STEP COUNTER DEVICES AND STEP COUNTING METHODS

• US 20170343378A1
• Filed: 11/27/2014
• Published: 11/30/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 11/27/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Razer (Asia-Pacific) Pte. Ltd. (Razer Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Razer (Asia-Pacific) Pte. Ltd. (Razer Incorporated)
• Inventors: Lee, Kah Yong, Wang, Qiang, Liu, Xiaohui
• Granted Patent: US 10,598,510 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/1112 Global tracking of patients, e.g. by using GPS
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/112 Gait analysis
• 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 21/16 by integrating acceleration or speed, i.e. inertial navigation
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 22/006 Pedometers
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 40/63 for local operation

Abstract

According to various embodiments, a step counter device may be provided. The step counter device may include an accelerometer configured to determine an acceleration in each axis of a plurality of axes; a dominant axis determination circuit configured to determine one axis of the plurality of axis as a dominant axis based on determining, for each axis of the plurality of axis, a plurality of criteria for the respective axis; a step number determination circuit configured to determine a number of steps based on determining the plurality of criteria for the dominant axis; wherein the criteria for a respective axis may include a criterion indicating whether a frequency of acceleration in the respective axis is within a first pre-determined range, a criterion indicating whether a variation in the frequency of acceleration in the respective axis between various cycles is within a second pre-determined range; a criterion indicating whether a variation in the amplitude of acceleration in the respective axis between various cycles is within a third pre-determined range; and a criterion indicating whether the acceleration in the respective axis is higher than a pre-determined threshold.

Claims

1. A step counter device comprising:

an accelerometer configured to determine an acceleration in each axis of a plurality of axes;

a dominant axis determination circuit configured to determine one axis of the plurality of axes as a dominant axis based on determining, for each axis of the plurality of axes, a plurality of criteria for the respective axis;

a step number determination circuit configured to determine a number of steps based on determining the plurality of criteria for the dominant axis;

wherein the plurality of criteria for the respective axis comprise a criterion indicating whether a frequency of the acceleration in the respective axis is within a first pre-determined range, a criterion indicating whether a variation in the frequency of the acceleration in the respective axis between various cycles is within a second pre-determined range;

a criterion indicating whether a variation in an amplitude of the acceleration in the respective axis between the various cycles is within a third pre-determined range; and

a criterion indicating whether the acceleration in the respective axis is higher than a pre-determined threshold.

2. The step counter device of claim 1, further comprising at least one of:

a frequency determination circuit configured to determine for the respective axis the criterion indicating whether the frequency of the acceleration in the respective axis is within the first pre-determined range,

a frequency variation determination circuit configured to determine for the respective axis the criterion indicating whether the variation in the frequency of the acceleration in the respective axis between the various cycles is within the second pre-determined range,

an amplitude variation determination circuit configured to determine for the respective axis the criterion indicating whether the variation in the amplitude of the acceleration in the respective axis between the various cycles is within the third pre-determined range, or

an amplitude determination circuit configured to determine for the respective axis the criterion indicating whether the acceleration in the respective axis is higher than the pre-determined threshold.

6. The step counter device of claim 1,

wherein the first pre-determined range comprises at least one of:

a range of 0.2 Hz to 20 Hz;

a range of 0.5 Hz to 5 Hz; and

a range of 1 Hz to 4 Hz.

7. The step counter device of claim 1,

wherein the second pre-determined range comprises at least one of:

a range of 20% to 80%;

a range of 40% to 60%;

a value of at least substantially 40%;

a value of at least substantially 50%; and

a value of at least substantially 60%.

8. The step counter device of claim 1,

wherein the third pre-determined range comprises at least one of:

a range of 20% to 80%;

a range of 40% to 60%;

a value of at least substantially 40%;

a value of at least substantially 50%; and

a value of at least substantially 60%.

9. The step counter device of claim 1,

wherein the pre-determined threshold is one of 0.01 g, or 0.1 g, or 0.5 g.

10. The step counter device of claim 1,

wherein the dominant axis determination circuit is further configured to determine the dominant axis based on determining, for each axis of the plurality of axes, a criterion indicating whether the acceleration in the respective axis includes at least a pre-determined number of cycles.

11. The step counter device of claim 1, further comprising at least one of:

a cycle determination circuit configured to determine a cycle of acceleration in any one of the plurality of axes, or

a step mode determination circuit configured to determine a step mode based on the accelerations determined by the accelerometer.

13. The step counter device of claim 1, further comprising:

a middle point determination circuit configured to determine a middle point in the accelerations determined by the accelerometer.

14. The step counter device of claim 13, further comprising:

a step mode determination circuit configured to determine a step mode based on the determined middle point.

15. The step counter device of claim 1,

wherein the step counter device is provided in a wearable device.

3. (canceled)

4. (canceled)

5. (canceled)

12. (canceled)

16. A step counting method comprising:

determining an acceleration in each axis of a plurality of axes;

determining one axis of the plurality of axes as a dominant axis based on determining, for each axis of the plurality of axes, a plurality of criteria for the respective axis;

determining a number of steps based on determining the plurality of criteria for the dominant axis;

wherein the criteria for a respective axis comprise a criterion indicating whether a frequency of the acceleration in the respective axis is within a first pre-determined range, a criterion indicating whether a variation in the frequency of the acceleration in the respective axis between various cycles is within a second pre-determined range;

a criterion indicating whether a variation in an amplitude of the acceleration in the respective axis between the various cycles is within a third pre-determined range; and

a criterion indicating whether the acceleration in the respective axis is higher than a pre-determined threshold.

17. The step counting method of claim 16, further comprising at least one of:

determining for the respective axis the criterion indicating whether the frequency of the acceleration in the respective axis is within the first pre-determined range,

determining for the respective axis the criterion indicating whether the variation in the frequency of the acceleration in the respective axis between the various cycles is within the second pre-determined range,

determining for the respective axis the criterion indicating whether the variation in the amplitude of the acceleration in the respective axis between the various cycles is within a pre-determined range, or

determining for the respective axis the criterion indicating whether the acceleration in the respective axis is higher than the pre-determined threshold.

21. The step counting method of claim 16,

wherein the first pre-determined range comprises at least one of:

a range of 0.2 Hz to 20 Hz;

a range of 0.5 Hz to 5 Hz; and

a range of 1 Hz to 4 Hz.

22. The step counting method of claim 16,

wherein the second pre-determined range comprises at least one of:

a range of 20% to 80%;

a range of 40% to 60%;

a value of at least substantially 40%;

a value of at least substantially 50%; and

a value of at least substantially 60%.

23. The step counting method of claim 16,

wherein the third pre-determined range comprises at least one of:

a range of 20% to 80%;

a range of 40% to 60%;

a value of at least substantially 40%;

a value of at least substantially 50%; and

a value of at least substantially 60%.

24. The step counting method of claim 16,

wherein the pre-determined threshold is one of 0.01 g, or 0.1 g, or 0.5 g.

25. The step counting method of claim 16, further comprising at least one of:

determining the dominant axis based on determining, for each axis of the plurality of axes, a criterion indicating whether the acceleration in the respective axis includes at least a pre-determined number of cycles,

determining a cycle of acceleration in any one of the plurality of axes, or

determining a step mode based on the determined accelerations.

28. The step counting method of claim 16, further comprising:

determining a middle point in the determined accelerations.

29. The step counting method of claim 28, further comprising:

determining a step mode based on the determined middle point.

18. (canceled)

19. (canceled)

20. (canceled)

26. (canceled)

27. (canceled)

30. (canceled)