Systems and methods for transitioning between pedometer modes

• US 9,255,814 B2
• Filed: 09/02/2009
• Issued: 02/09/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 09/02/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: Rottler, Benjamin, Fino, Jorge, Davydov, Anton, Ramachandran, Prashanth, Haughay, Allen P. Jr., Wood, Policarpo
• Primary Examiner(s): Lau, Tung S
• Application Number:
  US12/552,413
• Publication Number:
  US 20110054838A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,351 Days
• Field of Search: 702/160
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 22/006 Pedometers
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 15/00 Digital computers in general details G06F1/00 – G06F13/00; Data processing equipment in general

Abstract

Systems and methods are provided that allow steps to be counted in multiple pedometer modes. For example, a pedometer application on an electronic device can count steps in an ambient mode of operation and a session mode of operation. By maintaining separate counters for each pedometer mode and continuously monitoring the desired mode of operation, the pedometer application can accurately count the number of steps during a certain time period. In response to detecting a change in the desired mode, the pedometer application can seamlessly switch to the corresponding mode counter. In some embodiments, the pedometer application can display graphical representations of historical step information for one or more pedometer modes.

Claims

1. An electronic device for seamlessly switching between multiple pedometer modes, the electronic device comprising:

a display;

a sensor component configured to detect steps of a current user of the electronic device; and

control circuitry configured to;

count steps detected by the sensor component in a first pedometer mode of the electronic device by incrementing a first counter but not a second counter for each step counted when the electronic device is in the first pedometer mode;

when the electronic device is in the first pedometer mode, detect a first mode switch event to start a second pedometer mode;

switch to counting steps detected by the sensor component in the second pedometer mode of the electronic device in response to detecting the first mode switch event by incrementing the second counter for each step counted when the electronic device is in the second pedometer mode, wherein the second counter is separate from the first counter;

when the electronic device is in the second pedometer mode, detect a second mode switch event to end the second pedometer mode;

switch back to counting steps detected by the sensor component in the first pedometer mode of the electronic device in response to detecting the second mode switch event; and

simultaneously provide the value of the first counter and the value of the second counter on the display, wherein at least one of the following is true;

the control circuitry is configured to detect the first mode switch event in response to detecting a particular increase in the frequency of steps counted;

the control circuitry is configured to detect the first mode switch event in response to detecting a new current user of the electronic device;

the control circuitry is configured to detect the second mode switch event in response to determining that the electronic device is operating below a predefined power threshold; and

the control circuitry is configured to detect the second mode switch event when a period of time has elapsed since the second counter was last incremented.

2. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein the control circuitry is operative to switch to counting steps detected by the sensor component in the second pedometer mode of the electronic device in response to detecting the first mode switch event by incrementing the second counter but not the first counter for each step counted when the electronic device is in the second pedometer mode.

3. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein the control circuitry is further configured to stop the counting of steps in the second pedometer mode when switching back to the counting of steps in the first pedometer mode.

4. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein the control circuitry is configured to detect the second mode switch event in response to determining that the electronic device is operating below a predefined power threshold.

5. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein the first pedometer mode is an ambient mode for counting steps within an ambient period, and wherein the counting of steps in the first pedometer mode automatically restarts at the end of the ambient period.

6. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein the second pedometer mode is a session mode for counting steps for a particular session, and wherein the counting of steps in the second pedometer mode starts in response to detecting the first mode switch event.

7. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein the control circuitry is configured to detect the second mode switch event when a period of time has elapsed since the second counter was last incremented.

8. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein the control circuitry is configured to detect the first mode switch event in response to detecting a particular increase in the frequency of steps counted.

9. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein the control circuitry is configured to switch to counting steps detected by the sensor component in the second pedometer mode of the electronic device in response to detecting the first mode switch event by incrementing both the first counter and the second counter for each step counted when the electronic device is in the second pedometer mode.

10. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein the control circuitry is configured to detect the first mode switch event in response to detecting a new current user of the electronic device.

11. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein the control circuitry is configured to switch to counting steps detected by the sensor component in the second pedometer mode of the electronic device in response to detecting the first mode switch event by incrementing both the first counter and the second counter for each step counted when the electronic device is in the second pedometer mode.

12. The electronic device of claim 5, wherein the ambient period is a pre-determined amount of time.

13. A method for seamlessly switching between multiple pedometer modes using an electronic device, the method comprising:

counting steps in a first pedometer mode using the electronic device, wherein the counting steps in the first pedometer mode comprises incrementing a first counter but not a second counter for each step counted in the first pedometer mode;

when in the first pedometer mode, detecting a first mode switch event to start a second pedometer mode using the electronic device;

switching to counting steps in the second pedometer mode in response to detecting the first mode switch event using the electronic device, wherein the counting steps in the second pedometer mode comprises incrementing the second counter for each step counted in the second pedometer mode, wherein the second counter is separate from the first counter;

when in the second pedometer mode, detecting a second mode switch event to end the second pedometer mode using the electronic device;

switching back to counting steps in the first pedometer mode in response to detecting the second mode switch event using the electronic device, wherein at least one of the following is true;

the detecting the first mode switch event comprises detecting a particular increase in the frequency of steps counted;

the detecting the first mode switch event comprises detecting a new current user of the electronic device;

the detecting the second mode switch event comprises determining that the electronic device is operating below a predefined power threshold; and

the detecting the second mode switch event comprises detecting that a particular period of time has elapsed since the second counter was last incremented; and

simultaneously displaying the value of the first counter and the value of the second counter using the electronic device.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the switching to counting steps in the second pedometer mode comprises continuing the counting of steps in the first pedometer mode.

15. The method of claim 13, wherein the switching to counting steps in the second pedometer mode comprises pausing the counting of steps in the first pedometer mode.

16. The method of claim 13, further comprising resetting the first counter at the end of a pre-determined period of time.

17. The method of claim 13, wherein the detecting the first mode switch event comprises detecting a new current user of the electronic device.

18. The method of claim 13, wherein the detecting the first mode switch event comprises detecting a particular increase in the frequency of steps counted.

19. The method of claim 13, wherein the detecting the second mode switch event comprises determining that the electronic device is operating below a predefined power threshold.

20. The method of claim 15, wherein the switching back comprises:

pausing the counting of steps in the second pedometer mode; and

restarting the counting of steps in the first pedometer mode.

21. The method of claim 16, further comprising, before the resetting, storing the value of the first counter at the end of the pre-determined amount of time.

22. The method of claim 20, wherein the switching back further comprises resetting the first counter before the restarting.