Portable Monitoring Devices and Methods of Operating Same

• US 20130096843A1
• Filed: 12/04/2012
• Published: 04/18/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 09/30/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Fitbit, Inc. (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Fitbit, Inc. (Alphabet Inc.)
• Inventors: Yuen, Shelten Gee Jao, Park, James, Friedman, Eric nathan
• Granted Patent: US 8,548,770 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 702/19
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/0686 having a forming anvil staying below the tissue during stapling
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2560/0214 of power generation or supply
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2560/0242 adapted to measure environmental factors, e.g. temperature, pollution
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2560/0456 Apparatus provided with a docking unit
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2562/0219 Inertial sensors, e.g. accelerometers, gyroscopes, tilt switches
• 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 5/0004 characterised by the type of physiological signal transmitted
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/02007 Evaluating blood vessel condition, e.g. elasticity, compliance
• 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 5/024 Detecting, measuring or recording pulse rate or heart rate A61B5/0205, A61B5/021 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/02438 with portable devices, e.g. worn by the patient
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0816 Measuring devices for examining respiratory frequency measuring frequency of electric signals G01R23/00
• 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 5/14532 for measuring glucose, e.g. by tissue impedance measurement
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/14546 for measuring analytes not otherwise provided for, e.g. ions, cytochromes
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/222 : combined with detection or measurement of physiological parameters, e.g. heart rate
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/4809 : Sleep detection, i.e. determining whether a subject is asleep or not
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/4812 : Detecting sleep stages or cycles
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/4815 : Sleep quality
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/4866 : Evaluating metabolism A61B5/083 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6801 : specially adapted to be attached to or worn on the body surface
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6838 : Clamps or clips
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/7264 : Classification of physiological signals or data, e.g. using neural networks, statistical classifiers, expert systems or fuzzy systems neural networks per se G06N3/00; expert systems per se G06N5/00
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/7278 : Artificial waveform generation or derivation, e.g. synthesising signals from measured signals A61B5/327 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/7405 : using sound
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/743 : Displaying an image simultaneously with additional graphical information, e.g. symbols, charts, function plots
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/744 : Displaying an avatar, e.g. an animated cartoon character
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/7455 : characterised by tactile indication, e.g. vibration or electrical stimulation
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/72 : Temperature
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/73 : Altitude
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2230/04 : heartbeat characteristics, e.g. ECG, blood pressure modulations
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2230/06 : heartbeat rate only
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2230/50 : temperature
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2230/70 : body fat
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2230/75 : calorie expenditure
• 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: G01C 22/00 : Measuring distance traversed on the ground by vehicles, persons, animals or other moving solid bodies, e.g. using odometers, using pedometers
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 22/006 : Pedometers
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 5/00 : Measuring height; Measuring distances transverse to line of sight; Levelling between separated points; Surveyors' levels G01C3/20, G01C3/30 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01P 15/00 : Measuring acceleration; Measuring deceleration; Measuring shock, i.e. sudden change of acceleration
• CPC Class Codes: G01P 15/003 : Kinematic accelerometers, i.e. measuring acceleration in relation to an external reference frame, e.g. Ferratis accelerometers G01P15/001, G01P15/16, G01P15/165 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 15/00 : Digital computers in general details G06F1/00 – G06F13/00; Data processing equipment in general
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/0453 : worn on the body to detect health condition by physiological monitoring, e.g. electrocardiogram, temperature, breathing detecting, measuring or recording for diagnostic purposes A61B5/00
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 20/30 : relating to physical therapies or activities, e.g. physiotherapy, acupressure or exercising
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 40/63 : for local operation
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 40/67 : for remote operation
• CPC Class Codes: G16Z 99/00 : Subject matter not provided for in other main groups of this subclass

Abstract

A portable activity monitoring device comprising a housing having a physical size and shape that is adapted to couple to the user'"'"'s body, a motion sensor to detect user motion and, in response thereto, to generate data which is representative of motion of the user, an altitude sensor to detect a change in user altitude and, in response thereto, to generate data which is representative of the change in altitude of the user, processing circuitry to calculate activity metrics of the user, wherein the processing circuitry: (i) calculates a motion metric using the motion data, (ii) calculates an altitude metric using the altitude data, and (iii) calculates at least one sleep metric of the user. In certain embodiments, the processing circuitry may automatically determine a sleep mode of the user using the motion data and calculate at least one user sleep metric.

Claims

1. A portable activity monitoring device to calculate at least one sleep metric of a user, the portable activity monitoring device comprising:

a housing having a physical size and shape that is adapted to couple to the body of the user;

a motion sensor, disposed in the housing, to generate data which is representative of motion of the user;

an altitude sensor, disposed in the housing, to generate data which is representative of the change in altitude of the user;

processing circuitry, disposed in the housing and coupled to the motion and altitude sensors, to calculate activity metrics of the user, wherein the processing circuitry;

calculates a motion metric using the data which is representative of motion of the user,

calculates an altitude metric using the data which is representative of the change in altitude of the user, and

calculates at least one sleep metric of the user.

2. The portable activity monitoring device of claim 1 wherein the processing circuitry automatically determines a sleep mode of the user using the data which is representative of motion of the user and, in response, calculates the at least one sleep metric of the user.

3. The portable activity monitoring device of claim 1 further including a physiological sensor, disposed in the housing, to generate data which is representative of physiological information of the user and wherein the processing circuitry is coupled to the physiological sensor to calculate a physiological condition of the user using the data which is representative of the physiological information of the user.

4. The portable activity monitoring device of claim 1 further including a physiological sensor, disposed in the housing, to generate data which is representative of physiological information of the user and wherein the processing circuitry is coupled to the physiological sensor to calculate a blood pressure, heart rate, pulse rate and/or respiration rate of the user using the data which is representative of a physiological information of the user.

5. The portable activity monitoring device of claim 1 wherein the at least one sleep metric includes (i) an amount of time asleep, (ii) onset, duration, and/or number of awakenings while attempting to sleep, (iii) a time spent in various stages of sleep, (iv) sleep latency, and/or (v) sleep efficiency.

6. The portable activity monitoring device of claim 1 wherein the at least one sleep metric includes sleep apnea.

7. The portable activity monitoring device of claim 1 wherein the altitude metric is representative of a number of stairs or flights of stairs traversed by the user.

8. The portable activity monitoring device of claim 1 wherein the processing circuitry calculates the altitude metric using the data which is representative of the change in altitude of the user and the data which is representative of motion of the user.

9. The portable activity monitoring device of claim 8 wherein the processing circuitry calculates the altitude metric using (i) data which is representative of a change in altitude per step and (i) data which is representative of a change in altitude for a given time period.

10. The portable activity monitoring device of claim 8 wherein the processing circuitry calculates the altitude metric based on (i) a change in altitude of the user per step exceeding a first threshold and (ii) a change in altitude of the user over a given time period exceeding a second threshold.

11. A portable activity monitoring device to calculate at least one sleep metric of a user, the portable activity monitoring device comprising:

a housing having a physical size and shape that is adapted to couple to the body of the user;

a motion sensor, disposed in the housing, to generate data which is representative of motion of the user;

an altitude sensor, disposed in the housing, to generate data which is representative of the change in altitude of the user;

a physiological sensor, disposed in the housing, to generate data which is representative of physiological information of the user;

processing circuitry, disposed in the housing and coupled to the motion, altitude and physiological sensors, wherein the processing circuitry;

calculates a motion metric using the data which is representative of motion of the user,

calculates an altitude metric using the data which is representative of the change in altitude of the user, and

automatically determines a sleep mode of the user using the data which is representative of motion of the user and data which is representative of the physiological information of the user, in response, calculates at least one sleep metric of the user.

12. The portable activity monitoring device of claim 11 wherein the motion metric is a number of steps and the altitude metric is a number of stairs or flights of stairs.

13. The portable activity monitoring device of claim 12 further including a display, coupled to the processing circuitry, to output data which is representative of (i) the motion metric and (ii) the altitude metric.

14. The portable activity monitoring device of claim 11 wherein the processing circuitry calculates a calorie burn using the data which is representative of motion of the user.

15. The portable activity monitoring device of claim 11 wherein the processing circuitry calculates a calorie burn using (i) the data which is representative of motion of the user and (ii) the data which is representative of a change in altitude of the user.

16. The portable activity monitoring device of claim 11 further including:

a fixture having (i) a physical size and shape that is adapted to couple to an associated location on the body of the user and (ii) a particular signature; and

wherein the portable monitoring device is adapted to physically engage the fixture and to detect the particular signature of the fixture, and wherein the processing circuitry, automatically determines a sleep mode of the user based on detecting the particular signature associated with the fixture and using the data which is representative of motion of the user.

17. The portable activity monitoring device of claim 16 wherein:

the fixture includes a magnet which generates the particular signature; and

the portable monitoring device further includes a sensor, responsive to a magnetic field, to detect the particular signature.

18. The portable activity monitoring device of claim 16 wherein one or more buttons, electrical contacts and/or proximity sensors generate the particular signature.

19. The portable activity monitoring device of claim 16 wherein one or more transmitters generate the particular signature.

20. The portable activity monitoring device of claim 11 wherein at least one sleep metric includes (i) an amount of time asleep, (ii) onset, duration, and/or number of awakenings while attempting to sleep, (iii) a time spent in various stages of sleep, (iv) sleep latency, and/or (v) sleep efficiency.

21. The portable activity monitoring device of claim 11 wherein at least one sleep metric includes sleep apnea.

22. A portable activity monitoring device comprising:

a housing having a physical size and shape that is adapted to couple to the body of the user;

a motion sensor, disposed in the housing, to generate data which is representative of motion of the user;

an altitude sensor, disposed in the housing, to generate data which is representative of the change in altitude of the user;

processing circuitry, disposed in the housing and coupled to the motion and altitude sensors, wherein the processing circuitry;

calculates a motion metric using the data which is representative of motion of the user,

calculates an altitude metric using the data which is representative of the change in altitude of the user,

calculates a calorie burn using an activity specific calorie burn algorithm corresponding to an activity mode of the user, and

automatically determines a sleep mode of the user using the data which is representative of motion of the user wherein, in response to determining the sleep mode, the processing circuitry calculates at least one sleep metric of the user.

23. The portable activity monitoring device of claim 22 wherein the processing circuitry calculates the calorie burn using (i) an activity specific calorie burn algorithm associated with an activity mode of the user, (ii) the data which is representative of motion of the user and/or (iii) the data which is representative of the change in altitude of the user.

24. The portable activity monitoring device of claim 22 wherein the processing circuitry determines the activity mode of the user using data which is representative of the motion of the user.

25. The portable activity monitoring device of claim 22 wherein the processing circuitry determines the activity mode of the user using (i) data which is representative of the motion of the user and (ii) data which is representative of a change in altitude of the user.

26. The portable activity monitoring device of claim 22 further including:

a physiological sensor, disposed in the housing, to generate data which is representative of a physiological information of the user and

wherein the processing circuitry is coupled to the physiological sensor and is configurable to calculate a blood pressure, pulse rate and/or respiration rate of the user using the data which is representative of the physiological information of the user.

27. The portable activity monitoring device of claim 22 wherein the at least one sleep metric includes (i) an amount of time asleep, (ii) onset, duration, and/or number of awakenings while attempting to sleep, (iii) a time spent in various stages of sleep, (iv) sleep latency, and/or (v) sleep efficiency

28. The portable activity monitoring device of claim 22 wherein the at least one sleep metric includes representative of sleep apnea.

29. The portable activity monitoring device of claim 22 wherein the altitude metric is representative of a number of stairs or flights of stairs traversed by the user.

30. The portable activity monitoring device of claim 22 wherein the processing circuitry calculates the altitude metric using data which is representative of a change in altitude per step and (i) data which is representative of a change in altitude for a given time period.