Pedometer

• US 7,747,411 B2
• Filed: 09/20/2007
• Issued: 06/29/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 09/29/2006
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Seiko Instruments Incorporated (Seiko Group)
• Original Assignee: Seiko Instruments Incorporated (Seiko Group)
• Inventors: Kato, Kazuo
• Primary Examiner(s): Dunn; Drew A
• Assistant Examiner(s): Cherry; Stephen J
• Application Number:
  US11/903,139
• Publication Number:
  US 20080114565A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,013 Days
• Field of Search: 702/141, 702/150, 702/160, 738/654, 377/24, 377/24.2
• US Class Current: 702/160
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 22/006 Pedometers

Abstract

A pedometer sensor outputs a detecting signal in correspondence with the moving motion of a person to a CPU via a variable filter circuit that has a variable passing frequency band. In a walking state, when a voltage comparing circuit determines that the signal level of the detecting signal is equal to or higher than a predetermined level and a period of the detecting signal from the filter circuit set to a band for running is at a period within a predetermined range, the CPU determines that the moving motion is changed from walking to running, maintains a state in which a frequency switching circuit sets a passing frequency band of the filter circuit to a band for running, and calculates a number of steps based on the detecting signal passing the filter circuit.

Claims

1. A pedometer comprising:

a sensor that detects a moving motion of a person and that outputs a detecting signal in correspondence therewith;

a filter to which is inputted the detecting signal from the sensor and which has a variable passing frequency band;

filter controlling means for switching the passing frequency band of the filter to either of a band for walking and a band for running;

step number calculating means for calculating a number of steps based on the detecting signal passing through the filter;

signal level determining means for determining a level of the detecting signal passing through the filter; and

moving motion determining means for determining that the moving motion is changed from walking to running when the signal level determining means determines that a signal level of the detecting signal is at a predetermined level or higher and a period of the detecting signal from the filter set to the band for running is at a period within a predetermined range;

wherein when the moving motion determining means determines running, the filter controlling means maintains the passing frequency band of the filter to a state of setting the band for running, and the step number calculating means calculates the number of steps based on the detecting signal passing the filter.

2. A pedometer according to claim 1;

wherein the moving motion determining means determines that the moving motion is changed from walking to running in a case in which when the passing frequency band is the band for running, the period of the detecting signal outputted from the filter becomes a half of the period of the detecting signal outputted from the filter when the band is the band for walking.

3. A pedometer according to claim 2;

wherein the moving motion determining means determines that the moving motion is changed from walking to running when the detecting signal of the half period is provided continuously for a first predetermined time period.

4. A pedometer according to claim 1;

wherein the step number calculating means carries out a preliminary step number measurement for a second predetermined time period based on the detecting signal when the signal level determining means determines that the signal level of the detecting signal is at the predetermined level or higher and the detecting signal from the filter is at the period within the predetermined range; and

wherein the filter controlling means sets the passing frequency band of the filter from the band for walking to the band for running when the detecting signal of the period within the predetermined range is continuously provided for the second predetermined time period.

5. A pedometer according to claim 2;

wherein the step number calculating means carries out a preliminary step number measurement for a second predetermined time period based on the detecting signal when the signal level determining means determines that the signal level of the detecting signal is at the predetermined level or higher and the detecting signal from the filter is at the period within the predetermined range; and

wherein the filter controlling means sets the passing frequency band of the filter from the band for walking to the band for running when the detecting signal of the period within the predetermined range is continuously provided for the second predetermined time period.

6. A pedometer according to claim 3;

wherein the step number calculating means carries out a preliminary step number measurement for a second predetermined time period based on the detecting signal when the signal level determining means determines that the signal level of the detecting signal is at the predetermined level or higher and the detecting signal from the filter is at the period within the predetermined range; and

wherein the filter controlling means sets the passing frequency band of the filter from the band for walking to the band for running when the detecting signal of the period within the predetermined range is continuously provided for the second predetermined time period.

7. A pedometer according to claim 4;

wherein the step number calculating means counts each detecting signal detected in the preliminary step number measurement for the second predetermined time period as two steps and counts each of the detecting signal detected outside of the second predetermined time period as one step.

8. A pedometer according to claim 5;

wherein the step number calculating means counts each detecting signal detected in the preliminary step number measurement for the second predetermined time period as two steps and counts each of the detecting signal detected outside of the second predetermined time period as one step.

9. A pedometer according to claim 6;

wherein the step number calculating means counts each detecting signal detected in the preliminary step number measurement for the second predetermined time period as two steps and counts each of the detecting signal detected outside of the second predetermined time period as one step.

10. A pedometer according to claim 1;

wherein the moving motion determining means determines that the moving motion is changed from running to walking when the detecting signal from the filter is not detected continuously for a third predetermined time period; and

wherein the filter controlling means changes the passing frequency band of the filter from the band for running to the band for walking when the moving motion determining means determines that running is changed to walking.

11. A pedometer according to claim 2;

wherein the moving motion determining means determines that the moving motion is changed from running to walking when the detecting signal from the filter is not detected continuously for a third predetermined time period; and

wherein the filter controlling means changes the passing frequency band of the filter from the band for running to the band for walking when the moving motion determining means determines that running is changed to walking.

12. A pedometer according to claim 3;

wherein the moving motion determining means determines that the moving motion is changed from running to walking when the detecting signal from the filter is not detected continuously for a third predetermined time period; and

wherein the filter controlling means changes the passing frequency band of the filter from the band for running to the band for walking when the moving motion determining means determines that running is changed to walking.

13. A pedometer according to claim 4;

wherein the moving motion determining means determines that the moving motion is changed from running to walking when the detecting signal from the filter is not detected continuously for a third predetermined time period; and

wherein the filter controlling means changes the passing frequency band of the filter means from the band for running to the band for walking when the moving motion determining means determines that running is changed to walking.

14. A pedometer according to claim 5;

wherein the moving motion determining means determines that the moving motion is changed from running to walking when the detecting signal from the filter is not detected continuously for a third predetermined time period; and

wherein the filter controlling means changes the passing frequency band of the filter from the band for running to the band for walking when the moving motion determining means determines that running is changed to walking.

15. A pedometer according to claim 6;

wherein the moving motion determining means determines that the moving motion is changed from running to walking when the detecting signal from the filter is not detected continuously for a third predetermined time period; and

wherein the filter controlling means changes the passing frequency band of the filter from the band for running to the band for walking when the moving motion determining means determines that running is changed to walking.

16. A pedometer according to claim 7;

wherein the moving motion determining means determines that the moving motion is changed from running to walking when the detecting signal from the filter is not detected continuously for a third predetermined time period; and

wherein the filter controlling means changes the passing frequency band of the filter from the band for running to the band for walking when the moving motion determining means determines that running is changed to walking.

17. A pedometer according to claim 8;

wherein the moving motion determining means determines that the moving motion is changed from running to walking when the detecting signal from the filter is not detected continuously for a third predetermined time period; and

wherein the filter controlling means changes the passing frequency band of the filter from the band for running to the band for walking when the moving motion determining means determines that running is changed to walking.

18. A pedometer according to claim 9;

wherein the moving motion determining means determines that the moving motion is changed from running to walking when the detecting signal from the filter is not detected continuously for a third predetermined time period; and

wherein the filter controlling means changes the passing frequency band of the filter from the band for running to the band for walking when the moving motion determining means determines that running is changed to walking.