Wearable Health Monitoring Device and Methods for Step Detection

• US 20090069724A1
• Filed: 08/15/2008
• Published: 03/12/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 08/15/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: MobileHelp, LLC
• Original Assignee: Integrity Tracking LLC
• Inventors: Chen, Xiaofang, Otto, Chris A.
• Granted Patent: US 9,295,412 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 600/595
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0002 Remote monitoring of patients using telemetry, e.g. transmission of vital signals via a communication network A61B5/07 takes precedence; transmission systems for measured values G08C; transmission H04B; transmission of digital information H04L; wireless communication networks H04W
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/1117 Fall detection
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/1118 Determining activity level
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6831 Straps, bands or harnesses

Abstract

A wearable health monitoring device includes at least one sensor for obtaining a signal indicative of movement of a user in at least one axis and logic configured to determine, based upon the signal, whether the user has taken a step.

Claims

1. A wearable health monitoring device, comprising:

at least one sensor for obtaining a signal indicative of movement of a user in at least one axis; and

logic configured to determine, based upon the signal, whether the user has taken a step.

2. The wearable health monitoring device of claim 1, wherein the sensor is an accelerometer.

3. The wearable health monitoring device of claim 1, wherein the logic is further configured to generate direct current (DC) data indicative of a DC portion of the signal indicative of movement.

4. The wearable health monitoring device of claim 3, wherein the logic is further configured to generate alternating current (AC) data indicative of an AC portion of the signal indicative of movement.

6. The wearable health monitoring device of claim 4, wherein the logic is further configured to calculate, based upon the AC data, a relative minimum of the AC data over a time interval.

7. The wearable health monitoring device of claim 6, wherein the logic is further configured to calculate, based upon the AC data, a relative maximum of the of the AC data over the time interval.

8. The wearable health monitoring device of claim 7, wherein the logic is f er configured to determine an orientation of the user.

9. The wearable health monitoring device of claim 8, wherein the orientation is determined based upon data indicative of the user'"'"'s vertical position, horizontal position, or angular position with respect to a central axis.

10. The wearable health monitoring device of claim 7, wherein the logic is configured to indicate, based upon the relative minimum and the relative maximum, if the user is vertical, that the user has taken a step.

11. The wearable health monitoring device of claim 7, further comprising a communication device configured to communicate data over a network.

12. The wearable health monitoring device of claim 11, wherein the logic is further configured to transmit data via the communication device to a remote device indicating steps taken over a time interval.

13. The wearable health monitoring device of claim 4, wherein the logic is further configured to calculate, over a time interval and based upon the AC data, activity-induced energy expenditure (AEE).

14. A health monitoring method, comprising:

obtaining a signal indicative of movement of a user in at least one axis; and

determining, based upon the signal, whether the user has taken a step.

15. The health monitoring method of claim 14, further comprising generating direct current (DC) data indicative of a DC portion of the signal indicative of movement.

16. The health monitoring method of claim 15, further comprising generating alternating current (AC) data indicative of an AC portion of the signal indicative of movement.

17. The health monitoring method of claim 16, further comprising calculating, based upon the AC data, a relative minimum of the AC data over a time interval.

18. The health monitoring method of claim 17, further comprising calculating, based upon the AC data, a relative maximum of the of the AC data over the time interval.

19. The health monitoring method of claim 17, further comprising determining whether the user is vertical.

20. The health monitoring method of claim 19, further comprising indicating, based upon the relative minimum and the relative maximum, if the user is vertical, that the user has taken a step.

21. The health monitoring method of claim 20, further comprising transmitting data via a communication device to a remote device data indicating that the user has taken a step.

22. The health monitoring method of claim 16, further comprising calculating, over a time interval and based upon the AC data, activity-induced energy expenditure (AEE).

23. A wearable health monitoring device, comprising:

a sensor for generating movement data indicating movement of a user; and

logic configured to calculate activity-induced energy expenditure (AEE), a relative minimum and a relative maximum, and to determine whether the user is vertical, based upon the movement data, the logic further configured to determine based upon the AEE, the relative minimum, the relative maximum, and the vertical determination whether the user has taken a step.

24. The wearable heath monitoring device of claim 23, wherein the logic is further configured to transmit an data to a remote device indicating steps taken during a time interval.

25. A health monitoring method, comprising:

generating motion data indicating movement of a user;

calculating activity-induced energy expenditure (AEE) based upon the motion data;

calculating a relative minimum based upon the motion data;

calculating a relative maximum based upon the motion data;

determining whether the user is vertical based upon the motion data; and

determining based upon the calculated AEE, the relative minimum, the relative maximum, and the vertical determination whether the user has taken a step.

26. The health monitoring method of claim 25, further comprising storing data indicative of a plurality of steps over a time interval.

27. The health monitoring method of claim 26, further comprising transmitting data indicative of the plurality of steps over the time interval to a remote device.