US 7,057,551 B1 · Electronic exercise monitor and method using a location determining component and a pedometer

Abstract

An electronic device (10) comprising a location determining component (12), such as a global positioning system (“GPS”) device, a pedometer (14), and a computing device (16) is operable to determine a distance traveled by a user. The pedometer (14) is operable to sense a step taken by the user, and the location determining component (12), when accessible, is operable to determine a distance between two positions and supply such information to the computing device (16) for continuous calculation of an accurate step size of the user. When the location determining component (12) is inaccessible, the computing device (16) determines the distance traveled using the accurate step size information. In additional embodiments, a housing (132) is provided for storing a location determining component (112), a pedometer (114), and a computing device (116), and an accelerometer (242) is provided for also determining the step size of the user. A computing device (216) is then operable to calibrate the step size of the user as determined by the accelerometer (242).

Claims28

Dependent claims

An electronic device for determining a distance traveled by a user comprising:

a pedometer operable to sense a plurality of steps taken by the user;
a location determining component operable to determine a distance between two positions;
a computing device for continuously calculating an accurate step size of the user by selecting two positions, sensing a number of steps taken between the two positions with the pedometer, determining a distance between the selected two positions with the location determining component, and dividing the distance between the two selected positions by the sensed number of steps taken between the two positions, such that the computing device is operable to determine the distance traveled using the accurate step size of the user when the location determining component is inoperable;
and
wherein the computing device is a stand-alone device separate from the location determining component and the pedometer, and wherein the computing device continuously calculates the step size of the user using the distance separation information supplied by the location determining component by
selecting two positions separated by a predetermined value,
sensing a number of steps taken between the two positions with the pedometer,
determining a distance between the selected two positions with the location determining component, and
dividing the distance between the two selected positions by the sensed number of steps taken between the two positions.

6 more elements

An electronic device for determining a distance traveled by a user comprising:

a pedometer operable to sense a step taken by the user;
an accelerometer operable to determine a step size of the user;
a location determining component for determining distance separation information;
a computing device operable to continuously calculate the step size of the user using the distance separation information supplied by the location determining component, such that when the location determining component is operable, the computing device calibrates the step size of the user as determined by the accelerometer, and when the location determining component is inoperable, the step size of the user as determined by the accelerometer and calibrated by the computing device is used to calculate the distance traveled;
and
wherein the computing device is a stand-alone device separate from the location determining component, the pedometer, and the accelerometer, and wherein the computing device continuously calculates the step size of the user using the distance separation information supplied by the location determining component by
selecting two positions separated by a predetermined value,
sensing a number of steps taken between the two positions with the pedometer,
determining a distance between the selected two positions with the location determining component, and
dividing the distance between the two selected positions by the sensed number of steps taken between the two positions.

7 more elements

An electronic device for determining a distance traveled by a user comprising:

a pedometer operable to sense a step taken by the user;
an accelerometer operable to determine a step size of the user;
a location determining component for determining distance separation information;
a computing device operable to continuously calculate the step size of the user using the distance separation information supplied by the location determining component, such that when the location determining component is operable, the computing device calibrates the step size of the user as determined by the accelerometer, and when the location determining component is inoperable, the step size of the user as determined by the accelerometer and calibrated by the computing device is used to calculate the distance traveled;
a portable housing for storing the pedometer, the accelerometer, the location determining component, and the computing device;
and
wherein the computing device continuously calculates the step size of the user using the distance separation information supplied by the location determining component by
selecting two positions separated by a predetermined value,
sensing a number of steps taken between the two positions with the pedometer,
determining a distance between the selected two positions with the location determining component, and
dividing the distance between the two selected positions by the sensed number of steps taken between the two positions.

8 more elements

An electronic device for determining a distance traveled by a user comprising:

a pedometer operable to sense a step taken by the user;
an accelerometer operable to determine a step size of the user;
a location determining component for determining distance separation information;
a computing device operable to continuously calculate the step size of the user using the distance separation information supplied by the location determining component, such that when the location determining component is operable, the computing device calibrates the step size of the user as determined by the accelerometer, and when the location determining component is inoperable, the step size of the user as determined by the accelerometer and calibrated by the computing device is used to calculate the distance traveled;
a temperature sensor for determining a body temperature of the user;
a heart rate monitor operable to determine a heart rate of the user;
and
a portable housing for storing the pedometer, the accelerometer, the location determining component, the computing device, and the heart rate monitor;
and
wherein the computing device continuously calculates the step size of the user using the distance separation information supplied by the location determining component by
selecting two positions separated by a predetermined value,
sensing a number of steps taken between the two positions with the pedometer,
determining a distance between the selected two positions with the location determining component, and
dividing the distance between the two selected positions by the sensed number of steps taken between the two positions.

11 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Electronic exercise monitor and method using a location determining component and a pedometer

Life of this patent

Electronic exercise monitor and method using a location determining component and a pedometer

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims28