Methods, systems and devices for physical contact activated display and navigation

• US 9,310,909 B2
• Filed: 02/27/2014
• Issued: 04/12/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 09/30/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Fitbit, Inc. (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Fitbit, Inc. (Alphabet Inc.)
• Inventors: Myers, Nicholas, Brumback, Christine, Roberts, Timothy, Park, James, Knight, Dave, Yuen, Shelten, Messenger, Jayson
• Primary Examiner(s): Le, Toan
• Assistant Examiner(s): Vargas, Manuel Rivera
• Application Number:
  US14/192,282
• Publication Number:
  US 20140176475A1
• Time in Patent Office: 775 Days
• Field of Search: 702/160, 235/105
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2560/0214 of power generation or supply
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2560/0242 adapted to measure environmental factors, e.g. temperature, pollution
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2560/0475 Special features of memory means, e.g. removable memory cards
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2562/0219 Inertial sensors, e.g. accelerometers, gyroscopes, tilt switches
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0022 Monitoring a patient using a global network, e.g. telephone networks, internet
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/02055 Simultaneously evaluating both cardiovascular condition and temperature
• 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 5/1112 Global tracking of patients, e.g. by using GPS
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/1118 Determining activity level
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/1123 Discriminating type of movement, e.g. walking or running A61B5/1116, A61B5/112 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/222 combined with detection or measurement of physiological parameters, e.g. heart rate
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/4809 Sleep detection, i.e. determining whether a subject is asleep or not
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/4812 Detecting sleep stages or cycles
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/4815 Sleep quality
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/681 Wristwatch-type devices
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6838 Clamps or clips
• 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 5/7405 using sound
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/7425 Displaying combinations of multiple images regardless of image source, e.g. displaying a reference anatomical image with a live image geometric transforms for image registration G06T3/14; enhancement using image fusion G06T5/50; algorithms for registration of images G06T7/30
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/7435 : Displaying user selection data, e.g. icons in a graphical user interface
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/7455 : characterised by tactile indication, e.g. vibration or electrical stimulation
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/746 : Alarms related to a physiological condition, e.g. details of setting alarm thresholds or avoiding false alarms alarms per se G08B
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/7475 : User input or interface means, e.g. keyboard, pointing device, joystick
• 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: G01C 22/006 : Pedometers
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/163 : Wearable computers, e.g. on a belt
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/3212 : Monitoring battery levels, e.g. power saving mode being initiated when battery voltage goes below a certain level
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/3265 : Power saving in display device
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2200/1636 : Sensing arrangement for detection of a tap gesture on the housing
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/038 : Control and interface arrangements therefor, e.g. drivers or device-embedded control circuitry
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/041 : Digitisers, e.g. for touch screens or touch pads, characterised by the transducing means
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0482 : Interaction with lists of selectable items, e.g. menus
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0485 : Scrolling or panning
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0488 : using a touch-screen or digitiser, e.g. input of commands through traced gestures
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 20/30 : relating to physical therapies or activities, e.g. physiotherapy, acupressure or exercising
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 20/40 : relating to mechanical, radiation or invasive therapies, e.g. surgery, laser therapy, dialysis or acupuncture
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 40/63 : for local operation
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 40/67 : for remote operation
• CPC Class Codes: G16Z 99/00 : Subject matter not provided for in other main groups of this subclass
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/26 : at least one of which is mobile
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 10/00 : Energy efficient computing, e.g. low power processors, power management or thermal management

Abstract

Methods, systems and devices are provided for providing user interface navigation of screen display metrics of a device. In one example, a device is configured for capture of activity data for a user. The device includes a housing and a screen disposed on the housing to display a plurality of metrics which include metrics that characterize the activity captured over time. The device further includes a sensor disposed in the housing to capture physical contact upon the housing. A processor is included to process the physical contact to determine if the physical contact qualifies as an input. The processor enables the screen from an off state when the physical contact qualifies as the input. The screen is configured to display one or more of the plurality of metrics in accordance with a scroll order, and a first metric displayed in response to the physical contact that qualifies as the input.

Claims

1. A method, comprising,

detecting a physical contact by a sensor of a device that is configured to display a plurality of metrics on a screen of the device, the physical contact being to a surface of a housing of the device that includes the sensor, the sensor additionally being used to detect activity data;

examining the physical contact to determine if the physical contact qualifies as an input for the device, wherein the physical contact qualifies as the input when a motion profile detected by the sensor in response to the physical contact is determined to be within a predefined profile that is indicative of the input, wherein the examining of the motion profile includes determining if the physical contact is the input for the device or is activity data, as the sensor is used to detect the physical contact and the activity data;

maintaining the screen of the device in an off state for physical contact that does not qualify as the input; and

activating the screen of the device to display a first metric when the examining determines that the physical contact qualifies as the input;

wherein the physical contact that qualifies as the input causes a jump to display the first metric and the activating of the screen of the device occurs without requiring an additional user input, wherein the method is executed by a processor.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein, (a) the first metric is a time metric and a remainder of the plurality of metrics define activity data of a user as captured over time by the device, or (b) the first metric is other than a time metric.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the plurality of metrics are configured to a scroll order, such that each metric is displayed on the screen in succession in response to successively detected physical contact that qualifies as the input.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein a scroll order of the plurality of metrics is user configurable.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein,

additional metrics or fewer metrics are user configurable to be part of the plurality of metrics, and

a position of each metric in the scroll order is user configurable.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the first metric is configurable to be a selected metric of the plurality of metrics that are arranged in a scroll order.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising,

in response to a user input being detected, transitioning from the first metric to a next metric in a scroll order or to an off state when no user input is detected;

and

if user input is received within a predetermined time after the off state, turning the screen on and displaying the last displayed metric, or if the user input is received after the predetermined time after the off state, turning the screen on and displaying the first metric.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the plurality of metrics include a time of day metric and metrics representing activity data captured by the device when associated with a user, the activity data being of the user.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the plurality of metrics are configured in a scroll order, and further comprising,

transitioning, after the first metric, in the scroll order on the screen of the device in response to one or more user inputs;

wherein in response to the physical contact that qualifies as the input, a shortcut transition is made back to the first metric for display on the screen of the device.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising,

transitioning the screen to an off state in an absence of user input to the device;

activating the screen in response to physical contact that qualifies as the input; and

displaying the first metric on the screen in response to the input.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the physical contact includes tap contact that is identified by the sensor of the device, the sensor producing motion data that is examined to qualify the motion data as the input.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the physical contact that qualifies as the input is one tap, or a double tap, or a set of taps, or a pattern of taps, or a plurality of taps repeated within a predefined frequency.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein the plurality of metrics are defined by one or more of time of day data, timer data, alarm data, measurement data of the user, and activity data of a user as tracked or captured by the device.

14. A device configured for capture of activity data for a user, comprising,

a housing;

a screen disposed on the housing to display a plurality of metrics which include metrics that characterize the activity data captured over time;

a sensor disposed in the housing to capture physical contact upon a surface of the housing, and capture the activity data; and

a processor to process the physical contact to determine if the physical contact qualifies as an input, wherein the processor determines that the physical contact qualifies as the input when a motion profile detected by the sensor in response to the physical contact is determined to be within a predefined profile that is indicative of the input, wherein the motion profile being within the predefined profile distinguishes the motion profile from captured activity data by the sensor, as the sensor is used to capture both the physical contact and the activity data, the processor enabling the screen to an on state when the physical contact qualifies as the input, the physical contact being qualified as the input without requiring an additional user input, the screen configured to display one or more of the plurality of metrics in accordance with a scroll order, a first metric of the plurality of metrics being displayed in accordance with user configuration identifying that the first metric is to be displayed in response to the physical contact that qualifies as the input, as determined by the processor.

15. The device of claim 14, wherein the housing further includes memory for storing the activity data, captured data, and wireless communication logic.

16. The device of claim 15, wherein the wireless communication logic includes one of WiFi processing logic, or Bluetooth (BT) processing logic, or radio processing logic.

17. The device of claim 16, wherein the wireless communication logic is configured to pair with a portable computing device or a computer, and the portable computing device or the computer is configured for communication over the Internet with a server, the server having processing instructions for configuring the first metric that is accessed by the input, and each metric in the scroll order and processing instructions for adding and removing metrics from the list of metrics.

18. The device of claim 14, wherein one of the plurality of metrics is a time of day metric.

19. The device of claim 18, wherein the first metric is the time of day metric, or any one of the metrics in the scroll order.

20. The device of claim 14, wherein the housing is part of a wearable wrist attachable structure, or an attachable structure that can be carried or worn by the user.

21. The device of claim 14, wherein the physical contact captured by the sensor is from one or more taps upon the housing by a finger or hand.

22. The device of claim 14, wherein the user configuration identifying the first metric enables a jump to define any metric in the scroll order as the first metric.

23. The device of claim 14, wherein each metric in the scroll order is user configurable, and metrics are configured to be added or removed from a list of metrics in the scroll order.

24. The device of claim 14, wherein the housing includes a button.

25. The device of claim 14, further comprising one or both of an altimeter and an accelerometer.

26. A computer readable medium, being non-transitory, for storing program instructions executable by a processor, the computer readable medium comprising,

program instructions for detecting a physical contact by a sensor of a device that is configured to display a plurality of metrics on a screen of the device, the physical contact being to a surface of a housing of the device that includes the sensor, the sensor additionally being used to detect activity data;

program instructions for examining the physical contact to determine if the physical contact qualifies as an input for the device, wherein the physical contact qualifies as the input when a motion profile detected by the sensor in response to the physical contact is determined to be within a predefined profile that indicates the input, wherein the examining of the motion profile includes determining if the physical contact is the input for the device or is activity data, as the sensor is used to detect the physical contact and the activity data;

program instructions for maintaining the screen of the device in an off state for physical contact that does not qualify as the input; and

program instructions for activating the screen of the device to display a first metric when the examining determines that the physical contact qualifies as the input, the physical contact being qualified as the input without requiring an additional user input,

program instructions for detecting user input to transition from the first metric to a next metric in a scroll order or to an off state, and

if user input is received within a predetermined time after the off state, turning the screen on and displaying the last displayed metric, and if the user input is received after the predetermined time after the off state, turning the screen on and displaying the first metric, wherein the plurality of metrics include a time of day metric and metrics representing activity data captured by the device when associated with a user, the activity data being of the user.

27. The computer readable medium of claim 26, wherein,

the input is associated with qualified physical contact, and

the user input is associated with one of qualified physical contact, or non-touch proximity input, or voice input, or button press input.

28. An activity tracking device configured for capturing activity data for a user, comprising,

a housing configured as a wearable wrist attachable structure;

a screen disposed on the housing to display a plurality of metrics which include metrics that characterize the activity data captured over time;

an accelerometer sensor disposed in the housing to capture physical contact upon a surface of the housing and capture activity data; and

a processor to process the physical contact to determine if the physical contact qualifies as an input, wherein the physical contact qualifies as the input when a motion profile detected by the accelerometer sensor in response to the physical contact is determined to be within a predefined profile that is indicative of the input, wherein the motion profile being within the predefined profile distinguishes the physical contact from the activity data, as the accelerometer is used to capture both the physical contact and the activity data, the processor enabling the screen from an off state when the physical contact qualifies as the input, the physical contact being qualified as the input without requiring an additional user input the screen configured to display one or more of the plurality of metrics in accordance with a scroll order, a first metric of the plurality of metrics being displayed in accordance with user configuration identifying that the first metric is to be displayed in response to the physical contact that qualifies as the input, as determined by the processor, wherein the physical contact captured by the accelerometer sensor is from sensing or detecting one or more taps producing the predefined profile upon the surface of the housing by a finger, or hand or object, wherein the user configuration identifying the first metric enables setting of a shortcut to any metric in the scroll order to be the first metric.