Apparatus for detecting and recording activity and associated methods

• US 8,924,249 B2
• Filed: 01/27/2014
• Issued: 12/30/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 09/26/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Fitbit, Inc. (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Fitbit, Inc. (Alphabet Inc.)
• Inventors: Tropper, Seth A., Batour, Amado
• Primary Examiner(s): Niquette, Robert R
• Application Number:
  US14/165,500
• Publication Number:
  US 20140142467A1
• Time in Patent Office: 337 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 705/14.22
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2560/0412 Low-profile patch shaped housings
• 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 5/0004 characterised by the type of physiological signal transmitted
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/1118 Determining activity level
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/1126 using a particular sensing technique
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/14539 for measuring pH
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/486 Bio-feedback A61B5/375 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/681 Wristwatch-type devices
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6828 Leg
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6831 Straps, bands or harnesses
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6896 Toys
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6897 Computer input devices, e.g. mice or keyboards
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6898 Portable consumer electronic devices, e.g. music players, telephones, tablet computers
• 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 5/743 Displaying an image simultaneously with additional graphical information, e.g. symbols, charts, function plots
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 24/0059 Exercising apparatus with reward systems
• 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 43/004 electrically conductive, e.g. for automatic arbitration
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 71/06 Indicating or scoring devices for games or players , or for other sports activities
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 71/0622 : Visual, audio or audio-visual systems for entertaining, instructing or motivating the user
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/212 : using sensors worn by the player, e.g. for measuring heart beat or leg activity
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/50 : Controlling the output signals based on the game progress
• CPC Class Codes: A63H 33/26 : Magnetic or electric toys electric drives A63H29/22 ; indoor games played with small balls using magnetic power A63F7/0088, A63F7/068
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 : Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0207 : Discounts or incentives, e.g. coupons or rebates
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0217 : involving input on products or services in exchange for incentives or rewards
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0264 : based upon schedule
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3244 : Payment aspects of a gaming system, e.g. payment schemes, setting payout ratio, bonus or consolation prizes
• CPC Class Codes: G09F 3/005 : Identification bracelets, e.g. secured to the arm of a person
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 10/20 : for electronic clinical trials or questionnaires
• 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 50/30 : for calculating health indices; for individual health risk assessment

Abstract

A band formed to secure to a part of a human body. The band including a motion detection component. The motion detection component including circuitry for detecting and recording movement of the motion detection component. The motion detection component including a display defined to provide a visual indication of an amount of movement recorded by the circuitry. The circuitry including an electrical contact for electrical communication of signals associated with the detected and recorded movement of the motion detection component.

Claims

1. An apparatus, comprising:

a motion detection component including circuitry for detecting and recording movement of the motion detection component;

a display defined to provide a visual indication of an amount of movement recorded by the circuitry;

an electrical contact for communication of signals associated with the detected and recorded movement of the motion detection component, the electrical contact defined to communicate signals to a secondary device, the signals associated with one or more of the detected and recorded movement of the motion detection component and a status of the apparatus, the electrical contact defined to be enclosed by a cover, the electrical contact positioned at an end of the apparatus; and

a band formed to secure to a part of a human body, the band including the motion detection component, the display, and the electrical contact, the band comprising a flexible material, the band defined such that the band is in a form of a coil in a relaxed state, the band defined such that the band is deformable upon application of a force to the band to enable positioning of the band around the part of the human body, the band defined such that upon removal of the force the band returns to the relaxed state to secure to the of the human body, wherein said circuitry is housed in the band.

2. An apparatus as recited in claim 1, wherein the circuitry is defined to direct the display to visually indicate an amount of points based on the amount of movement recorded by the circuitry.

3. An apparatus as recited in claim 1, wherein the display is defined to show an alphanumeric message, wherein the alphanumeric message indicates the amount of movement recorded by the circuitry.

4. An apparatus as recited in claim 1, further comprising:

a second electrical contact defined to communicate signals associated with the detected and recorded movement of the motion detection component from the motion detection component to other circuitry located within the band.

5. An apparatus as recited in claim 1, wherein the display is a plurality of light emitting diodes.

6. An apparatus as recited in claim 1, wherein the electrical contact is configured to communicate via a USB (universal serial bus) connection to the secondary device to transmit data associated with the detected and recorded movement to one or more of a website and a computer executable application for examining and viewing of the movement which represents physical activity by a user who wears the apparatus.

7. An apparatus as recited in claim 1, wherein the secondary device is one or more of a game, a toy, a game controller, a computer interface device, a cell phone, a mobile data communication device, a microprocessor, and a computer.

8. An apparatus as recited in claim 1, wherein the motion detection component is removable from the band.

9. An apparatus, comprising:

a motion detection component including circuitry for detecting and recording movement of the motion detection component;

a display defined to provide a visual indication of an amount of movement recorded by the circuitry;

a transmitter connected in electrical communication with the circuitry within the motion detection component, the transmitter configured to communicate recorded movement data to a secondary device;

a band formed to secure to a part of a human body, the band including the motion detection component, the display, and the transmitter, the band comprising a flexible material, the band defined such that the band is in a form of a coil in a relaxed state, the band defined such that the band is deformable upon application of a force to the band to enable positioning of the band around the part of the human body, the band defined such that upon removal of the force the band returns to the relaxed state to secure to the part of the human body, wherein said circuitry is housed in the band; and

a cover defined to attach to the band and detach from the band.

10. An apparatus as recited in claim 9, wherein the secondary device is a computer.

11. An apparatus as recited in claim 9, wherein the transmitter is configured to generate and transmit radio frequency signals in accordance with a communication protocol to communicate recorded movement data to the secondary device.

12. An apparatus as recited in claim 9, wherein the secondary device is one or more of a game, a toy, a game controller, a computer interface device, a cell phone, a mobile data communication device, a microprocessor, and a computer.

13. An apparatus, comprising:

a motion detection component including circuitry for detecting movement of the apparatus;

a movement threshold detection circuit defined to inject electrical charge into a capacitor in accordance with movement of the apparatus, the movement threshold detection circuit defined to transmit a triggering signal to power on the circuitry of the motion detection component when electrical charge in the capacitor reaches a preset threshold voltage level;

activity discernment logic defined to determine and record an amount of activity associated with the movement of the apparatus as detected by the motion detection component;

a notification component defined to signal when an amount of recorded activity has exceeded a predetermined amount of activity;

a band formed to secure to a part of a human body, the band including the motion detection component, the movement threshold detection circuit, the activity discernment logic, and the notification component.

14. An apparatus as recited in claim 13, wherein the notification component is defined to display an alphanumeric message indicating the amount of recorded activity.

15. An apparatus as recited in claim 13, wherein the activity discernment logic is defined to translate the amount of recorded activity into an amount of points, and wherein the notification component is defined to display the amount of points.

16. An apparatus as recited in claim 13, wherein the activity discernment logic is defined to determine a type of physical activity associated with the recorded activity and record an amount of the type of physical activity.

17. An apparatus as recited in claim 16, wherein the notification component is defined to indicate the recorded amount of the type of physical activity.

18. An apparatus as recited in claim 16, wherein the activity discernment logic is defined to determine multiple types of physical activity and separately record an amount of each of the multiple types of physical activity associated with the recorded activity.

19. An apparatus as recited in claim 18, wherein the notification component is defined to separately indicate the recorded amount of each of the multiple types of physical activity.

20. A system, comprising:

a band defined to be worn by a person, the band comprising a flexible material, the band defined such that the band is in a form of a coil in a relaxed state, the band defined such that the band is deformable upon application of a force to the band to enable positioning of the band around a part of the person, the band defined such that upon removal of the force the band returns to the relaxed state to secure to the part of the person; and

a physical activity tracking device positioned within the band, the physical activity tracking device including a motion detection component having circuitry for detecting and recording movement of the physical activity tracking device,

the physical activity tracking device including a notification component defined to indicate an amount of recorded movement of the physical activity tracking device, and

the physical activity tracking device including communication circuitry for communicating data associated with the amount of recorded movement of the physical activity tracking device to a secondary electronic device.

21. A system as recited in claim 20, wherein the physical activity tracking device includes an electrical contact for connecting the physical activity tracking device to the secondary electronic device.

22. A system as recited in claim 21, further comprising:

a coupling device defined to electrically connect the electrical contact to the secondary electronic device.

23. A system as recited in claim 22, wherein the coupling device is defined to connect to a Universal Serial Bus (USB) connector of the secondary electronic device.

24. A system as recited in claim 21, wherein the electrical contact is defined to electrically connect the communication circuitry to the secondary electronic device.

25. A system as recited in claim 20, wherein the physical activity tracking device includes a transmitter connected in electrical communication with the communication circuitry, the transmitter configured to wirelessly communicate data associated with the amount of recorded movement of the physical activity tracking device to the secondary electronic device.

26. A system as recited in claim 25, wherein the transmitter is configured to generate and transmit radio frequency signals in accordance with a communication protocol.

27. A system as recited in claim 20, wherein the secondary device is a computer.

28. A system as recited in claim 20, wherein the secondary device is one or more of a game, a toy, a game controller, a computer interface device, a cell phone, a mobile data communication device, a microprocessor, and a computer.

29. A system as recited in claim 20, wherein the physical activity tracking device is removable from the band.

30. A system as recited in claim 20, wherein the physical activity tracking device includes a computer processor and a computer memory, the computer memory having stored therein program instructions for a game defined to monitor physical activity of the person and provide feedback information to the person through the notification component based on the monitored physical activity of the person, the computer processor defined to execute the program instructions.