Method and apparatus including altimeter and accelerometers for determining work performed by an individual

• US 20050054938A1
• Filed: 07/28/2004
• Published: 03/10/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 07/29/2003
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Telecom Medical Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Telecom Medical Incorporated
• Inventors: Backovic, Milos, Peuvrelle, Katie, Lovewell, Jim, Wehman, Thomas C., Muller, Peter, Nikolic, Serjan
• Application Number:
  US10/901,675
• Publication Number:
  US 20050054938A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 600/483
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/024 Detecting, measuring or recording pulse rate or heart rate A61B5/0205, A61B5/021 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/061 Determining position of a probe within the body employing means separate from the probe, e.g. sensing internal probe position employing impedance electrodes on the surface of the body A61B1/00158 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/222 combined with detection or measurement of physiological parameters, e.g. heart rate
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/803 Motion sensors
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2230/06 heartbeat rate only
• 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

Abstract

Method and calculations determine an individual'"'"'s, or several individuals'"'"' simultaneous rates of oxygen consumption, maximum rates of oxygen consumption, heart rates, calorie expenditures, and METS (multiples of metabolic resting rate) in order to determine the amounts of work that is performed by the individual'"'"'s body. A heart monitor measures the heart rate, and an accelerometer measures the acceleration of the body along one or more axes. An altimeter measures change in altitude, a glucose monitor measures glucose in tissue and blood, and thermometers, thermistors, or thermocouples measure body temperature. Data including body fat and blood pressure measurements are stored locally and transferred to a processor for calculation of the rate of physiological energy expenditure. Certain cardiovascular parameters are mathematically determined. Comparison of each axis response to the individual'"'"'s moment can be used to identify the type of activity performed and the information may be used to accurately calculate total energy expenditure for each physical activity. Energy expenditure may be calculated by assigning a separate proportionality coefficient to each axis and tabulating the resulting filtered dynamic acceleration over time, or by comparison with previously predetermined expenditures for each activity type. A comparison of total energy expenditure from the current activity is compared with expenditure from a previous activity, or with a baseline expenditure rate to assess the level of current expenditure. A measure of the individual'"'"'s cardio-vascular health may be obtained by monitoring the heart'"'"'s responses to various types of activity and to total energy expended.

Claims

1. Apparatus for detecting an individual'"'"'s physical condition during an activity, the apparatus comprising:

a processor connected to receive data indicative of selected parameters of the individual'"'"'s condition, including at least, heart rate;

a plurality of accelerometers disposed to align substantially along orthogonal axes of the individual'"'"'s movements during the activity for supplying data indication of such accelerations to the processor'"'"' and

an output device connected to the processor for providing sensory output indication of calculations by the processor from the data supplied thereto that is indicative of parameters representative of the individual'"'"'s physical condition.

2. A method for analyzing parameters indicative of a physical condition of an individual, comprising the steps for:

sensing physical data including heart rate;

sensing acceleration data of the individual along a plurality of acceleration axes;

filtering the acceleration data to yield a selected component thereof; and

integrating the selected component of acceleration data to. produce an output indicative of an individual'"'"'s physical condition.