PORTABLE MONITORING DEVICES AND METHODS OF OPERATING THE SAME

• US 20140197946A1
• Filed: 09/17/2013
• Published: 07/17/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 01/15/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Fitbit, Inc. (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Fitbit, Inc. (Alphabet Inc.)
• Inventors: Park, James, Brumback, Christine Boomer, Bilodeaux-Dewey, Aislinn Abigail
• Granted Patent: US 9,098,991 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/539.11
• 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 5/002 Monitoring the patient using a local or closed circuit, e.g. in a room or building A61B5/0017 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0022 Monitoring a patient using a global network, e.g. telephone networks, internet
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/01 Measuring temperature of body parts ; Diagnostic temperature sensing, e.g. for malignant or inflamed tissue clinical contact thermometers G01K13/20
• 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 5/1118 Determining activity level
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/4806 Sleep evaluation A61B5/4821 takes precedence; devices for inducing sleep A61M21/02
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/681 Wristwatch-type devices
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/7475 User input or interface means, e.g. keyboard, pointing device, joystick
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/22 Indexing; Data structures therefor; Storage structures
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/02 Alarms for ensuring the safety of persons
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/0446 worn on the body to detect changes of posture, e.g. a fall, inclination, acceleration, gait
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/06 indicating a condition of sleep, e.g. anti-dozing alarms
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/18 Status alarms G08B21/02 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 25/10 using wireless transmission systems G08B25/009 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 5/22 using electric transmission; using electromagnetic transmission
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 6/00 Tactile signalling systems, e.g. personal calling systems
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 17/02 : using a radio link
• 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

In one aspect of the disclosed implementations, a device includes one or more motion sensors for sensing motion of the device and providing activity data indicative of the sensed motion. The device also includes one or more feedback devices for providing feedback, a notice, or an indication to a user based on the monitoring. The device also includes one or more processors for monitoring the activity data, for determining one or more activity metrics based on the activity data, and for causing one or more of the feedback devices to produce an indication to the user that an activity goal has been achieved by the user based on one or more of the activity metrics. The device further includes a portable housing that encloses at least portions of the motion sensors, the processors and the feedback devices.

Claims

1. A device comprising:

one or more motion sensors for sensing motion of the device and providing activity data indicative of the sensed motion;

one or more feedback devices for providing an indication to a user based on the monitoring;

a memory for storing one or more activity goals for each of a plurality of activity-tracking modes;

one or more processors for;

monitoring the activity data;

selecting among the plurality of activity-tracking modes based on a current activity the user of the device is engaged in;

determining one or more activity metrics based on the activity data and a currently selected activity-tracking mode;

accessing one or more of the stored activity goals associated with the currently selected activity-tracking mode; and

causing one or more of the feedback devices to produce an indication to the user that one or more of the stored activity goals associated with the currently selected activity-tracking mode has been achieved by the user based on one or more of the activity metrics; and

a portable housing that encloses at least portions of the motion sensors, the processors and the feedback devices.

2. The device of claim 1, wherein

the one or more processors are further configured to store the activity data or data derived from the activity data in the memory.

3. The device of claim 1, wherein:

the memory stores one or more default activity goals for each of the activity-tracking modes.

4. The device of claim 1, wherein the device is configured to enable a user to set, select or modify one or more user-customizable activity goals based on user input.

5. The device of claim 4, wherein:

the device further includes one or more user input devices included in or on the housing for receiving or sensing user input; and

the one or more processors are further configured to receive and interpret the user input received or sensed via one or more of the user input devices.

6. The device of claim 4, wherein:

the device further includes transmitting and receiving circuitry; and

the user input is input by the user via an external or remote device and then communicated to the receiving circuitry; and

the one or more processors are further configured to receive and interpret the user input received from the receiving circuitry.

7. The device of claim 6, wherein:

the transmitting and receiving circuitry is configured for wireless communication over a computer network; and

the user input is input via a web or mobile application.

11. The device of claim 1, wherein the one or more processors are configured to automatically exit a currently selected activity-tracking mode based on the achievement of an associated activity goal.

12. The device of claim 1, wherein one or more of the activity goals include one or more characteristics including a time of activity, a duration of activity, a distance of activity, a number of steps, an elevation change, a pace, a maximum speed, and a number of calories estimated to be used.

13. The device of claim 1, wherein the one or more feedback devices include one or more of:

one or more display devices, one or more lights, and one or more sound-producing devices.

14. The device of claim 1, wherein the one or more feedback devices include one or more vibrating devices.

15. The device of claim 14, wherein the device is configured to enable a user to set, select or modify a vibration pattern or other vibrational characteristic of a vibrating indication of the achieved goal based on user input.

16. The device of claim 14, wherein the one or more processors are configured to cause one or more of the vibrating devices to vibrate as an indication to the user that an activity goal has been achieved by the user without displaying an indication on the display to the user that the activity goal has been achieved without additional user input from the user

17. The device of claim 1, wherein the one or more processors are further configured to cause one or more of the feedback devices to provide an indication to the user of the attainment of one or more default or user-defined progress points en route to the achievement of one or more activity goals based on one or more of the activity metrics.

18. The device of claim 1, wherein the one or more processors are further configured to cause one or more of the feedback devices to provide an indication to the user of a reminder, an appointment, of the receipt of a message, of a device condition, or of a health condition.

19. The device of claim 1, wherein the one or more processors are further configured to cause one or more of the feedback devices to provide an indication to the user of an alarm.

20. The device of claim 19, wherein:

the one or more feedback devices include one or more vibrating devices; and

the device is configured to enable a user to set or select a vibration pattern or other vibrational characteristic of the alarm based on user input.

21. The device of claim 19, wherein the one or more processors are configured to automatically exit an annotated sleep-tracking state or a sleep-tracking mode based on the alarm.

22. The device of claim 21, wherein the one or more processors are configured to automatically exit the annotated sleep-tracking state or sleep-tracking mode in response to turning off the alarm.

23. The device of claim 18, wherein:

the device is configured to enable a user to set or select a window of time during which the processors cause one or more of the feedback devices to provide an indication of an alarm; and

the one or more processors are configured to determine an appropriate or optimal time within the time window to cause the feedback devices to indicate the alarm based on one or more sleep metrics or based on a sleep stage as determined based on one or more sleep metrics.

24. The device of claim 1, wherein the one or more processors are configured to store one or more achieved goals in the memory.

25. The device of claim 1, wherein the device further includes transmitting and receiving circuitry for transmitting goal achievement data to a remote computing system that can track and store achieved goals.

26. The device of claim 1, wherein the one or more processors are configured to restart or reinitialize one or more of the goals after the goal is reached.

27. The device of claim 1, wherein the one or more processors are configured to restart or reinitialize one or more of the goals on a periodic basis.

28. The device of claim 27, wherein the periodic basis is a daily basis.

29. The device of claim 1, wherein the housing includes a wrist- or arm-band, is configured for physical attachment to or coupling with a wrist- or arm-band, or is configured to be inserted into a wrist- or arm-band.

8. (canceled)

9. (canceled)

10. (canceled)

30. (canceled)