Body motion detector

• US 20020089425A1
• Filed: 10/09/2001
• Published: 07/11/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 10/16/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Omron Healthcare Company Limited (Omron Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Omron Corporation
• Inventors: Miyata, Kiichiro, Kubo, Nobuo, Matsumoto, Hiromi
• Granted Patent: US 6,700,499 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/573.1
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 22/006 Pedometers

Abstract

A body motion detector, to be attached to or carried by a user for detecting body motions of the user, uses a plurality of sensors each for detecting body motions in a specified direction to output a body motion signal according to the user'"'"'s body motion. These sensors are disposed so as to detect the body motion in different directions. One of these sensors are selected by carrying out calculations on signals outputted from the sensors. The user'"'"'s body motion is detected by using selectively output signals from the selected body motion sensor. The body motion detector may also include a component for detecting the orientation of the body motion detector itself from signals outputted from these sensors and another component for detecting the user'"'"'s body motions by carrying out calculations on the signals outputted from these sensors, corresponding to the orientation as detected by the orientation detecting component.

Claims

1. A body motion detector attached to or carried by a user for detecting body motions of said user, said body motion detector comprising:

a plurality of sensors each adapted to detect body motions of said user in a specified direction and to output a body motion signal according to a body motion of said user, each of said plurality of sensors being disposed so as to detect said body motion in a different direction; and

selecting means for selecting one of said plurality of sensors by carrying out calculations on signals outputted from said plurality of sensors, said body motion detector detecting said body motion in a specified direction selectively from output signals from the selected body motion sensor.

2. The body motion detector of claim 1 wherein said selecting means includes analyzing means for analyzing waveforms of signals outputted from said sensors.

3. The body motion detector of claim 2 wherein said analyzing means carries out one or more kinds of analysis selected from the group consisting of:

counting the number of those of said signals received within a specified length of time with waveforms satisfying a specified condition;

calculating the size of said waveforms;

analyzing the frequency of said waveforms; and

analyzing patterns of said waveforms.

4. The body motion detector of claim 1 wherein each of said sensors outputs signals which vary according to acceleration caused by said body motions.

5. The body motion detector of claim 2 wherein each of said sensors outputs signals which vary according to acceleration caused by said body motions.

6. The body motion detector of claim 3 wherein each of said sensors outputs signals which vary according to acceleration caused by said body motions.

7. The body motion detector of claim 1 wherein said body motions include one or more motions selected from the group consisting of walking and running.

8. The body motion detector of claim 2 wherein said body motions include one or more motions selected from the group consisting of walking and running.

9. The body motion detector of claim 3 wherein said body motions include one or more motions selected from the group consisting of walking and running.

10. The body motion detector of claim 4 wherein said body motions include one or more motions selected from the group consisting of walking and running.

11. The body motion detector of claim 5 wherein said body motions include one or more motions selected from the group consisting of walking and running.

12. The body motion detector of claim 6 wherein said body motions include one or more motions selected from the group consisting of walking and running.

13. A body motion detector attached to or carried by a user for detecting body motions of said user, said body motion detector comprising:

a plurality of sensors each adapted to detect body motions of said user in a specified direction and to output a body motion signal according to a body motion of said user, each of said plurality of sensors being disposed so as to detect said body motion in a different direction;

orientation detecting means for detecting the orientation of said body motion detector from signals outputted from said plurality of sensors; and

body motion detecting means for detecting body motions of said user by carrying out calculations on said signals outputted from said plurality of sensors, said calculations corresponding to the orientation of said body motion detector detected by said orientation detecting means.