Storage medium having step count calculation program stored therein, step count calculation apparatus, and step count calculation system

• US 20100121605A1
• Filed: 12/10/2009
• Published: 05/13/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 11/30/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nintendo Company Limited
• Original Assignee: Nintendo Company Limited
• Inventors: Sato, Kenta, Ohta, Keizo
• Granted Patent: US 7,966,148 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 702/160
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 22/006 Pedometers

Abstract

By repeatedly obtaining acceleration data, a gravity direction acceleration acting in a gravity direction of a housing and a horizontal direction acceleration acting in a horizontal direction perpendicular to the gravity direction are calculated. By using a first coefficient, a first step count in accordance with a change in the gravity direction acceleration is calculated and by using a second coefficient which is different from the first coefficient, a second step count in accordance with a change in the horizontal direction acceleration is calculated. Based on a predetermined condition, one of the first step count and the second step count is selected as a user'"'"'s step count.

Claims

1. A computer-readable storage medium having stored therein a step count calculation program which is executed by a computer in an apparatus for, by using acceleration data outputted from an acceleration sensor for detecting accelerations acting on a given housing, calculating a number of steps made by a user carrying the housing, the computer-readable storage medium having stored therein the step count calculation program which causes the computer to function as:

acceleration data obtaining programmed logic circuitry for repeatedly obtaining the acceleration data;

a gravity direction acceleration calculator for, by using the acceleration data obtained by the acceleration data obtaining programmed logic circuitry, calculating a gravity direction acceleration acting in a gravity direction of the housing;

a horizontal direction acceleration calculator for, by using the acceleration data obtained by the acceleration data obtaining programmed logic circuitry, calculating a horizontal direction acceleration acting in a horizontal direction perpendicular to the gravity direction of the housing;

a first step count calculator for calculating a first step count in accordance with a change in the gravity direction acceleration;

a second step count calculator for calculating a second step count in accordance with a change in the horizontal direction acceleration; and

a step count programmed logic circuitry for performing an operation based on at least one of the first step count and the second step count.

2. The computer-readable storage medium having stored therein the step count calculation program, according to claim 1, further causing the computer to function as gravity direction calculator for, by using the acceleration data obtained by the acceleration data obtaining programmed logic circuitry, calculating the gravity direction of the housing,

wherein the gravity direction acceleration calculator, based on the gravity direction calculated by the gravity direction calculator, calculates, as the gravity direction acceleration, components of the gravity direction of the acceleration indicated by the acceleration data obtained by the acceleration data obtaining programmed logic circuitry, and

wherein based on the gravity direction obtained by the gravity direction calculator, the horizontal direction acceleration calculator calculates, as the horizontal direction acceleration, components of the horizontal direction of the acceleration indicated by the acceleration data obtained by the acceleration data obtaining programmed logic circuitry.

3. The computer-readable storage medium having stored therein the step count calculation program, according to claim 2,

wherein the first step count calculator, in accordance with a period in which the gravity direction acceleration increases or decreases, calculates the first step count, and

wherein the second step count calculator, in accordance with a period in which the horizontal direction acceleration increases or decreases, calculates the second step count.

4. The computer-readable storage medium having stored therein the step count calculation program, according to claim 3, wherein:

the first step count calculator calculates the first step count in accordance with the change in the gravity direction acceleration using a first coefficient;

the second step count calculator calculates the second step count in accordance with the change in the horizontal direction acceleration by using a second coefficient which is different from the first coefficient; and

the first coefficient and the second coefficient are values determined on a condition that the period in which the horizontal direction acceleration increases or decreases is double the period in which the gravity direction acceleration increases or decreases.

5. The computer-readable storage medium having stored therein the step count calculation program, according to claim 3,

wherein the first step count calculator calculates as the first step count a step count which follows at a predetermined rate the step count per unit time, which is calculated based on the period in which the gravity direction acceleration increases or decreases, and

wherein the second step count calculator calculates as the second step count a step count which follows at a predetermined rate the step count per unit time, which is calculated based on the period in which the horizontal direction acceleration increases or decreases.

6. The computer-readable storage medium having stored therein the step count calculation program, according to claim 3,

wherein the first step count calculator includes first attenuation programmed logic circuitry for attenuating the first step count calculated in previous processing in a case where the period in which the gravity direction acceleration increases or decreases is longer than a predetermined threshold value, and

wherein the second step count calculator includes second attenuation programmed logic circuitry for attenuating the second step count calculated in the previous processing in a case where the period in which the horizontal direction acceleration increases or decreases is longer than a predetermined threshold value.

7. The computer-readable storage medium having stored therein the step count calculation program, according to claim 3,

wherein the first step count calculator includes a first local maximum detector for detecting local maximums obtained when the gravity direction acceleration increases or decreases,

wherein the second step count calculator includes a second local maximum detector for detecting local maximums obtained when the horizontal direction acceleration increases or decreases,

wherein the first step count calculator calculates the first step count in accordance with a time interval between the local maximums detected by the first local maximum detector, and

wherein the second step count calculator calculates the second step count in accordance with a time interval between the local maximums detected by the second local maximum detector.

8. The computer-readable storage medium having stored therein the step count calculation program, according to claim 7,

wherein the first step count calculator calculates the first step count in accordance with the change in the gravity direction acceleration using a first coefficient;

wherein the second step count calculator calculates the second step count in accordance with the change in the horizontal direction acceleration by using a second coefficient; and

wherein the first step count calculator calculates the first step count by dividing the first coefficient by the time interval between the local maximums detected by the first local maximum detector,

wherein the second step count calculator calculates the second step count by dividing the second coefficient by the time interval between the local maximums detected by the second local maximum detector, and

wherein the second coefficient is double the first coefficient.

9. The computer-readable storage medium having stored therein the step count calculation program, according to claim 7,

wherein the first local maximum detector detects the local maximums obtained when an absolute value of the gravity direction acceleration increases or decreases, and

wherein the second local maximum detector detects the local maximums obtained when a magnitude of the horizontal direction acceleration increases or decreases.

10. The computer-readable storage medium having stored therein the step count calculation program, according to claim 7,

wherein the first local maximum detector detects only local maximums, among the local maximums obtained when the gravity direction acceleration increases or decreases, which are greater than or equal to a predetermined reference value, and

wherein the second local maximum detector detects only local maximums, among the local maximums obtained when the horizontal direction acceleration increases or decreases, which are greater than or equal to a predetermined reference value.

11. The computer-readable storage medium having stored therein the step count calculation program, according to claim 3,

wherein the first step count calculator includes:

a first local maximum detector for detecting local maximums obtained when the gravity direction acceleration increases or decreases; and

first time interval prediction programmed logic circuitry for, in accordance with a magnitude of the gravity direction acceleration, predicting a time interval from a time point when the first local maximum detector detects an immediately preceding local maximum to a time point when the first local maximum detector detects a next local maximum,

wherein the second step count calculator includes;

a second local maximum detector for detecting local maximums obtained when the horizontal direction acceleration increases or decreases; and

second time interval prediction programmed logic circuitry for, in accordance with a magnitude of the horizontal direction acceleration, predicting a time interval from a time point when the second local maximum detector detects an immediately preceding local maximum to a time point when the second local maximum detector detects a next local maximum,

wherein the first step count calculator calculates the first step count in accordance with the time interval predicted by the first time interval prediction programmed logic circuitry, and

wherein the second step count calculator calculates the second step count in accordance with the time interval predicted by the second time interval prediction programmed logic circuitry.

12. The computer-readable storage medium having stored therein the step count calculation program, according to claim 7,

wherein the first time interval prediction programmed logic circuitry predicts the time interval by using a magnitude of the immediately preceding local maximum detected by the first local maximum detector and a change amount of a value of the gravity direction acceleration, and

wherein the second time interval prediction programmed logic circuitry predicts the time interval by using a magnitude of the immediately preceding local maximum detected by the second local maximum detector and a change amount of a value of the horizontal direction acceleration.

13. The computer-readable storage medium having stored therein the step count calculation program, according to claim 1,

wherein operation performed by the step count programmed logic circuitry includes comparing the first step count and the second step count and selecting to use one of the first step count and the second step count, whichever is larger than another of the first step count and the second step count.

14. The computer-readable storage medium having stored therein the step count calculation program, according to claim 1,

wherein the step count programmed logic circuitry includes:

a first amplitude detector for detecting a first amplitude at which the gravity direction acceleration increases or decreases;

a second amplitude detector for detecting a second amplitude at which the horizontal direction acceleration increases or decreases; and

a ratio calculator for calculating a ratio between the first amplitude and the second amplitude, and

wherein when the first amplitude is larger than an amplitude which is obtained by multiplying the second amplitude by a predetermined ratio, the operation performed by the step count programmed logic circuitry includes selecting to use the first step count as the user'"'"'s step count, and when the first amplitude is less than or equal to the amplitude which is obtained by multiplying the second amplitude by the predetermined ratio, the operation performed by the step count programmed logic circuitry includes selecting to use the second step count as the user'"'"'s step count.

15. The computer-readable storage medium having stored therein the step count calculation program, according to claim 1,

wherein the step count programmed logic circuitry includes an accumulated step count calculator for calculating an accumulated step count by sequentially accumulating one of the first step count and the second step count.

16. The computer-readable storage medium having stored therein the step count calculation program, according to claim 2,

wherein the gravity direction calculator calculates, as the gravity direction of the housing, a direction of a vector which follows at a predetermined rate a vector of the acceleration indicated by the acceleration data obtained by the acceleration data obtaining programmed logic circuitry.

17. The computer-readable storage medium having stored therein the step count calculation program, according to claim 16,

wherein based on the gravity direction calculated by the gravity direction calculator, the gravity direction acceleration calculator calculates, as the gravity direction acceleration, components of the gravity direction obtained after the following vector has been subtracted from the vector of the acceleration indicated by the acceleration data obtained by the acceleration data obtaining programmed logic circuitry, and

wherein based on the gravity direction calculated by the gravity direction calculator, the horizontal direction acceleration calculator calculates, as the horizontal direction acceleration, components of the horizontal direction of the acceleration obtained after the following vector has been subtracted from the vector of the acceleration indicated by the acceleration data obtained by the acceleration data obtaining programmed logic circuitry.

34. The computer-readable storage medium having stored therein the step count calculation program, according to claim 1, wherein:

the first step count calculator calculates the first step count in accordance with a change in the gravity direction acceleration, by using a first calculation method, and

the second step count calculator calculates the second step count in accordance with a change in the horizontal direction acceleration, by using a second calculation method.

18. A step count calculation apparatus for calculating a number of steps made by a user carrying the step count calculation apparatus, comprising:

an acceleration sensor for detecting accelerations acting on an apparatus body and for outputting acceleration data;

a display section provided on the apparatus body;

acceleration data obtaining programmed logic circuitry for repeatedly obtaining the acceleration data;

a gravity direction acceleration calculator for, by using the acceleration data obtained by the acceleration data obtaining programmed logic circuitry, calculating a gravity direction acceleration acting in a gravity direction of the apparatus body;

a horizontal direction acceleration calculator for, by using the acceleration data obtained by the acceleration data obtaining programmed logic circuitry, calculating a horizontal direction acceleration acting in a horizontal direction perpendicular to the gravity direction of the apparatus body;

a first step count calculator for calculating a first step count in accordance with a change in the gravity direction acceleration;

a second step count calculator for calculating a second step count in accordance with a change in the horizontal direction acceleration;

a step count programmed logic circuitry for performing an operation based on at least one of the first step count and the second step count; and

a display controller for displaying, on the display section, information in accordance with the operation performed based on at least one of the first step count and the second step count.

20. The step count calculation apparatus as in claim 18, wherein the operation performed by the step count programmed logic circuitry includes using either the first step count or the second step count as the user'"'"'s step count, and the information displayed is based on the user'"'"'s step count.

21. The step count calculation apparatus as in claim 18, wherein:

the first step count calculator calculates the first step count in accordance with the change in the gravity direction acceleration using a first coefficient; and

the second step count calculator calculates the second step count in accordance with the change in the horizontal direction acceleration by using a second coefficient which is different from the first coefficient.

35. The step count calculation apparatus as in claim 18, wherein:

the first step count calculator calculates the first step count in accordance with the change in the gravity direction acceleration, by using a first calculation method, and

the second step count calculator calculates the second step count in accordance with the change in the horizontal direction acceleration, by using a second calculation method.

19. A step count calculation system, including a hand-held unit which is capable of being carried by a user and a body unit which is connected to the hand-held unit via one of wired communication and wireless communication, for calculating a step count made by the user carrying the hand-held unit, the step count calculation system comprising:

an acceleration sensor for detecting accelerations acting on a body of the hand-held unit and for outputting acceleration data;

acceleration data obtaining programmed logic circuitry for obtaining the acceleration data from the acceleration sensor;

a gravity direction acceleration calculator for, by using the acceleration data obtained by the acceleration data obtaining programmed logic circuitry, calculating a gravity direction acceleration acting in a gravity direction of the hand-held unit;

a horizontal direction acceleration calculator for, by using the acceleration data obtained by the acceleration data obtaining programmed logic circuitry, calculating a horizontal direction acceleration acting in a horizontal direction perpendicular to the gravity direction of the hand-held unit;

a first step count calculator for calculating a first step count in accordance with a change in the gravity direction acceleration;

a second step count calculator for calculating a second step count in accordance with a change in the horizontal direction acceleration;

a step count programmed logic circuitry for performing an operation based on one or more of the first step count and the second step count; and

a display controller for displaying, on a display section, information in accordance with the operation performed based on at least one of the first step count and the second step count.

22. The step count calculation system as in claim 19, wherein the operation performed by the step count programmed logic circuitry includes using either the first step count or the second step count as the user'"'"'s step count, and the information displayed is based on the user'"'"'s step count.

23. The step count calculation system as in claim 19, wherein:

the first step count calculator calculates the first step count in accordance with the change in the gravity direction acceleration using a first coefficient; and

the second step count calculator calculates the second step count in accordance with the change in the horizontal direction acceleration by using a second coefficient which is different from the first coefficient.

36. The step count calculation system as in claim 19, wherein:

the first step count calculator calculates the first step count in accordance with the change in the gravity direction acceleration, by using a first calculation method, and

the second step count calculator calculates the second step count in accordance with the change in the horizontal direction acceleration, by using a second calculation method.

24. A method, by using acceleration data outputted from an acceleration sensor for detecting accelerations acting on a given housing, of calculating a number of steps made by a user carrying the housing, the method comprising:

repeatedly obtaining the acceleration data using a computer processor;

calculating, by using the obtained acceleration data, a gravity direction acceleration acting in a gravity direction of the housing;

calculating, by using the obtained acceleration data, a horizontal direction acceleration acting in a horizontal direction perpendicular to the gravity direction of the housing;

calculating a first step count in accordance with a change in the gravity direction acceleration;

calculating a second step count in accordance with a change in the horizontal direction acceleration; and

performing an operation based on at least one of the first step count and the second step count.

25. The method according to claim 24, further comprising:

calculating, by using the obtained acceleration data, the gravity direction of the housing,

calculating as the gravity direction acceleration, based on the calculated gravity direction, components of the gravity direction of the acceleration indicated by the obtained acceleration data, and

calculating as the horizontal direction acceleration, based on the obtained gravity direction, components of the horizontal direction of the acceleration indicated by the obtained acceleration data.

26. The method according to claim 25,

wherein the first step count is calculated in accordance with a period in which the gravity direction acceleration increases or decreases, and

wherein the second step count is calculated in accordance with a period in which the horizontal direction acceleration increases or decreases.

27. The method to claim 24, wherein the housing is a hand-held unit and the method further comprises generating a display of information in accordance with one of the first step count and the second step count.

28. The method according to claim 24, wherein the performed operation includes:

comparing the first step count and the second step count, and using one of the first step count and the second step count, whichever is larger than another of the first step count and the second step count, as the user'"'"'s step count.

29. The method according to claim 24, further comprising:

detecting a first amplitude at which the gravity direction acceleration increases or decreases;

detecting a second amplitude at which the horizontal direction acceleration increases or decreases; and

calculating a ratio between the first amplitude and the second amplitude, and

wherein when the first amplitude is larger than an amplitude which is obtained by multiplying the second amplitude by a predetermined ratio, the performed operation includes using the first step count as the user'"'"'s step count, and when the first amplitude is less than or equal to the amplitude which is obtained by multiplying the second amplitude by the predetermined ratio, the performed operation includes using the second step count as the user'"'"'s step count.

30. The method according to claim 24, further comprising calculating an accumulated step count by sequentially accumulating one of the first step count and the second step count.

31. The method according to claim 24, further comprising calculating, as the gravity direction of the housing, a direction of a vector which follows at a predetermined rate a vector of the acceleration indicated by the obtained acceleration data.

32. The method according to claim 24, wherein:

the first step count is calculated in accordance with the change in the gravity direction acceleration using a first coefficient; and

the second step count is calculated in accordance with the change in the horizontal direction acceleration by using a second coefficient which is different from the first coefficient.

33. The method according to claim 24, wherein the performed operation includes using either the first step count or the second step count as the user'"'"'s step count.

37. The method to claim 24, wherein:

the first step count is calculated in accordance with the change in the gravity direction acceleration, by using a first calculation method, and

the second step count in accordance with the change in the horizontal direction acceleration, by using a second calculation method.