Operation processing aparatus calculating numerical value representing skin barrier function, equipument, computer readable medium, and method for evaluating skin barrier function

Abstract

The goal of the present invention is to calculate with high accuracy a numerical value representing skin barrier function in a wide range of skin conditions. Provided is an operation processing apparatus calculates a first variable based on delay time measured using an alternating-current (AC) signal generated by the AC signal generation circuit and a signal applied by an application electrode and passing through skin and stores the first variable calculated by the processor as a calculation result. The operation processing apparatus calculates a numerical value representing the skin barrier function based on the calculation result.

1 . An operation processing apparatus for calculating a numerical value representing a skin barrier function comprising:
 a processor calculating a first variable based on delay time measured using an alternating-current (AC) signal generated by the AC signal generation circuit and a signal applied by an application electrode and passing through skin; and   a storage medium storing the first variable calculated by the processor as a calculation result,   wherein the processor calculates the numerical value representing the skin barrier function based on the calculation result in the storage medium.   
     
     
         2 . The operation processing apparatus according to  claim 1 ,
 wherein the processor further calculates a first skin impedance value based on a first AC signal generated by the AC signal generation circuit; and   the storage medium further stores the first skin impedance value calculated by the processor as a calculation result.   
     
     
         3 . The operation processing apparatus according to  claim 2 ,
 wherein the processor further calculates a second skin impedance value based on a second AC signal generated by the AC signal generation circuit; and   the storage medium further stores the second skin impedance value calculated by the processor as a calculation result.   
     
     
         4 . The operation processing apparatus according to  claim 1 ,
 wherein the processor further calculates a first skin impedance value based on a first AC signal generated by the AC signal generation circuit and a second skin impedance value based on a second AC signal generated by the AC signal generation circuit and the processor calculates a second variable with the first skin impedance value and the second skin impedance value,   wherein the storage medium stores further the second variable calculated with the processor as a calculation result.   
     
     
         5 . The operation processing apparatus according to  claim 3 ,
 wherein the first skin impedance value is one or more values selected from a group consisting of a first susceptance value, a first admittance value, a first conductance value, and inverse values of the first susceptance value, the first admittance value, and the first conductance value; and   the second skin impedance value is one or more values selected from a group consisting of a second susceptance value, a second admittance value, a second conductance value, and inverse values of the second susceptance value, the second admittance value, and the second conductance value.   
     
     
         6 . The operation processing apparatus according to  claim 5 ,
 wherein the first skin impedance value is the first susceptance value;   the second skin impedance value is the second admittance value; and   the processor calculates the numerical value representing the skin barrier function using an equation 1;
     CB=a 1 ×B   o / Y   p   +a 2 ×θ+a 3 ×Y   k / B   l   +a 4   [Equation 1]
 
   wherein CB is the numerical value representing the skin barrier function,   B is the first susceptance value,   Y is the second admittance value,   θ is the first variable, and   a1, a2, a3, a4, o, p, k, and l are constants.   
     
     
         7 . The operation processing apparatus according to  claim 5 ,
 wherein the first skin impedance value is the first susceptance value;   the second skin impedance value is the second admittance value; and   the processor calculates the numerical value representing the skin barrier function using an equation 2;
     SCT=a 1 ×B   o / Y   p   +a 2 ×θ+a 3 ×Y   k / B   l   +a 4   [Equation 2]
 
   wherein SCT is the numerical value representing the skin barrier function,   B is the first susceptance value,   Y is the second admittance value,   θ is the first variable, and   a1, a2, a3, a4, o, p, k, and l are constants.   
     
     
         8 . The operation processing apparatus according to  claim 4 ,
 wherein the first skin impedance value is one or more values selected from a group consisting of a first susceptance value, a first admittance value, a first conductance value, and inverse values of the first susceptance value, the first admittance value, and the first conductance value; and   the second skin impedance value is one or more values selected from a group consisting of a second susceptance value, a second admittance value, a second conductance value, and inverse values of the second susceptance value, the second admittance value, and the second conductance value.   
     
     
         9 . The operation processing apparatus according to  claim 8 ,
 wherein the first skin impedance value is the first susceptance value;   the second skin impedance value is the second admittance value; and   the processor calculates the numerical value representing the skin barrier function using an equation 1;
     CB=a 1 ×B   o / Y   p   +a 2 ×θ+a 3 ×Y   k / B   l   +a 4   [Equation 1]
 
   wherein CB is the numerical value representing the skin barrier function,   B is the first susceptance value,   Y is the second admittance value,   θ is the first variable, and   a1, a2, a3, a4, o, p, k, and l are constants.   
     
     
         10 . The operation processing apparatus according to  claim 8 ,
 wherein the first skin impedance value is the first susceptance value;   the second skin impedance value is the second admittance value; and   the processor calculates the numerical value representing the skin barrier function using an equation 2;
     SCT=a 1 ×B   o / Y   p   +a 2 ×θ+a 3 ×Y   k / B   l   +a 4   [Equation 2]
 
   wherein SCT is the numerical value representing the skin barrier function,   B is the first susceptance value,   Y is the second admittance value,   θ is the first variable, and   a1, a2, a3, a4, o, p, k, and l are constants.   
     
     
         11 . Electronic equipment comprising:
 an alternating-current (AC) signal generation circuit generating an AC signal;   an application electrode applying the AC signal generated by the AC signal generation circuit to skin and passed through the skin;   a detection electrode detecting a signal applied by the application electrode and passing through the skin; and   the operation processing apparatus according to  claim 1  calculating the numerical value representing the skin barrier function based on the AC signal generated and the signal passing through the skin.   
     
     
         12 . Electronic equipment comprising:
 an alternating-current (AC) signal generation circuit generating an AC signal;   an application electrode applying the AC signal generated by the AC signal generation circuit to skin and passed through the skin;   a detection electrode detecting a signal applied by the application electrode and passing through the skin; and   the operation processing apparatus according to  claim 2  calculating the a numerical value representing the skin barrier function based on the AC signal generated and the signal passing through the skin.   
     
     
         13 . Electronic equipment comprising:
 an alternating-current (AC) signal generation circuit generating an AC signal;   an application electrode applying the AC signal generated by the AC signal generation circuit to skin and passed through the skin;   a detection electrode detecting a signal applied by the application electrode and passing through the skin; and   the operation processing apparatus according to  claim 3  calculating the numerical value representing the skin barrier function based on the AC signal generated and the signal passing through the skin.   
     
     
         14 . Electronic equipment comprising:
 an alternating-current (AC) signal generation circuit generating an AC signal;   an application electrode applying the AC signal generated by the AC signal generation circuit to skin and passed through the skin;   a detection electrode detecting a signal applied by the application electrode and passing through the skin; and   the operation processing apparatus according to  claim 4  calculating the numerical value representing the skin barrier function based on the AC signal generated and the signal passing through the skin.   
     
     
         15 . A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium comprising:
 a computer-readable program that is executed by a computer as the operation processing apparatus according to  claim 1 .   
     
     
         16 . A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium comprising:
 a computer-readable program that is executed by a computer as the operation processing apparatus according to  claim 2 .   
     
     
         17 . A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium comprising:
 a computer-readable program that is executed by a computer as the operation processing apparatus according to  claim 3 .   
     
     
         18 . A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium comprising:
 a computer-readable program that is executed by a computer as the operation processing apparatus according to  claim 4 .   
     
     
         19 . A method of evaluating a skin barrier function comprising:
 generating an alternating-current (AC) signal;   making the AC signal generated pass through skin;   detecting a signal passed through the skin;   calculating a first variable based on delay time measured using the AC signal generated and the signal passed through the skin;   calculating a numerical value representing a skin barrier function based on the first variable.   
     
     
         20 . The method according to  claim 19 , further comprising:
 calculating a skin impedance value based on the AC signal generated,   wherein calculating the numerical value representing the skin barrier function calculates the numerical value based on the first variable and the skin impedance value.