Pedometer

• US 7,526,404 B2
• Filed: 09/12/2007
• Issued: 04/28/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 09/21/2006
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Seiko Instruments Incorporated (Seiko Group)
• Original Assignee: Seiko Instruments Incorporated (Seiko Group)
• Inventors: Ihashi, Tomohiro
• Primary Examiner(s): Bui; Bryan
• Application Number:
  US11/900,437
• Publication Number:
  US 20080077354A1
• Time in Patent Office: 594 Days
• Field of Search: 702/127, 702/160, 482/8, 482/54, 377/24.2
• US Class Current: 702/160
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 22/006 Pedometers

Abstract

To provide a pedometer capable of measuring a number of steps in walking and in running by using one sensor and by a small circuit scale. A sensor is mounted on the arm such that a sensitivity axis on the sensor is disposed in a length direction of the arm and a number of steps is measured in walking and in running. When a measuring mode is a walking mode, a detecting signal from the sensor is counted as one step, when the measuring mode is a running mode, the detecting signal from the sensor is counted as two steps to thereby accurately measure a number of steps in accordance with the measuring mode.

Claims

1. A pedometer comprising:

one sensor for detecting a physical motion of a measured person and outputting a detecting signal in correspondence therewith, the pedometer being mounted to an arm of the measured person such that a sensitivity axis of the sensor is disposed in a length direction of the arm;

measuring mode setting means for setting a mode of measuring the number of steps to either of a walking mode for measuring the number steps in walking and a running mode for measuring the number of steps in running; and

step number calculating means for calculating a number of steps of the measured person based on the detecting signal of the sensor and in accordance with the set measuring mode, the step number calculating means carrying out the processing of calculating the number of steps by constituting one step by each of the detecting signals received from the sensor in the walking mode and carrying out the processing of calculating the number of steps by constituting two steps by each of the detecting signals received from the sensor in the running mode.

2. A pedometer according to claim 1;

wherein the measuring mode setting means comprises an operating switch.

3. A pedometer according to claim 2;

wherein the sensor outputs the detecting signal in correspondence with a landing motion of the measured person in walking and outputs the detecting signal in correspondence with an arm swinging motion of the measured person in running.

4. A pedometer according to claim 3;

including a filter interposed between the sensor and the step number calculating means for filtering out detecting signals received from the sensor that are outside a predetermined range.

5. A pedometer according to claim 2;

including a filter interposed between the sensor and the step number calculating means for filtering out detecting signals received from the sensor that are outside a predetermined range.

6. A pedometer according to claim 1;

wherein the sensor outputs the detecting signal in correspondence with a landing motion of the measured person in walking and outputs the detecting signal in correspondence with an arm swinging motion of the measured person in running.

7. A pedometer according to claim 6;

including a filter interposed between the sensor and the step number calculating means for filtering out detecting signals received from the sensor that are outside a predetermined range.

8. A pedometer according to claim 1;

including a filter interposed between the sensor and the step number calculating means for filtering out detecting signals received from the sensor that are outside a predetermined range.

9. A pedometer for measuring the number of steps of a person in walking and in running, the pedometer comprising:

one sensor that is mounted to an arm of a person using the pedometer such that a sensitivity axis of the sensor extends in a length direction of the arm and that detects a physical motion of the person in walking and in running and outputs detecting signals, one for each step, in correspondence therewith;

measuring mode setting means for setting a mode of measuring the number of steps to one of a walking mode for measuring the number of steps in walking and a running mode for measuring the number of steps in running;

filtering means for passing detecting signals received from the sensor within a predetermined frequency range; and

calculating means for calculating the number of steps of the person in accordance with the set measuring mode by counting each detecting signal passing through the filtering means as one step in the walking mode and counting each detecting signal passing through the filtering means that is above a predetermined threshold level as two steps in the running mode.

10. A pedometer according to claim 9;

wherein the predetermined frequency range corresponds to a range of detecting signals indicative of a person in walking.

11. A pedometer according to claim 9;

wherein the predetermined frequency range corresponds to a range of detecting signals equal to half of those indicative of a person in running.

12. A pedometer according to claim 9;

wherein the predetermined frequency range is 85 to 120 detecting signals per minute.

13. A pedometer according to claim 9;

wherein the measuring mode setting means comprises an operating switch.

14. A pedometer according to claim 9;

wherein the sensor outputs the detecting signal in correspondence with a landing motion of the person in walking and outputs the detecting signal in correspondence with an arm swinging motion of the person that occurs in alternate steps in running.

15. A pedometer according to claim 14;

wherein the measuring mode setting means comprises an operating switch.

16. A pedometer according to claim 14;

wherein the predetermined frequency range corresponds to a range of detecting signals indicative of a person in walking.

17. A pedometer according to claim 14;

wherein the predetermined frequency range corresponds to a range of detecting signals equal to half of those indicative of a person in running.

18. A pedometer according to claim 14;

wherein the predetermined frequency range is 85 to 120 detecting signals per minute.

19. A pedometer according to claim 9;

wherein the sensor outputs detecting signals that are alternately of higher and lower levels when the person is running, the detecting signals of higher level that pass through the filtering means being above the predetermined threshold level and the detecting signals of lower level that pass through the filtering means being below the predetermined threshold level.

20. A pedometer according to claim 19;

wherein the detecting signals of higher level correspond to an arm swinging motion of the person in running and the detecting signals of lower level correspond to a landing motion of the person in running.