Personal activity tracking system

• US 9,352,209 B2
• Filed: 01/27/2014
• Issued: 05/31/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 09/26/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Fitbit, Inc. (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Fibit Incorporated
• Inventors: Tropper, Seth A., Batour, Amado
• Primary Examiner(s): Niquette, Robert R
• Application Number:
  US14/165,525
• Publication Number:
  US 20140143038A1
• Time in Patent Office: 855 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2560/0412 Low-profile patch shaped housings
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2560/0456 Apparatus provided with a docking unit
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2562/0219 Inertial sensors, e.g. accelerometers, gyroscopes, tilt switches
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0004 characterised by the type of physiological signal transmitted
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/1118 Determining activity level
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/1126 using a particular sensing technique
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/14539 for measuring pH
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/486 Bio-feedback A61B5/375 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/681 Wristwatch-type devices
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6828 Leg
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6831 Straps, bands or harnesses
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6896 Toys
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6897 Computer input devices, e.g. mice or keyboards
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6898 Portable consumer electronic devices, e.g. music players, telephones, tablet computers
• 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 5/743 Displaying an image simultaneously with additional graphical information, e.g. symbols, charts, function plots
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 24/0059 Exercising apparatus with reward systems
• 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: A63B 43/004 electrically conductive, e.g. for automatic arbitration
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 71/06 Indicating or scoring devices for games or players , or for other sports activities
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 71/0622 : Visual, audio or audio-visual systems for entertaining, instructing or motivating the user
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/212 : using sensors worn by the player, e.g. for measuring heart beat or leg activity
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/50 : Controlling the output signals based on the game progress
• CPC Class Codes: A63H 33/26 : Magnetic or electric toys electric drives A63H29/22 ; indoor games played with small balls using magnetic power A63F7/0088, A63F7/068
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 : Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0207 : Discounts or incentives, e.g. coupons or rebates
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0217 : involving input on products or services in exchange for incentives or rewards
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0264 : based upon schedule
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3244 : Payment aspects of a gaming system, e.g. payment schemes, setting payout ratio, bonus or consolation prizes
• CPC Class Codes: G09F 3/005 : Identification bracelets, e.g. secured to the arm of a person
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 10/20 : for electronic clinical trials or questionnaires
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 20/30 : relating to physical therapies or activities, e.g. physiotherapy, acupressure or exercising
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 40/63 : for local operation
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 50/30 : for calculating health indices; for individual health risk assessment

Abstract

An activity tracking device is defined to detect and record movement of a person to which the activity tracking device is affixed. A secondary electronic device is defined separate from the activity tracking device. The secondary electronic device is defined to receive data from the activity tracking device regarding the detected and recorded movement of the person. A website is defined to communicate with connected devices including the secondary electronic device. The website is defined to provide a user account for the person. The website is defined to convey information regarding the detected and recorded movement of the person through the user account.

Claims

1. A system, comprising:

an activity tracking device defined to detect and record physical activity of a person to which the activity tracking device is affixed, the activity tracking device including circuitry configured to detect a first type of movement of the person and a second type of movement of the person, the activity tracking device including circuitry configured to distinguish the first type of movement of the person from the second type of movement of the person, the activity tracking device including circuitry configured to measure an amount of the first type of movement of the person and an amount of the second type of movement of the person, the activity tracking device including a plurality of visual indicators configured to indicate the amount of the first type of movement of the person and the amount of the second type of movement of the person; and

a computer system configured to provide an application for execution on a secondary electronic device defined separate from the activity tracking device, the application defined to receive data from the activity tracking device regarding the amount of the first type of movement of the person and the amount of the second type of movement of the person as detected, distinguished, and measured by the activity tracking device, the application defined to operate in part based on the amount of the first type of movement of the person and the amount of the second type of movement of the person, the application defined to perform one or more actions associated with the first type of movement of the person over time, and the application defined to perform one or more actions associated with the second type of movement of the person over time.

2. A system as recited in claim 1, wherein the activity tracking device is connected to a band defined to be worn on a wrist of the person.

3. A system as recited in claim 2, wherein the activity tracking device is removable from the band.

4. A system as recited in claim 1, wherein the activity tracking device includes a motion detection device having circuitry for detecting movement of the activity tracking device.

5. A system as recited in claim 1, wherein the activity tracking device includes a display for visually conveying information regarding the detected and recorded physical activity of the person.

6. A system as recited in claim 5, wherein the plurality of visual indicators are part of the display.

7. A system as recited in claim 1, wherein the activity tracking device includes communication circuitry for communicating data regarding the detected and recorded physical activity of the person from the activity tracking device to the secondary electronic device.

8. A system as recited in claim 7, wherein the communication circuitry is defined to communicate data wirelessly to the secondary electronic device.

9. A system as recited in claim 7, wherein the communication circuitry is defined to communicate data through an electrical contact to the secondary electronic device.

10. A system as recited in claim 1, wherein the secondary device is a computer.

11. A system as recited in claim 1, wherein the secondary device is one or more of a game, a toy, a game controller, a computer interface device, a cell phone, a mobile data communication device, a microprocessor, and a computer.

12. A system as recited in claim 1, wherein the application is defined to perform the one or more actions associated with the first type of movement of the person over time when the amount of the first type of movement of the person reaches or exceeds a threshold level for the first type of movement, and the application is defined to perform the one or more actions associated with the second type of movement of the person over time when the amount of the second type of movement of the person reaches or exceeds a threshold level for the second type of movement.

13. A method, comprising:

detecting and recording physical activity of a person by use of an activity tracking device affixed to the person, the detecting and recording physical activity of the person including operating circuitry within the activity tracking device to detect a first type of movement of the person and a second type of movement of the person, the detecting and recording physical activity of the person including distinguishing the first type of movement of the person from the second type of movement of the person, the detecting and recording physical activity of the person including measuring an amount of the first type of movement of the person and an amount of the second type of movement of the person;

indicating the amount of the first type of movement of the person and the amount of the second type of movement of the person using a plurality of visual indicators of the activity tracking device;

transmitting data from the activity tracking device to a secondary electronic device, the transmitted data regarding the amount of the first type of movement of the person and the amount of the second type of movement of the person as detected, distinguished, and measured by the activity tracking device, the secondary electronic device defined separate from the activity tracking device;

providing an application for execution on the secondary electronic device, the application executing in part based on the amount of the first type of movement of the person and the amount of the second type of movement of the person, the application defined to perform one or more actions associated with the first type of movement of the person over time, the application defined to perform one or more actions associated with the second type of movement of the person over time.

14. A method as recited in claim 13, wherein the activity tracking device is connected to a band defined to be worn on a wrist of the person.

15. A method as recited in claim 14, wherein the activity tracking device is removable from the band.

16. A method as recited in claim 13, further comprising:

detecting movement of the activity tracking device by using a motion detection device within the activity tracking device.

17. A method as recited in claim 13, further comprising:

visually conveying information regarding the detected and recorded physical activity of the person on a display of the activity tracking device.

18. A method as recited in claim 17, wherein the plurality of visual indicators are part of the display.

19. A method as recited in claim 13, further comprising:

communicating data regarding the detected and recorded physical activity of the person from the activity tracking device to the secondary electronic device.

20. A method as recited in claim 19, wherein the data regarding the detected and recorded physical activity of the person is communicated wirelessly from the activity tracking device to the secondary electronic device.

21. A method as recited in claim 19, wherein the data regarding the detected and recorded physical activity of the person is communicated from the activity tracking device to the secondary electronic device through an electrical contact.

22. A method as recited in claim 13, wherein the secondary device is a computer.

23. A method as recited in claim 13, wherein the secondary device is one or more of a game, a toy, a game controller, a computer interface device, a cell phone, a mobile data communication device, a microprocessor, and a computer.

24. A method as recited in claim 13, wherein the application is defined to perform the one or more actions associated with the first type of movement of the person over time when the amount of the first type of movement of the person reaches or exceeds a threshold level for the first type of movement, and the application is defined to perform the one or more actions associated with the second type of movement of the person over time when the amount of the second type of movement of the person reaches or exceeds a threshold level for the second type of movement.