Activity Monitoring Systems and Methods of Operating Same

• US 20120083705A1
• Filed: 11/15/2011
• Published: 04/05/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 09/30/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Fitbit, Inc. (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Fitbit, Inc. (Alphabet Inc.)
• Inventors: Yuen, Shelten Gee Jao, Park, James, Friedman, Eric Nathan
• Granted Patent: US 8,386,008 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 600/508
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/0686 having a forming anvil staying below the tissue during stapling
• 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 2560/0456 Apparatus provided with a docking unit
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2562/0219 Inertial sensors, e.g. accelerometers, gyroscopes, tilt switches
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0002 Remote monitoring of patients using telemetry, e.g. transmission of vital signals via a communication network A61B5/07 takes precedence; transmission systems for measured values G08C; transmission H04B; transmission of digital information H04L; wireless communication networks H04W
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0004 characterised by the type of physiological signal transmitted
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/02007 Evaluating blood vessel condition, e.g. elasticity, compliance
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0205 Simultaneously evaluating both cardiovascular conditions and different types of body conditions, e.g. heart and respiratory condition
• 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 5/02438 with portable devices, e.g. worn by the patient
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0816 Measuring devices for examining respiratory frequency measuring frequency of electric signals G01R23/00
• 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 5/112 Gait analysis
• 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 5/14532 for measuring glucose, e.g. by tissue impedance measurement
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/14546 for measuring analytes not otherwise provided for, e.g. ions, cytochromes
• 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 5/4866 : Evaluating metabolism A61B5/083 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6801 : specially adapted to be attached to or worn on the body surface
• 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 5/7278 : Artificial waveform generation or derivation, e.g. synthesising signals from measured signals A61B5/327 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/7405 : using sound
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/743 : Displaying an image simultaneously with additional graphical information, e.g. symbols, charts, function plots
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/744 : Displaying an avatar, e.g. an animated cartoon character
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/7455 : characterised by tactile indication, e.g. vibration or electrical stimulation
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/72 : Temperature
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/73 : Altitude
• 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 2230/50 : temperature
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2230/70 : body fat
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2230/75 : calorie expenditure
• 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 22/00 : Measuring distance traversed on the ground by vehicles, persons, animals or other moving solid bodies, e.g. using odometers, using pedometers
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 22/006 : Pedometers
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 5/00 : Measuring height; Measuring distances transverse to line of sight; Levelling between separated points; Surveyors' levels G01C3/20, G01C3/30 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01P 15/00 : Measuring acceleration; Measuring deceleration; Measuring shock, i.e. sudden change of acceleration
• CPC Class Codes: G01P 15/003 : Kinematic accelerometers, i.e. measuring acceleration in relation to an external reference frame, e.g. Ferratis accelerometers G01P15/001, G01P15/16, G01P15/165 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 15/00 : Digital computers in general details G06F1/00 – G06F13/00; Data processing equipment in general
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/0453 : worn on the body to detect health condition by physiological monitoring, e.g. electrocardiogram, temperature, breathing detecting, measuring or recording for diagnostic purposes A61B5/00
• 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 40/67 : for remote operation
• CPC Class Codes: G16Z 99/00 : Subject matter not provided for in other main groups of this subclass

Abstract

The present inventions, in one aspect, is an activity monitoring system comprising a fixture having size/shape adapted to couple to a location on the user'"'"'s body and a particular signature; and a portable monitoring device adapted to detect the fixture'"'"'s particular signature. The monitoring device includes a housing that is adapted to engage the fixture; activity sensors, disposed in the housing, to detect activity of the user and to generate data which is representative of the activity of the user; and processing circuitry, disposed in the housing, to calculate an activity-related quantity of the user using the data which is representative of the activity of the user, wherein the processing circuitry: determines the monitoring device is engaging the fixture by detecting the fixture'"'"'s particular signature, and, in response thereto, calculates the activity-related quantity using data from a set of the activity sensors.

Claims

1. An activity monitoring system comprising:

a plurality of fixtures, wherein each fixture includes a physical size and shape that is adapted to couple to an associated location on the body of the user;

a portable monitoring device adapted to separately engage each fixture of the plurality of fixtures when the fixture is coupled to the associated location on the body of the user, the portable monitoring device including;

a housing having a physical size and shape that is adapted to couple to the body of the user and to separately engage each fixture when the fixture is coupled to the associated location on the body of the user;

an activity sensor, disposed in the housing, to detect activity of the user and, in response thereto, to generate data which is representative of the activity of the user; and

processing circuitry, disposed in the housing and coupled to the activity sensor, to calculate one or more activity-related quantities of the user using the data which is representative of the activity of the user, wherein the processing circuitry;

automatically determines a particular fixture of the plurality of fixtures engaged by the portable monitoring device, and,

in response thereto, calculates at least one activity-related quantity of the user which is associated with the particular fixture engaged by the portable monitoring device on the body of the user.

2. The activity monitoring system of claim 1 wherein:

each fixture of the plurality of fixtures provides a signature, and

the processing circuitry of the portable monitoring device determines the signature associated with the particular fixture when the portable monitoring device engages the particular fixture.

3. The activity monitoring system of claim 2 wherein the processing circuitry of the portable monitoring device, in response to automatically determining the signature associated with a fixture, determines the at least one activity-related quantity of the user to calculate using data from the activity sensor.

4. The activity monitoring system of claim 2 wherein at least one fixture of the plurality of fixtures generates the associated signature via a magnet, RF beacon, transmitter, buttons, electrical contacts and/or proximity sensor.

5. The activity monitoring system of claim 2 wherein:

at least one fixture of the plurality of fixtures includes a magnet which generates the signature associated with the at least one fixture; and

the portable monitoring device further includes a sensor, responsive to a magnetic field, to detect the signature of the at least one of the fixture.

6. The activity monitoring system of claim 1 wherein the plurality of fixtures includes a fixture adapted to couple to a wrist, arm, ankle or foot of the user and wherein the at least one activity-related quantity of the user corresponds to one or more sleep metrics.

7. The activity monitoring system of claim 1 wherein the processing circuitry of the portable monitoring device automatically determines the at least one activity-related quantity to calculate based on an output signal of the activity sensor.

8. The activity monitoring system of claim 7 wherein the activity sensor is a heart rate sensor.

9. The activity monitoring system of claim 8 wherein the heart rate sensor detects a presence or absence of a signal from a heart of the user and, in response, generates the output signal and wherein the processing circuitry, determines whether the heart rate sensor detects the signal from the heart of the user and, in response, calculates one or more activity-related quantities of the user using the data which is representative of the activity of the user using data from the heart rate sensor or using data from second activity sensor of the activity monitoring system.

10. The activity monitoring system of claim 2 wherein the portable monitoring device further includes an optical sensor to detect the signature associated with at least one of the fixtures.

11. The activity monitoring system of claim 2 wherein at least one fixture of the plurality of fixtures includes an optically responsive material corresponding to the signature associated with at least one of the fixtures.

12. The activity monitoring system of claim 11 wherein the optically responsive material includes reflective material or anti-reflective material.

13. The activity monitoring system of claim 1 wherein the plurality of fixtures includes a fixture adapted to couple to a foot of the user and wherein the at least one activity-related quantity of the user is a distance traveled and/or speed of the user.

14. The activity monitoring system of claim 1 wherein the plurality of fixtures includes a fixture adapted to couple to a wrist, arm, ankle or foot of the user and wherein the at least one activity-related quantity of the user is a swimming metric and/or calories expended while swimming, wherein the swimming metric includes at least one of lap count, swim stroke count, swim stroke type, swim lap time, swim stroke time and swim distance traveled.

15. An activity monitoring system comprising:

a first fixture having (i) a physical size and shape that is adapted to couple to an associated location on the body of the user and (ii) a particular signature;

a portable monitoring device adapted to engage the fixture and to detect the particular signature of the first fixture, the portable monitoring device including;

a housing having a physical size and shape that is adapted to couple to the body of the user and to engage the first fixture;

a plurality of activity sensors, disposed in the housing, to detect activity of the user and, in response thereto, to generate data which is representative of the activity of the user; and

processing circuitry, disposed in the housing and coupled to the activity sensors, to calculate activity-related quantities of the user using the data which is representative of the activity of the user, wherein the processing circuitry;

determines whether the portable monitoring device is engaging the first fixture based on detecting the particular signature associated with the first fixture, and,

calculates an activity-related quantity of the user associated with the first fixture, using data from a first set of one or more activity sensors of the plurality of activity sensors.

16. The activity monitoring system of claim 15 wherein the first fixture is adapted to couple to a foot of the user and wherein the at least one activity-related quantity of the user is a distance traveled and/or speed of the user.

17. The activity monitoring system of claim 15 wherein the first fixture includes a magnet, transmitter, buttons, electrical contacts and/or proximity sensor to generate the particular signature of the first fixture.

18. The activity monitoring system of claim 15 wherein:

the first fixture includes a magnet which generates the particular signature associated with the first fixture; and

the portable monitoring device further includes a sensor, responsive to a magnetic field, to detect the particular signature of the first fixture.

19. The activity monitoring system of claim 15 wherein the first fixture is adapted to couple to a wrist, arm, ankle or foot of the user and wherein the at least one activity-related quantity of the user is a swimming metric and/or calories expended while swimming, wherein the swimming metric includes at least one of lap count, swim stroke count, swim stroke type, swim lap time, swim stroke time and swim distance traveled.

20. The activity monitoring system of claim 15 further including a second fixture having (i) a physical size and shape that is adapted to couple to an associated location on the body of the user which is different from the location of the body of the user associated with the first fixture, and (ii) a particular signature which is different from the particular signature of the first fixture.

21. The activity monitoring system of claim 20 wherein the processing circuitry of the portable monitoring device:

determines whether the portable monitoring device is engaging the second fixture based on detecting the particular signature associated with the second fixture, and,

calculates a second activity-related quantity of the user associated with the second fixture, using data from a second set of one or more activity sensors of the plurality of activity sensors.

22. The activity monitoring system of claim 20 wherein the processing circuitry of the portable monitoring device detects the particular signature associated with the second fixture and, in response, calculates a second activity-related quantity of the user using data from at least one activity sensor.

23. The activity monitoring system of claim 15 wherein the processing circuitry of the portable monitoring device, in response to determining the portable monitoring device is not engaging the first fixture, calculates a second activity-related quantity of the user using data from a second set of one or more activity sensors of the plurality of activity sensors.

24. An activity monitoring system comprising:

a first fixture having (i) a physical size and shape that is adapted to couple to an associated location on the body of the user and (ii) a particular signature;

a portable monitoring device adapted to engage the fixture and to detect the particular signature of the first fixture, the portable monitoring device including;

a housing having a physical size and shape that is adapted to couple to the body of the user and to engage the first fixture when the first fixture is coupled to the associated location on the body of the user;

an activity sensor, disposed in the housing, to detect activity of the user and, in response thereto, to generate data which is representative of the activity of the user; and

processing circuitry, disposed in the housing and coupled to the activity sensor, to calculate one or more activity-related quantities of the user using the data which is representative of the activity of the user, wherein the processing circuitry;

determines the portable monitoring device is engaging the first fixture based on detecting the particular signature associated with the first fixture, and,

in response thereto, calculates an activity-related quantity of the user which is associated with the first fixture using data from the activity sensor.

25. The activity monitoring system of claim 24 wherein the first fixture is adapted to couple to a foot of the user and wherein the at least one activity-related quantity of the user is a distance and/or speed of the user.

26. The activity monitoring system of claim 24 wherein:

the portable monitoring device includes a plurality of activity sensors, disposed in the housing, to detect activity of the user and, in response thereto, to generate data which is representative of the activity of the user, and

the processing circuitry of the portable monitoring device calculates the activity-related quantity of the user using data from a subset of the activity sensors, wherein the subset of activity sensors is based on whether the portable monitoring device is engaging the first fixture.

27. The activity monitoring system of claim 24 wherein:

first fixture includes a magnet which generates the particular signature associated with the first fixture; and

the portable monitoring device further includes a sensor, responsive to a magnetic field, to detect the particular signature of the first fixture.

28. The activity monitoring system of claim 24 further including a second fixture having (i) a physical size and shape that is adapted to couple to an associated location on the body of the user which is different from the location associated with the first fixture, and (ii) a particular signature which is different from the particular signature of the first fixture.

29. The activity monitoring system of claim 28 wherein the processing circuitry of the portable monitoring device:

determines whether the portable monitoring device is engaging the second fixture based on detecting the particular signature associated with the second fixture, and,

in response thereto, calculates a second activity-related quantity of the user, using data the activity sensor.

30. The activity monitoring system of claim 25 wherein the first fixture is adapted to couple to a wrist, ankle, arm or foot of the user and wherein the at least one activity-related quantity of the user is a swimming metric and/or calories expended while swimming, wherein the swimming metric includes at least one of lap count, swim stroke count, swim stroke type, swim lap time, swim stroke time and swim distance traveled.