Exercise data apparatus

• US 20070276271A1
• Filed: 04/28/2006
• Published: 11/29/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 04/28/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: IDT Technology Limited (IDT International Limited)
• Original Assignee: IDT Technology Limited (IDT International Limited)
• Inventors: Chan, Raymond
• Granted Patent: US 7,643,873 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 600/509
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2562/0219 Inertial sensors, e.g. accelerometers, gyroscopes, tilt switches
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/02438 with portable devices, e.g. worn by the patient
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0245 by using sensing means generating electric signals, i.e. ECG signals
• 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 5/318 Heart-related electrical modalities, e.g. electrocardiography [ECG]
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/329 Load diagnosis, e.g. cardiac stress tests
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/339 Displays specially adapted therefor
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/486 Bio-feedback A61B5/375 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 20/30 relating to physical therapies or activities, e.g. physiotherapy, acupressure or exercising

Abstract

Exercise data apparatus for use on the body of a user during exercise, comprises an electrocardiogram detector for detecting electrocardiogram data of said user during exercise; attachment means for attaching the electrocardiogram detector onto the chest of said user; a motion detector for detecting body motion data indicative of steps of said user during exercise; a processor for calculating exercise data based on the electrocardiogram data detected by the electrocardiogram detector and the body motion data detected by the motion detector, the exercise data comprising at least one of heart rate, speed and distance and calorie consumption of said user; and an output device for informing said user of the calculated exercise data.

Claims

1. Exercise data apparatus for use on the body of a user during exercise, comprising:

an electrocardiogram detector for detecting electrocardiogram data of said user during exercise;

attachment means for attaching the electrocardiogram detector onto the chest of said user;

a motion detector for detecting body motion data indicative of steps of said user during exercise;

a processor for calculating exercise data based on the electrocardiogram data detected by the electrocardiogram detector and the body motion data detected by the motion detector, the exercise data comprising at least one of heart rate, speed and distance and calorie consumption of said user; and

an output device for informing said user of the calculated exercise data.

2. The exercise data apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the motion detector comprises a pedometer.

3. The exercise data apparatus as claimed in claim 2, wherein the pedometer is physically associated with the electrocardiogram detector for attachment onto the chest of said user by the attachment means.

4. The exercise data apparatus as claimed in claim 2, wherein the pedometer is one of a pendulum type sensor and a piezoelectric type sensor.

5. The exercise data apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the motion detector comprises an accelerometer.

6. The exercise data apparatus as claimed in claim 5, wherein the accelerometer is wrist-mounted.

7. The exercise data apparatus as claimed in claim 5, wherein the accelerometer is one of an integrated circuit type sensor and a piezoelectric type sensor.

8. The exercise data apparatus as claimed in claim 1, comprising a sensor unit, a data unit separate from the sensor unit, and a signal link between the sensor unit and the data unit, wherein:

the sensor unit comprises the electrocardiogram detector, the attachment means and the motion detector; and

the data unit comprises the processor, the output device and individual attachment means for attachment onto a wrist of said user.

9. The exercise data apparatus as claimed in claim 8, wherein the motion detector comprises a pedometer.

10. The exercise data apparatus as claimed in claim 8, wherein the output device comprises a display for displaying the calculated exercise data.

11. The exercise data apparatus as claimed in claim 8, wherein the signal link comprises:

a wireless transmitter at the sensor unit for transmitting a wireless signal indicative of the electrocardiogram data detected by the electrocardiogram detector and the body motion data detected by the motion detector; and

a wireless receiver at the data unit for receiving the wireless signal, based on which the processor is to calculate the exercise data.

12. The exercise data apparatus as claimed in claim 1, comprising a sensor unit, a data unit separate from the sensor unit, and a signal link between the sensor unit and the data unit, wherein:

the sensor unit comprises the electrocardiogram detector and the attachment means; and

the data unit comprises the processor, the motion detector, the output device and individual attachment means for attachment onto a wrist of said user.

13. The exercise data apparatus as claimed in claim 12, wherein the motion detector comprises an accelerometer.

14. The exercise data apparatus as claimed in claim 12, wherein the output device comprises a display for displaying the calculated exercise data.

15. The exercise data apparatus as claimed in claim 12, wherein the signal link comprises:

a wireless transmitter at the sensor unit for transmitting a wireless signal indicative of the electrocardiogram data detected by the electrocardiogram detector; and

a wireless receiver at the data unit for receiving the wireless signal, based on which and the body motion data detected by the motion detector the processor is to calculate the exercise data.

16. The exercise data apparatus as claimed in claim 1, comprising a sensor unit, a data unit separate from the sensor unit, and a signal link between the sensor unit and the data unit, wherein:

the sensor unit comprises the electrocardiogram detector, the attachment means, the processor and the motion detector; and

the data unit comprises the output device and individual attachment means for attachment onto an ear of said user.

17. The exercise data apparatus as claimed in claim 16, wherein the motion detector comprises a pedometer.

18. The exercise data apparatus as claimed in claim 16, wherein the output device comprises an audio device for announcing the calculated exercise data.

19. The exercise data apparatus as claimed in claim 16, wherein the signal link comprises a wired connection for transmitting the exercise data calculated by the processor to the output device.

20. The exercise data apparatus as claimed in claim 1, including input means for input of body height and sex of said user, wherein the processor is programmed to calculate speed and distance based on steps detected by the pedometer and variable stride calculated based on body height and sex inputted and pace frequency detected by the motion detector.

21. The exercise data apparatus as claimed in claim 20, wherein the input means also enables input of fitness level of said user, and the processor is programmed to calculate calorie consumption based on speed calculated, heart rate detected by the electrocardiogram detector and fitness level inputted.

22. The exercise data apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the attachment means comprises a belt.

23. The exercise data apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the processor is programmed to determine a variable stride of said user for calculation of the distance, the variable stride being determined based on gender, body height and pace frequency of said user.

24. The exercise data apparatus as claimed in claim 23, wherein the variable stride is determined according to the formula:

Stride=a*(F−

b)²+c*H*G

wherein;

F is pace frequency

G is gender coefficient;

0.7 for female/0.8 for male

H is body height

a, b and c are parameters whose values are dependent upon that of F as follows;

$\hspace{1em}<br><br>\begin{array}{cc}\left[a,b,c\right]=\left[0,0,0.5\right]& \left(F<<br><br>1.5<br><br>\text{\hspace{1em}<br><br>}<br><br>\mathrm{Hz}\right)\\ \left[a,b,c\right]=\left[0.3,1.5,0.5\right]& \left(1.5<br><br>\text{\hspace{1em}<br><br>}<br><br>\mathrm{Hz}<br><br>\text{\hspace{1em}<br><br>}<<br><br>=F<<br><br>2.0<br><br>\text{\hspace{1em}<br><br>}<br><br>\mathrm{Hz}\right)\\ \left[a,b,c\right]=\left[0.8,1.9,0.55\right]& \left(2.0<br><br>\text{\hspace{1em}<br><br>}<br><br>\mathrm{Hz}<<br><br>=F<<br><br>2.5<br><br>\text{\hspace{1em}<br><br>}<br><br>\mathrm{Hz}\right)\\ \left[a,b,c\right]=\left[-0.5,2.9,1.15\right]& \left(2.5<br><br>\text{\hspace{1em}<br><br>}<br><br>\mathrm{Hz}<<br><br>=F<<br><br>3.3<br><br>\text{\hspace{1em}<br><br>}<br><br>\mathrm{Hz}\right)\\ \left[a,b,c\right]=\left[0,0,0.97\right]& \left(F><br><br>=3.3<br><br>\text{\hspace{1em}<br><br>}<br><br>\mathrm{Hz}\right)\end{array}$

25. The exercise data apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the processor is programmed to calculate the calorie consumption based on the weight, fitness level and heart rate of said user.

26. The exercise data apparatus as claimed in claim 25, wherein the calorie consumption is calculated according to the formula:

27. The exercise data apparatus as claimed in claim 26, wherein the instant Vo₂ is determined according to one of the following formulae:

Walking;

VO₂=0.1*speed+3.5
Running;

VO₂=0.2*speed+3.5