Personal activity tracking system

• US 10,010,750 B2
• Filed: 05/10/2016
• Issued: 07/03/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 09/26/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Fitbit, Inc. (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Fitbit, Inc. (Alphabet Inc.)
• Inventors: Tropper, Seth A., Batour, Amado
• Primary Examiner(s): Ngon, Ricky
• Application Number:
  US15/151,333
• Publication Number:
  US 20160250516A1
• Time in Patent Office: 784 Days
• Field of Search: 702 61
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2560/0412 Low-profile patch shaped housings
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2560/0456 Apparatus provided with a docking unit
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2562/0219 Inertial sensors, e.g. accelerometers, gyroscopes, tilt switches
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0004 characterised by the type of physiological signal transmitted
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/1118 Determining activity level
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/1126 using a particular sensing technique
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/14539 for measuring pH
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/486 Bio-feedback A61B5/375 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/681 Wristwatch-type devices
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6828 Leg
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6831 Straps, bands or harnesses
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6896 Toys
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6897 Computer input devices, e.g. mice or keyboards
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6898 Portable consumer electronic devices, e.g. music players, telephones, tablet computers
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/7264 Classification of physiological signals or data, e.g. using neural networks, statistical classifiers, expert systems or fuzzy systems neural networks per se G06N3/00; expert systems per se G06N5/00
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/743 Displaying an image simultaneously with additional graphical information, e.g. symbols, charts, function plots
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 24/0059 Exercising apparatus with reward systems
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 24/0062 Monitoring athletic performances, e.g. for determining the work of a user on an exercise apparatus, the completed jogging or cycling distance
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 43/004 electrically conductive, e.g. for automatic arbitration
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 71/06 Indicating or scoring devices for games or players , or for other sports activities
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 71/0622 : Visual, audio or audio-visual systems for entertaining, instructing or motivating the user
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/212 : using sensors worn by the player, e.g. for measuring heart beat or leg activity
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/50 : Controlling the output signals based on the game progress
• CPC Class Codes: A63H 33/26 : Magnetic or electric toys electric drives A63H29/22 ; indoor games played with small balls using magnetic power A63F7/0088, A63F7/068
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 : Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0207 : Discounts or incentives, e.g. coupons or rebates
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0217 : involving input on products or services in exchange for incentives or rewards
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0264 : based upon schedule
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3244 : Payment aspects of a gaming system, e.g. payment schemes, setting payout ratio, bonus or consolation prizes
• CPC Class Codes: G09F 3/005 : Identification bracelets, e.g. secured to the arm of a person
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 10/20 : for electronic clinical trials or questionnaires
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 20/30 : relating to physical therapies or activities, e.g. physiotherapy, acupressure or exercising
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 40/63 : for local operation
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 50/30 : for calculating health indices; for individual health risk assessment

Abstract

An activity tracking device is defined to detect and record movement of a person to which the activity tracking device is affixed. A secondary electronic device is defined separate from the activity tracking device. The secondary electronic device is defined to receive data from the activity tracking device regarding the detected and recorded movement of the person. A website is defined to communicate with connected devices including the secondary electronic device. The website is defined to provide a user account for the person. The website is defined to convey information regarding the detected and recorded movement of the person through the user account.

Claims

1. A system, comprising:

a housing configured to be affixed to a person;

a motion detection device disposed within the housing, the motion detection device configured to determine a movement of the housing; and

a processor disposed within the housing, the processor configured to;

periodically sample the motion detection device, while the processor receives a normal operational amount of electrical power, to detect the shorted contacts to determine whether the movement of the housing has occurred;

determine that a force of motion associated with the movement of the housing meets a threshold magnitude;

initiate recording of movement data associated with the movement of housing during a first threshold amount of time in response to the determination that the force of motion meets the threshold magnitude;

determine, based on the recorded movement data, that the movement of the housing is indicative of continuous physical activity during a second threshold amount of time;

cause an illumination element associated with the motion detection device to illuminate in response to determining that the movement of the housing is indicative of the continuous physical activity during the second threshold amount of time; and

cause a reduction in amount of electrical power supplied to the processor and cause the illumination element to turn off in order to conserve battery life, in response to determining that the movement of the housing has not occurred during the second threshold amount of time.

2. The system as recited in claim 1, wherein the processor is configured to periodically sample the motion detection device in accordance with an internal timer.

3. The system as recited in claim 1, wherein the motion detection device is configured to signal the processor upon detection of the movement of the housing.

4. The system as recited in claim 3, wherein the processor is configured to continue receiving the normal operational amount of electrical power upon receiving the signal from the motion detection device indicating the movement of the housing.

5. The system as recited in claim 1, wherein the reduction in the amount of electrical power supplied to the processor causes the processor to enter into a sleep mode of operation.

6. The system as recited in claim 5, wherein the processor is configured to supply the normal operational amount of electrical power to the processor for a preset duration upon entering a normal mode of operation from the sleep mode of operation.

7. The system as recited in claim 1, further comprising:

a power switch configured to trigger supply of the normal operational amount of electrical power to the processor upon activation of the power switch.

8. The system as recited in claim 7, further comprising:

a capacitor configured to maintain the power switch in an on state when a sufficient amount of electrical charge is stored in the capacitor; and

a resistor connected to control a reduction in the amount of electrical charge stored in the capacitor as a function of time.

9. The system as recited in claim 8, wherein the processor is configured to cause recharging of the capacitor when the movement of housing has occurred.

10. The system as recited in claim 1, wherein the housing is connected to a band configured to be worn by the person.

11. The system as recited in claim 1, wherein the processor further configured to:

operate the processor to periodically sample the motion detection device in accordance with an internal timer.

12. The system as recited in claim 1, wherein the processor further configured to:

operate the motion detection device to signal the processor upon detection of the movement of the housing.

13. The system as recited in claim 12, wherein the processor further configured to:

continue supplying the normal operational amount of electrical power to the processor upon receiving the signal indicating the movement of the housing.

14. The system as recited in claim 1, wherein the reduction in the amount of electrical power supplied to the processor causes the processor to enter into a sleep mode of operation.

15. The system as recited in claim 14, wherein the processor further configured to:

supply the normal operational amount of electrical power to the processor for a preset duration upon entering a normal mode of operation from the sleep mode of operation.

16. The system as recited in claim 1, wherein the processor further configured to:

supply of the normal operational amount of electrical power to the processor upon activation of a power switch.

17. The system as recited in claim 16, wherein the processor further configured to:

maintain the power switch in an on state when a sufficient amount of electrical charge is stored in a capacitor; and

reduce the amount of electrical charge stored in the capacitor as a function time in a controlled manner.

18. The system as recited in claim 17, wherein the processor further configured to:

recharge of the capacitor when the movement of the housing has occurred.

19. A system, comprising:

a housing configured to be affixed to a person;

a motion detection device disposed within the housing, the motion detection device configured to determine a movement of the housing;

a battery; and

a processor disposed within the housing, the processor configured to;

determine a movement of a housing within which a motion detection device is disposed, the housing configured to be affixed to a person;

periodically sample the motion detection device, while a processor associated with the motion detection device receives a normal operational amount of electrical power from the battery based on charging a capacitor coupled to the processor, to determine whether the movement of the housing has occurred, the processor disposed within the housing;

determine that a force of motion associated with the movement of the housing meets a threshold magnitude;

initiate recording of movement data associated with the movement of housing during a first threshold amount of time in response to a determination that the force of motion meets the threshold magnitude;

determine, based on the recorded movement data, that the movement of the housing is indicative of continuous physical activity during a second threshold amount of time;

cause an illumination element associated with the motion detection device to illuminate in response to determining that the movement of the housing is indicative of the continuous physical activity during the second threshold amount of time; and

reduce battery usage by causing a reduction in amount of electrical power supplied to the processor based on allowing a voltage on the capacitor to bleed off over a preset duration and cause the illumination element to turn off, in response to determining that the movement of the housing has not occurred during the second threshold amount of time.

20. The system as recited in claim 19, wherein the housing is connected to a band configured to be worn by the person.