Body motion discriminating apparatus and activity monitor

• US 7,980,999 B2
• Filed: 08/18/2009
• Issued: 07/19/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 09/18/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Omron Healthcare Company Limited (Omron Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Omron Healthcare Company Limited (Omron Corporation)
• Inventors: Kawaguchi, Kaori, Oshima, Yoshitake
• Primary Examiner(s): RICHMAN, GLENN E
• Application Number:
  US12/543,185
• Publication Number:
  US 20100069203A1
• Time in Patent Office: 700 Days
• Field of Search: 482 1- 9, 482900-902, 434/247, 702/127, 702/141, 702/160
• US Class Current: 482/8
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2024/0068 Comparison to target or threshold, previous performance or not real time comparison to other individuals
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2024/0071 Distinction between different activities, movements, or kind of sports performed
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/40 Acceleration
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/803 Motion sensors
• 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: Y10S 482/901 having computer circuitry

Abstract

A body motion discriminating apparatus includes an acceleration sensor for detecting a body motion of a user, a storing unit for storing a threshold, a threshold changing unit for changing the threshold based on physical data expressing a physical feature of the user and registering the changed threshold in the storing unit, and a discriminating unit for discriminating whether a detected body motion is walking or running by comparing a value of a parameter calculated from amplitude and cycle of an output signal of the acceleration sensor with the threshold.

Claims

1. A body motion discriminating apparatus comprising:

an acceleration sensor for detecting a body motion of a user;

a storing unit for storing a threshold;

a threshold changing unit for changing the threshold based on physical data expressing a physical feature of the user and registering the changed threshold in the storing unit; and

a discriminating unit for discriminating whether a detected body motion is walking or running by comparing a value of a parameter calculated from amplitude and cycle of an output signal of the acceleration sensor with the threshold.

2. The body motion discriminating apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the physical data is height and/or weight.

3. The body motion discriminating apparatus according to claim 1, wherein individual thresholds for a plurality of users can be registered in the storing unit.

4. The body motion discriminating apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the parameter is obtained by dividing one of amplitude and cycle by the other.

5. An activity monitor comprising:

the body motion discriminating apparatus of claim 1; and

a calculating unit for calculating a quantity and/or an intensity of the detected physical activity based on an output signal of the acceleration sensor and a discrimination result of the body motion discriminating apparatus.

6. A body motion discriminating apparatus comprising:

an acceleration sensor for detecting a body motion of a user;

a storing unit for storing a threshold;

a discriminating unit for discriminating whether a detected body motion is walking or running by comparing a value of a parameter calculated from amplitude and cycle of an output signal of the acceleration sensor with the threshold; and

a correcting unit for correcting at least one of the value of the parameter and the threshold, which are used for the comparison, based on physical data expressing a physical feature of the user.

7. An activity monitor comprising:

the body motion discriminating apparatus of claim 6; and

a calculating unit for calculating a quantity and/or an intensity of the detected physical activity based on an output signal of the acceleration sensor and a discrimination result of the body motion discriminating apparatus.