Methods for detecting and recording physical activity of person

• US 8,909,543 B2
• Filed: 01/27/2014
• Issued: 12/09/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 09/26/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Fitbit, Inc. (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Fitbit, Inc. (Alphabet Inc.)
• Inventors: Tropper, Seth A., Batour, Amado
• Primary Examiner(s): Niquette, Robert R
• Application Number:
  US14/165,519
• Publication Number:
  US 20140143031A1
• Time in Patent Office: 316 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 705/14.22
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2560/0412 Low-profile patch shaped housings
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2560/0456 Apparatus provided with a docking unit
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2562/0219 Inertial sensors, e.g. accelerometers, gyroscopes, tilt switches
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0004 characterised by the type of physiological signal transmitted
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/1118 Determining activity level
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/1126 using a particular sensing technique
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/14539 for measuring pH
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/486 Bio-feedback A61B5/375 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/681 Wristwatch-type devices
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6828 Leg
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6831 Straps, bands or harnesses
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6896 Toys
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6897 Computer input devices, e.g. mice or keyboards
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6898 Portable consumer electronic devices, e.g. music players, telephones, tablet computers
• 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: A63B 24/0059 Exercising apparatus with reward systems
• 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 43/004 electrically conductive, e.g. for automatic arbitration
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 71/06 Indicating or scoring devices for games or players , or for other sports activities
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 71/0622 : Visual, audio or audio-visual systems for entertaining, instructing or motivating the user
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/212 : using sensors worn by the player, e.g. for measuring heart beat or leg activity
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/50 : Controlling the output signals based on the game progress
• CPC Class Codes: A63H 33/26 : Magnetic or electric toys electric drives A63H29/22 ; indoor games played with small balls using magnetic power A63F7/0088, A63F7/068
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 : Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0207 : Discounts or incentives, e.g. coupons or rebates
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0217 : involving input on products or services in exchange for incentives or rewards
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0264 : based upon schedule
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3244 : Payment aspects of a gaming system, e.g. payment schemes, setting payout ratio, bonus or consolation prizes
• CPC Class Codes: G09F 3/005 : Identification bracelets, e.g. secured to the arm of a person
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 10/20 : for electronic clinical trials or questionnaires
• 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 50/30 : for calculating health indices; for individual health risk assessment

Abstract

A motion detection component is operated to detect movement of the motion detection component. The movement detected by the motion detection component is recorded. A display is operated to provide a visual indication of an amount of the recorded movement. Electrical signals are communicated from the motion detection component through an electrical contact. The electrical signals are associated with the detected and recorded movement of the motion detection component. The motion detection component, the display, and the electrical contact are included within a band formed to secure to a part of a human body.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

detecting and recording movement of a person using an apparatus including a motion detection component including circuitry for detecting and recording movement of the motion detection component;

providing a visual indication on a display of the apparatus of an amount of movement recorded by the circuitry; and

communicating electrical signals from the motion detection component through an electrical contact to a secondary device, the electrical signals associated with the detected and recorded movement of the motion detection component, the electrical contact defined to be enclosed by a cover, the electrical contact positioned at an end of the apparatus,

wherein the motion detection component, the display, and the electrical contact are included within a band formed to secure to a part of the person, the band comprising a flexible material, the band defined such that the band is in a form of a coil in a relaxed state, the band defined such that the band is deformable upon application of a force to the band to enable positioning of the band around the part of the person, the band defined such that upon removal of the force the band returns to the relaxed state to secure to the part of the person, wherein said circuitry is housed in the band.

2. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein providing the visual indication on the display includes presentation of different colors on the display.

3. A method as recited in claim 2, wherein certain colors of the different colors indicate that the amount of movement recorded by the circuitry has reached or exceeded a predefined amount of movement associated with a predetermined threshold of physical activity of the person.

4. A method as recited in claim 1, further comprising:

communicating electrical signals associated with the detected and recorded movement of the motion detection component from the motion detection component through a second electrical contact to other circuitry located within the band.

5. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein the display comprises a plurality of light emitting diodes.

6. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein the electrical contact communicates via a USB (universal serial bus) connection to the secondary device to transmit data associated with the detected and recorded movement to one or more of a website and a computer executable application for examining and viewing of the movement which represents physical activity of the person who wears the apparatus.

7. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein the secondary device is one or more of a game, a toy, a game controller, a computer interface device, a cell phone, a mobile data communication device, a microprocessor, and a computer.

8. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein the cover is removable from the band.

9. A method, comprising:

detecting and recording movement of a person using an apparatus including a motion detection component including circuitry for detecting and recording movement of the motion detection component;

providing a visual indication on a display of the apparatus of an amount of movement recorded by the circuitry;

communicating data regarding the amount of movement recorded by the circuitry to a secondary device using one or more of a transmitter connected in electrical communication with the circuitry and an electrical contact connected in electrical communication with the circuitry,

covering the electrical contact with a cover when detecting and recording movement of the person,

wherein the motion detection component, the display, and the transmitter are included within a band formed to secure to a part of the person, the band comprising a flexible material, wherein said circuitry is housed in the band, and wherein the cover is connectable to the band.

10. A method as recited in claim 9, wherein the secondary device is a computer.

11. A method as recited in claim 9, further comprising:

generating and transmitting radio frequency signals through the transmitter in accordance with a communication protocol to communicate the data regarding the amount of movement recorded by the circuitry to the secondary device.

12. A method as recited in claim 9, wherein the secondary device is one or more of a game, a toy, a game controller, a computer interface device, a cell phone, a mobile data communication device, a microprocessor, and a computer.

13. A method, comprising:

detecting movement of a human body by use of a motion detection component;

operating a movement threshold detection circuit to inject electrical charge into a capacitor in accordance with movement of the motion detection component, and transmit a triggering signal to power on circuitry of the motion detection component when electrical charge in the capacitor reaches a preset threshold voltage level;

executing discernment logic to determine and record an amount of activity associated with the movement of the human body as detected by the motion detection component; and

signaling when the amount of recorded activity has exceeded a predetermined amount of activity, the signaling performed by a notification component,

wherein the motion detection component, the movement threshold detection circuit, the discernment logic, and the notification component are included within a band formed to secure to a part of the human body.

14. A method as recited in claim 13, further comprising:

displaying an alphanumeric message indicating the amount of recorded activity, the displaying performed by the notification component.

15. A method as recited in claim 13, further comprising:

translating the amount of recorded activity into an amount of points, the translating performed by the discernment logic; and

displaying the amount of points, the displaying performed by the notification component.

16. A method as recited in claim 13, further comprising:

determining a type of physical activity associated with the recorded activity, the determining performed by the discernment logic; and

recording an amount of the type of physical activity, the recording performed by the discernment logic.

17. A method as recited in claim 16, further comprising:

indicating the recorded amount of the type of physical activity, the indicating performed by the notification component.

18. A method as recited in claim 16, further comprising:

determining multiple types of physical activity through the discernment logic; and

separately recording an amount of each of the multiple types of physical activity associated with the recorded activity.

19. A method as recited in claim 16, wherein the signaling includes operating a number of light emitting diodes of the notification component to display a color indicating the recorded amount of the type of physical activity.

20. A method, comprising:

providing a band defined to be worn by a person, the band comprising a flexible material, the band including a motion detection component and a series of light emitting diodes;

detecting and recording movement of the person by use of the motion detection component;

controlling illumination of the series of light emitting diodes such that individual light emitting diodes of the series of light emitting diodes turn on to emit light in a progression from one end of the series of light emitting diodes toward another end of the series of light emitting diodes, wherein an amount of the progression is based on an amount of movement of the person recorded using the motion detection component; and

communicating data associated with the amount of recorded movement of the person to a secondary electronic device.

21. A method as recited in claim 20, further comprising:

providing an electrical contact at an exterior surface of the band to enable the communication of data associated with the amount of recorded movement of the person to the secondary electronic device.

22. A method as recited in claim 21, further comprising:

providing a coupling device to enable electrical connection of the electrical contact to the secondary electronic device.

23. A method as recited in claim 22, wherein the coupling device is defined to connect to a Universal Serial Bus (USB) connector of the secondary electronic device.

24. A method as recited in claim 20, wherein the series of light emitting diodes is arranged in a single row so as to form a line of light emitting diodes.

25. A method as recited in claim 20, further comprising:

wirelessly communicating data associated with the amount of recorded movement of the person to the secondary electronic device, the wirelessly communicating performed using a transmitter located within the band.

26. A method as recited in claim 25, further comprising:

generating and transmitting radio frequency signals through the transmitter in accordance with a communication protocol.

27. A method as recited in claim 20, wherein the secondary device is a computer.

28. A method as recited in claim 20, wherein the secondary device is one or more of a game, a toy, a game controller, a computer interface device, a cell phone, a mobile data communication device, a microprocessor, and a computer.

29. A method as recited in claim 20, wherein the motion detection component and the series of light emitting diodes are removable from the band.

30. A method as recited in claim 20, further comprising:

operating a computer processor and a computer memory within the band to execute program instructions stored in the computer memory for a game defined to monitor physical activity of the person and provide feedback information to the person through illumination of the series of light emitting diodes in a coded manner.