Method for controlling a pedometer based on the use of inertial sensors and pedometer implementing the method
First Claim
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1. A method for controlling a pedometer, the method comprising:
- generating a signal correlated to movements of a user of the pedometer;
detecting steps of the user based on said signal;
checking whether sequences of the detected steps indicate whether the sequences of the detected steps correspond to a regular gait of the user;
updating a total number of valid steps if said sequences correspond to the regular gait of the user;
preventing updating of said total number of valid steps if said sequences do not correspond to the regular gait of the user; and
partially deactivating the pedometer if said detecting steps of the user based on said signal fails for a period longer than a time threshold.
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Abstract
A method for controlling a pedometer includes the steps of: generating a signal correlated to movements of a user of the pedometer; and detecting steps of the user on the basis of the signal. The method moreover envisages the steps of checking whether sequences of detected steps satisfy pre-determined conditions of regularity; updating a total number of valid steps if the conditions of regularity are satisfied; and preventing the updating of the total number of valid steps if the conditions of regularity are not satisfied.
11 Citations
26 Claims
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1. A method for controlling a pedometer, the method comprising:
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generating a signal correlated to movements of a user of the pedometer; detecting steps of the user based on said signal; checking whether sequences of the detected steps indicate whether the sequences of the detected steps correspond to a regular gait of the user; updating a total number of valid steps if said sequences correspond to the regular gait of the user; preventing updating of said total number of valid steps if said sequences do not correspond to the regular gait of the user; and partially deactivating the pedometer if said detecting steps of the user based on said signal fails for a period longer than a time threshold. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4)
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5. A method for controlling a pedometer, the method comprising:
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generating a signal correlated to movements of a user of the pedometer; detecting steps of the user based on said signal; checking whether sequences of the detected steps indicate whether the sequences of the detected steps correspond to a regular gait of the user; updating a total number of valid steps if said sequences correspond to the regular gait of the user; and preventing updating of said total number of valid steps if said sequences do not correspond to the regular gait of the user, wherein checking whether sequences of the detected steps indicate whether the sequences of the detected steps correspond to a regular gait of the user includes; executing a first validation test of a current detected step; incrementing a number of valid control steps if based on said first validation test said current detected step is validated; and incrementing a number of invalid steps and decrementing said number of valid control steps if based on said first validation test said current detected step is not validated. - View Dependent Claims (6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
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14. A pedometer, comprising:
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an inertial sensor structured to generate a signal correlated to movements of a user of the pedometer; and a control unit coupled to said inertial sensor, said control unit including; detecting means for detecting steps of the user based on said signal; checking means for checking whether sequences of the detected steps indicate whether the sequences of the detected steps correspond to a regular gait of the user; updating means for updating a total number of valid steps if said sequences correspond to the regular gait of the user; and preventing means for preventing updating of said total number of valid steps if said sequences do not correspond to the regular gait of the user.
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15. A pedometer, comprising:
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an inertial sensor structured to generate a signal correlated to movements of a user of the pedometer; and a control unit coupled to said inertial sensor, said control unit including; detecting means for detecting steps of the user based on said signal; checking means for checking whether sequences of the detected steps indicate whether the sequences of the detected steps correspond to a regular gait of the user; updating means for updating a total number of valid steps if said sequences correspond to the regular gait of the user; and preventing means for preventing updating of said total number of valid steps if said sequences do not correspond to the regular gait of the user, wherein said checking means includes; means for executing a first validation test of a current detected step by evaluating whether a duration of said current detected step is homogeneous with respect to a duration of an immediately preceding detected step; first incrementing means for incrementing a number of valid control steps if based on said first validation test said current detected step is validated; and second incrementing means for incrementing a number of invalid steps if based on said first validation test said current detected step is not validated. - View Dependent Claims (16)
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17. A pedometer, comprising:
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an inertial sensor structured to generate a signal correlated to movements of a user of the pedometer; and a control unit coupled to said inertial sensor, said control unit including; detecting means for detecting steps of the user based on said signal; checking means for checking whether sequences of the detected steps indicate whether the sequences of the detected steps correspond to a regular gait of the user; updating means for updating a total number of valid steps if said sequences correspond to the regular gait of the user; and preventing means for preventing updating of said total number of valid steps if said sequences do not correspond to the regular gait of the user, wherein said checking means include means for executing a first validation test of a current detected step by comparing a first number of invalid steps with a first threshold number and comparing a number of valid control steps with a second threshold number. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19)
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20. A portable electronic device, comprising:
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a user interface that enables communication with a user; an inertial sensor structured to generate a signal correlated to movements of the user; and a control unit coupled to said inertial sensor, said control unit including; detecting means for detecting steps of the user based on said signal; checking means for checking whether sequences of the detected steps indicate whether the sequences of the detected steps correspond to a regular gait of the user; updating means for updating a total number of valid steps if said sequences correspond to the regular gait of the user; and preventing means for preventing updating of said total number of valid steps if said sequences do not correspond to the regular gait of the user. - View Dependent Claims (21)
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22. A portable electronic device, comprising:
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a user interface that enables communication with a user; an inertial sensor structured to generate a signal correlated to movements of the user; and a control unit coupled to said inertial sensor, said control unit including; detecting means for detecting steps of the user based on said signal; checking means for checking whether sequences of the detected steps indicate whether the sequences of the detected steps correspond to a regular gait of the user; updating means for updating a total number of valid steps if said sequences correspond to the regular gait of the user; and preventing means for preventing updating of said total number of valid steps if said sequences do not correspond to the regular gait of the user, wherein said checking means includes; means for executing a first validation test of a current detected step by evaluating whether a duration of said current detected step is homogeneous with respect to a duration of an immediately preceding detected step; first incrementing means for incrementing a number of valid control steps if based on said first validation test said current detected step is validated; and second incrementing means for incrementing a number of invalid steps if based on said first validation test said current detected step is not validated. - View Dependent Claims (23)
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24. A portable electronic device, comprising:
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a user interface that enables communication with a user; an inertial sensor structured to generate a signal correlated to movements of the user; and a control unit coupled to said inertial sensor, said control unit including; detecting means for detecting steps of the user based on said signal; checking means for checking whether sequences of the detected steps indicate whether the sequences of the detected steps correspond to a regular gait of the user; updating means for updating a total number of valid steps if said sequences correspond to the regular gait of the user; and preventing means for preventing updating of said total number of valid steps if said sequences do not correspond to the regular gait of the user, wherein said checking means include means for executing a first validation test of a current detected step by comparing a first number of invalid steps with a first threshold number and comparing a number of valid control steps with a second threshold number. - View Dependent Claims (25, 26)
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Specification