Classification System and Method

• US 20130053990A1
• Filed: 02/24/2011
• Published: 02/28/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 02/24/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Pear Labs LLC
• Original Assignee: Performance Lab Technologies Ltd (Pear Sports, LLC)
• Inventors: Ackland, Jonathan Edward Bell
• Granted Patent: US 9,665,873 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 700/91
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2503/10 Athletes
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2505/09 Rehabilitation or training
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2560/0242 adapted to measure environmental factors, e.g. temperature, pollution
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2562/0219 Inertial sensors, e.g. accelerometers, gyroscopes, tilt switches
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/002 Monitoring the patient using a local or closed circuit, e.g. in a room or building A61B5/0017 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0022 Monitoring a patient using a global network, e.g. telephone networks, internet
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0205 Simultaneously evaluating both cardiovascular conditions and different types of body conditions, e.g. heart and respiratory condition
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/02055 Simultaneously evaluating both cardiovascular condition and temperature
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/021 Measuring pressure in heart or blood vessels A61B5/0205 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/02405 Determining heart rate variability
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/02438 with portable devices, e.g. worn by the patient
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/1112 Global tracking of patients, e.g. by using GPS
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/1118 Determining activity level
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/112 Gait analysis
• 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 5/14551 for measuring blood gases
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/318 Heart-related electrical modalities, e.g. electrocardiography [ECG]
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/681 Wristwatch-type devices
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6898 Portable consumer electronic devices, e.g. music players, telephones, tablet computers
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/00 Measuring of physical parameters relating to sporting activity
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2225/50 : Wireless data transmission, e.g. by radio transmitters or telemetry
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2230/00 : Measuring physiological parameters of the user
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 24/00 : Electric or electronic controls for exercising apparatus of preceding groups; Controlling or monitoring of exercises, sportive games, training or athletic performances
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 24/0062 : Monitoring athletic performances, e.g. for determining the work of a user on an exercise apparatus, the completed jogging or cycling distance
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 24/0075 : Means for generating exercise programs or schemes, e.g. computerized virtual trainer, e.g. using expert databases
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 : Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 20/30 : relating to physical therapies or activities, e.g. physiotherapy, acupressure or exercising
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 40/67 : for remote operation
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 50/20 : for computer-aided diagnosis, e.g. based on medical expert systems
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 50/70 : for mining of medical data, e.g. analysing previous cases of other patients

Abstract

The invention relates to a system and method for analysing an activity session. Data from a monitoring device worn by a user of the system for example is received over a period of time or distance and a classification system of the invention is utilised in real time or post session to determine the activities performed by the user during the session. The data collected relates to multiple parameters monitored during the activity session. The classification system defines an activity using a set of threshold criteria for a combination of parameters and therefore identifies a particular activity performed during the activity session when a combination of monitored parameters satisfies the threshold criteria for a particular activity. Determining the activities performed in this way allows for more useful interpretation of the data which in turn leads to more effective coaching advice and feedback for the user.

Claims

1-21. -21. (canceled)

22. A system for analysing an activity session performed by a user to identify, using one or more processors, one or more types of activity performed by the user during the activity session, the system comprising a classification module arranged to receive activity data relating to multiple types of parameters monitored during the activity session and having:

at least one computer readable medium for storing one or more classifications for defining one or more activities, each activity being defined based on a combination of multiple types of parameters, and

at least one processor arranged to process the received activity data against the classifications to and identify one or more activities performed during the activity session, wherein the multiple types of parameters defining an activity comprise any combination of two or more of;

resistance experienced or generated by the user, effort exerted by the user or health of the user during the one or more activities.

24. A system as claimed in claim 22 wherein the classification module is arranged to receive the data in multiple data streams of data points, each stream relating to one of said monitored parameters, and said processor is arranged to utilize the one or more classifications by:

a) comparing corresponding data points of two or more data streams against the set of threshold criteria for one or more activities,

b) identifying when the corresponding data points satisfy the threshold criteria for an activity and if satisfied classifying the corresponding data points under the activity, and

c) repeating steps a) and b) for other data points from the data streams to identify the one or more activities performed during the activity session.

25. A system as claimed in claim 24 wherein the processor is further arranged to group data points classified under the same activity to define an instance of the activity within the activity session for aiding with post-identification interpretation of the activity session.

26. A system as claimed in claim 22 wherein the classification module is arranged to receive the activity data during the activity session, in real time, in time, distance or location stamped blocks of activity data, or after each activity performed, or receive the activity data after the activity session.

27. A system as claimed in claim 22 wherein the classification module is arranged to process the activity data during the activity session, in real time, in time, distance or location stamped blocks of activity data, or after each activity performed, or process the activity data after the activity session.

30. A system as claimed in claim 22 arranged to determine the measure of effort or change in effort using speed or change in speed or using heart rate or change in heart rate or using relaxation rate (R-R) or change in R-R or using heart rate variability (HRV) or change in HRV or using respiration rate or change in respiration rate or using power or change in power or using energy expenditure or change in energy expenditure or using acceleration or change in acceleration or using force or change in force.

33. A system as claimed in claim 22 arranged to determine the measure of resistance or change in resistance using altitude or change in altitude, or using slope or change in slope, or using gradient or change in gradient, or using stride rate or change in stride rate, or using stroke rate or change in stroke rate, or using cadence or change in cadence, or using distance per turnover or change in distance per turnover.

39. A system as claimed in claim 22 arranged to determine the health of the user using an Electrocardiogram (ECG) of the user, or using blood pressure of the user.

40. A system as claimed in claim 22 wherein the computer readable media has stored therein any one or more of a weight loss activity classification, an activity status monitoring classification, a running classification, a cycling classification, a rowing/kayaking classification, a field sports classification, a pedometer activity monitoring classification, and a horse training classification.

41. A system as claimed in claim 22 further comprising one or more activity monitoring devices, each comprising one or more sensing elements arranged to obtain data indicative of parameters monitored during an activity session for providing the classification module with the activity data.

42. A system as claimed in claim 41 wherein the classification module is implemented in one or more hardware devices accessible, in real time, post activity or post activity session, by the one or more monitoring devices, either directly or via a communication network or both, to enable reception of the activity data by the classification module for identification of one or more types of activities performed during the activity session.

45. A system as claimed in claim 22 further comprising an interpretation module having a processor for processing data classified under an activity to determine a level of compliance with a predetermined training plan.

46. A system as claimed in claim 45 further comprising a plan generation module having a processor for updating a training plan based on the level of compliance determined by the interpretation module.

49. A system as claimed in claim 22 wherein each activity is defined based on a set of threshold criteria associated with a combination of multiple types of parameters.

50. A system as claimed in claim 22 wherein the multiple types of parameters defining an activity may further comprise any one or more of:

location, turnover, distance covered per turnover, positional status, ECG, blood pressure, ambient temperature, relative humidity, barometric pressure, heat index, local wind speed, local wind direction, local rain, body weight, carried weight, vertical jumping height, horizontal jumping distance, drop, climb, crawl, heading direction, oxygen uptake, respiration, ventilation, energy expenditure, energy intake, R-R (HRV), body temperature, weather condition, degree of movement, ground status, and direction user facing.

51. A system as claimed in claim 22 wherein the combination of monitored parameters for defining an activity includes a measure of resistance or change in resistance experienced or generated by the user and a measure of effort or change in effort exerted by the user during the one or more activities.

52. A system as claimed in claim 41 wherein the classification module is implemented in the one or more monitoring devices.

53. A system as claimed in claim 41 wherein the activity monitoring device is a cellular device having one or more sensing elements or receivers for obtaining data indicative of parameters monitored during an activity session.

23. (canceled)

28. (canceled)

29. (canceled)

31. (canceled)

32. (canceled)

34-38. -38. (canceled)

43. (canceled)

44. (canceled)

47. (canceled)

48. (canceled)

54. A method of performing computer-aided analysis of an activity session performed by a user of an activity monitoring device to identify, using one or more processors, one or more activities performed by the user during the activity session, the method comprising:

receiving activity data indicative of one or more activities performed during the activity session, said data relating to multiple types of parameters monitored during the activity session, and

operating the one or more processors to process the activity data against a classification system stored in computer readable media to identify the one or more activities performed during the activity session, the classification system defining an activity based on a set of threshold criteria associated with a combination of multiple types of parameters, and wherein the multiple types of parameters comprise any combination of two or more of;

resistance experienced or generated by the user, effort exerted by the user or health of the user during the one or more activities.

55. A device for monitoring and analysing an activity session performed by a user of the device, the device comprising:

one or more sensing elements or receivers for obtaining activity data indicative of one or more activities performed by the user during the activity session, the activity data relating to multiple types of parameters associated with the one or more activities, and

a classification system for identifying in real time the one or more activities performed by the user during the activity session and having;

at least one computer readable medium for storing one or more classifications for defining one or more activities, each activity being defined based on a combination of parameter types, and

at least one processor arranged to receive and process, in real time, the activity data obtained during the activity session against the one or more classifications and identify one or more activities performed during the activity session, wherein the combination of parameter types defining an activity comprise any combination of two or more of;

resistance experienced or generated by the user, effort exerted by the user or health of the user during the one or more activities