Activity monitoring

• US 7,401,495 B2
• Filed: 03/01/2007
• Issued: 07/22/2008
• 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 E.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Shah; Samir M.
• Application Number:
  US11/680,794
• Publication Number:
  US 20070193352A1
• Time in Patent Office: 509 Days
• Field of Search: 735/10, 735/143.4, 738/651, 738/653, 73/10.1, 235/116, 600/595
• US Class Current: 73/1.77
• 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 f or attachment to an entity, the monitor comprising:

a measurement unit including one or more 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; and

apply a correction calculation to the sensor signals to form corrected signals, in order to remove external motion effects from the sensor signals.

2. The activity monitor claimed in claim 1, wherein the processor is operable to store the corrected signals.

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

4. The activity monitor 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.

5. 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; and

applying a correction calculation to the sensor signals to form corrected signals in order to remove external motion effects from the sensor signals.

6. The method claimed in claim 5, comprising the step of storing the corrected signals.

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

8. The method claimed in claim 5, comprising monitoring the external motion effects and applying the correction calculation upon detection of the external motion effects.

9. 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; and

correction means for applying a correction calculation to the sensor signals to form corrected signals in order to remove external motion effects from the sensor signals.

10. The monitor of claim 9 comprising means for storing the corrected signals.

11. The monitor of claim 9, wherein the external motion effects are caused by vehicular travel.

12. The monitor of claim 9, 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.