System and method for processing raw activity energy expenditure data

• US 7,676,332 B2
• Filed: 12/27/2007
• Issued: 03/09/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 12/27/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Kersh Risk Management, LLC
• Original Assignee: Kersh Risk Management Inc.
• Inventors: Damen, Erik Petrus Nicolaas
• Primary Examiner(s): Le; John H
• Application Number:
  US11/965,238
• Publication Number:
  US 20090171614A1
• Time in Patent Office: 803 Days
• Field of Search: 702/44, 702/141, 702/142, 702/144, 702/160, 702/176, 702/182, 600/300, 600/549, 482/1, 482/8, 709/223
• US Class Current: 702/44
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2562/0219 Inertial sensors, e.g. accelerometers, gyroscopes, tilt switches
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/11 Measuring movement of the entire body or parts thereof, e.g. head or hand tremor, mobility of a limb for measuring pulse A61B5/02 ;A61B5/1038 takes precedence; motion detection to correct for motion artifacts in physiological signals A61B5/721
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/222 combined with detection or measurement of physiological parameters, e.g. heart rate
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/40 Acceleration
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/836 Sensors arranged on the body of the user
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2230/75 calorie expenditure
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 24/0062 Monitoring athletic performances, e.g. for determining the work of a user on an exercise apparatus, the completed jogging or cycling distance
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 69/0028 for running, jogging or speed-walking movable endless bands A63B22/02
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 20/30 relating to physical therapies or activities, e.g. physiotherapy, acupressure or exercising
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 40/67 for remote operation

Abstract

According to one embodiment, a method is provided for calculating, by an activity monitor comprising one accelerometer, a raw activity energy expenditure data based on movement by a user. The method includes determining if the raw activity energy expenditure data is associated with a high intensity physical activity, wherein the high intensity physical activity causes the raw activity energy expenditure data to differ from an expected activity energy expenditure data. The method includes calculating a corrected activity energy expenditure data, if the raw activity energy expenditure data is associated with the high intensity physical activity, based on the raw activity energy expenditure data, wherein the corrected activity energy expenditure data is substantially identical to the expected activity energy expenditure data.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

calculating, by an activity monitor comprising one accelerometer, a raw activity energy expenditure data based on movement by a user;

determining if the raw activity energy expenditure data is associated with a high intensity physical activity, wherein the high intensity physical activity causes the raw activity energy expenditure data to differ from an expected activity energy expenditure data;

calculating, through a processor, a corrected activity energy expenditure data, if the raw activity energy expenditure data is associated with the high intensity physical activity, based on the raw activity energy expenditure data; and

storing the corrected activity energy expenditure data, wherein the raw activity energy expenditure data in metabolic equivalents is calculated by (c*|a|)+1, wherein c is a predetermined value stored in the activity monitor, wherein |a| is the absolute value of the acceleration determined by the activity monitor based on signals generated by the one accelerometer, and wherein 1 is one metabolic equivalent (MET).

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising displaying the corrected activity energy expenditure.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining a speed of the user based on the raw activity energy expenditure data if the raw activity energy expenditure data is not associated with the high intensity physical activity, or based on the corrected activity energy expenditure data if the raw activity energy expenditure data is associated with the high intensity physical activity; and

displaying the speed of the user.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the speed of the user is determined by (RawAEE_MET−

1)/0.49 kilometer/hours (km/h) if the speed of the user is based on the raw activity energy expenditure data, or by (CorAEE_MET−

1)/0.95 km/h if the speed of the user is based on the corrected activity energy expenditure data, wherein the RawAEE_MET is the raw activity energy expenditure data in metabolic equivalents (METs), wherein the CorAEE_MET is the corrected activity energy expenditure data in METs, wherein 1 is one MET.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the determining if the raw activity energy expenditure data is associated with the high intensity physical activity comprises determining if the raw activity energy expenditure data is greater than a predetermined threshold value.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the corrected activity energy expenditure data in metabolic equivalents is calculated by (RawAEE_MET−

T)*B+F, wherein RawAEE_MET is the raw activity energy expenditure data, wherein T is a predetermined threshold value associated with the high intensity physical activity, wherein B is a predetermined gradient value, wherein F is a predetermined offset value.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the corrected activity energy expenditure data comprises energy expended by the user in directions other than direction of the movement measured by the accelerometer.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the one accelerometer is a uni-axial piezo-electric accelerometer.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the expected activity energy expenditure data in metabolic equivalents is determined by (G*v)+1, wherein G is a predetermined gradient value of 0.95 h/km during the high intensity physical activity and 0.49 h/km for low intensity physical activity, wherein v is a velocity of the user, 1 is one MET.

10. An apparatus, comprising:

one accelerometer;

a display;

a processor operable to;

calculate a raw activity energy expenditure data based on movement by a user;

determine if the raw activity energy expenditure data is associated with a high intensity physical activity, wherein the high intensity physical activity causes the raw activity energy expenditure data to differ from an expected activity energy expenditure data; and

a correction element operable to;

calculate a corrected activity energy expenditure data, if the raw activity energy expenditure data is associated with the high intensity physical activity, based on the raw activity energy expenditure data, wherein the raw activity energy expenditure data in metabolic equivalents is calculated by (c*|a|)+1, wherein c is a predetermined value stored in the activity monitor, wherein |a| is the absolute value of the acceleration determined by the activity monitor based on signals generated by the one accelerometer, and wherein 1 is one metabolic equivalent (MET).

11. The apparatus of claim 10, the processor further operable to display the corrected activity energy expenditure.

12. The apparatus of claim 10, further comprising a speed element operable to:

determine a speed of the user based on the raw activity energy expenditure data if the raw activity energy expenditure data is not associated with the high intensity physical activity, or based on the corrected activity energy expenditure data if the raw activity energy expenditure data is associated with the high intensity physical activity; and

display the speed of the user.

13. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the speed of the user is determined by (RawAEE_MET−

1)/0.49 km/h if the speed of the user is based on the raw activity energy expenditure data, or by (CorAEE_MET−

1)/0.95 km/h if the speed of the user is based on the corrected activity energy expenditure data, wherein the RawAEE_MET is the raw activity energy expenditure data in metabolic equivalents, wherein the CorAEE_MET is the corrected activity energy expenditure data in metabolic equivalents, wherein 1 is one MET.

14. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the determining if the raw activity energy expenditure data is associated with the high intensity physical activity comprises determining if the raw activity energy expenditure data is greater than a predetermined threshold value.

15. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the corrected activity energy expenditure data in metabolic equivalents is calculated by (RawAEE_MET−

T)*B+F, wherein RawAEE_MET is the raw activity energy expenditure data, wherein T is a predetermined threshold value associated with the high intensity physical activity, wherein B is a predetermined gradient value, wherein F is a predetermined offset value.

16. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the corrected activity energy expenditure data comprises energy expended by the user in directions other than direction of the movement measured by the accelerometer.

17. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the one accelerometer is a uni-axial piezo-electric accelerometer.

18. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the expected activity energy expenditure data in metabolic equivalents is determined by (G*v)+1, wherein G is a predetermined gradient value of 0.95 h/km during the high intensity physical activity and 0.49 h/km for low intensity physical activity, wherein v is a velocity of the user, 1 is one MET.

19. Logic encoded in computer-readable media, the logic including code such that when executed on a processor;

is configured to;

calculate a raw activity energy expenditure data based on movement by a user, the movement measured by one accelerometer;

determine if the raw activity energy expenditure data is associated with a high intensity physical activity, wherein the high intensity physical activity causes the raw activity energy expenditure data to differ from an expected activity energy expenditure data;

calculate a corrected activity energy expenditure data, if the raw activity energy expenditure data is associated with the high intensity physical activity, based on the raw activity energy expenditure data; and

store the corrected activity energy expenditure data, wherein the raw activity energy expenditure data in metabolic equivalents is calculated by (c*|a|)+1, wherein c is a predetermined value stored in the activity monitor, wherein |a| is the absolute value of the acceleration determined by the activity monitor based on signals generated by the one accelerometer, and wherein 1 is one metabolic equivalent (MET).

20. The code of claim 19, wherein the logic is further operable to display the corrected activity energy expenditure.

21. The code of claim 19, wherein the logic is further operable to:

determine a speed of the user based on the raw activity energy expenditure data if the raw activity energy expenditure data is not associated with the high intensity physical activity, or based on the corrected activity energy expenditure data if the raw activity energy expenditure data is associated with the high intensity physical activity; and

display the speed of the user.

22. The code of claim 21, wherein the speed of the user is determined by (RawAEE_MET−

1)/0.49 km/h if the speed of the user is based on the raw activity energy expenditure data, or by (CorAEE_MET−

1)/0.95 km/h if the speed of the user is based on the corrected activity energy expenditure data, wherein the RawAEE_MET is the raw activity energy expenditure data in metabolic equivalents, wherein the CorAEE_MET is the corrected activity energy expenditure data in metabolic equivalents, wherein 1 is one MET.

23. The code of claim 19, wherein the determining if the raw activity energy expenditure data is associated with the high intensity physical activity comprises determining if the raw activity energy expenditure data is greater than a predetermined threshold value.

24. The code of claim 19, wherein the corrected activity energy expenditure data in metabolic equivalents is calculated by (RawAEE_MET −

T)*B+F, wherein RawAEE_MET is the raw activity energy expenditure data, wherein T is a predetermined threshold value associated with the high intensity physical activity, wherein B is a predetermined gradient value, wherein F is a predetermined offset value.

25. The code of claim 19, wherein the corrected activity energy expenditure data comprises energy expended by the user in directions other than direction of the movement measured by the accelerometer.

26. The code of claim 19, wherein the one accelerometer is a uni-axial piezo-electric accelerometer.

27. The code of claim 19, wherein the expected activity energy expenditure data in metabolic equivalents is determined by (G*v)+1, wherein G is a predetermined gradient value of 0.95 h/km during the high intensity physical activity and 0.49 h/km for low intensity physical activity, wherein v is a velocity of the user, 1 is one MET.