Activity monitoring systems and methods

• US 8,036,851 B2
• Filed: 02/13/2009
• Issued: 10/11/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 11/21/1994
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: Vock, Curtis A., Flentov, Peter, Darcy, Dennis M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Raymond; Edward
• Application Number:
  US12/370,795
• Publication Number:
  US 20090150114A1
• Time in Patent Office: 970 Days
• Field of Search: 702/141, 702182-185
• US Class Current: 702/141
• CPC Class Codes: A42B 3/0433 Detecting, signalling or lighting devices
• 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 5/6807 Footwear
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6895 Sport equipment
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2024/0071 Distinction between different activities, movements, or kind of sports performed
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2069/185 for ski-jumping
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2071/065 Visualisation of specific exercise parameters
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2071/0663 worn on the wrist, e.g. wrist bands
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/13 Relative positions
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/16 Angular positions
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/30 Speed
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/40 Acceleration
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/44 Angular acceleration
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/51 Force
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/53 Force of an impact, e.g. blow or punch
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/62 Time or time measurement used for time reference, time stamp, master time or clock signal
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/64 Frequency, e.g. of vibration oscillation
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/801 Contact switches
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/803 Motion sensors
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/808 : Microphones
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/833 : Sensors arranged on the exercise apparatus or sports implement
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2225/50 : Wireless data transmission, e.g. by radio transmitters or telemetry
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2230/75 : calorie expenditure
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2244/19 : Skiing
• 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 5/00 : Apparatus for jumping mats for jumping A63B6/00; for racing or riding sports, e.g. hurdles A63K
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 69/0093 : for surfing, i.e. without a sail; for skate or snow boarding
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 69/16 : for cycling , i.e. arrangements on or for real bicycles
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 69/18 : for skiing
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 71/06 : Indicating or scoring devices for games or players , or for other sports activities
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 71/0605 : Decision makers and devices using detection means facilitating arbitration
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 71/10 : for the head A63B71/081 takes precedence ; in the form of caps or hats A42B1/08; helmets A42B3/00
• CPC Class Codes: A63C 11/00 : Accessories for skiing or snowboarding fittings on vehicles for carrying skis B60R9/12
• CPC Class Codes: A63C 2203/18 : Measuring a physical parameter, e.g. speed, distance
• CPC Class Codes: A63C 2203/24 : Processing or storing data, e.g. with electronic chip
• CPC Class Codes: A63C 5/03 : Mono skis; Snowboards
• CPC Class Codes: A63C 5/06 : with special devices thereon, e.g. steering devices
• CPC Class Codes: G01L 5/00 : Apparatus for, or methods of, measuring force, work, mechanical power, or torque, specially adapted for specific purposes
• CPC Class Codes: G01P 1/16 : for erasable recording, e.g. magnetic recording
• CPC Class Codes: G01P 15/00 : Measuring acceleration; Measuring deceleration; Measuring shock, i.e. sudden change of acceleration
• CPC Class Codes: G01P 15/0891 : with indication of predetermined acceleration values G01P15/135 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01P 3/42 : Devices characterised by the use of electric or magnetic means G01P3/66 takes precedence; measuring electric or magnetic values in general G01R
• CPC Class Codes: G01P 3/50 : for measuring linear speed G01P3/56 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 11/14 : using ultrasonic, sonic, or infrasonic waves
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 15/60 : wherein the transmitter and receiver are mounted on the moving object, e.g. for determining ground speed, drift angle, ground track
• CPC Class Codes: G04F 8/08 : Means used apart from the time-piece for starting or stopping same

Abstract

An activity monitor, comprises housing for attachment to a person; at least one accelerometer disposed within the housing; and a processor disposed within the housing, for processing signals from the accelerometer to assess activity of the person. A method assesses activity of a person, including: sensing acceleration at a first location on the person; processing the acceleration, over time, to assess activity of the person; and wirelessly communicating information indicative of the activity to a second location.

Claims

1. A sensor assembly for quantifying the motion of a user, comprising a processor operative to:

receive a detected spectrum of information describing motion of the sensor;

identify a portion of the spectrum between a first transition from a first comparatively smooth region to a first comparatively erratic region, and a second transition from a second comparatively erratic region to a second comparatively smooth region;

identify a duration associated with the identified portion of the spectrum; and

determine a quantified characteristic of the user'"'"'s motion associated with the identified duration.

2. The sensor assembly of claim 1, wherein the spectrum comprises a vibrational spectrum.

3. The sensor assembly of claim 1, wherein the processor is further operative to:

identify a first transition in the spectrum;

identify a second transition in the spectrum; and

identify the duration between the identified first and second transitions.

4. The sensor assembly of claim 3, wherein the processor is further operative to:

apply a boundary condition to the spectrum; and

identify a first transition in the spectrum that satisfies the applied boundary condition.

5. The sensor assembly of claim 4, wherein the boundary condition comprises a minimum duration.

6. The sensor assembly of claim 4, wherein the boundary condition comprises a maximum duration.

7. The sensor assembly of claim 1, further comprising at least one of an accelerometer, a piezoelectric element, a pressure sensor, a voltage-resistance sensor, and a Doppler shift sensor.

8. The sensor assembly of claim 1, wherein the quantified characteristic comprises speed.

9. A method for measuring the movement of a user, comprising:

receiving a spectrum of signals varying over time;

processing the received spectrum to identify a portion of the spectrum between a first transition from a first comparatively smooth region to a first comparatively erratic region, and a second transition from a second comparatively erratic region to a second comparatively smooth region in the spectrum;

determining a duration lapsed between the identified two transitions; and

quantifying the movement of the user based on the determined duration.

11. The method of claim 9, further comprising:

applying at least one boundary condition to the received spectrum; and

verifying that the identified two transitions satisfy at least one boundary condition.

12. The method of claim 11, further comprising:

adjusting the applied at least one boundary condition to optimize the processing for the individual user.

13. The method of claim 9, wherein quantifying further comprises determining the speed of the user'"'"'s movement.

14. The method of claim 9, further comprising:

applying a filter to the received spectrum.

15. The method of claim 9, further comprising:

transmitting at least one of the determined duration and the quantified movement to an electronic device for display to the user.

10. A method for measuring the movement of a user, comprising:

receiving a spectrum of signals varying over time;

processing the received spectrum to identify two transitions in the spectrum, wherein processing further comprises;

identifying a first transition from a first comparatively smooth region to a first comparatively erratic region; and

identifying a second transition from a second comparatively erratic region to a second comparatively smooth region;

determining a duration lapsed between the identified two transitions; and

quantifying the movement of the user based on the determined duration.

16. An electronic device operative to provide a quantified measure of a user'"'"'s movement to a user, comprising:

communications circuitry operative to receive a vibration spectrum associated with a user'"'"'s movement; and

a processor operative to;

identify a portion of the vibration spectrum between a first transition from a first comparatively smooth region to a first comparatively erratic region, and a second transition from a second comparatively erratic region to a second comparatively smooth region;

identify a characteristic duration of the portion of the vibration spectrum;

determine a quantified measure of the user'"'"'s movement based on the identified characteristic duration; and

provide the determined quantified measure to the user.

17. The electronic device of claim 16, wherein the processor is further operative to:

direct a display to display the determined quantified measure.

18. The electronic device of claim 16, wherein the quantified measure comprises the user'"'"'s speed.

19. The electronic device of claim 16, wherein the communications circuitry is operative to receive the vibration spectrum from a sensor coupled to the user'"'"'s shoes.