Biometric monitoring device having a body weight sensor, and methods of operating same

• US 9,084,536 B2
• Filed: 03/07/2014
• Issued: 07/21/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 01/09/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Fitbit, Inc. (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Fitbit, Inc. (Alphabet Inc.)
• Inventors: Yuen, Shelton Gee Jao, Friedman, Eric Nathan, Park, James
• Primary Examiner(s): Thomson, William
• Assistant Examiner(s): Archer, Marie
• Application Number:
  US14/201,478
• Publication Number:
  US 20140182952A1
• Time in Patent Office: 501 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2560/0252 using ambient temperature
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2560/0257 using atmospheric pressure
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2562/0204 Acoustic sensors
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2562/0257 Proximity sensors
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2562/029 Humidity sensors
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0002 Remote monitoring of patients using telemetry, e.g. transmission of vital signals via a communication network A61B5/07 takes precedence; transmission systems for measured values G08C; transmission H04B; transmission of digital information H04L; wireless communication networks H04W
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0022 Monitoring a patient using a global network, e.g. telephone networks, internet
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0024 for multiple sensor units attached to the patient, e.g. using a body or personal area network
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0059 using light, e.g. diagnosis by transillumination, diascopy, fluorescence A61B5/0093, A61B5/1455, A61B5/02416 and A61B5/0261 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0077 Devices for viewing the surface of the body, e.g. camera, magnifying lens
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/02007 Evaluating blood vessel condition, e.g. elasticity, compliance
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0205 Simultaneously evaluating both cardiovascular conditions and different types of body conditions, e.g. heart and respiratory condition
• 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 5/02416 using photoplethysmograph signals, e.g. generated by infrared radiation A61B5/14552 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/053 Measuring electrical impedance or conductance of a portion of the body
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0533 Measuring galvanic skin response
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0537 Measuring body composition by impedance, e.g. tissue hydration or fat content
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/107 Measuring physical dimensions, e.g. size of the entire body or parts thereof
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/1118 Determining activity level
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/117 : Identification of persons methods or arrangements for recognising patterns, e.g. fingerprints, G06F18/00, G06V40/00; identification of persons by analysing their voice or speech G10L17/00
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/165 : Evaluating the state of mind, e.g. depression, anxiety
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/318 : Heart-related electrical modalities, e.g. electrocardiography [ECG]
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/4343 : Pregnancy and labour monitoring, e.g. for labour onset detection
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/4872 : Body fat
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/7275 : Determining trends in physiological measurement data; Predicting development of a medical condition based on physiological measurements, e.g. determining a risk factor
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/7278 : Artificial waveform generation or derivation, e.g. synthesising signals from measured signals A61B5/327 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/742 : using visual displays A61B5/339 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/7475 : User input or interface means, e.g. keyboard, pointing device, joystick
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/749 : Voice-controlled interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/3702 : Physiological parameters A61N1/365 takes precedence; evoked response A61N1/371
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/803 : Motion sensors
• 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: G01G 19/44 : for weighing persons
• CPC Class Codes: G01G 19/50 : having additional measuring devices, e.g. for height
• CPC Class Codes: G01G 23/3728 : with wireless means
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/31 : User authentication
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/32 : using biometric data, e.g. fingerprints, iris scans or voiceprints
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0412 : Digitisers structurally integrated in a display
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 5/00 : Electrically-operated educational appliances working with questions and answers G09B7/00; simulators G09B9/00; advertising or displaying in general G09F
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 5/125 : the stations being mobile
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 20/30 : relating to physical therapies or activities, e.g. physiotherapy, acupressure or exercising
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 20/60 : relating to nutrition control, e.g. diets
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 40/60 : for the operation of medical equipment or devices
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 40/63 : for local operation
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 50/30 : for calculating health indices; for individual health risk assessment
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 128/92 : Computer assisted medical diagnostics

Abstract

A system comprising a biometric monitoring device including a housing including a platform to receive at least one foot of the user, a body weight sensor to generate body weight data, processing circuitry to calculate user weight data which corresponds to the user'"'"'s weight, using the body weight data, and communication circuitry to: (a) receive user identification data which identifies the user or a portable activity monitoring device, and (b) transmit the user weight data to data storage associated with the user identification data. The system further includes the portable activity monitoring device including a housing having a physical size and shape that is adapted to couple to the user'"'"'s body, a sensor to generate sensor data, and communication circuitry to receive physiologic data which is based on the user weight data, and processing circuitry to calculate activity data using the sensor data and physiologic data.

Claims

1. A biometric monitoring system to measure a weight of a user, the biometric monitoring system comprising:

a first housing including a platform, the platform;

configured to receive at least one foot of the user,

capable of supporting the body weight of the user, and

comprising a user interface;

a body weight sensor, the body weight sensor mechanically coupled to the platform and configured to generate body weight data that is representative of the weight of the user and output the body weight data to processing circuitry;

the processing circuitry, the processing circuitry disposed in the housing, communicatively coupled to the body weight sensor and the user interface, and configured to calculate user weight data that correspond to the weight of the user using the body weight data, and further configured to;

(i) determine a dynamic user weight fluctuation from the body weight data; and

(ii) identify the user from the dynamic user weight fluctuation; and

the user interface, wherein the user interface is configured to receive instructions from the user and includes at least one sensor selected from the group consisting of;

touch sensors configured to provide touch location input, photodetectors, cameras, audio sensors, motion sensors, and proximity sensors.

2. The biometric monitoring system of claim 1, wherein the user interface comprises a touch-sensitive display, the at least one sensor includes one or more touch sensors configured to provide touch location input, and the one or more touch sensors are part of the touch-sensitive display.

3. The biometric monitoring system of claim 2, wherein the platform forms at least part of the touch-sensitive display.

4. The biometric monitoring system of claim 1, wherein the at least one sensor includes one or more touch sensors configured to provide touch location input and the one or more touch sensors are disposed in the housing and mechanically coupled to the platform.

5. The biometric monitoring system of claim 1, wherein the processing circuitry is further communicatively coupled to the user interface and configured to:

analyze the instructions to determine user input data;

analyze the user input data; and

determine a system response of the biometric monitoring system based on the user input data.

6. The biometric monitoring system of claim 5, wherein the processing circuitry is further configured to identify the user as at least part of the system response.

7. The biometric monitoring system of claim 5, wherein the one or more touch sensors are configured to detect interactions selected from the group consisting of:

tapping the user interface, stepping on the user interface, swiping the user interface, and shifting of the user'"'"'s weight on the user interface.

8. The biometric monitoring system of claim 5, wherein the user interface includes one or more touch sensors of a touch-sensitive display and the processing circuitry is further configured to change what is displayed on the touch-sensitive display when the one or more touch sensors provide data indicating that a user has provided an instruction by swiping the user'"'"'s foot across the user interface.

9. The biometric monitoring system of claim 1, wherein the user interface includes one or more speakers configured to present physiological information.

10. A biometric monitoring system to measure a weight of a user, the biometric monitoring system comprising:

a first housing including a platform configured to receive at least one foot of the user and capable of supporting the body weight of the user;

a body weight sensor, the body weight sensor mechanically coupled to the platform and configured to generate body weight data that is representative of the weight of the user and output the body weight data to processing circuitry;

the processing circuitry, the processing circuitry disposed in the housing, communicatively coupled to the body weight sensor and a user interface, and configured to calculate user weight data that correspond to the weight of the user using the body weight data, and further configured to;

(i) determine a dynamic user weight fluctuation from the body weight data; and

(ii) identify the user from the dynamic user weight fluctuation; and

the user interface, wherein the user interface is configured to receive instructions provided by the user by swiping the user'"'"'s foot across the user interface and includes at least one sensor selected from the group consisting of;

touch sensors configured to provide touch location input, photodetectors, cameras, audio sensors, motion sensors, and proximity sensors.

11. The biometric monitoring system of claim 10, wherein the user interface comprises a touch-sensitive display, the at least one sensor includes one or more touch sensors configured to provide touch location input, and the one or more touch sensors are part of the touch-sensitive display.

12. The biometric monitoring system of claim 11, wherein the platform forms at least part of the touch-sensitive display.

13. The biometric monitoring system of claim 10, wherein the at least one sensor includes one or more touch sensors configured to provide touch location input, and the one or more touch sensors are disposed in the housing and mechanically coupled to the platform.

14. The biometric monitoring system of claim 10, wherein the processing circuitry is further communicatively coupled to the user interface and configured to:

analyze the instructions to determine user input data;

analyze the user input data; and

determine a system response of the biometric monitoring system based on the user input data.

15. The biometric monitoring system of claim 14, wherein the processing circuitry is further configured to identify the user as at least part of the system response.

16. The biometric monitoring system of claim 14, wherein:

the at least one sensor includes one or more touch sensors configured to provide touch location input; and

the one or more touch sensors are configured to detect interactions selected from the group consisting of;

tapping the user interface, stepping on the user interface, swiping the user interface, and shifting of the user'"'"'s weight on the user interface.

17. The biometric monitoring system of claim 14, wherein the user interface includes one or more touch sensors of a touch-sensitive display and the processing circuitry is further configured to change what is displayed on the touch-sensitive display when the one or more touch sensors provide data indicating that a user has provided an instruction by swiping the user'"'"'s foot across the user interface.

18. The biometric monitoring system of claim 10, wherein the user interface includes one or more speakers configured to present physiological information.