Runners watch

• US 4,387,437 A
• Filed: 03/12/1981
• Issued: 06/07/1983
• Est. Priority Date: 07/25/1979
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: John W. Lowrey
• Original Assignee: John W. Lowrey
• Inventors: Hyltin, Tom M., Jamieson, J. Scott, Lowrey, John W.
• Primary Examiner(s): Chin, Gary
• Application Number:
  US06/242,889
• Time in Patent Office: 817 Days
• Field of Search: 364/561, 364/565, 364/569, 364/705, 364/410, 307/247 A, 324/78 D, 324/166, 324/168, 324/171, 128/690, 235/92 MT, 235/92 DN, 235/105
• US Class Current: 702/160
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 22/006 Pedometers
• CPC Class Codes: G04C 3/002 Position, e.g. inclination dependent switches
• CPC Class Codes: G04G 21/025 for measuring physiological data
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 1/22 in connection with sports or games

Abstract

A runners watch which includes a lightweight case dimensioned to be worn on the wrist of the wearer. A display face is formed on the case. Clock circuitry is disposed within the case for operating the display face in order to display the time of the day, the date and elapsed time to the wearer. A sensor in the case detects the stride of the wearer when the wearer is running or jogging. Circuitry within the case is responsive to the sensor for computing the distance traveled by the wearer. Circuitry within the case is also responsive to the sensor for computing the rate of travel by the wearer. Switches are provided on the case for being operated to display the computed distance and the computed rate of travel.

Claims

1. A runners watch comprising:

a case dimensioned to be worn on the wrist of the wearer;

a display face on said case;

clock means within said case for operating said display face for displaying time of the day to the wearer;

sensor means in said case for detecting the occurrence of strides of the wearer while the wearer is running;

input means for inputting and storing the number of strides required for the wearer to travel a prescribed distance, said prescribed distance being a fraction of a predetermined unit of distance;

circuitry within said case responsive to said sensor means for computing the rate of travel by the wearer after the stored number of strides has been taken;

circuitry within said case for transforming the rate of travel computed for the stored number of strides to the rate of travel over said unit of distance; and

means on said case for displaying said computed rate of travel for said unit distance on said display face.

2. The runners watch of claim 1 and further comprising:

means in said casing for computing the distance run by the wearer.

3. The runners watch of claim 2 and further comprising means for updating said computed rate of travel after the wearer travels a prescribed distance.

4. The runners watch of claim 2 wherein said computed distance traveled and said computed rate of travel over said unit of distance may be simultaneously displayed on said display face.

5. The runners watch of claim 1 wherein said sensor means comprises:

a pendulum which moves from a first position to a second position in response to the occurrence of a stride by the user; and

means for normally biasing said pendulum in said first position.

6. The runners watch of claim 5 and further comprising circuitry for detecting valid actuations of said pendulum.

7. The runners watch of claim 1 and further comprising:

means for displaying an elapsed time interval on said display face.

8. The runners watch of claim 2 wherein said computing circuitry comprises:

means for timing the length of time required by the wearer to take a number of strides equal to the number of strides input by said input means; and

means for multiplying said length of time by a factor to provide the rate of travel over said unit distance.

9. The runners watch of claim 8 and further comprising means to update the computed rate of travel each increment of said prescribed distance traveled by the wearer.

10. The runners watch of claim 1 wherein said sensor includes means for biasing said sensor such that said sensor does not detect strides due to normal walking of the wearer.

11. The runners watch of claim 1 wherein said sensor means moves between open and closed positions while sensing strides and further including a debounce circuit comprising:

a capacitor connected across said detector for being charged with a voltage when said detector is open and being discharged when said detector is closed;

means for periodically interrogating the voltage level of said capacitor; and

means for indicating the presence of a stride only when a predetermined number of consecutive interrogations indicate a predetermined voltage level across said capacitor.

12. The runners watch of claim 11 and further comprising:

means for recharging said capacitor with a voltage when said detector moves from a closed to an open position.

13. The runners watch of claim 5 wherein

said pendulum is normally biased to its open position and movable to its closed position by the acceleration occurring when the wearer'"'"'s foot hits the ground during a stride;

and

means for detecting said closed position of said pendulum.

14. The runners watch of claim 13 wherein said pendulum is normally biased by a spring to its open position.

15. The runners watch of claim 14 wherein said spring is conductive and wherein said means for detecting said closed position comprises:

a contact disposed adjacent said pendulum;

a first conductor connected to said spring;

a second conductor connected to said contact; and

means for detecting a closed circuit between said first and second conductors.

16. A runners watch comprising:

a case dimensioned to be worn on the wrist of the wearer;

a wrist band connected to said case for supporting said case on the wrist of the wearer;

a display face on said case;

sensor means in said case for detecting the occurrence of strides of the wearer while the wearer is running;

input means for inputting the number of strides required for the wearer to travel one-tenth of a mile;

storage means for storing said number of strides;

circuitry within said case responsive to said sensor means for computing the distance traveled by the wearer;

circuitry within said case responsive to said sensor means for measuring the length of time required for the wearer to take a number of strides equal to the stored number of strides;

circuitry within said case for multiplying the length of time required by the wearer to take the stored number of strides by a factor of 10;

circuitry within said case for storing the multiplied length of time as computed rate of travel;

means on said case for being operated for displaying said computed distance traveled and said computed rate of travel on said display face.