Electronic exercise monitor and method using a location determining component and a pedometer

• US 7,057,551 B1
• Filed: 04/27/2004
• Issued: 06/06/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 04/27/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Garmin Limited
• Original Assignee: Garmin Limited
• Inventors: Vogt, Mark J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Issing, Gregory C.
• Application Number:
  US10/832,865
• Time in Patent Office: 770 Days
• Field of Search: 342/357.06, 342/357.14, 701/216
• US Class Current: 342/357.57
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 69/0028 for running, jogging or speed-walking movable endless bands A63B22/02
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 22/006 Pedometers
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 25/00 Manufacturing, calibrating, cleaning, or repairing instruments or devices referred to in the other groups of this subclass testing, calibrating or compensating compasses G01C17/38
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/19 Sporting applications

Abstract

An electronic device (10) comprising a location determining component (12), such as a global positioning system (“GPS”) device, a pedometer (14), and a computing device (16) is operable to determine a distance traveled by a user. The pedometer (14) is operable to sense a step taken by the user, and the location determining component (12), when accessible, is operable to determine a distance between two positions and supply such information to the computing device (16) for continuous calculation of an accurate step size of the user. When the location determining component (12) is inaccessible, the computing device (16) determines the distance traveled using the accurate step size information. In additional embodiments, a housing (132) is provided for storing a location determining component (112), a pedometer (114), and a computing device (116), and an accelerometer (242) is provided for also determining the step size of the user. A computing device (216) is then operable to calibrate the step size of the user as determined by the accelerometer (242).

Claims

1. An electronic device for determining a distance traveled by a user comprising:

a pedometer operable to sense a plurality of steps taken by the user;

a location determining component operable to determine a distance between two positions;

a computing device for continuously calculating an accurate step size of the user by selecting two positions, sensing a number of steps taken between the two positions with the pedometer, determining a distance between the selected two positions with the location determining component, and dividing the distance between the two selected positions by the sensed number of steps taken between the two positions, such that the computing device is operable to determine the distance traveled using the accurate step size of the user when the location determining component is inoperable; and

wherein the computing device is a stand-alone device separate from the location determining component and the pedometer, and wherein the computing device continuously calculates the step size of the user using the distance separation information supplied by the location determining component by

selecting two positions separated by a predetermined value,

sensing a number of steps taken between the two positions with the pedometer,

determining a distance between the selected two positions with the location determining component, and

dividing the distance between the two selected positions by the sensed number of steps taken between the two positions.

2. The electronic device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the location determining component is a global positioning system (“

GPS”

) device.

3. The electronic device as claimed in claim 2, wherein the GPS device includes

a GPS receiver for receiving satellite signals from a plurality of satellites,

an antenna coupled with the GPS receiver for facilitating receipt of the satellite signals by the GPS receiver,

a processor coupled with the GPS receiver for calculating a location of the GPS unit as a function of the satellite signals, and

a memory coupled with processor and operable to store the distance between the two selected positions.

4. An electronic device for determining a distance traveled by a user comprising:

a pedometer operable to sense a step taken by the user;

an accelerometer operable to determine a step size of the user;

a location determining component for determining distance separation information;

a computing device operable to continuously calculate the step size of the user using the distance separation information supplied by the location determining component, such that when the location determining component is operable, the computing device calibrates the step size of the user as determined by the accelerometer, and when the location determining component is inoperable, the step size of the user as determined by the accelerometer and calibrated by the computing device is used to calculate the distance traveled; and

wherein the computing device is a stand-alone device separate from the location determining component, the pedometer, and the accelerometer, and wherein the computing device continuously calculates the step size of the user using the distance separation information supplied by the location determining component by

selecting two positions separated by a predetermined value,

sensing a number of steps taken between the two positions with the pedometer,

determining a distance between the selected two positions with the location determining component, and

dividing the distance between the two selected positions by the sensed number of steps taken between the two positions.

5. The electronic device as claimed in claim 4, wherein the computing device continuously calculates the step size of the user using the distance separation information supplied by the location determining component by

selecting two positions separated by a predetermined value,

sensing a number of steps taken between the two positions with the pedometer,

determining a distance between the selected two positions with the location determining component, and

dividing the distance between the two selected positions by the sensed number of steps taken between the two positions.

6. The electronic device as claimed in claim 5, wherein the computing device calculates the distance traveled by multiplying the number of steps sensed by the pedometer by the step size of the user.

7. The electronic device as claimed in claim 6, wherein the location determining component is a global positioning system (“

GPS”

) device.

8. The electronic device as claimed in claim 7, wherein the GPS device includes

a GPS receiver for receiving satellite signals from a plurality of satellites,

an antenna coupled with the GPS receiver for facilitating receipt of the satellite signals by the GPS receiver,

a processor coupled with the GPS receiver for calculating a location of the GPS unit as a function of the satellite signals, and

a memory coupled with processor and operable to store the distance between the two selected positions.

9. The electronic device as claimed in claim 8, wherein the accelerometer is operable to sense the impact accelerations of the user from the user'"'"'s motion.

10. An electronic device for determining a distance traveled by a user comprising:

a pedometer operable to sense a step taken by the user;

an accelerometer operable to determine a step size of the user;

a location determining component for determining distance separation information;

a computing device operable to continuously calculate the step size of the user using the distance separation information supplied by the location determining component, such that when the location determining component is operable, the computing device calibrates the step size of the user as determined by the accelerometer, and when the location determining component is inoperable, the step size of the user as determined by the accelerometer and calibrated by the computing device is used to calculate the distance traveled;

a portable housing for storing the pedometer, the accelerometer, the location determining component, and the computing device; and

wherein the computing device continuously calculates the step size of the user using the distance separation information supplied by the location determining component by

selecting two positions separated by a predetermined value,

sensing a number of steps taken between the two positions with the pedometer,

determining a distance between the selected two positions with the location determining component, and

dividing the distance between the two selected positions by the sensed number of steps taken between the two positions.

11. The electronic device as claimed in claim 10, wherein the computing device calculates the distance traveled by multiplying the number of steps sensed by the pedometer by the step size of the user.

12. The electronic device as claimed in claim 11, wherein the location determining component is a global positioning system (“

GPS”

) device.

13. The electronic device as claimed in claim 12, wherein the GPS device includes

a GPS receiver for receiving satellite signals from a plurality of satellites,

an antenna coupled with the GPS receiver for facilitating receipt of the satellite signals by the GPS receiver, a processor coupled with the GPS receiver for calculating a location of the GPS unit as a function of the satellite signals, and

a memory coupled with processor and operable to store the distance between the two selected positions.

14. The electronic device as claimed in claim 13, wherein the accelerometer is operable to sense the impact accelerations of the user from the user'"'"'s motion.

15. The electronic device as claimed in claim 14, wherein the computing device is resident in the location determining component.

16. The electronic device as claimed in claim 14, wherein the computing device is resident in the pedometer.

17. The electronic device as claimed in claim 14, wherein the computing device is resident in the accelerometer.

18. The electronic device as claimed in claim 14, wherein the computing device is a stand-alone device separate from the location determining component, the pedometer, and the accelerometer.

19. The electronic device as claimed in claim 14, wherein the housing is sized and configured to be worn on a user'"'"'s forearm during physical activities.

20. The electronic device as claimed in claim 19, wherein the housing includes a display for displaying the distance traveled.

21. The electronic device as claimed in claim 20, wherein the housing further includes a strap for removably securing the electronic device to the user'"'"'s body.

22. An electronic device for determining a distance traveled by a user comprising:

a pedometer operable to sense a step taken by the user;

an accelerometer operable to determine a step size of the user;

a location determining component for determining distance separation information;

a computing device operable to continuously calculate the step size of the user using the distance separation information supplied by the location determining component, such that when the location determining component is operable, the computing device calibrates the step size of the user as determined by the accelerometer, and when the location determining component is inoperable, the step size of the user as determined by the accelerometer and calibrated by the computing device is used to calculate the distance traveled;

a temperature sensor for determining a body temperature of the user;

a heart rate monitor operable to determine a heart rate of the user; and

a portable housing for storing the pedometer, the accelerometer, the location determining component, the computing device, and the heart rate monitor; and

wherein the computing device continuously calculates the step size of the user using the distance separation information supplied by the location determining component by

selecting two positions separated by a predetermined value,

sensing a number of steps taken between the two positions with the pedometer,

determining a distance between the selected two positions with the location determining component, and

dividing the distance between the two selected positions by the sensed number of steps taken between the two positions.

23. The electronic device as claimed in claim 22, wherein the temperature sensor is stored within the housing.

24. The electronic device as claimed in claim 23, wherein the computing device continuously calculates the step size of the user using the distance separation information supplied by the location determining component by

selecting two positions separated by a predetermined value,

sensing a number of steps taken between the two positions with the pedometer,

determining a distance between the selected two positions with the location determining component, and

dividing the distance between the two selected positions by the sensed number of steps taken between the two positions.

25. The electronic device as claimed in claim 24, wherein the computing device calculates the distance traveled by multiplying the number of steps sensed by the pedometer by the step size of the user.

26. The electronic device as claimed in claim 25, wherein the location determining component is a global positioning system (“

GPS”

) device.

27. The electronic device as claimed in claim 26, wherein the GPS device includes

a GPS receiver for receiving satellite signals from a plurality of satellites,

an antenna coupled with the GPS receiver for facilitating receipt of the satellite signals by the GPS receiver,

a processor coupled with the GPS receiver for calculating a location of the GPS unit as a function of the satellite signals, and

a memory coupled with processor and operable to store the distance between the two selected positions.

28. The electronic device as claimed in claim 27, wherein the accelerometer is operable to sense the impact accelerations of the user from the user'"'"'s motion.