Pedometer

• US 20080077354A1
• Filed: 09/12/2007
• Published: 03/27/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 09/21/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Seiko Instruments Incorporated (Seiko Group)
• Original Assignee: Seiko Instruments Incorporated (Seiko Group)
• Inventors: Ihashi, Tomohiro
• Granted Patent: US 7,526,404 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 702/160
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 22/006 Pedometers

Abstract

To provide a pedometer capable of measuring a number of steps in walking and in running by using one sensor and by a small circuit scale. A sensor is mounted on the arm such that a sensitivity axis on the sensor is disposed in a length direction of the arm and a number of steps is measured in walking and in running. When a measuring mode is a walking mode, a detecting signal from the sensor is counted as one step, when the measuring mode is a running mode, the detecting signal from the sensor is counted as two steps to thereby accurately measure a number of steps in accordance with the measuring mode.

Claims

1. A pedometer comprising:

one sensor for detecting a physical motion of the measured person and outputting a detecting signal in correspondence therewith; and

step number calculating means for calculating a number of steps based on the detecting signal of the sensor;

wherein the pedometer is used by being mounted to the arm of a measured person such that a sensitivity axis is disposed in a length direction of the arm.

2. A pedometer according to claim 1, further comprising:

measuring mode setting means for setting a mode of measuring the number of steps to either of a walking mode of measuring the number of steps in walking and a running mode of measuring the number of steps in running; and

wherein the step number calculating means carries out a processing of calculating the number of steps in accordance with the measuring mode.

3. A pedometer according to claim 2, wherein the step number calculating means carries out the processing of calculating the number of steps by constituting one step by each of the detecting signals received from the sensor in the walking mode and carries out the processing of calculating the number of steps by constituting two steps by each of the detecting signals received from the sensor in the running mode.

4. A pedometer according to claim 2, wherein the measuring mode setting means comprises an operating switch.

5. A pedometer according to claim 3, wherein the measuring mode setting means comprises an operating switch.

6. A pedometer according to claim 1, wherein the sensor outputs the detecting signal in correspondence with a landing motion of the measured person in walking and outputs the detecting signal in correspondence with an arm swinging motion of the measured person in running.

7. A pedometer according to claim 2, wherein the sensor outputs the detecting signal in correspondence with a landing motion of the measured person in walking and outputs the detecting signal in correspondence with an arm swinging motion of the measured person in running.

8. A pedometer according to claim 3, wherein the sensor outputs the detecting signal in correspondence with a landing motion of the measured person in walking and outputs the detecting signal in correspondence with an arm swinging motion of the measured person in running.

9. A pedometer according to claim 4, wherein the sensor outputs the detecting signal in correspondence with a landing motion of the measured person in walking and outputs the detecting signal in correspondence with an arm swinging motion of the measured person in running.

10. A pedometer according to claim 5, wherein the sensor outputs the detecting signal in correspondence with a landing motion of the measured person in walking and outputs the detecting signal in correspondence with an arm swinging motion of the measured person in running.