# US 2014/0156043 A1 · Versatile sensors with data fusion functionality > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2014/0156043 A1 - Document ID: US20140156043A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 14/184,042 - Filed: 2014-02-19 - Published: 2014-06-05 - Earliest claimed: 2012-11-30 - Assignees: FitLinxx, Inc. - Applicants: FitLinxx, Inc. - Inventors: Thomas P. Blackadar; David P. Monahan - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20140156043A1 ## CPC - A61B 5/1123: {Discriminating type of movement, e.g. walking or running (A61B5/1116, A61B5/112 take precedence)} - A61B 5/0024: {for multiple sensor units attached to the patient, e.g. using a body or personal area network} - A61B 5/0205: Simultaneously evaluating both cardiovascular conditions and different types of body conditions, e.g. heart and respiratory condition - A61B 5/1118: {Determining activity level} - A61B 5/14532: {for measuring glucose, e.g. by tissue impedance measurement} - A61B 5/14551: {for measuring blood gases} - A61B 5/6823: {Trunk, e.g., chest, back, abdomen, hip} - A61B 5/6824: {Arm or wrist} - A61B 5/6828: {Leg} - A61B 5/6829: {Foot or ankle} - A61B 5/7264: {Classification of physiological signals or data, e.g. using neural networks, statistical classifiers, expert systems or fuzzy systems} - G16H 20/30: relating to physical therapies or activities, e.g. physiotherapy, acupressure or exercising - G16H 40/67: for remote operation - A61B 5/7239: {using differentiation including higher order derivatives} - A61B 5/742: {using visual displays (displays for heart-related electrical signals, e.g. ECG, A61B5/339)} - A61B 2560/0209: adapted for power saving - A61B 2562/0219: Inertial sensors, e.g. accelerometers, gyroscopes, tilt switches - G01C 22/006: {Pedometers} - A61B: DIAGNOSIS; SURGERY; IDENTIFICATION (usefulness limited to only animals A61D) - G16H: HEALTHCARE INFORMATICS, i.e. INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY [ICT] SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR THE HANDLING OR PROCESSING OF MEDICAL OR HEALTHCARE DATA - G01C: MEASURING DISTANCES, LEVELS OR BEARINGS; SURVEYING; NAVIGATION; GYROSCOPIC INSTRUMENTS; PHOTOGRAMMETRY OR VIDEOGRAMMETRY (measuring liquid level G01F; radio navigation, determining distance or velocity by use of propagation effects, e.g. Doppler effects, propagation time, of radio waves, analogous arrangements using other waves G01S) ## Abstract Apparatuses and methods are disclosed for identifying with a single, small, intelligent activity monitor a particular type of activity from among a plurality of different activities. The monitor may include a multi-axis accelerometer and microcontroller configured to combine and process accelerometer data so as to generate features representative of an activity. The features may be processed to identify a particular activity (e.g., running, biking, swimming) from among a plurality of different activities that may include activities not performed by a human subject. An intelligent activity monitor may be configured to operate as a versatile sensor, or to operate in combination with a versatile sensor, to further receive and process physiological data and compute a fitness metric for a subject. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A fitness sensing system configured to be supported by a subject, the fitness sensing system comprising: an intelligent activity monitor comprising an accelerometer; a heart-rate sensor; and a processor in communication with the accelerometer and heart-rate sensor, wherein the processor is configured to process data received from the accelerometer and heart-rate sensor to compute a fitness metric Fm value that comprises a ratio of a pace P of an activity performed by the subject and a heart-rate H of the subject performing the activity. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The fitness sensing system of claim 1, further comprising a blood oxygenation sensor, wherein Fm further comprises a blood oxygenation level O of the subject performing the activity. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The fitness sensing system of claim 1, further comprising a respiratory sensor, wherein Fm further comprises a respiratory rate R of the subject performing the activity. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The fitness sensing system of claim 1, further comprising: a respiratory sensor; and a blood oxygenation sensor, wherein Fm is equivalent to the following expression: β   P R × O × H where R represents a respiratory rate of the subject performing the activity, O represents a blood oxygenation level of the subject performing the activity, and β is a proportionality constant. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The fitness sensing system of claim 4, wherein the blood oxygenation sensor comprises at least one light emitter. ### Claim 6 (depends on 4) The fitness sensing system of claim 4, wherein the respiratory sensor comprises at least one acoustic sensor. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The fitness sensing system of claim 1, further comprising a blood pressure sensor, wherein Fm further comprises a blood pressure of the subject performing the activity. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The fitness sensing system of claim 1, wherein Fm further comprises a body mass index. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The fitness sensing system of claim 1, wherein the processor is further configured to calculate a metabolic rate or caloric burn rate of the subject performing the activity and Fm further comprises the metabolic rate and/or caloric burn rate. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The fitness sensing system of claim 1, wherein P represents an equivalent pace calculated from a different activity using metabolic equivalents. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The fitness sensing system of claim 1, wherein the fitness metric is representative of a VO2 max value. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) The fitness sensing system of claim 1, wherein the fitness metric is representative of a standardized health index value. ### Claim 13 (depends on 1) The fitness sensing system of claim 1, wherein the fitness sensing system is disposed in a single wearable band. ### Claim 14 (depends on 1) The fitness sensing system of claim 1, further comprising a display configured to indicate a progress toward activity goals. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The fitness sensing system of claim 14, wherein the display comprises a plurality of light emitters arranged in a circle. ### Claim 16 A method of operating a fitness sensing system configured to be supported by a subject, the method comprising: receiving, by a processor, acceleration data from an accelerometer of the fitness sensing system; receiving, by the processor, heart-rate data from a heart-rate sensor of the fitness sensing system; computing a fitness metric Fm value that comprises a ratio of a pace P of an activity performed by the subject and a heart-rate H of the subject performing the activity. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) The method of claim 16, further comprising receiving, by the processor, blood oxygenation data from a blood oxygenation sensor, wherein Fm further comprises a blood oxygenation level O of the subject performing the activity. ### Claim 18 (depends on 16) The method of claim 16, further comprising receiving, by the processor, respiratory data from a respiratory sensor, wherein Fm further comprises a respiratory rate R of the subject performing the activity. ### Claim 19 (depends on 16) The method of claim 16, further comprising: receiving, by the processor, respiratory data from a respiratory sensor; and receiving, by the processor, blood oxygenation data from a blood oxygenation sensor, wherein Fm is equivalent to the following expression: β   P R × O × H where R represents a respiratory rate of the subject performing the activity, O represents a blood oxygenation level of the subject performing the activity, and β is a proportionality constant. ### Claim 20 (depends on 16) The method of claim 16, further comprising receiving, by the processor, blood pressure data from a blood pressure sensor, wherein Fm further comprises a blood pressure of the subject performing the activity. ### Claim 21 (depends on 16) The method of claim 16, wherein computing Fm is further based on a body mass index for the subject. ### Claim 22 (depends on 16) The method of claim 16, further comprising: calculating a metabolic rate or caloric burn rate of the subject performing the activity; and computing Fm is further based on the metabolic rate and/or caloric burn rate. ### Claim 23 (depends on 16) The method of claim 16, further comprising computing an equivalent pace for P from a different activity using metabolic equivalents. ### Claim 24 (depends on 16) The method of claim 16, further comprising computing the fitness metric to be representative of a VO2 max value. ### Claim 25 (depends on 16) The method of claim 16, further comprising computing the fitness metric to be representative of a standardized health index value. ### Claim 26 (depends on 16) The method of claim 16, further comprising indicating a stage of a disease based upon the fitness metric. ### Claim 27 (depends on 16) The method of claim 16, further comprising indicating a progress towards a vigorous activity goal recommended by the Center for Disease Control.