Systems and methods for transitioning between pedometer modes

• US 9,261,381 B2
• Filed: 06/03/2014
• Issued: 02/16/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 09/02/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: Rottler, Benjamin A., Fino, Jorge S., Davydov, Anton M., Ramachandran, Prashanth, Haughay, Allen P. Jr., Wood, Policarpo B.
• Primary Examiner(s): Lau, Tung S
• Application Number:
  US14/294,824
• Publication Number:
  US 20140278230A1
• Time in Patent Office: 623 Days
• Field of Search: 702/160
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 22/006 Pedometers
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 15/00 Digital computers in general details G06F1/00 – G06F13/00; Data processing equipment in general

Abstract

Systems and methods are provided that allow steps to be counted in multiple pedometer modes. For example, a pedometer application on an electronic device can count steps in an ambient mode of operation and a session mode of operation. By maintaining separate counters for each pedometer mode and continuously monitoring the desired mode of operation, the pedometer application can accurately count the number of steps during a certain time period. In response to detecting a change in the desired mode, the pedometer application can seamlessly switch to the corresponding mode counter. In some embodiments, the pedometer application can display graphical representations of historical step information for one or more pedometer modes.

Claims

1. An electronic device for seamlessly switching between multiple exercise modes, the electronic device comprising:

a sensor component that detects discrete elements of an exercise goal of a current user of the electronic device; and

circuitry that;

counts discrete elements of the exercise goal detected by the sensor component in a first exercise mode of the electronic device by incrementing a first counter but not a second counter for each discrete element of the exercise goal counted when the electronic device is in the first exercise mode;

when the electronic device is in the first exercise mode, detects a first mode switch event to start a second exercise mode of the electronic device;

switches to counting discrete elements of the exercise goal detected by the sensor component in the second exercise mode in response to detecting the first mode switch event by incrementing the second counter for each discrete element of the exercise goal counted when the electronic device is in the second exercise mode, wherein the second counter is separate from the first counter;

when the electronic device is in the second exercise mode, detects a second mode switch event to end the second exercise mode; and

switches back to counting discrete elements of the exercise goal detected by the sensor component in the first exercise mode in response to detecting the second mode switch event, wherein at least one of the following is true;

the circuitry detects the first mode switch event by detecting a particular increase in the frequency of discrete elements of the exercise goal detected by the sensor component;

the circuitry detects the first mode switch event by detecting a new current user of the electronic device;

the circuitry detects the second mode switch event by determining that the electronic device is operating below a predefined power threshold; and

the circuitry detects the second mode switch event when a period of time has elapsed since the second counter was last incremented.

2. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein the circuitry pauses the counting of discrete elements of the exercise goal in the first exercise mode when the circuitry switches to the counting of discrete elements of the exercise goal in the second exercise mode.

3. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein the circuitry stops the counting of discrete elements of the exercise goal in the second exercise mode when the circuitry switches back to the counting of discrete elements of the exercise goal in the first exercise mode.

4. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein the circuitry detects the second mode switch event by determining that the electronic device is operating below a predefined power threshold.

5. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein the first exercise mode is an ambient mode for counting discrete elements of the exercise goal within an ambient period, wherein the counting of discrete elements of the exercise goal in the first exercise mode automatically restarts at the end of the ambient period.

6. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein the second exercise mode is a session mode for counting discrete elements of the exercise goal for a particular session.

7. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein the circuitry detects the second mode switch event when a period of time has elapsed since the second counter was last incremented.

8. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein the circuitry detects the first mode switch event by detecting a particular increase in the frequency of discrete elements of the exercise goal detected by the sensor component.

9. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein the circuitry continues the counting of discrete elements of the exercise goal in the first exercise mode when switching to the counting of discrete elements of the exercise goal in the second exercise mode.

10. The electronic device of claim 5, wherein the ambient period is a pre-determined amount of time.

11. Non-transitory machine-readable media for switching between a first exercise mode of an electronic device and a second exercise mode of the electronic device, the non-transitory machine-readable media comprising machine-readable instructions recorded thereon for:

counting discrete elements of an exercise goal when the electronic device is in the first exercise mode by incrementing a first counter but not a second counter for each discrete element counted in the first exercise mode;

detecting a first mode switch event at the electronic device when the electronic device is in the first exercise mode;

switching to counting discrete elements of the exercise goal in the second exercise mode of the electronic device in response to detecting the first mode switch event by incrementing the second counter for each discrete element counted in the second exercise mode, wherein the second counter is different than the first counter;

detecting a second mode switch event at the electronic device when the electronic device is in the second exercise mode; and

switching back to counting discrete elements of the exercise goal in the first exercise mode of the electronic device in response to detecting the second mode switch event, wherein at least one of the following is true;

the detecting the first mode switch event comprises detecting at the electronic device a particular increase in the frequency of discrete elements of the exercise goal counted;

the detecting the first mode switch event comprises detecting at the electronic device a new current user of the electronic device;

the detecting the second mode switch event comprises determining at the electronic device that the electronic device is operating below a predefined power threshold; and

the detecting the second mode switch event comprises detecting at the electronic device that a particular period of time has elapsed since the second counter was last incremented.

12. A method for seamlessly switching between a first exercise mode of an electronic device and a second exercise mode of the electronic device, the method comprising:

counting discrete elements of an exercise goal using the electronic device in the first exercise mode, wherein the counting of discrete elements of the exercise goal in the first exercise mode comprises incrementing a first counter but not a second counter for each discrete element of the exercise goal counted in the first exercise mode;

when in the first exercise mode, detecting a first mode switch event using the electronic device to start the second exercise mode;

in response to detecting the first mode switch event, switching to counting discrete elements of the exercise goal using the electronic device in the second exercise mode, wherein the counting of discrete elements of the exercise goal in the second exercise mode comprises incrementing the second counter for each discrete element of the exercise goal counted in the second exercise mode, wherein the second counter is separate from the first counter;

when in the second exercise mode, detecting a second mode switch event using the electronic device to end the second exercise mode; and

in response to detecting the second mode switch event, switching back to counting discrete elements of the exercise goal using the electronic device in the first exercise mode, wherein at least one of the following is true;

the detecting the first mode switch event comprises detecting using the electronic device a particular increase in the frequency of discrete elements of the exercise goal counted;

the detecting the first mode switch event comprises detecting using the electronic device a new current user of the electronic device;

the detecting the second mode switch event comprises determining using the electronic device that the electronic device is operating below a predefined power threshold; and

the detecting the second mode switch event comprises detecting using the electronic device that a particular period of time has elapsed since the second counter was last incremented.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the switching to counting discrete elements of the exercise goal in the second exercise mode comprises continuing the counting of discrete elements of the exercise goal in the first exercise mode.

14. The method of claim 12, wherein the switching to counting discrete elements of the exercise goal in the second exercise mode comprises pausing the counting of discrete elements of the exercise goal in the first exercise mode.

15. The method of claim 12, further comprising resetting the first counter at the end of a pre-determined period of time.

16. The method of claim 12, wherein the detecting the first mode switch event comprises detecting using the electronic device a new current user of the electronic device.

17. The method of claim 14, wherein the switching back comprises:

pausing the counting of discrete elements of the exercise goal in the second exercise mode; and

restarting the counting of discrete elements of the exercise goal in the first exercise mode.

18. The method of claim 15, further comprising, before the resetting, storing the value of the first counter at the end of the pre-determined amount of time.

19. The method of claim 15, further comprising, concurrently:

displaying a calendar indicative of a first time period;

highlighting a first region of the calendar indicative of a first duration of the first time period, wherein the first duration is equal to the pre-determined amount of time; and

displaying information related to the value of the first counter at the end of the pre-determined amount of time.

20. The method of claim 17, wherein the switching back further comprises resetting the first counter before the restarting.