Physical activity measuring system

• US 20060020174A1
• Filed: 03/07/2005
• Published: 01/26/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 07/21/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Panasonic Electric Works Company Limited (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Panasonic Electric Works Company Limited (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Inventors: Ikeda, Junji, Mitsui, Masayuki, Kitadou, Tadaharu, Nakamura, Hideki, Yamamoto, Matsuki, Matsumura, Yoshihiro, Kidera, Kazunori, Yamamoto, Yasuko
• Granted Patent: US 7,867,141 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 600/300
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2562/0219 Inertial sensors, e.g. accelerometers, gyroscopes, tilt switches
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/1118 Determining activity level
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/1123 Discriminating type of movement, e.g. walking or running A61B5/1116, A61B5/112 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/221 Ergometry, e.g. by using bicycle type apparatus
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/4866 Evaluating metabolism A61B5/083 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/742 using visual displays A61B5/339 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/803 Motion sensors
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2230/75 calorie expenditure
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 71/06 Indicating or scoring devices for games or players , or for other sports activities

Abstract

A physical activity measuring system analyzes analyzing body motions of a user to accurately determine the exercise intensity. The system includes a portable device which is adapted to be carried by the user and is equipped with a body sensor and an indicator for indication of the exercise intensity. The body sensor senses the user'"'"'s body motions to give corresponding motion strength. The portable device has a processor which constitutes an exercise calculator which has a predetermined relationship between a default standard deviation of the motion strength and an exercise intensity scale. The exercise intensity calculator collects a time series data of the motion strengths within a predetermined first time frame, obtains a standard deviation of thus collected motion strengths, and converting the standard deviation into an instant exercise intensity within the intensity scale in accordance with the predetermined relationship. The standard deviation with regard to the motion strengths can be well concordant with the exercise intensity, and therefore gives the accurate exercise intensity on a real-time basis.

Claims

1. A physical activity measuring system comprising:

a portable device configured to be carried by a user and including a processor;

an indicator mounted to said portable device;

a body sensor supported to said portable device and configured to sense body motions of the user to give a corresponding motion strength;

said processor being configured to constitute

an exercise intensity calculator having a predetermined relationship between a default standard deviation of the motion strength and an exercise intensity scale, said exercise intensity calculator collecting time series data of said motion strengths within a predetermined first time frame (T1), obtaining a first standard deviation of thus collected motion strengths, and converting said first standard deviation into an instant exercise intensity within said intensity scale in accordance with said predetermined relationship,

said indicator being configured to indicate said instant exercise intensity.

2. The system as set fort in claim 1, wherein

said exercise intensity calculator is configured to collect another time series data of said motion strengths during each successive one of second time frames (T2) each being equal or greater than said first time frame, obtain a second standard deviation of thus collected motion strengths for each said second time frame, and convert said second standard deviation into a normal exercise intensity within said intensity scale in accordance with said predetermined relationship for each said second time frame,

said processor being configured to give an exercise analyzer which analyzes a record set of said normal exercise intensities in order to obtain a sum of said second time frames with regard to each of said normal exercise intensities assigned to said second time frame, and provide a data set in which each of said normal exercise intensities is associated with said sum of the second time frame;

said indicator being a display configured to display said data set in addition to said instant exercise intensity.

3. The system as set forth in claim 2, wherein

said display is configured to display said data set in such a format that each of the normal exercise intensities is associated with the sum of said second time frames.

4. The system as set forth in claim 2, further including

a memory configured to give a history data table which stores said data set on a daily basis;

and

a pager configured to retrieve said data set for a selected date from said history memory and to display the retrieved data set on said display.

5. The system as set forth in claim 2, wherein

said processor is configured to constitute

an aerobic exercise analyzer having a predetermined intensity threshold, comparing said normal exercise intensity with said intensity threshold so as to increment a time count when said normal exercise intensity exceeds said intensity threshold, and issue an achievement signal when said time count exceeds a predetermined time threshold,

said indicator being configured to give an indication of such condition, in response to said achievement signal.

6. The system as set forth in claim 2, wherein

said processor is configured to constitute

an aerobic exercise analyzer having a predetermined intensity threshold, comparing said normal exercise intensity with said intensity threshold so as to obtain a sum of the number of the second time frames in each of which said normal exercise intensity exceeds said intensity threshold, said indicator being configured to display said sum in association with said intensity threshold.

7. The system as set forth in claim 2, wherein

said processor is configured to give

an aerobic exercise analyzer having a predetermined intensity threshold,

said aerobic exercise calculator comparing at least one of said normal exercise intensity and said instant exercise intensity with said intensity threshold so as to increment a time count until said at least one of said normal exercise intensity and said instant exercise intensity falls below said threshold within each of time zones of the day, and store said time count for each of the associated time zones,

said display being configured to display said time count per each of said time zones.

8. The system as set forth in any one of claims 5 to 7, wherein

said aerobic exercise analyzer is configured to designate a current one of said instant exercise intensity and said normal exercise intensity as said intensity threshold.

9. The system as set forth in claim 2, wherein

said processor is configured to constitute

a clock recording a current date and time;

a BMR calculator which processes physical data of said user for obtaining a basal metabolic rate [BMR] inherent to said user; and

a caloric consumption calculator which obtains a caloric consumption which is a function of said normal exercise intensity, said basal metabolic rate [BMR], and also current time of the day;

said display being configured to display said caloric consumption on said display.

10. The system as set forth in claim 9, wherein

said caloric consumption calculator is configured to provide said caloric consumption for each of time zones of the day, and said display being configured to display said caloric consumption in association with each of said time zones.

11. The system as set forth in claim 2, further including:

a BMR calculator configured to process physical data of said user for obtaining a basal metabolic rate [BMR] inherent to said user;

food data input means configured to input food data taken by the user;

a clock recording a current date and time;

a calorie intake calculator configured to process said food data input by the current time of the day to give an accumulated caloric intake;

a caloric consumption calculator configured to obtain a current caloric consumption which is a function of said normal exercise intensity made by said current time of the day and said basal metabolic rate [BMR];

a caloric balance calculator configured to give a current caloric balance which is said accumulated caloric intake minus said current caloric consumption;

a living pattern analyzer configured to have a plurality of standard living patterns each defining a standard exercise intensity for each of time zones within a day, said living pattern analyzer analyzing said normal exercise intensity per each of said time zones in comparison with said standard living patterns so as to designate one of said standard living patterns as a specific living pattern for said user,

a living pattern reader configured to read the current time of the day and retrieve, from said specific living pattern, the standard exercise intensity as an estimated exercise intensity with regard to each of the time zones for the rest of the day,

a caloric consumption estimator configured to calculate a forthcoming caloric consumption necessary to make said estimated exercise intensities for the rest of the day, thereby determining a forthcoming caloric balance which is said forthcoming caloric consumption minus said current caloric balance; and

an advise generator which generates an advice message reflecting said forthcoming caloric balance for displaying said advice message on said display.

12. The system as set forth in claim 11, wherein

said processor is configured to give said BMR calculator, said caloric intake calculator, said caloric balance calculator, said living pattern analyzer, said living pattern reader, said caloric consumption estimator, and said advise generator.

13. The system as set forth in claim 11, further including:

a workstation provided separately from said portable device for intercommunication therewith;

said processor of said portable device being configured to constitute

said BMR calculator;

said calorie intake calculator;

said caloric consumption calculator;

said caloric balance calculator; and

a communication interface for transmitting said normal exercise intensity as well as said current caloric balance to said workstation;

said workstation comprising;

a communication interface for receiving said normal exercise intensity and said caloric balance from said processor;

said living pattern analyzer;

a system clock recording a current date and time;

said living pattern reader;

said caloric consumption estimator; and

said advice generator which transmits said advise message through said communication interface for displaying said advice message on the display of said portable device.

14. The system as set forth in claim 13, wherein

said workstation further includes:

a monitor;

a data storage configured to give a data table which stores the normal exercise intensities for each of said time zones over a plurality of days;

a term designator which designates a term defined by a start date and an end date;

a daily activity analyzer which selects one of the time zones and determines an activity level for said selected time zone based upon said exercise intensity with regard to each day included in said term, said daily activity analyzer providing a tendency of said activity level over said term, generating a living rhythm message indicating said tendency, and issuing said tendency message to be displayed on said workstation display.

15. The system as set forth in claim 13, wherein

said daily activity analyzer collects said general exercise intensities of said selected time zone for the dates included in said term and to define a reference exercise intensity as an average of the collected general exercise intensities over said term,

said daily activity analyzer comparing the general exercise intensity of said selected time zone for each of the dates within said term with said reference exercise intensity to obtain a divergence therebetween on a daily basis, and determining one of said activity levels as corresponding to thus obtained divergence so as to generate said tendency in terms of thus determined activity level.

16. The system as set forth in claim 13, wherein said daily activity analyzer generates a first living rhythm message when said tendency indicates no substantial change in said activity level, a second living rhythm message when said tendency indicates an incline of said activity level, and a third message when said tendency indicates a decline of said activity level, said first living rhythm message, said second living rhythm message, and said third living rhythm message being different from each other.