Portable GPS receiver

• US 6,009,375 A
• Filed: 10/10/1997
• Issued: 12/28/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 10/10/1997
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Seiko Instruments Incorporated (Seiko Group)
• Original Assignee: Seiko Instruments Incorporated (Seiko Group)
• Inventors: Sakumoto, Kazumi, Tsubata, Keisuke, Odagiri, Hiroshi, Nakamura, Chiaki
• Primary Examiner(s): Issing, Gregory C.
• Application Number:
  US08/948,758
• Time in Patent Office: 809 Days
• Field of Search: 701/216, 701/213, 342/357.14, 702/160
• US Class Current: 701/216
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 22/006 Pedometers
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/18 Military applications
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/39 the satellite radio beacon positioning system transmitting time-stamped messages, e.g. GPS [Global Positioning System], GLONASS [Global Orbiting Navigation Satellite System] or GALILEO
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/49 whereby the further system is an inertial position system, e.g. loosely-coupled
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/52 Determining velocity

Abstract

There is disclosed a portable GPS (Global Positioning System) receiver carried by a user. The receiver measures the distance traveled by the user and the speed. In the prior art technique, if satellites cannot be captured, no measurements are made. To find the distance and speed accurately, the measurements have to be performed continuously, thus increasing the electric power consumed by the receiver. The inventive receiver once finds the speed from the Doppler frequencies of the carrier waves. Then, a first distance-calculating means finds the distance from the speed. A walk-detecting means detects walking. A step number-calculating means accumulates the number of steps taken in steps. A stride-calculating means finds the stride from the accumulated step number and from the found distance. Then, a second distance-calculating means finds the distance from the stride and from the accumulated number of steps. A speed-calculating means finds the speed. The GPS receiver receives at regular intervals and updates the stride.

Claims

1. A portable GPS receiver carried by a person who is in a location and walks or runs a distance at a speed, said GPS receiver being adapted to receive GPS signals from GPS satellites, said GPS signals containing carrier waves having Doppler frequencies, said GPS receiver acting to measure the location of said GPS receiver and the Doppler frequencies of the carrier waves and to determine the speed from said Doppler frequencies, said GPS receiver comprising:

a walk-detecting means for detecting walking or running of the person and producing a walk signal indicative of the walking;

a step number-calculating means for receiving said walk signal, calculating number of steps taken in walking, and producing a step number signal indicative of said number of steps;

a time-measuring-and-timing signal-generating means for measuring time and generating both a time signal and a reference timing signal;

a first distance-calculating means for receiving a signal indicating said determined speed, said time signal, and said reference timing signal, calculating the distance from said speed, and producing a first distance signal indicative of said calculated distance;

a stride-calculating means for receiving said first distance signal and said step number signal, calculating a stride per step, and producing a stride signal indicative of said calculated stride;

a second distance-calculating means for receiving said step number signal and said stride signal, calculating a distance traveled by said person, and producing a second distance signal indicative of said calculated distance;

a speed-calculating means for receiving said second distance signal, said time signal, and said reference timing signal, calculating the speed of said person, and producing a speed signal indicative of said calculated speed;

a display means for receiving said second distance signal, said speed signal, said timing signal and displaying said second distance, said speed, and said time; and

a reception operation control means for receiving said time signal and said timing signal and acting to start reception operation of said GPS receiver at regular intervals of time and to end said reception operation after a lapse of a given time.

2. A portable GPS receiver carried by a person who is in a location and walks or runs a distance at a speed, said GPS receiver being adapted to receive GPS signals from GPS satellites, said GPS signals containing carrier waves having Doppler frequencies, said GPS receiver acting to measure the location of said GPS receiver and the Doppler frequencies of the carrier waves and to determine the speed from said Doppler frequencies, said GPS receiver comprising:

a walk-detecting means for detecting walking or running of the person and producing a walk signal indicative of the walking;

a step number-calculating means for receiving said walk signal, calculating number of steps taken in walking, and producing a step number signal indicative of said number of steps;

a time-measuring-and-timing signal-generating means for measuring time and generating both a time signal and a reference timing signal;

a first distance-calculating means for receiving a signal indicating said determined speed, said time signal, and said reference timing signal, calculating the distance from said speed, and producing a first distance signal indicative of said calculated distance;

a stride-calculating means for receiving said first distance signal and said step number signal, calculating a stride per step, and producing a stride signal indicative of said calculated stride;

a second distance-calculating means for receiving said step number signal and said stride signal, calculating a distance traveled by said person, and producing a second distance signal indicative of said calculated distance;

a speed-calculating means for receiving said second distance signal, said time signal, and said reference timing signal, calculating the speed of said person, and producing a speed signal indicative of said calculated speed;

a display means for receiving said second distance signal, said speed signal, said timing signal and displaying said second distance, said speed, and said time;

a pitch-calculating means for receiving said step number signal, said time signal, and said timing signal, calculating a pitch given by the number of steps per unit time, and producing a pitch signal indicative of said calculated pitch; and

a reception operation control means for receiving said time signal, said timing signal, and said pitch signal and acting to start reception operation of said GPS receiver in response to a certain change in the pitch signal and to end said reception operation after a lapse of a given time.

3. A portable GPS receiver carried by a person who is in a location and walks or runs a distance at a speed, said GPS receiver being adapted to receive GPS signals from GPS satellites, said GPS signals containing carrier waves having Doppler frequencies, said GPS receiver acting to measure the location of said GPS receiver and the Doppler frequencies of the carrier waves and to determine the speed from said Doppler frequencies, said GPS receiver comprising:

a walk-detecting means for detecting walking or running of the person and producing a walk signal indicative of the walking;

a step number-calculating means for receiving said walk signal, calculating number of steps taken in walking, and producing a step number signal indicative of said number of steps;

a time-measuring-and-timing signal-generating means for measuring time and generating both a time signal and a reference timing signal;

a first distance-calculating means for receiving a signal indicating said determined speed, said time signal, and said reference timing signal, calculating the distance from said speed, and producing a first distance signal indicative of said calculated distance;

a stride-calculating means for receiving said first distance signal and said step number signal, calculating a stride per step, and producing a stride signal indicative of said calculated stride;

a second distance-calculating means for receiving said step number signal and said stride signal, calculating a distance traveled by said person, and producing a second distance signal indicative of said calculated distance;

a speed-calculating means for receiving said second distance signal, said time signal, and said reference timing signal, calculating the speed of said person, and producing a speed signal indicative of said calculated speed;

a display means for receiving said second distance signal, said speed signal, said timing signal and displaying said second distance, said speed, and said time;

a walking magnitude-detecting means for judging amplitude of said walk signal from said walking-detecting means, detecting magnitude of the walk, and producing a walking magnitude signal indicative of said magnitude of the walk; and

a reception operation control means for receiving said time signal, said timing signal, and said walking magnitude signal and acting to start reception operation of said GPS receiver in response to certain changes in the magnitude of said walk signal and to end said reception operation after a lapse of a given time.

4. A portable GPS receiver carried by a person who is in a location and walks or runs a distance at a speed, said GPS receiver being adapted to receive GPS signals from GPS satellites, said GPS signals containing carrier waves having Doppler frequencies, said GPS receiver acting to measure the location of said GPS receiver and the Doppler frequencies of the carrier waves and to determine the speed from said Doppler frequencies, said GPS receiver comprising:

a walk-detecting means for detecting walking or running of the person and producing a walk signal indicative of the walking;

a step number-calculating means for receiving said walk signal, calculating number of steps taken in walking, and producing a step number signal indicative of said number of steps;

a time-measuring-and-timing signal-generating means for measuring time and generating both a time signal and a reference timing signal;

a first distance-calculating means for receiving a signal indicating said determined speed, said time signal, and said reference timing signal, calculating the distance from said speed, and producing a first distance signal indicative of said calculated distance;

a stride-calculating means for receiving said first distance signal and said step number signal, calculating a stride per step, and producing a stride signal indicative of said calculated stride;

a second distance-calculating means for receiving said step number signal and said stride signal, calculating a distance traveled by said person, and producing a second distance signal indicative of said calculated distance;

a speed-calculating means for receiving said second distance signal, said time signal, and said reference timing signal, calculating the speed of said person, and producing a speed signal indicative of said calculated speed;

a display means for receiving said second distance signal, said speed signal, said timing signal and displaying said second distance, said speed, and said time;

an illuminance change-detecting means for detecting changes in illuminance around said GPS receiver and producing an illuminance change signal indicative of said changes in the illuminance; and

a reception operation control means for receiving said time signal, said timing signal, and said illuminance change signal and acting to start reception operation of said GPS receiver in response to certain changes in the illuminance and to end said reception operation after a lapse of a given time.

5. A portable GPS receiver carried by a person who is in a location and walks or runs a distance at a speed, said GPS receiver being adapted to receive GPS signals from GPS satellites, said GPS signals containing carrier waves having Doppler frequencies, said GPS receiver acting to measure the location of said GPS receiver and the Doppler frequencies of the carrier waves and to determine the speed from said Doppler frequencies, said GPS receiver comprising:

a walk-detecting means for detecting walking or running of the person and producing a walk signal indicative of the walking;

a step number-calculating means for receiving said walk signal, calculating number of steps taken in walking, and producing a step number signal indicative of said number of steps;

a time-measuring-and-timing signal-generating means for measuring time and generating both a time signal and a reference timing signal;

a first distance-calculating means for receiving a signal indicating said determined speed, said time signal, and said reference timing signal, calculating the distance from said speed, and producing a first distance signal indicative of said calculated distance;

a stride-calculating means for receiving said first distance signal and said step number signal, calculating a stride per step, and producing a stride signal indicative of said calculated stride;

a second distance-calculating means for receiving said step number signal and said stride signal, calculating a distance traveled by said person, and producing a second distance signal indicative of said calculated distance;

a speed-calculating means for receiving said second distance signal, said time signal, and said reference timing signal, calculating the speed of said person, and producing a speed signal indicative of said calculated speed;

a display means for receiving said second distance signal, said speed signal, said timing signal and displaying said second distance, said speed, and said time;

a pulse rate-detecting means for detecting pulse rate of said person carrying said GPS receiver and producing a pulse rate signal indicative of said pulse rate synchronized with pulsation of the heart of the person; and

a reception operation control means for receiving said time signal, said timing signal, and said pulse rate signal and acting to start reception operation of said GPS receiver in response to certain changes in the pulse rate signal and to end said reception operation after a lapse of a given time.