Portable personal data processing device

• US 7,035,736 B2
• Filed: 04/06/2004
• Issued: 04/25/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 04/17/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Polar Electro Oy
• Original Assignee: Polar Electro Oy
• Inventors: Nissilä, Seppo
• Primary Examiner(s): Barlow, John
• Assistant Examiner(s): PRETLOW, DEMETRIUS R
• Application Number:
  US10/818,696
• Publication Number:
  US 20040220738A1
• Time in Patent Office: 749 Days
• Field of Search: 702/3, 702/127, 702/130, 702/132, 731/70, 731/701.7, 731/702.1, 700/299, 700/300
• US Class Current: 702/3
• CPC Class Codes: G01W 1/17 Catathermometers for measuring "cooling value" related either to weather conditions or to comfort of other human environment
• CPC Class Codes: G04G 21/02 Detectors of external physical values, e.g. temperature

Abstract

The invention relates to a portable personal data processing device, such as a wrist-worn measuring device, a heart rate monitor, a subscriber terminal of a radio system, or a sports watch. The device includes a temperature sensor for measuring the ambient temperature and a humidity sensor for measuring the ambient humidity. Furthermore, dependence information, which defines temperature values of the dew points corresponding to the humidity values, is stored in the device. The control unit is configured to monitor the change rate of the measured temperature, to determine, on the basis of the change rate, the moment at which the temperature reaches the temperature value of the dew point corresponding to the measured humidity on the basis of the dependence information, and to provide a forecast on fog appearance in relation to the moment employing the user interface.

Claims

1. A portable personal data processing device comprising:

a control unit for controlling the device;

a user interface coupled to the control unit for giving commands to the device and obtaining feedback on operation of the device;

a temperature sensor coupled to the control unit for measuring ambient temperature;

a humidity sensor coupled to the control unit for measuring ambient humidity; and

dependence information, which defines temperature values of dew points corresponding to humidity values stored in the device, the control unit being configured to monitor the change rate of the measured temperature, to determine, on the basis of the change rate, the moment at which the temperature reaches a temperature value of a dew point corresponding to the measured humidity on the basis of the dependence information, and to provide a prediction of fog appearance in relation to the moment employing the user interface, the control unit being configured to show the time left until the predicted fog appearance in the user interface.

2. A device according to claim 1, wherein the control unit is configured to warn of approaching fog employing a sound signal implemented by the user interface.

3. A portable personal data processing device comprising:

a control unit for controlling the device;

a user interface coupled to the control unit for giving commands to the device and obtaining feedback on operation of the device;

a temperature sensor coupled to the control unit for measuring ambient temperature;

a humidity sensor coupled to the control unit for measuring ambient humidity; and

dependence information, which defines temperature values of dew points corresponding to humidity values stored in the device, the control unit being configured to monitor the change rate of the measured temperature, to determine, on the basis of the change rate, the moment at which the temperature reaches a temperature value of a dew point corresponding to the measured humidity on the basis of the dependence information, and to provide a prediction of fog appearance in relation to the moment employing the user interface, the control unit being configured to provide a sound signal by means of the user interface more frequently as the predicted moment when fog will appear becomes closer.

4. A portable personal data processing device comprising:

a control unit for controlling the device;

a user interface coupled to the control unit for giving commands to the device and obtaining feedback on operation of the device;

a temperature sensor coupled to the control unit for measuring ambient temperature;

a humidity sensor coupled to the control unit for measuring ambient humidity; and

dependence information, which defines temperature values of dew points corresponding to humidity values, is stored in the device, the control unit being configured to monitor the change rate of the measured temperature, to determine, on the basis of the change rate, the moment at which the temperature reaches a temperature value of a dew point corresponding to the measured humidity on the basis of the dependence information, and to provide a prediction of fog appearance in relation to the moment employing the user interface the control unit being configured to calculate a probability of fog appearance within a certain time on the basis of a difference between the measured temperature and the temperature value of the dew point.

5. A device according to claim 4, wherein the control unit is configured to show a probability of fog appearance as a percentage in the user interface.

6. A device according to claim 4, wherein the control unit is configured to use one hour as the predetermined time.

7. A portable personal data processing device comprising:

a control unit for controlling the device;

a user interface coupled to the control unit for giving commands to the device and obtaining feedback on operation of the device;

a temperature sensor coupled to the control unit for measuring ambient temperature;

a humidity sensor coupled to the control unit for measuring ambient humidity; and

dependence information, which defines temperature values of dew points corresponding to humidity values stored in the device, the control unit being configured to monitor the change rate of the measured temperature, to determine, on the basis of the change rate, the moment at which the temperature reaches a temperature value of a dew point corresponding to the measured humidity on the basis of the dependence information, and to provide a prediction of fog appearance in relation to the moment employing the user interface, the control unit being configured to take the time of the day into account in monitoring the temperature change rate.

8. A device according to claim 7, wherein the control unit is configured to estimate that the direction of temperature change is descending and faster in the evening than in the day time.

9. A portable personal data processing device comprising:

a control unit for controlling the device;

a user interface coupled to the control unit for giving commands to the device and obtaining feedback on operation of the device;

a temperature sensor coupled to the control unit for measuring ambient temperature;

a humidity sensor coupled to the control unit for measuring ambient humidity; and

dependence information, which defines temperature values of dew points corresponding to humidity values stored in the device, the control unit being configured to monitor the change rate of the measured temperature, to determine, on the basis of the change rate, the moment at which the temperature reaches a temperature value of a dew point corresponding to the measured humidity on the basis of the dependence information, and to provide a prediction of fog appearance in relation to the moment employing the user interface, the control unit being configured to take the sunrise and sunset times into account in monitoring the temperature change rate.

10. A device according to claim 9, wherein the control unit is configured to estimate that the temperature change rate is higher at the sunrise and sunset.

11. A portable personal data processing device comprising:

a control unit for controlling the device;

a user interface coupled to the control unit for giving commands to the device and obtaining feedback on operation of the device;

a temperature sensor coupled to the control unit for measuring ambient temperature;

a humidity sensor coupled to the control unit for measuring ambient humidity;

dependence information, which defines temperature values of dew points corresponding to humidity values stored in the device, the control unit being configured to monitor the change rate of the measured temperature, to determine, on the basis of the change rate, the moment at which the temperature reaches a temperature value of a dew point corresponding to the measured humidity on the basis of the dependence information, and to provide a forecast on prediction of fog appearance in relation to the moment employing the user interface, the control unit being configured to estimate the cloudiness of the weather on the basis of the measured air pressure,

an air pressure sensor coupled to the control unit for measuring the ambient air pressure, the control unit being configured to take the measured air pressure into account in monitoring the temperature change rate.

12. A device according to claim 11, wherein the control unit is configured to estimate that the temperature change rate is lower in cloudy weather than in sunny weather.

13. A device according to claim 11, wherein the control unit is configured to estimate that the temperature change rate is lower when the sun sets in cloudy weather than when the sun sets in sunny weather.

14. A portable personal data processing device comprising:

a control unit for controlling the device;

a user interface coupled to the control unit for giving commands to the device and obtaining feedback on operation of the device;

a temperature sensor coupled to the control unit for measuring ambient temperature;

a humidity sensor coupled to the control unit for measuring ambient humidity; and

dependence information, which defines temperature values of dew points corresponding to humidity values stored in the device, the control unit being configured to monitor the change rate of the measured temperature, to determine, on the basis of the change rate, the moment at which the temperature reaches a temperature value of a dew point corresponding to the measured humidity on the basis of the dependence information, and to provide a prediction of fog appearance in relation to the moment employing the user interface, the portable personal device being a wrist-worn measuring device.

15. A portable personal data processing device comprising:

a control unit for controlling the device;

a user interface coupled to the control unit for giving commands to the device and obtaining feedback on operation of the device;

a temperature sensor coupled to the control unit for measuring ambient temperature;

a humidity sensor coupled to the control unit for measuring ambient humidity; and

dependence information, which defines temperature values of dew points corresponding to humidity values stored in the device, the control unit being configured to monitor the change rate of the measured temperature, to determine, on the basis of the change rate, the moment at which the temperature reaches a temperature value of a dew point corresponding to the measured humidity on the basis of the dependence information, and to provide a prediction of fog appearance in relation to the moment employing the user interface, the portable personal device being a heart rate monitor.

16. A portable personal data processing device comprising:

a control unit for controlling the device;

a user interface coupled to the control unit for giving commands to the device and obtaining feedback on operation of the device;

a temperature sensor coupled to the control unit for measuring ambient temperature;

a humidity sensor coupled to the control unit for measuring ambient humidity; and

dependence information, which defines temperature values of dew points corresponding to humidity values stored in the device, the control unit being configured to monitor the change rate of the measured temperature, to determine, on the basis of the change rate, the moment at which the temperature reaches a temperature value of a dew point corresponding to the measured humidity on the basis of the dependence information, and to provide a prediction of fog appearance in relation to the moment employing the user interface, the portable personal device being a subscriber terminal of a radio system.

17. A portable personal data processing device comprising:

a control unit for controlling the device;

a user interface coupled to the control unit for giving commands to the device and obtaining feedback on operation of the device;

a temperature sensor coupled to the control unit for measuring ambient temperature;

a humidity sensor coupled to the control unit for measuring ambient humidity; and

dependence information, which defines temperature values of dew points corresponding to humidity values stored in the device, the control unit being configured to monitor the change rate of the measured temperature, to determine, on the basis of the change rate, the moment at which the temperature reaches a temperature value of a dew point corresponding to the measured humidity on the basis of the dependence information, and to provide a prediction of fog appearance in relation to the moment employing the user interface, the portable personal device being a sports watch for use as an instrument in at least one of sports, hiking, sailing, mountain climbing and snow sports.