Portable GPS type distance/speed meter capable of changing sampling period of GPS signal in response to arm swinging period

• US 6,285,314 B1
• Filed: 04/11/2000
• Issued: 09/04/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 04/12/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: NorthStar Systems LLC (Alpha Alpha Intellectual Partners LLC)
• Original Assignee: Seiko Instruments Incorporated (Seiko Group)
• Inventors: Sakumoto, Kazumi, Odagiri, Hiroshi, Nagatsuma, Hideaki
• Primary Examiner(s): Blum, Theodore M.
• Application Number:
  US09/546,773
• Time in Patent Office: 511 Days
• Field of Search: 342/357.08, 701/213, 482/8
• US Class Current: 342/357.57
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/19 Sporting applications
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/396 Determining accuracy or reliability of position or pseudorange measurements
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/52 Determining velocity

Abstract

A portable type distance/speed meter is designed for measuring a travel distance and a travel speed in response to GPS electromagnetic waves received by a GPS receiver. The portable type distance/speed meter is arranged by: a GPS (Global Positioning System) receiver for receiving GPS electromagnetic waves transmitted from GPS satellites to acquire positioning data from the received GPS electromagnetic waves in a predetermined sampling period; travel speed calculating means for calculating a travel speed of a user based upon the positioning data; timer means for measuring travel time of the user at the travel speed; travel distance calculating means for calculating a travel distance of the user based upon both the travel speed calculated by the travel speed calculating means and the travel time measured by the timer means; average travel speed calculating means for calculating an average travel speed of the user based upon the travel speed calculated by the travel speed calculating means; motion detecting means for detecting motion produced while the user walks, or runs to thereby output the motion detecting result as a motion signal; and sampling period changing means for entering the motion signal outputted from the motion detecting means, for changing the sampling period based upon the entered motion signal.

Claims

1. A portable type distance/speed meter comprising:

a GPS (Global Positioning System) receiver for receiving GPS electromagnetic waves transmitted from GPS satellites to acquire positioning data from the received GPS electromagnetic waves in a predetermined sampling period;

travel speed calculating means for calculating a travel speed of a user based upon said positioning data;

timer means for measuring travel time of the user at said travel speed;

travel distance calculating means for calculating a travel distance of the user based upon both said travel speed calculated by said travel speed calculating means and said travel time measured by said timer means;

average travel speed calculating means for calculating an average travel speed of the user based upon said travel speed calculated by said travel speed calculating means;

motion detecting means for detecting motion produced while the user walks, or runs to thereby output the motion detecting result as a motion signal; and

sampling period changing means for entering said motion signal outputted from said motion detecting means, for changing said sampling period based upon the entered motion signal.

2. A portable type distance/speed meter as claimed in claim 1 wherein:

said motion detecting means detects an arm swinging action of the user to thereby output the swinging action detection result as the motion signal; and

said sampling period changing means enters said motion signal outputted from said motion detecting means, and calculates a period of said arm swinging action based upon the entered motion signal, and changes said sampling period in response to said calculated arm swinging action period.