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

• US 9,173,576 B2
• Filed: 04/24/2014
• Issued: 11/03/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 01/09/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Fitbit, Inc. (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Fitbit, Inc. (Alphabet Inc.)
• Inventors: Yuen, Shelten Gee Jao, Friedman, Eric Nathan, Park, James
• Primary Examiner(s): Thomson, William
• Assistant Examiner(s): Archer, Marie
• Application Number:
  US14/261,354
• Publication Number:
  US 20140257053A1
• Time in Patent Office: 558 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 body weight of a user, the biometric monitoring system comprising:

a housing configured to be placed on a flat horizontal surface and including a platform configured to receive at least one foot of the user and capable of supporting the body weight of the user;

one or more physiological sensors, wherein the one or more physiological sensors includes a body weight sensor, mechanically coupled to the platform and configured to generate data representative of the body weight of the user and to output the data representative of the body weight of the user to processing circuitry; and

the processing circuitry, wherein the processing circuitry is;

communicatively coupled with the one or more physiological sensors,

configured to calculate biometric data from the one or more physiological sensors,

wherein the biometric data includes body weight data that corresponds to the body weight of the user and that is based on the data representative of the body weight of the user,

configured to compare a user physiological goal with the biometric data and determine that the user physiological goal has been met based, at least in part, on the biometric data;

configured to recommend a social group to the user based, at least in part, on information selected from the group consisting of;

a) the user physiological goal, b) the data representative of the body weight of the user, and c) the user physiological goal and the data representative of the body weight of the user, the recommendation being presented through a display; and

configured to rank the user against other members of the social group based on one or more parameters selected from the group consisting of;

recent weight lost, cumulative weight lost, and progress towards the user physiological goal.

2. The biometric monitoring system of claim 1, wherein the one or more physiological sensors further includes, in addition to the body weight sensor, a first physiological sensor configured to collect data selected from the group consisting of:

caloric consumption data, sleep data, activity data, body fat data, blood pressure data, heart rate data, heart waveform data, blood sugar data, hydration data, respiratory rate data, and arterial stiffness data.

3. The biometric monitoring system of claim 1, wherein the processing circuitry is selected from the group consisting of:

processing circuitry internal to the housing, processing circuitry external to the housing, and processing circuitry both internal and external to the housing.

4. The biometric monitoring system of claim 1, wherein the one or more physiological sensors further includes a first physiological sensor in addition to the body weight sensor, wherein:

the first physiological sensor is configured to generate data representative of a first physiological state of the user and output the data representative of the first physiological state of the user to the processing circuitry;

and

the processing circuitry is configured to calculate first physiological data using the data representative of the first physiological state of the user.

5. The biometric monitoring system of claim 4, wherein the first physiological sensor is selected from the group consisting of:

a body fat sensor, a heart rate sensor, a respiratory rate sensor, a hydration sensor, a height sensor, a blood pressure sensor, an arterial stiffness sensor, and a bio-impedance sensor.

6. The biometric monitoring system of claim 4, wherein the data representative of the first physiological state of the user is selected from the group consisting of:

data representative of user body fat, data representative of user heart rate, data representative of user respiratory rate, data representative of user hydration, data representative of user height, data representative of user sun exposure, data representative of user blood pressure, and data representative of user arterial stiffness.

7. The biometric monitoring system of claim 4, further comprising a user interface, wherein:

the user interface is configured to communicate that the user physiological goal has been met,

the processing circuitry is further configured to determine user physiological information using data selected from the group consisting of;

the body weight data and the first physiological data,

the processing circuitry is further configured to store historical user physiological information in a memory disposed in a location selected from the group consisting of;

a location inside of the housing and a location external to the housing, and

the user interface communicates that the user physiological goal has been met through providing information representing one or more of current user physiological information, historical user physiological information, and current user physiological information in view of historical user physiological information.

8. The biometric monitoring system of claim 7, wherein the user physiological information is selected from the group consisting of:

exercise or diet data, exercise or diet coaching, exercise or data instructions, and user progress towards the user physiological goal.

9. The biometric monitoring system of claim 1, wherein the user physiological goal is selected from the group consisting of:

a weight goal, a body fat composition goal, and a caloric consumption goal.

10. The biometric monitoring system of claim 1, wherein the processing circuitry is further configured to determine diet or coaching guidance for the user based on the user physiological goal.

11. The biometric monitoring system of claim 1, further comprising a user interface, wherein the user interface is configured to communicate that the user physiological goal has been met responsive to a determination that the user physiological goal has been met.

12. The biometric monitoring system of claim 11, wherein the user interface comprises an audio interface.

13. The biometric monitoring system of claim 11, wherein the user interface comprises a visual display and the processing circuitry is configured to cause the display to present a graphical representation that the user physiological goal has been met responsive to the determination that the user physiological goal has been met.

14. The biometric monitoring system of claim 1, further comprising a user interface, wherein the processing circuitry is further configured to select the user physiological goal responsive to user interaction with the user interface.

15. The biometric monitoring system of claim 1, wherein the processing circuitry is further configured to select the user physiological goal.

16. The biometric monitoring system of claim 1, wherein the processing circuitry is further configured to determine a duration since at least the last instance of the user interacting with the biometric monitoring system.

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

a housing configured to be placed on a flat horizontal surface and including a platform configured to receive at least one foot of the user and capable of supporting the body weight of the user;

one or more physiological sensors, wherein the one or more physiological sensors includes a body weight sensor, interconnected with the housing and configured to generate data representative of the body weight of the user and to output the data representative of the body weight of the user to processing circuitry; and

the processing circuitry including circuitry configured to communicatively couple with the one or more physiological sensors, wherein the processing circuitry is;

configured to, when communicatively coupled to the one or more physiological sensors, calculate biometric data from the one or more physiological sensors, wherein the biometric data includes body weight data that corresponds to the body weight of the user and that is based on the data representative of the body weight of the user,

configured to, when communicatively coupled to the one or more physiological sensors, compare a user physiological goal with the biometric data and determine that the user physiological goal has been met based, at least in part, on the biometric data; and

configured to, when communicatively coupled to the one or more physiological sensors, rank the user against a plurality of other users in a social network based on one or more parameters selected from the group consisting of;

recent weight lost, cumulative weight lost, and progress towards the user physiological goal.

18. The biometric monitoring system of claim 17, wherein the processing circuitry is further configured to, when communicatively coupled to the one or more physiological sensors, recommend a social group to the user based, at least in part, on information selected from the group consisting of:

a) the user physiological goal, b) the data representative of the body weight of the user, and c) the user physiological goal and the data representative of the body weight of the user, the recommendation being provided through a user interface.

19. The biometric monitoring system of claim 17, wherein the one or more physiological sensors further includes, in addition to the body weight sensor, a first physiological sensor configured to collect data selected from the group consisting of:

caloric consumption data, sleep data, activity data, body fat data, blood pressure data, heart rate data, heart waveform data, blood sugar data, hydration data, respiratory rate data, and arterial stiffness data.

20. The biometric monitoring system of claim 17, wherein the processing circuitry is selected from the group consisting of:

processing circuitry internal to the housing, processing circuitry external to the housing, and processing circuitry both internal and external to the housing.