Portable apparatus for determining a user's physiological data with filtered speed data

• US 7,752,011 B2
• Filed: 07/12/2007
• Issued: 07/06/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 07/12/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Polar Electro Oy
• Original Assignee: Polar Electro Oy
• Inventors: Niva, Arto, Jaatinen, Jukka
• Primary Examiner(s): Bui; Bryan
• Application Number:
  US11/777,016
• Publication Number:
  US 20090018773A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,090 Days
• Field of Search: 702/160, 702/142, 702/182, 340/670, 701/213, 701/300
• US Class Current: 702/160
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2562/0219 Inertial sensors, e.g. accelerometers, gyroscopes, tilt switches
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/02438 with portable devices, e.g. worn by the patient
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0245 by using sensing means generating electric signals, i.e. ECG signals
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/1112 Global tracking of patients, e.g. by using GPS
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/681 Wristwatch-type devices
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2024/0065 Evaluating the fitness, e.g. fitness level or fitness index
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2024/0078 Exercise efforts programmed as a function of time
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/12 Absolute positions, e.g. by using GPS
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/30 Speed
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2225/50 Wireless data transmission, e.g. by radio transmitters or telemetry
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2230/06 heartbeat rate only
• 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: G01C 22/006 Pedometers
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/14 specially adapted for specific applications

Abstract

A portable apparatus including a first interface configured to input speed data of a user or location data of the user from a positioning unit utilizing external reference points is disclosed. The portable apparatus also includes a second interface configured to input motion data of a user from a self-contained activity determining unit. Furthermore, the portable apparatus includes a processing unit configured to constitute, if the first interface only inputs the location data, speed data from the location data, select filtering characteristics based on the motion data, filter the speed data with the selected filtering characteristics, and determine physiological data of the user with the filtered speed data.

Claims

1. A portable apparatus comprising:

a first interface configured to input speed data of a user or location data of the user from a positioning unit utilizing external reference points;

a second interface configured to input motion data of the user from a self-contained activity determining unit; and

a processing unit configured to determine, if the first interface only inputs the location data, speed data from the location data, select filtering characteristics based on the motion data, filter the speed data with the selected filtering characteristics, and determine physiological data of the user using the filtered speed data.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the processing unit is further configured to select, if a level of the motion data is below a predetermined lower threshold, filtering characteristics such that the speed data is set to zero.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the processing unit is further configured to select, if a level of the motion data is above a predetermined lower threshold but below a predetermined upper threshold, filtering characteristics such that the fluctuation in the speed data is reduced.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the processing unit is further configured to select, if a level of the motion data is above a predetermined upper threshold, filtering characteristics such that the fluctuation in the speed data is reduced less than in the case where the level of the motion data is above a predetermined lower threshold but below the predetermined upper threshold.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the processing unit is further configured to determine the speed data from the location data by determining the traveled distance of the user from the location data and dividing the traveled distance by time used for traveling the traveled distance.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the physiological data of the user comprises a quantity describing performance of the user.

7. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the apparatus comprises a wrist-worn apparatus.

8. A method comprising:

determining speed data of a user or location data of the user by a positioning unit utilizing external reference points;

determining motion data of the user by a self-contained activity determining unit;

if only the location data is determined, determining speed data from the location data by a processing unit;

selecting filtering characteristics based on the motion data by the processing unit;

filtering the speed data with the selected filtering characteristics by the processing unit; and

determining physiological data of the user using the filtered speed data by the processing unit.

9. The method of claim 8, further comprising:

selecting, if the level of the motion data is below a predetermined lower threshold, filtering characteristics such that the speed data is set to zero.

10. The method of claim 8, further comprising:

selecting, if the level of the motion data is above a predetermined lower threshold but below a predetermined upper threshold, filtering characteristics such that the fluctuation in the speed data is reduced.

11. The method of claim 8, further comprising:

selecting, if the level of the motion data is above a predetermined upper threshold, filtering characteristics such that the fluctuation in the speed data is reduced less than in the case where the level of the motion data is above a predetermined lower threshold but below the predetermined upper threshold.

12. The method of claim 8, further comprising:

constituting the speed data from the location data by determining the traveled distance of the user from the location data and dividing the traveled distance by time used for traveling the traveled distance.

13. The method of claim 8, wherein the physiological data of the user comprises a quantity describing performance of the user.

14. The method of claim 8, performed in at least one portable apparatus.

15. A portable apparatus comprising:

means for inputting speed data of a user or location data of the user;

means for inputting motion data of the user;

if only the location data is inputted, means for determining speed data from the location data;

means for selecting filtering characteristics based on the motion data;

means for filtering the speed data with the selected filtering characteristics; and

means for determining physiological data of the user using the filtered speed data.

16. The apparatus of claim 15, further comprising means for selecting, if the level of the motion data is below a predetermined lower threshold, filtering characteristics such that the speed data is set to zero.

17. The apparatus of claim 15, further comprising means for selecting, if the level of the motion data is above a predetermined lower threshold but below a predetermined upper threshold, filtering characteristics such that the fluctuation in the speed data is reduced.

18. The apparatus of claim 15, further comprising means for selecting, if the level of the motion data is above a predetermined upper threshold, filtering characteristics such that the fluctuation in the speed data is reduced less than in the case where the level of the motion data is above a predetermined lower threshold but below the predetermined upper threshold.

19. The apparatus of claim 15, further comprising means for constituting the speed data from the location data by determining the traveled distance of the user from the location data and dividing the traveled distance by time used for traveling the traveled distance.

20. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the physiological data of the user comprises a quantity describing performance of the user.

21. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the apparatus comprises a wrist-worn apparatus.

22. A system comprising:

a positioning unit utilizing external reference points;

a self-contained activity determining unit; and

a portable apparatus comprising;

a first interface configured to input speed data of a user or location data of the user from the positioning unit;

a second interface configured to input motion data of the user from the self-contained activity determining unit; and

a processing unit configured to determine, if the first interface only inputs the location data, speed data from the location data, select filtering characteristics based on the motion data, filter the speed data with the selected filtering characteristics, and determine physiological data of the user using the filtered speed data.