detect whether the detection object is contained in the specimen. The result can be obtained.
[0036]
In addition, according to the wireless sensor according to the embodiment, the specimen identification information of the specimen contained in the specimen container is stored, and the detection result of the detected object is transmitted together with the specimen identification information. Therefore, it is possible to omit the process of matching the detection result of whether or not the detection object is included in the sample and the detection result for which sample, and appropriately manage the detection result together with the sample identification information. be able to.
[0037]
In the wireless center according to the above-described embodiment, a case where one type of detected object is detected has been described as an example. However, a plurality of types of detected objects may be detected. That is, a plurality of electrode pairs may be formed on the surface of the IC tag, and each electrode pair may be coated with an insulating material that is decomposed by different objects to be detected. In this case, by detecting which electrode pair is energized, it is possible to simultaneously detect a plurality of types of detection objects contained in the sample.
[0038]
In addition, the thickness of the insulating material decomposed by the object to be detected that coats each of the plurality of electrode pairs may be different. In addition, each of the plurality of electrode pairs may be coated with an insulating material that is decomposed by different concentrations of objects to be detected. In these cases, it is possible to measure the concentration of the detection object contained in the sample together with the detection of whether or not the detection object is contained in the sample. That is, by detecting which electrode pair formed on the IC tag surface is energized, it is possible to measure the concentration of the detection object contained in the specimen.
[0039]
In the wireless sensor according to the above-described embodiment, only the electrode pair formed on the surface of the IC tag is coated with an insulating material that is decomposed by the object to be detected, but the entire wireless sensor is covered. You may make it coat with the insulating substance decomposed | disassembled by a detected object.
[0040]
In addition, the wireless sensor according to the above-described embodiment is an example in which the electrode pair is coated with a lipid film that is decomposed by lipase, and it is detected whether or not lipase is contained in blood. You may make it detect the to-be-detected object contained in specimens other than blood. For example, the electrode pair may be coated with a lipid film that is decomposed by lipase to detect whether or not lipase is contained in urine.
[0041]
【The invention's effect】
According to the present invention, the wireless sensor includes an IC tag and an electrode pair, and the electrode pair formed on the surface of the IC tag is coated with the insulating material that is decomposed by the object to be detected. Therefore, it is possible to detect an object to be detected based on whether or not electricity is applied between the electrode pairs, and to transmit the detection result in a non-contact manner using an IC tag. Therefore, it is possible to detect whether or not the detected object is included in the sample by directly inserting the wireless sensor into the sample, and for example, by transmitting the detection result to the inspection system or the like, Inspection results can be obtained quickly, and the labor for detecting the object to be detected can be saved.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is a diagram schematically showing a wireless sensor according to an embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 2 is a side view of a wireless sensor according to an embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 3 is a block configuration diagram of a wireless sensor according to an embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 4 is a diagram for explaining processing for detecting an object to be detected using the wireless sensor according to the embodiment of the present invention.
[Explanation of symbols]
DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 2 ... Wireless type sensor, 4 ... IC tag, 6 ... IC chip, 8 ... Antenna, 10 ... Electrode pair, 11 ... Insulating substance, 12 ... Data control part, 14 ... Current detection part, 16 ... Data storage part, 20 ... Specimen container, 22 ... Specimen (blood), 24 ... Antenna, 26 ... IC tag reader / writer (IC tag R / W), 28 ... Inspection system.

Claims (4)

An IC tag that transmits information without contact;
  A plurality of electrode pairs formed on the surface of the IC tag;
With
  Each of the plurality of electrode pairs is a wireless sensor coated with an insulating material that is decomposed by different objects to be detected contained in a specimen,
  The wireless sensor is characterized in that the IC tag transmits a signal indicating each energization state between the plurality of electrode pairs. An IC tag that transmits information without contact;
A plurality of electrode pairs formed on the surface of the IC tag;
With
Each of the plurality of electrode pairs is a wireless sensor coated with an insulating material that is decomposed by an object contained in a specimen with a different thickness,
  The wireless sensor is characterized in that the IC tag transmits a signal indicating each energization state between the plurality of electrode pairs. The wireless sensor according to claim 1 or 2 , wherein the IC tag is formed of a material that does not affect the properties of the specimen. The IC tag further includes sample identification information storage means for receiving information in a non-contact manner and storing sample identification information of the sample,
The wireless sensor according to any one of claims 1 to 3 , wherein the received specimen identification information is stored in the specimen identification information storage means.

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