Activity monitoring

• US 7,204,145 B2
• Filed: 11/21/2003
• Issued: 04/17/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 12/10/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Koninklijke Philips Electronics N.V. (Koninklijke Philips N.V.)
• Original Assignee: Koninklijke Philips Electronics N.V. (Koninklijke Philips N.V.)
• Inventors: Heinks, Carsten, Tsang, Peter Tjin Sjoe Kong
• Primary Examiner(s): Williams; Hezron
• Assistant Examiner(s): Shah; Samir M.
• Application Number:
  US10/537,881
• Publication Number:
  US 20060155218A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,243 Days
• Field of Search: 735/10, 735/143.4, 738/651, 738/653, 73/10.1, 235/116, 600/595
• US Class Current: 73/510
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2562/0219 Inertial sensors, e.g. accelerometers, gyroscopes, tilt switches
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/1118 Determining activity level

Abstract

An activity monitor is provided that corrects for the effects of motion external to the entity being monitored. For example, the activity monitor can overcome the effects of vehicular travel.

Claims

1. An activity monitor for attachment to an entity, the monitor comprising:

a measurement unit including a plurality of motion sensors operable to produce respective sensor signals indicative of motion experienced thereby; and

a processor operable to;

receive the sensor signals from the measurement unit;

process the sensor signals in accordance with a predetermined method;

receive an input from a user indicating presence of external motion effects on the entity to which the monitor is attached;

in response to the input, apply a correction calculation to the sensor signals to form corrected signals, in order to remove the external motion effects from the sensor signals; and

store the corrected signals.

2. The activity monitor as claimed in claim 1, wherein the external motion effects are caused by vehicular travel.

3. The activity monitor as claimed in claim 1, wherein the processor is operable to detect presence of the external motion effects and to apply the correction calculation upon detection of the external motion effects.

4. A method of monitoring activity of an entity using a plurality of motion sensors which are operable to produce respective sensor signals indicative of motion experienced thereby, the method comprising the acts of:

receiving the sensor signals;

processing the signals in accordance with a predetermined method;

receiving an input from a user indicating presence of external motion effects on the entity;

in response to the input, applying a correction calculation to the sensor signals to form corrected signals in order to remove the external motion effects from the sensor signals; and

storing the corrected signals.

5. The method as claimed in claim 4, wherein the external motion effects are caused by vehicular travel.

6. The method as claimed in claim 4, comprising monitoring the external motion effects and applying the correction calculation upon detection of the external motion effects.

7. A monitor for attachment to an entity, the monitor comprising:

means for generating sensor signals indicative of motion of the entity;

means for processing the sensor signals in accordance with a predetermined method;

means for receiving an input from a user indicating presence of external motion effects on the entity;

correction means for applying a correction calculation to the sensor signals to form corrected signals in response to the input, in order to remove the external motion effects from the sensor signals; and

means for storing the corrected signals.

8. The monitor of claim 7, wherein the external motion effects are caused by vehicular travel.

9. The activity monitor of claim 7, further comprising detection means for detecting presence of the external motion effects;

wherein the correction means is operable to apply the correction calculation upon detection of the external motion effects by the detection means.