Wireless portable activity-monitoring device syncing

• US 9,286,792 B2
• Filed: 10/26/2014
• Issued: 03/15/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 06/08/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Fitbit, Inc. (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Fitbit, Inc. (Alphabet Inc.)
• Inventors: Park, James, Panther, Heiko Gernot Albert, Burton, Barry Christopher, Friedman, Eric Nathan
• Primary Examiner(s): Mejia, Anthony
• Application Number:
  US14/523,919
• Publication Number:
  US 20150042490A1
• Time in Patent Office: 506 Days
• Field of Search: 709/200, 709/227, 600/300, 600/324, 600/508
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0015 characterised by features of the telemetry system
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/1118 Determining activity level
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 17/02 using a radio link
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/26 at least one of which is mobile
• CPC Class Codes: H04K 1/00 Secret communication
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/189 in combination with wireless systems selective distribution or broadcast in wireless communication networks H04W4/06
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2209/43 using wireless personal area networks [WPAN], e.g. 802.15, 802.15.1, 802.15.4, Bluetooth or ZigBee
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2209/823 where the data is sent when the measured values exceed a threshold, e.g. sending an alarm
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 9/00 Arrangements in telecontrol or telemetry systems for selectively calling a substation from a main station, in which substation desired apparatus is selected for applying a control signal thereto or for obtaining measured values therefrom
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/0254 detecting a user operation or a tactile contact or a motion of the device
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 56/001 Synchronization between nodes
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 30/70 in wireless communication networks

Abstract

A notification signal, intended to be received by a wireless communication device, is repetitively broadcast by a portable activity-monitoring device that generates user-activity data corresponding to activity of an individual bearing the portable activity-monitoring device. The notification signal conveys information that identifies the portable activity-monitoring device and indicates whether or not the portable activity-monitoring device seeks establishment of a wireless communication link to enable transmission of the user-activity data to the wireless communication device.

Claims

1. A portable activity-monitoring device comprising:

monitoring circuitry, including at least one accelerometer, configured to generate user-activity data corresponding to activity of an individual bearing the portable activity-monitoring device; and

communication circuitry, coupled to the monitoring circuitry, configured to intermittently broadcast a notification signal to be received by a wireless communication device, the notification signal conveying information that identifies the portable activity-monitoring device and indicates (i) that, in at least one instance of the notification signal, the portable activity-monitoring device seeks establishment of a wireless communication link to enable transmission of the user-activity data to the wireless communication device, and (ii) that, in at least one other instance of the notification signal, the portable activity-monitoring device is available to communicate with the wireless communication device but does not seek establishment of a wireless communication link to transmit the user-activity data.

2. The portable activity-monitoring device of claim 1 further comprising logic circuitry to determine whether a change in the user-activity data exceeds one or more update thresholds and wherein the communication circuitry to intermittently broadcast the notification signal comprises circuitry to broadcast, within the notification signal, sync information in either a first state or a second state according to whether the logic circuitry determines that the change in the user-activity data exceeds the one or more update thresholds.

3. The portable activity-monitoring device of claim 2 wherein the logic circuitry to determine whether the change in the user-activity data exceeds one or more update thresholds comprises circuitry to determine the change in the user-activity data between two points in time and to compare the change to the one or more update thresholds.

4. The portable activity-monitoring device of claim 3 wherein the earlier of the two points in time corresponds to a state of the user-activity data most recently transmitted by the portable activity-monitoring device as part of a data synchronization operation.

5. The portable activity-monitoring device of claim 2 wherein the one or more update thresholds reflect at least one of the following in connection with the activity of the individual:

a threshold number of ambulatory steps taken, a threshold number of calories expended, a threshold altitudinal transition, a threshold heart rate, a threshold distance traveled, or a threshold rest period.

6. The portable activity-monitoring device of claim 1 wherein the communication circuitry to intermittently broadcast the notification signal comprises circuitry to broadcast, within the notification signal, sync information in either a first state or a second state depending at least in part on the user-activity data.

7. The portable activity-monitoring device of claim 6 wherein the circuitry to broadcast the sync information in the first state or the second state based at least in part on the user-activity data comprises circuitry to broadcast the sync information in the first state if the user-activity data indicates that a predetermined threshold has been exceeded.

8. The portable activity-monitoring device of claim 7 wherein the predetermined threshold corresponds to at least one of ambulatory steps taken, calories expended, altitudinal transition, heart rate, distance traveled, or rest period.

9. The portable activity-monitoring device of claim 1 wherein, if the information indicates that the portable activity-monitoring device seeks establishment of the wireless communication link, the communication circuitry is further to establish the wireless communication link with the wireless communication device and transmit the user-activity data to the wireless communication device via the wireless communication link.

10. The portable activity-monitoring device of claim 1 wherein, if the information indicates that the portable activity-monitoring device does not seek establishment of the wireless communication link, the communication circuitry is further to establish the wireless communication link with the wireless communication device in response to receiving a communication from the wireless communication device indicating that the wireless communication device seeks establishment of the wireless communication link to enable transmission of information to the portable activity-monitoring device.

11. The portable activity-monitoring device of claim 10 wherein the communication circuitry is further to receive the information from the wireless communication device, the information including at least one of the following:

additional user-activity data to be synchronized with the user-activity data generated by the monitoring circuitry, information to be applied to control an operational aspect of the monitoring circuitry, information to be applied to control an operational aspect of the communication circuitry, information to be applied to control an aspect of user-activity data generation within the monitoring circuitry, or information to be applied to configure a visual, auditory or haptic output of the portable activity-monitoring device.

12. The portable activity-monitoring device of claim 1 wherein the communication circuitry to intermittently broadcast the notification signal comprises circuitry to broadcast the notification signal at uniform intervals.

13. The portable activity-monitoring device of claim 12 wherein each of the uniform intervals has a duration of less than 10 seconds such that each notification signal is broadcast less than 10 seconds after a previously broadcast notification signal.

14. The portable activity-monitoring device of claim 1 wherein the communication circuitry to intermittently broadcast the notification signal comprises circuitry to broadcast the notification signal at non-uniform intervals.

15. The portable activity-monitoring device of claim 1 wherein wireless communication device comprises a mobile telephone.

16. The portable activity-monitoring device of claim 1 further comprising a mechanism that enables the portable activity-monitoring device to be worn on the wrist of the individual bearing the portable activity-monitoring device.

17. A method of operation within a portable activity-monitoring device, the method comprising:

generating user-activity data corresponding to activity of an individual bearing the portable activity-monitoring device based, at least in part, on one or more signals generated by an accelerometer within the portable activity-monitoring device; and

intermittently broadcasting a notification signal to be received by a wireless communication device, the notification signal conveying information that identifies the portable activity-monitoring device and indicates (i) that, in at least one instance of the notification signal, the portable activity-monitoring device seeks establishment of a wireless communication link to enable transmission of the user-activity data to the wireless communication device, and (ii) that, in at least one other instance of the notification signal, the portable activity-monitoring device is available to communicate with the wireless communication device but does not seek establishment of a wireless communication link to transmit the user-activity data.

18. The method of claim 17 further comprising determining whether a change in the user-activity data exceeds one or more update thresholds, and wherein intermittently broadcasting the notification signal comprises broadcasting, within the notification signal, sync information in either a first state or a second state according to whether the change in the user-activity data is determined to exceed the one or more update thresholds.

19. The method of claim 18 wherein determining whether the change in the user-activity data exceeds one or more update thresholds comprises determining the change in the user-activity data between two points in time and to comparing the change to the one or more update thresholds.

20. The method of claim 19 wherein the earlier of the two points in time corresponds to a state of the user-activity data most recently transmitted by the portable activity-monitoring device as part of a data synchronization operation.

21. The method of claim 18 wherein the one or more update thresholds reflect at least one of the following in connection with the activity of the individual:

a threshold number of ambulatory steps taken, a threshold number of calories expended, a threshold altitudinal transition, a threshold heart rate, a threshold distance traveled, or a threshold rest period.

22. The method of claim 17 wherein intermittently broadcasting the notification signal comprises broadcasting, within the notification signal, sync information in either a first state or a second state depending at least in part on the user-activity data.

23. The method of claim 22 wherein broadcasting the sync information in either the first state or the second state depending at least in part on the user-activity data comprises broadcasting the sync information in the first state if the user-activity data indicates that a predetermined threshold has been exceeded.

24. The method of claim 23 wherein the predetermined threshold corresponds to at least one of ambulatory steps taken, calories expended, altitudinal transition, heart rate, distance traveled, or rest period.

25. The method of claim 17 further comprising, if the information indicates that the portable activity-monitoring device seeks establishment of the wireless communication link, establishing the wireless communication link with the wireless communication device and transmitting the user-activity data to the wireless communication device via the wireless communication link.

26. The method of claim 25 further comprising, if the information indicates that the portable activity-monitoring device does not seek establishment of the wireless communication link, establishing the wireless communication link with the wireless communication device in response to receiving a communication from the wireless communication device indicating that the wireless communication device seeks establishment of the wireless communication link to enable transmission of information to the portable activity-monitoring device.

27. The method of claim 17 further comprising receiving the information from the wireless communication device, the information including at least one of the following:

additional user-activity data to be synchronized with the user-activity data generated by the portable activity-monitoring device, information to be applied to control an aspect of generating the user-activity data, information to be applied to control an aspect of wireless broadcasting, information to be applied to control an aspect of wireless communication, or information to be applied to configure a visual, auditory or haptic output of the portable activity-monitoring device.

28. The method of claim 17 wherein intermittently broadcasting the notification signal comprises broadcasting the notification signal at uniform intervals.

29. The method of claim 17 wherein intermittently broadcasting the notification signal comprises broadcasting the notification signal at non-uniform intervals.

30. The method of claim 17 wherein intermittently broadcasting a notification signal to be received by a wireless communication device comprises intermittently broadcasting a notification signal to be received by a wireless communication device having a mobile telephone function.

31. A portable activity-monitoring device comprising:

means, including at least one accelerometer, for generating user-activity data corresponding to activity of an individual bearing the portable activity-monitoring device; and

means for intermittently broadcasting a notification signal to be received by a wireless communication device, the notification signal conveying information that identifies the portable activity-monitoring device and indicates (i) that, in at least one instance of the notification signal, the portable activity-monitoring device seeks establishment of a wireless communication link to enable transmission of the user-activity data to the wireless communication device, and (ii) that, in at least one other instance of the notification signal, the portable activity-monitoring device is available to communicate with the wireless communication device but does not seek establishment of a wireless communication link to transmit the user-activity data.