Portable Apparatus

• US 20090015421A1
• Filed: 07/12/2007
• Published: 01/15/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 07/12/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Polar Electro Oy
• Original Assignee: Polar Electro Oy
• Inventors: Niva, Arto, Jaatinen, Jukka, Niemimaki, Mika
• Granted Patent: US 7,774,156 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/670
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 3/34 with electrical or electronic arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2071/0663 worn on the wrist, e.g. wrist bands
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/20 Distances or displacements
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/30 Speed
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/34 Angular speed
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/40 Acceleration
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/836 Sensors arranged on the body of the user
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2225/50 Wireless data transmission, e.g. by radio transmitters or telemetry
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2230/04 heartbeat characteristics, e.g. ECG, blood pressure modulations
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2230/06 heartbeat rate only
• 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 69/0028 for running, jogging or speed-walking movable endless bands A63B22/02
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 22/006 Pedometers

Abstract

A portable apparatus including an interface configured to input first motion data of a user from a foot-worn first self-contained activity determining unit is disclosed. The portable apparatus also includes a second self-contained activity determining unit configured to determine second motion data of the user. Furthermore, the portable apparatus includes a processing unit configured to determine and store a user-specific dependency between the first motion data and the second motion data, and determine a current speed of the user or a current traveled distance of the user based on current second motion data and the user-specific dependency.

Claims

1. A portable apparatus comprising:

an interface configured to input first motion data of a user from a foot-worn first self-contained activity determining unit;

a second self-contained activity determining unit configured to determine second motion data of the user; and

a processing unit configured to determine and store a user-specific dependency between the first motion data and the second motion data, and determine a current speed of the user or a current traveled distance of the user based on current second motion data and the user-specific dependency.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the first motion data comprises at least one of a speed of the user, a traveled distance of the user.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the first motion data comprises foot motion data of the user, and the processing unit is further configured to store a further user-specific dependency between the foot motion data and a speed of the user or a traveled distance of the user, and utilize the further user-specific dependency in the determination of the current speed of the user or the current traveled distance of the user.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the portable apparatus comprises a wrist-worn apparatus.

5. A method comprising:

determining first motion data of a user by a foot-worn first self-contained activity determining unit;

determining second motion data of the user by a second self-contained activity determining unit;

determining and storing a user-specific dependency between the first motion data and the second motion data; and

determining a current speed of the user or a current traveled distance of the user based on current second motion data and the user-specific dependency.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the first motion data comprises at least one of a speed of the user, a traveled distance of the user.

7. The method of claim 5, wherein the first motion data comprises foot motion data of the user, and the method further comprises:

storing a further user-specific dependency between the foot motion data and a speed of the user or a traveled distance of the user; and

utilizing the further user-specific dependency in the determination of the current speed of the user or the current traveled distance of the user.

8. A system comprising:

a foot-worn first self-contained activity determining unit configured to determine first motion data of a user;

a portable apparatus comprising an interface configured to input the first motion data of a user from the foot-worn first self-contained activity determining unit, a second self-contained activity determining unit configured to determine second motion data of the user, and a processing unit configured to determine and store a user-specific dependency between the first motion data and the second motion data, and determine a current speed of the user or a current traveled distance of the user based on current second motion data and the user-specific dependency.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein the first motion data comprises at least one of a speed of the user, a traveled distance of the user.

10. The system of claim 8, wherein the first motion data comprises foot motion data of the user, and the processing unit is further configured to store a further user-specific dependency between the foot motion data and a speed of the user or a traveled distance of the user, and utilize the further user-specific dependency in the determination of the current speed of the user or the current traveled distance of the user.

11. The system of claim 8, wherein the portable apparatus comprises a wrist-worn apparatus.

12. A portable apparatus comprising:

means for inputting first motion data of a user from foot-worn first self-contained activity determining means;

second self-contained activity determining means for determining second motion data of the user;

means for determining and storing a user-specific dependency between the first motion data and the second motion data; and

means for determining a current speed of the user or a current traveled distance of the user based on current second motion data and the user-specific dependency.

13. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the first motion data comprises at least one of a speed of the user, a traveled distance of the user.

14. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the first motion data comprises foot motion data of the user, and the apparatus further comprises means for storing a further user-specific dependency between the foot motion data and a speed of the user or a traveled distance of the user, and means for utilizing the further user-specific dependency in the determination of the current speed of the user or the current traveled distance of the user.

15. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the portable apparatus comprises a wrist-worn apparatus.