Exercise intensity measuring device and exercise quantity measuring device

• US 6,042,549 A
• Filed: 01/23/1998
• Issued: 03/28/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 03/22/1996
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation (Seiko Group)
• Original Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation (Seiko Group)
• Inventors: Amano, Kazuhiko, Ishiyama, Hitoshi, Uebaba, Kazuo
• Primary Examiner(s): O'Connor, Cary
• Assistant Examiner(s): Natnithithadha, Navin
• Application Number:
  US08/952,943
• Time in Patent Office: 795 Days
• Field of Search: 600/500, 600/501, 600/502, 600/503, 600/481, 600/490
• US Class Current: 600/500
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/02438 with portable devices, e.g. worn by the patient
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/1118 Determining activity level
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/222 combined with detection or measurement of physiological parameters, e.g. heart rate
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/4854 Diagnosis based on concepts of traditional oriental medicine
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/7257 using Fourier transforms
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/726 using Wavelet transforms
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/742 using visual displays A61B5/339 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/744 Displaying an avatar, e.g. an animated cartoon character

Abstract

An exercise intensity and exercise quantity measuring device is disclosed, which is capable of measuring the exercise intensity, irrespective of the type, of exercise, and measuring the exercise quantity only when the user is carrying out exercise of suitable intensity. The user first estimates his Vo_2max in advance by the conventional direct method, and inputs this value into the device. The device determines upper and lower limit values of pulse rate corresponding to this Vo_2max. During the time of exercise when pulse rate is between the upper and lower limit values, CPU 308 increments the accumulated time stored in RAM 309, at intervals based on a clock pulse supplied by oscillation circuit 311 and frequency dividing circuit 312. At the same time, CPU 308 compares the pulse waveform during exercise and the pulse waveform at rest, and estimates the exercise intensity.

Claims

1. An exercise intensity measuring device, wherein said device detects a pulse waveform of a user and obtains the exercise intensity for exercise currently being performed by the user from the fundamental wave and the harmonic wave of the pulse waveform.

2. An exercise intensity measuring device, comprising:

detecting means for detecting the pulse waveform of a user;

storing means for storing the pulse waveform detected by said detecting means when the user is at rest;

estimating means for estimating exercise intensity on the basis of the pulse waveform stored in said storing means and the pulse waveform detected by said detecting means during exercise; and

notifying means for providing notification of the exercise intensity obtained by said estimating means.

3. An exercise intensity measuring device according to claim 2, wherein said detecting means further comprises:

pulse wave detecting means for detecting the pulse waveform by means of a pulse wave sensor;

body motion detecting means for detecting body motion by means of a body motion sensor;

frequency analyzing means for analyzing the frequency of the signals output from said pulse wave detecting means and said body motion detecting means; and

pulse wave component extracting means for extracting a pulse wave component from the results obtained after said frequency analysis.

4. An exercise intensity measuring device according to claim 2, wherein said estimating means estimates said exercise intensity based on distortion in the pulse waveform.

20. An exercise intensity measuring device according to claim 2, further comprising:

first amplitude calculation means for calculating amplitude values of harmonic wave components including a fundamental wave component of the pulse waveform in said storing means;

first comparison means for comparing said amplitude values calculated by said first amplitude calculation means with one another;

first classifying means for classifying the pulse waveform in said storing means according to the comparison by said first comparison means;

second amplitude calculation means for calculating amplitude values of harmonic wave components including a fundamental wave component of the pulse waveform detected by said pulse waveform detecting means during exercise;

second comparison means for comparing said amplitude values calculated by said second amplitude calculation means with one another; and

second classifying means for classifying the pulse waveform detected by said pulse waveform detecting means during exercise according to the comparison by said second comparison means, said estimating means estimating said exercise intensity in accordance with the classification results by said first and second classifying means.

21. An exercise intensity measuring device according to claim 3, further comprising:

storing means for storing the pulse wave component extracted by said pulse wave component extracting means when the user is at rest; and

wherein said estimating means estimates exercise intensity on the basis of a comparison of said pulse wave component stored in said storing means and said pulse wave component extracted during exercise.

22. An exercise intensity measuring device according to claim 2, wherein said estimating means further comprises:

first distortion-factor-calculation means for calculating a first distortion factor in the pulse waveform in said storing means;

second distortion-factor-calculation means for calculating a second distortion factor in the pulse waveform detected by said detecting means during exercise; and

comparison means for comparing said first and second distortion factors, said estimating means estimating said exercise intensity on the basis of the comparison by said comparison means.

5. An exercise intensity measuring device comprising:

detecting means for detecting the pulse waveform of a user;

storing means for storing the pulse waveform detected by said detecting means when the user is at rest;

estimating means for estimating exercise intensity on the basis of the pulse waveform stored in said storing means and the pulse waveform detected by said detecting means during exercise; and

notifying means for providing notification of the exercise intensity obtained by said estimating means;

wherein said estimating means measures exercise intensity based on the size of the amplitude of each harmonic wave component of the pulse waveform.

6. An exercise quantity measuring device, comprising:

pulse rate setting means for setting the appropriate limits for the pulse rate of a user during exercise, based on the maximal oxygen uptake quantity;

pulse rate measuring means for measuring the pulse rate of the user;

accumulating means for accumulating the time duration in which the pulse rate measured by said pulse rate measuring means is within the limits set by said pulse rate setting means; and

notifying means for providing notice of the results of the accumulating operation performed by said accumulating means.

7. An exercise quantity measuring device according to claim 6, wherein said pulse rate setting means comprises:

storing means for storing the correlation between maximal oxygen uptake quantity and the pulse rate;

input means for inputting the maximal oxygen uptake quantity obtained in advance;

read out means for reading out from said storing means the pulse rate corresponding to the maximal oxygen uptake quantity which was input by said input means;

correcting means for correcting said read out pulse rate; and

calculating means for calculating limits of a specific width between said corrected pulse rate.

8. An exercise quantity measuring device according to claim 7, wherein said maximal oxygen uptake quantity is a value estimated by a direct method.

9. An exercise quantity measuring device according to claim 7, wherein said maximal oxygen uptake quantity is a value estimated from respiratory components.

10. An exercise quantity measuring device according to claim 7, wherein said maximal oxygen uptake quantity is a value estimated on the basis of a lactic acid threshold.

11. An exercise quantity measuring device according to claim 7, wherein:

said storing means stores said correlation for each sex;

said input means inputs the sex of the user, in addition to said maximal oxygen uptake quantity; and

said read out means reads out from said storing means the pulse rate corresponding to said input sex and maximal oxygen uptake quantity.

12. An exercise quantity measuring device according to claim 7, wherein said pulse rate measuring means comprises:

detecting means for detecting the pulse wave and body motion of the user;

frequency analyzing means for analyzing the frequency of the body motion signal and the pulse wave signal detected by said detecting means;

extracting means for extracting the pulse wave frequency components on the basis of the pulse wave signal and body motion signal which were subjected to frequency analysis by said frequency analysis means; and

pulse rate calculating means for calculating the pulse rate from the pulse wave frequency components extracted by said extracting means.

13. An exercise quantity measuring device according to claim 12, wherein said detecting means comprises a pressure sensor and an acceleration sensor.

14. An exercise quantity measuring device according to claim 12, wherein said detecting means comprises photoelectric sensors.

15. An exercise quantity measuring device according to claim 7, further comprising instructing means for outputting an initiation instruction and a termination instruction, said accumulating means initiating said accumulating operation according to said initiation instruction and terminating said accumulating operation according to said termination instruction.

16. An exercise quantity measuring device according to claim 7, further comprising body motion detecting means for detecting the body motion of the user, said accumulating means carrying out said accumulating operation while the value detected by said body motion detecting means exceeds a prespecified value.

17. An exercise intensity measuring device, wherein said device detects a pulse waveform of a user and obtains the exercise intensity for exercise currently being performed by the user from harmonic wave components including a fundamental wave component of the pulse waveform.

18. An exercise intensity measuring device according to claim 17, comprising:

pulse wave component detecting means for detecting a pulse wave component of the pulse waveform of the user excluding a body motion component; and

estimating means for estimating said exercise intensity on the basis of said pulse wave component detected by the pulse wave component detecting means.

19. An exercise intensity measuring device according to claim 18, wherein said estimating means estimates said exercise intensity on the basis of the harmonic wave components including the fundamental wave component of said pulse waveform excluding the body motion component.