Portable personal data processing device

• US 20040220738A1
• Filed: 04/06/2004
• Published: 11/04/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 04/17/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Polar Electro Oy
• Original Assignee: Polar Electro Oy
• Inventors: Nissila, Seppo
• Granted Patent: US 7,035,736 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 702/3
• CPC Class Codes: G01W 1/17 Catathermometers for measuring "cooling value" related either to weather conditions or to comfort of other human environment
• CPC Class Codes: G04G 21/02 Detectors of external physical values, e.g. temperature

Abstract

The invention relates to a portable personal data processing device, such as a wrist-worn measuring device, a heart rate monitor, a subscriber terminal of a radio system, or a sports watch. The device comprises a temperature sensor (120) for measuring the ambient temperature and a humidity sensor (122) for measuring the ambient humidity. Furthermore, dependence information, which defines temperature values of the dew points corresponding to the humidity values, is stored in the device. The control unit (100) is configured to monitor the change rate of the measured temperature, to determine, on the basis of the change rate, the moment at which the temperature reaches the temperature value of the dew point corresponding to the measured humidity on the basis of the dependence information, and to provide a forecast on fog appearance in relation to the moment employing the user interface (102).

Claims

1. A portable personal data processing device comprising

a control unit for controlling the device,

a user interface coupled to the control unit for giving commands to the device and obtaining feedback on its the operation,

a temperature sensor coupled to the control unit for measuring the ambient temperature,

a humidity sensor coupled to the control unit for measuring the ambient humidity, and

dependence information, which defines temperature values of the dew points corresponding to the humidity values, is stored in the device, and

the control unit is configured to monitor the change rate of the measured temperature, to determine, on the basis of the change rate, the moment at which the temperature reaches the temperature value of the dew point corresponding to the measured humidity on the basis of the dependence information, and to provide a forecast on fog appearance in relation to the moment employing the user interface.

2. A device according to claim 1, wherein the control unit is configured to show the time left until the predicted fog appearance in the user interface.

3. A device according to claim 1, wherein the control unit is configured to warn of approaching fog employing a sound signal implemented by the user interface.

4. A device according to claim 3, wherein the closer the predicted moment when fog will appear is, the more frequently the control unit is configured to provide a sound signal by means of the user interface.

5. A device according to claim 1, wherein the control unit is configured to calculate the probability of fog appearance within a certain time on the basis of a difference between the measured temperature and the temperature value of the dew point.

6. A device according to claim 5, wherein the control unit is configured to show the probability of fog appearance as a percentage in the user interface.

7. A device according to claim 5, wherein the control unit is configured to use one hour as the predetermined time.

8. A device according to claim 1, wherein the control unit is configured to take the time of the day into account in monitoring the temperature change rate.

9. A device according to claim 8, wherein the control unit is configured to estimate that the direction of temperature change is descending and faster in the evening than in the day time.

10. A device according to claim 1, wherein the control unit is configured to take the sunrise and sunset times into account in monitoring the temperature change rate.

11. A device according to claim 10, wherein the control unit is configured to estimate that the temperature change rate is higher at the sunrise and sunset.

12. A device according to claim 1, wherein the device further comprises an air pressure sensor coupled to the control unit for measuring the ambient air pressure, and the control unit is configured to take the measured air pressure into account in monitoring the temperature change rate.

13. A device according to claim 12, wherein the control unit is configured to estimate the cloudiness of the weather on the basis of the measured air pressure.

14. A device according to claim 13, wherein the control unit is configured to estimate that the temperature change rate is lower in cloudy weather than in sunny weather.

15. A device according to claim 13, wherein the control unit is configured to estimate that the temperature change rate is lower when the sun sets in cloudy weather than when the sun sets in sunny weather.

16. A device according to claim 1, wherein the portable personal device is a wrist-worn measuring device.

17. A device according to claim 1, wherein the portable personal device is a heart rate monitor.

18. A device according to claim 1, wherein the portable personal device is a subscriber terminal of a radio system.

19. A device according to claim 1, wherein the portable personal device is a sports watch for use as an instrument in sports, hiking, sailing, mountain climbing and/or in snow sports.