Inertial device with pedometer function and portable electric appliance incorporating said inertial device
First Claim
1. A method to generate a number of steps in a generic portable electronic appliance system, the generic portable electronic appliance system having one or more processors, memory, and a single integrated circuit package encapsulating both an inertial sensor formed on a first integrated circuit chip and a processing unit formed on a second integrated circuit chip, the first integrated circuit chip being separate and distinct from the second integrated circuit chip, the processing unit associated with the inertial sensor, the method comprising:
- generating at least one raw acceleration signal with the inertial sensor in response to accelerations produced when a user of the generic portable electronic appliance system walks; and
counting, with the processing unit, a number of steps of the user based on the raw acceleration signal.
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Abstract
An inertial device that is integratable in a portable electronic device includes: an inertial sensor for generating at least one raw acceleration signal in response to accelerations caused by movements of walking and running of a user of the pedometer; and a processing unit, associated to the inertial sensor for counting a number of steps of the user of the pedometer on the basis of the raw acceleration signal. The inertial sensor and the processing unit are both encapsulated within a single package for integrated circuits, which can be coupled to a circuit board of an electronic device and is provided with at least one connection terminal for making the number of steps available to the outside world.
39 Citations
21 Claims
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1. A method to generate a number of steps in a generic portable electronic appliance system, the generic portable electronic appliance system having one or more processors, memory, and a single integrated circuit package encapsulating both an inertial sensor formed on a first integrated circuit chip and a processing unit formed on a second integrated circuit chip, the first integrated circuit chip being separate and distinct from the second integrated circuit chip, the processing unit associated with the inertial sensor, the method comprising:
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generating at least one raw acceleration signal with the inertial sensor in response to accelerations produced when a user of the generic portable electronic appliance system walks; and counting, with the processing unit, a number of steps of the user based on the raw acceleration signal. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. A method to generate a number of steps in a cell phone, the cell phone having a processor, memory, an image sensor, a display, and a pedometer, the pedometer formed in a single integrated circuit package encapsulating both an inertial sensor formed on a first integrated circuit die and a processing unit formed on a second integrated circuit die, the second integrated circuit die being separate and distinct from the first integrated circuit die, the processing unit associated with the inertial sensor, the method comprising:
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generating a number of steps with the pedometer, each step of the number of steps generated in response to accelerations produced when a user of the cell phone walks, the number of steps generated absent any processing of the processor; and passing the number of steps to the processor. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
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17. A generic portable electronic appliance device, comprising:
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at least one processor; memory coupled to the at least one processor; and a single integrated circuit package pedometer encapsulating both an inertial sensor formed on a first integrated circuit chip and a processing unit formed on a second integrated circuit chip separate and distinct from the first integrated circuit chip, the processing unit associated with the inertial sensor, the processing unit coupled to the at least one processor via a communication interface arranged to pass a number of steps taken by a user associated with the generic portable electronic appliance device. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19, 20, 21)
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Specification