Methods and systems for geo-location optimized tracking and updating for events having combined activity and location information

• US 8,812,260 B2
• Filed: 03/20/2014
• Issued: 08/19/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 09/30/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Fitbit, Inc. (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Fitbit, Inc. (Alphabet Inc.)
• Inventors: Yuen, Shelten Gee Jao, Park, James, Lee, Hans Christiansen
• Primary Examiner(s): Raymond, Edward
• Application Number:
  US14/221,192
• Publication Number:
  US 20140207408A1
• Time in Patent Office: 152 Days
• Field of Search: 702/160, 702/155, 702182-188
• US Class Current: 702/160
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2560/0214 of power generation or supply
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2560/0242 adapted to measure environmental factors, e.g. temperature, pollution
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2562/0219 Inertial sensors, e.g. accelerometers, gyroscopes, tilt switches
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0022 Monitoring a patient using a global network, e.g. telephone networks, internet
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/02055 Simultaneously evaluating both cardiovascular condition and temperature
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/021 Measuring pressure in heart or blood vessels A61B5/0205 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/024 Detecting, measuring or recording pulse rate or heart rate A61B5/0205, A61B5/021 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/1112 Global tracking of patients, e.g. by using GPS
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/1118 Determining activity level
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/222 combined with detection or measurement of physiological parameters, e.g. heart rate
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/4809 Sleep detection, i.e. determining whether a subject is asleep or not
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/4812 Detecting sleep stages or cycles
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/4815 Sleep quality
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6802 Sensor mounted on worn items
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6838 Clamps or clips
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/7264 Classification of physiological signals or data, e.g. using neural networks, statistical classifiers, expert systems or fuzzy systems neural networks per se G06N3/00; expert systems per se G06N5/00
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/743 Displaying an image simultaneously with additional graphical information, e.g. symbols, charts, function plots
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/744 Displaying an avatar, e.g. an animated cartoon character
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3878 Hierarchical structures, e.g. layering
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3896 Transmission of map data from central databases
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 22/006 : Pedometers
• CPC Class Codes: G01P 13/00 : Indicating or recording presence, absence, or direction, of movement electric switches H01H; counting moving objects G06M7/00
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 20/30 : relating to physical therapies or activities, e.g. physiotherapy, acupressure or exercising
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 40/63 : for local operation
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 40/67 : for remote operation

Abstract

A method includes obtaining a first geo-location and a second geo-location. The first and second geo-locations are associated with a monitoring device. The monitoring device is configured to be used by a user. The first geo-location is determined at a first time and the second geo-location is determined at a second time. The first time and the second time are associated with a rate of obtaining geo-location data. The method includes calculating a difference in distance between the second and first geo-locations and changing the rate of obtaining a third geo-location associated with the monitoring device based on the difference in distance between the second and first geo-locations.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

determining a first spatial position of a monitoring device, the monitoring device for use by a user performing an activity at a location;

determining a second spatial position of the monitoring device, wherein the second spatial position is achieved at a time after the first spatial position is achieved, the second spatial position achieved while performing the activity at the location;

computing a difference between the second and first spatial positions; and

determining whether to change a rate of obtaining geo-location data based on the difference between the second and first spatial positions.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein determining whether to change the rate of obtaining geo-location data based on the difference between the second and first spatial positions comprises determining to increase the rate of obtaining the geo-location data in response to determining that the difference between the second and first spatial positions is greater than the pre-determined position difference.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining whether the difference between the second and first spatial positions is greater than a pre-determined position difference,

wherein determining whether to change the rate of obtaining geo-location data based on the difference between the second and first spatial positions comprises determining to decrease the rate of obtaining the geo-location data in response to determining that the difference between the second and first spatial positions is less than or equal to the pre-determined position difference.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining whether the difference between the second and first spatial positions is greater than a pre-determined position difference,

wherein determining whether to change the rate of obtaining geo-location data based on the difference between the second and first spatial positions comprises determining to maintain the rate of obtaining the geo-location data in response to determining that the difference between the second and first spatial positions is less than or equal to the pre-determined position difference.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the first position includes an x position and a y position and the second position includes an x position and a y position.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining a first time at which the first spatial position is achieved;

determining a second time at which the second spatial position is achieved;

calculating a difference between the second and first times;

determining whether to change the rate based on whether the difference between the second and first times exceeds a pre-determined time difference.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein determining whether to change the rate based on whether the difference between the second and first times exceeds the pre-determined time difference comprises determining to increase the rate upon determining that the difference between the second and first times exceeds the pre-determined time difference.

8. The method of claim 6, wherein determining whether to change the rate based on whether the difference between the second and first times exceeds the pre-determined time difference comprises determining to decrease the rate upon determining that the difference between the second and first times is less than or equal to the pre-determined time difference.

9. The method of claim 6, wherein determining whether to change the rate based on whether the difference between the second and first times exceeds the pre-determined time difference comprises determining to maintain the rate upon determining that the difference between the second and first times is less than or equal to the pre-determined time difference.

10. The method of claim 6, further comprising:

calculating a ratio of the difference between the second and first spatial positions and the difference between the second and first times;

determining whether the ratio is greater than a pre-determined ratio; and

determining to increase the rate in response to determining that the ratio is greater than the pre-determined ratio.

11. The method of claim 6, further comprising:

calculating a ratio of the difference between the second and first spatial positions and the difference between the second and first times;

determining whether the ratio is greater than a pre-determined ratio; and

determining to decrease the rate in response to determining that the ratio is less than or equal to the pre-determined ratio.

12. The method of claim 6, further comprising:

calculating a ratio of the difference between the second and first spatial positions and the difference between the second and first times;

determining whether the ratio is greater than a pre-determined ratio; and

determining to maintain the rate in response to determining that the ratio is less than or equal to the pre-determined ratio.

13. A method comprising:

determining a first geo-location of a monitoring device that is used by a user during a first time period;

associating the first geo-location with a first time of the first time period, the first time at which the user is using the monitoring device while at the first geo-location;

determining a first location of the monitoring device based on the first geo-location;

determining a second geo-location of the monitoring device that is used by the user during the first time period;

associating the second geo-location with a second time of the first time period, the second time at which the user is using the monitoring device while at the second geo-location;

determining a second location of the monitoring device based on the second geo-location;

identifying the first time of a second time period during which the user performs an activity at the first location, the user performing the activity at the first location while wearing the monitoring device;

identifying the second time of the second time period at which the user performs an activity at the second location, the user performing an activity at the second location while using the monitoring device;

calculating a difference between the second time and the first time, the difference between the second and first times identifying a first rate of obtaining the first and second locations; and

determining a rate which a third geo-location is obtained based on the difference between the second time and the first time.

14. The method of claim 13, further comprising:

computing a difference between the second geo-location and the first geo-location; and

determining the rate at which the third geo-location is obtained based on the difference between the second and first geo-locations.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein determining the rate at which the third geo-location is obtained based on the difference between the second and first geo-locations comprises determining to increase the rate upon determining that the difference between the second and first geo-locations is greater than a pre-determined geo-location difference.

16. The method of claim 14, further comprising:

calculating a ratio of the difference between the second and first geo-locations and the difference between the second and first times;

determining whether the ratio is greater than a pre-determined ratio; and

determining to increase a rate at which the first and second geo-locations are obtained to achieve the rate of obtaining the third geo-location upon determining that the ratio is greater than the pre-determined ratio.

17. The method of claim 14, further comprising:

calculating a ratio of the difference between the second and first geo-locations and the difference between the second and first times;

determining whether the ratio is greater than a pre-determined ratio; and

determining to decrease a rate at which the first and second geo-locations are obtained to achieve the rate of obtaining the third geo-location upon determining that the ratio is less than or equal to the pre-determined ratio.

18. The method of claim 14, further comprising:

calculating a ratio of the difference between the second and first geo-locations and the difference between the second and first times;

determining whether the ratio is greater than a pre-determined ratio; and

determining to obtain the third geo-location at the rate at which the first and second geo-locations are obtained upon determining that the ratio is less than or equal to the pre-determined ratio.

19. The method of claim 13, further comprising comparing the difference between the second time and the first time to a predetermined time difference, wherein determining the rate which the third geo-location is obtained based on the difference between the second time and the first time comprises increasing a rate at which the first and second geo-locations are obtained to achieve the rate at which the third geo-location is obtained upon determining that the difference between the second time the first time is greater than the pre-determined time difference.

20. The method of claim 13, further comprising:

determining a fourth geo-location between obtaining the first geo-location and obtaining the second geo-location;

calculating a statistical value based on the first, second, and fourth geo-locations;

determining whether the fourth geo-location is within a range between zero and the statistical value; and

filtering out the fourth geo-location upon determining that the fourth geo-location is outside the range.

21. The method of claim 13, wherein each of the first, second, and third geo-location is generated based on cell triangulation or based on signals received from a satellite.

22. The method of claim 13, wherein the monitoring device is worn by the user or is carried by the user.

23. A method comprising:

calculating a first position of a monitoring device, the monitoring device being used by a user;

calculating a second position of the monitoring device, the second position achieved after the first position is achieved;

determining that a first activity is performed by the user based on the first and second positions;

generating geo-location data at a first rate in response to determining that the first activity is performed by the user;

calculating a third position of the monitoring device, the third position achieved after the second position is achieved;

determining a second activity based on the second and third positions;

determining whether the second activity is different from the first activity; and

generating geo-location data at a second rate in response to determining that the second activity is different from the first activity.

24. The method of claim 23, wherein the first position is the same as the second position.

25. The method of claim 24, wherein the first position includes an amount of linear or angular movement of a body part of the user, the second position includes an amount of linear or angular movement of a body part of the user, and the third position includes an amount of linear or angular movement of a body part of the user.

26. The method of claim 24, wherein the monitoring device includes a hook and loop clasp that is extended to loop around a wrist of the user and is then retracted to hook to the wrist, or is a wrist watch, or is a bracelet, or is a wristband.

27. The method of claim 24, wherein the monitoring device is worn by the user or is carried by the user.

28. The method of claim 24, wherein the first activity includes running, or walking, or jogging, or sleeping, or a sports activity, or an active activity, or a passive activity.

29. The method of claim 24, further comprising:

determining whether a difference between the first and second positions is within a pre-determined range; and

determining that the first activity is performed in response to determining that the difference between the first and second positions is within the pre-determined range.

30. The method of claim 24, wherein the geo-location data sensed at the first rate includes a latitude of the monitoring device, or a longitude of the monitoring device, or an altitude of the monitoring device, or a combination thereof.