Intelligent Sampling Of Heart Rate
First Claim
1. A method for monitoring a heart rate of a user, comprising:
- obtaining motion data from a motion sensor worn by the user which indicates the user is not engaging in a threshold level of activity;
keeping a heart rate sensor worn by the user in a schedule-based mode in response to the motion data indicating the user is not engaging in the threshold level of activity, the heart rate sensor in the schedule-based mode obtains a heart rate of the user at scheduled times which are not based on the motion data and does not obtain a heart rate of the user at other times;
obtaining motion data from the motion sensor which indicates the user is engaging in the threshold level of activity;
in response to the motion data which indicates the user is engaging in the threshold level of activity, providing the heart rate sensor in an alternating mode instead of in the schedule-based mode, the heart rate sensor in the alternating mode repeatedly alternates between an active state in which the heart rate sensor obtains the heart rate of the user and an inactive state in which the heart rate sensor does not obtain the heart rate of the user;
obtaining motion data from the motion sensor during the alternating mode; and
setting a duration of the inactive state based on the motion data which is obtained from the motion sensor during the alternating mode.
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Accused Products
Abstract
An activity monitor reduces power consumption by providing a heart rate sensor in an inactive mode at times when the heart rate is relatively unimportant. Data from a motion sensor is used to determine when to activate the heart rate monitor to obtain heart rate readings. For example, the motion data may indicate that the user is becoming active after a period of inactivity, or the user is vigorously exercising, then terminates the exercising, or the user is in a sleep-related activity such as the onset of sleep, non-REM (rapid-eye movement sleep) sleep, REM sleep and the user waking from sleep. The heart rate sensor may be in a continuously active mode, an alternating mode, or an inactive mode. In the alternating mode, a delay between readings is set adaptively based on the user'"'"'s level of activity.
81 Citations
23 Claims
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1. A method for monitoring a heart rate of a user, comprising:
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obtaining motion data from a motion sensor worn by the user which indicates the user is not engaging in a threshold level of activity; keeping a heart rate sensor worn by the user in a schedule-based mode in response to the motion data indicating the user is not engaging in the threshold level of activity, the heart rate sensor in the schedule-based mode obtains a heart rate of the user at scheduled times which are not based on the motion data and does not obtain a heart rate of the user at other times; obtaining motion data from the motion sensor which indicates the user is engaging in the threshold level of activity; in response to the motion data which indicates the user is engaging in the threshold level of activity, providing the heart rate sensor in an alternating mode instead of in the schedule-based mode, the heart rate sensor in the alternating mode repeatedly alternates between an active state in which the heart rate sensor obtains the heart rate of the user and an inactive state in which the heart rate sensor does not obtain the heart rate of the user; obtaining motion data from the motion sensor during the alternating mode; and setting a duration of the inactive state based on the motion data which is obtained from the motion sensor during the alternating mode. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
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10. A method for monitoring a heart rate of a user, comprising:
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determining that motion data from a motion sensor worn by a user is not consistent with the user engaging in vigorous exercising in a first time period; in response to the determining that the motion data in the first time period is not consistent with the user engaging in vigorous exercising, providing a heart rate sensor of the user in an alternating mode in the first time period, the heart rate sensor in the alternating mode repeatedly alternates between an active state in which the heart rate sensor obtains a heart rate of the user and an inactive state in which the heart rate sensor does not obtain the heart rate of the user; determining that motion data from the motion sensor is consistent with the user engaging in vigorous exercising in a second time period directly after the first time period; in response to the determining that the motion data in the second time period is consistent with the user engaging in vigorous exercising, providing the heart rate sensor continuously in the active state in the second period; determining that motion data from the motion sensor is not consistent with the user engaging in the vigorous exercising in a third time period directly after the second time period; in response to the determining that the motion data in the third time period is not consistent with the user engaging in vigorous exercising, keeping the heart rate sensor continuously in the active state until the heart rate is determined to have to fallen to within a range of a resting heart rate of the user; and storing, as a heart rate recovery time of the user, a time elapsed between a start of the third time period, when the motion data in the third time period initially indicates the user has terminated the vigorous exercising, and a time at which the heart rate is determined to have to fallen to within the range of the resting heart rate of the user. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
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17. A monitor, comprising:
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a heart rate sensor worn by a user; a motion sensor worn by the user; and a processor, the processor; obtains motion data from the motion sensor which indicates the user is not in a predetermined phase of sleep; keeps the heart rate sensor in a schedule-based mode in response to the motion data indicating the user is not in the predetermined phase of sleep, the heart rate sensor in the schedule-based mode obtains a heart rate of the user at scheduled times which are not based on the motion data and does not obtain a heart rate of the user at other times; obtains motion data from the motion sensor which indicates the user is in the predetermined phase of sleep; and in response to the motion data which indicates the user is in the predetermined phase of sleep, providing the heart rate sensor in an active state in which the heart rate sensor obtains values of the heart rate of the user at times which are outside of the scheduled times and identifying the values of the heart rate which are obtained while the heart rate sensor is in the active state as being associated with the predetermined phase of sleep. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23)
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Specification