USOO7698097B2
`
`(12) United States Patent
`Pasolini et al.
`
`(10) Patent No.:
`
`(45) Date of Patent:
`
`US 7,698,097 B2
`Apr. 13, 2010
`
`(54) METHOD FOR CONTROLLING A
`PEDONIETER BASED ON THE USE OF
`INERTIAL SENSORS AND PEDOMETER
`IMPLEMENTING THE METHOD
`
`(75)
`
`Inventors:
`
`Fabio Pasolini. S. Martino Siccomario
`(1'1'): lvo Binda. Voghera (11‘)
`
`(73) Assignee: STMicroelectronics S.R.L..Agrate
`Brianza (IT)
`
`( * )
`
`Notice:
`
`Subject to any disclaimer. the term of this
`patent is extended or adjusted under 35
`U.S.C. 154(b) by 707 days.
`
`(21)
`
`Appl. No.: 11/537,986
`
`(22)
`
`(65)
`
`Filed:
`
`Oct. 2. 2006
`
`Prior Publication Data
`US 2007/0143069 Al
`Jun. 21. 2007
`
`(30)
`Oct. 3. 2005
`
`Foreign Application Priority Data
`
`(EP)
`
`.................................. 05425684
`
`(51)
`
`Int. (Tl.
`601C 22/00
`606F 17/40
`(52) U.S.Cl.
`
`(2006.01)
`(2006.01)
`702/160:702/1762702/178;
`377/242
`
`(58) Field of Classification Search ................. 702/160.
`702/176. 178
`See application file for complete search history.
`
`(56)
`
`References Cited
`U.S. PATENT DOCUMENTS
`
`6.898.550 RI
`7.169.084 BZ *
`7.297.088 B2 “
`2001003103] Al “
`
`........... 7021182
`53200.5 Blaekadaretal.
`152007 Tsuji ...................... 48268
`
`............................. 48263
`1152007 Tsuji
`10-"2001 Ogawa et al.
`.............. 3771242
`
`FOREIGN PA'I'EN'I' DOCUMENTS
`
`GB
`JP
`JP
`
`2 359 890
`63 -262 784
`04-192095
`
`9.52001
`1051988
`7-"1992
`
`()THHR PUBLICATIONS
`
`Tasaka. Translation of JP 63262784. published Oct. 31. 1988.‘
`Tasaka. Translation 01‘1104-192095. published Jul. 10. 1992.*
`
`* cited by examiner
`Primary Examiner Hal D Wachsman
`(74) Attorney. Agent, or FirmiLisa K. Jorgenson; Robert
`Iannucci: Seed IP Law Group PLLC
`
`(57)
`
`ABSTRACT
`
`A method for controlling a pedometer includes the steps of:
`generating a signal correlated to movements ofa user of the
`pedometer: and detecting steps ol‘the user on the basis ol‘the
`signal. The method moreover envisages the steps ofchecking
`whether sequences of detected steps satisfy pro-determined
`conditions of regularity; updating a total number of valid
`steps if the conditions of regularity are satisfied; and prevent—
`ing the updating of the total number of valid steps if the
`conditions of regularity are not satisfied.
`
`6.l75.608 Bl“
`
`l."200l Pylesetal.
`
`................ 37724.2
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`26 Claims, 3 Drawing Sheets
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`
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`200
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`205
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`ms
`NO® Fs‘r = P0
`215
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`210
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`”-4-“
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`Nm=0
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`m
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`22°
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`230
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`VALID.
`Six?
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`235
`N0
`NINV l NINV+1
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`336.
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`YES
`____A
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`~°
`225
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`255
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`NO
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`260
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`ch=ch+1
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`ms
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`265
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`240
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`YIS
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`45
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`2
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`N0
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`250
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`US. Patent
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`Apr. 13, 2010
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`Sheet 1 of3
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`US 7,698,097 B2
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`COUNT [I
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`US. Patent
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`Apr. 13, 2010
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`Sheet 2 of3
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`US 7,698,097 B2
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`US. Patent
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`Apr. 13, 2010
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`Sheet 3 of3
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`US 7,698,097 B2
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`A2,.
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`Fig.5
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`TR(2) "-
`TR(K-2)
`TR(K-1)
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`Tam
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`US 7,698,097 B2
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`1
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`METHOD FOR CONTROLLING A
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`PEDOMETER BASED ON THE USE OF
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`INERTIAL SENSORS AND PEDOMETER
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`IMPLEMENTING THE METHOD
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`BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
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`regularity are satisfied; and preventing updating of the total
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`number of valid steps if the conditions of regularity are not
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`satisfied.
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`2
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`BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL
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`VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS
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`1. Field of the Invention
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`The present invention relates to controlling a pedometer
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`based on the use of inertial sensors.
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`2. Description of the Related Art
`As is known, a pedometer is a device that can be carried by
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`a user and has the function of counting the number of steps
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`during various walking or running activities for estimating
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`accordingly the distance traveled. The indications supplied
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`are useful for quantifying the motor activity performed by a
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`person in the course ofa givenperiod, for instance, for clinical
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`purposes, for assessing the athletic performance, or even just
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`for simple personal interest.
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`The reliability of a pedometer obviously depends on the
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`precision in estimating the step length of the user at the
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`various rates of locomotion, but also on the selectivity in
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`recognizing and ignoring events not correlated to the gait,
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`which, however, cause perturbations resembling those pro-
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`duced by a step. For example, many pedometers are based on
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`the use of inertial sensors, which detect accelerations along a
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`substantially vertical axis, and recognize that a step has been
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`being made by a user when the time plot of the acceleration
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`signal shows given morphological characteristics. Basically,
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`a step is recognized when the pedometer detects a positive
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`acceleration peak (i.e., a peak directed upwards) having an
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`amplitude greater than a first threshold, followed, at a dis-
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`tance of some tenths of second, by a negative acceleration
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`peak (directed downwards) having an amplitude greater than
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`a second threshold. However, there are many random events
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`that can interfere with correct recognition of the step. Impact
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`or other external vibrations and given movements of the user
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`can, in fact, give rise to so-called “false positives”, i.e., to
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`events that are recognized as steps even though in actual fact
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`they are not, because the morphological characteristics pro-
`duced are compatible. Events of this type are very frequent
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`also in periods of rest, when the user, albeit not walking, in
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`any case performs movements that can be detected by the
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`pedometer. In the majority of cases, also “isolated” steps or
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`very brief sequences of steps are far from significant and
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`should preferably be ignored because they are, in effect, irrel-
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`evant in regard to assessment of the motor activity for which
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`the pedometer is being used.
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`Of course, in all these situations, the count ofthe steps may
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`prove to be completely erroneous.
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`BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
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`10
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`One embodiment of the present invention is a method for
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`controlling a pedometer and a pedometer which overcome the
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`described above limitations.
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`One embodiment is a method for controlling a pedometer.
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`The method includes: generating a signal correlated to move-
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`ments of a user of the pedometer; detecting steps of the user
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`based on the signal; checking whether sequences of the
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`detected steps satisfy pre-determined conditions of regular-
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`ity; updating a total number of valid steps if the conditions of
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`65
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`For a better understanding ofthe invention, an embodiment
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`thereof is now described, purely by way of non-limiting
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`example and with reference to the attached plate of drawings,
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`wherein:
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`FIG. 1 shows a simplified and partially sectioned perspec-
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`tive view of a portable electronic device incorporating a
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`pedometer according to the present invention;
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`FIG. 2 is a simplified block diagram of the pedometer of
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`FIG. 1;
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`FIG. 3 shows a flowchart corresponding to a control
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`method according to the present invention executed by the
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`pedometer of FIGS. 1 and 2;
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`FIG. 4 is a more detailed flowchart corresponding to a first
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`step of the method of FIG. 3;
`FIG. 5 is a graph that represents first quantities used in the
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`method according to the present invention;
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`FIG. 6 is a graph that represents second quantities used in
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`the method according to the present invention;
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`FIG. 7 is a more detailed flowchart corresponding to a
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`second step of the method of FIG. 3; and
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`FIG. 8 is a more detailed flowchart corresponding to a third
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`step of the method of FIG. 3.
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`DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
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`With reference to FIGS. 1 and 2, a pedometer 1 is inte-
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`grated within a portable electronic device, such as a cell
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`phone 2. The pedometer 1 comprises an inertial sensor 3, a
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`control unit 5, equipped with a nonvolatile-memory module
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`(not illustrated herein), a display 6, and a communication
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`interface 8, all housed on a card 9, which is, in turn, fixed
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`within a casing 10 of the cell phone 2. In the embodiment
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`described herein, the control unit 5 performs control func-
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`tions of the pedometer 1 and, moreover, presides over bi-
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`directional communication and over handling of the func-
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`tions envisaged for the cell phone 2. Likewise, the display 6,
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`which is obviously arranged so as to be visible from the
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`outside of the casing 10, can be used for displaying both
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`information regarding the pedometer 1 and, more in general,
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`information regarding the operation of the cell phone 2.
`The inertial sensor 3 is a linear accelerometer of a MEMS
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`(micro-electromechanical systems) type and is mounted on
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`the card 9 so as to have a detection axis Z substantially parallel
`to a longitudinal axis L ofthe casing 10 ofthe cell phone 2. In
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`practice, the detection axis Z and the longitudinal axis L are
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`substantially horizontal, when the cell phone 2 is resting on a
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`surface, and substantially vertical or slightly inclined with
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`respect to the vertical when the cell phone 2 is handled. The
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`inertial sensor 3 supplies at output an acceleration signal AZ,
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`which is correlated to the accelerations undergone by the
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`inertial sensor 3 itself along the detection axis Z.
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`The control unit 5 receives and processes the acceleration
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`signal AZ as explained in detail hereinafter for identifying and
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`counting a total number of valid steps NVT made by a user
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`wearing or carrying the pedometer 1, for example, on his belt
`or on his shoulder. In addition, the control unit 5 is preferably
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`configured for generating an estimate of the distance traveled
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`by the user and other data, such as, for example, estimates of
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`the average speed during movement and energy consumption.
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`US 7,698,097 B2
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`3
`The total number of valid steps NVT and the other data possi-
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`bly produced are sent to the display 6.
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`The communication interface 8 in this case is based on the
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`transceiver system (known and not shown) of the cell phone 2
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`and, preferably, also comprises a port (also known and not
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`shown) for communication with a computer. The communi-
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`cation interface 8 can thus be used both for downloading the
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`data produced by the pedometer 1 (amongst which at least the
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`total number of valid steps NVT) and for uploading operating
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`parameters for the pedometer 1 into the control unit 5.
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`The control unit 5 is configured for executing a control
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`procedure, as illustrated with reference to FIGS. 3-8.
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`Upon switching-on of the pedometer 1, an initialization
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`step is executed (block 100, FIG. 3), in which a first counter
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`of the total number of valid steps NVT; a second counter,
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`hereinafter referred to as number of valid control steps NVC;
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`and a third counter, hereinafter referred to as number of
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`invalid steps NINV, are set to zero.
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`The control unit 5 then executes a first counting procedure
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`(block 110), based upon the sampling of the acceleration
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`signal AZ at a pre-determined frequency, for example 25 Hz.
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`In this step, the user is considered at rest and the control unit
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`5 is considered as waiting to recognize, on the basis of the
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`acceleration signal AZ, sequences of events corresponding to
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`a sequence of steps that are close to one another, which satisfy
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`pre-determined conditions of regularity described in detail
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`hereinafter. When a sequence of steps corresponding to a
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`regular gait of the user is recognized, the first counting pro-
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`cedure is interrupted. Alternatively, the first counting proce-
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`dure terminates when a time interval TC that has elapsed from
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`T51, for example 10 s. On exit from the first calculation
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`procedure, the control unit 5 sets a state flag FSTto a first value
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`C, if a sequence of steps that satisfies the conditions of regu-
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`larity has been recognized, and to a second value PD, if the
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`first time threshold T51 has been exceeded.
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`At the end of the first counting procedure, the control unit
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`5 checks whether the state flag FST has been set at the first
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`value C (block 120), i.e., whether a sequence of steps has been
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`recognized. If so (output YES from block 120), a second
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`counting procedure is executed (block 130). The user is con-
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`sidered to be moving, and a first counter, hereinafter referred
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`to as total number of valid steps NVT, is incremented when-
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`ever an event corresponding to a step is recognized. Further-
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`more, the control unit 5 checks the regularity ofthe sequences
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`of steps, as explained hereinafter, and, when an interruption in
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`the locomotion is detected, the second counting procedure is
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`terminated, and execution of the first counting procedure
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`resumes (block 110).
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`If, instead, the state flag FST has the second value PD, the
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`pedometer 1 is set in a low-consumption wait state (“power
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`down” state), and the control unit 5 executes a surveying
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`procedure (block 140). The surveying procedure terminates
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`when a variation of the dc. component of the acceleration
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`signal AZ is detected, i.e., when the cell phone 2 that includes
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`the pedometer 1 is moved. The control unit 5 then returns to
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`execution of the first calculation procedure (block 110).
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`The first counting procedure is illustrated in greater detail
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`in FIG. 4.
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`Initially, the control unit 5 reads a sample of the accelera-
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`tion signal AZ (block 200) and then evaluates whether the time
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`interval TC that has elapsed from the last step recognized is
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`higher than the first time threshold T51, i.e., whether the step
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`recognition fails for a period longer than the first time thresh-
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`old T51 (block 205). If so (output YES from block 205), the
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`state flag FSTis set at the second value PD (block 210) and the
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`first counting procedure is terminated (in this eventuality,
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`after the test on the state flag FST of block 120 of FIG. 3, the
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`surveying procedure is executed, block 140). Otherwise (out-
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`put NO from block 205), the duration of the time interval TC
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`is compared with a second time threshold T52, shorter than the
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`first time threshold T51 and equal, for example, to 3 s (block
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`215). If the second time threshold TS2 has been exceeded
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`(output YES from block 215), the number of valid control
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`steps NVC and the number of invalid steps NINV are set to zero
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`(block 220); then a step-recognition test is carried out (block
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`225). Otherwise (output NO from block 215), the control unit
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`5 directly executes the step-recognition test.
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`In the step-recognition test of block 225, the control unit 5
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`verifies whether the time plot of the acceleration signal AZ
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`(i.e., the sequence of the samples acquired) has pre-deter-
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`mined characteristics. In particular (FIG. 5), a step is recog-
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`nized if the acceleration signal AZ shows a positive peak,
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`higher than a positive acceleration threshold AZP, followed by
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`a negative peak, smaller than a negative acceleration thresh-
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`old AZN, and if the negative peak falls within a time window
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`TW of pre-determined amplitude and, moreover, located at a
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`pre-determined distance after the positive peak.
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`If the control unit 5 does not recognize an event corre-
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`sponding to a step (output NO from block 225), a new sample
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`of the acceleration signal AZ is read (block 200). If, instead,
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`the step-recognition test is passed (output YES from block
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`225), the control unit 5 executes a first validation test, corre-
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`sponding to the regularity of the individual step (block 230).
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`With reference also to FIG. 6, the validation occurs when the
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`duration ATK of a current step K is substantially homoge-
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`neous with respect to the duration ATK_1 of an immediately
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`preceding step K—l (the duration of a generic step is deter-
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`mined by the time that has elapsed between an instant of
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`recognition of the step of which the duration is evaluated and
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`an instant of recognition of the step that immediately pre-
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`cedes it). More precisely, the last step recognized is validated
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`if the instant of recognition of the current step TR(K) falls
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`within a validation interval TV, defined with respect to the
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`instant of recognition of the immediately preceding step
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`TR(K—l), in the following way:
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`TV:[TR(K—1)+ATK,l—TA, TR(K—1)+ATK,1+TB]
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`where TA and TB are complementary portions of the valida-
`tion interval TV.
`In the embodiment of the invention
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`described herein, the complementary portions TA, TB are
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`defined as follows, for the generic current step K:
`TA :ATK,l/2
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`TB:ATK,l
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`Consequently, the validation interval is asymmetrical with
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`respect to the instant TR(K—l)+ATK_1 and has an amplitude
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`equal to 3ATK_1/2. The validation interval TV could, how-
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`ever, be symmetrical and have a different amplitude. In prac-
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`tice, it is verified that the last step recognized is compatible
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`with the frequency of the last steps made previously.
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`If the verification yields a negative result (output NO from
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`block 230), the number of invalid steps NINV is incremented
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`by one (block 235) before being compared with a first pro-
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`grammable threshold number N“, for example 3 (block 240).
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`If the number of invalid steps NINV has reached the first
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`threshold number Nn (outputYES from block 240), both the
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`number of invalid steps NINV, and the number ofvalid control
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`steps NVC are set to zero (block 245), and the first counting
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`procedure is resumed, with reading of a new sample of the
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`acceleration signal AZ (block 200). If, instead, the number of
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`invalid steps NINV is smaller than the first threshold number
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`NT1 (output NO from block 240), the number of valid control
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`LGE V. Uniloc 2017 LLC
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`Page 6 of 10
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`LGE Ex. 1006
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`LGE v. Uniloc 2017 LLC
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`Page 6 of 10
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`LGE Ex. 1006
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`

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`US 7,698,097 B2
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`5
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`steps NVC is decremented (block 250). In the embodiment
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`described herein, the decrement is equal to two. Ifthe result of
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`the decrement operation is negative, the number of valid
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`control steps NVC is set to zero (in practice, the updated value
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`of the number of valid control steps NVC is equal to the 5
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`smaller between zero and the previous value ofthe number of
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`valid control steps NVC, decreased by two). Then, the control
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`unit 5 reads a new sample of the acceleration signal AZ (block
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`200).
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`Ifthe first validation test ofblock 230 is passed, the number
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`of valid control steps NVC is incremented by one (block 255),
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`and then the control unit 5 executes a first test on regularity of
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`the sequence of steps recognized (block 260). The first regu-
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`larity test is based upon a first condition of regularity and
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`envisages comparing the number of valid control steps NVC
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`with a second programmable threshold number N12 greater
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`than the first threshold number NT1 (for example, 8). In prac-
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`tice, the first condition of regularity is satisfied when there is
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`a significant prevalence of steps spaced in a substantially
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`uniform way, at the most interrupted sporadically by a num-
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`ber of irregular steps smaller than the first threshold number
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`NH. If the number of valid control steps NVC is smaller than
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`the second threshold number N12 (output NO from block
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`260), the first condition of regularity is not satisfied, and the
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`first regularity test indicates that there has not yet been iden-
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`tified a sequence of steps corresponding to a sufficiently
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`regular gait, and hence the control unit 5 acquires once again
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`a new sample of the acceleration signal AZ (block 200), with-
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`out the total number of valid steps NVT being incremented.
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`Otherwise (output YES from block 260), a sequence of steps
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`is recognized that satisfies the first condition ofregularity, and
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`the first regularity test is passed. The number of invalid steps
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`N[NV and the number ofvalid control steps NVC are set to zero,
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`whereas the total number of valid steps NVT is updated and
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`incremented by a value equal to the second threshold number
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`NI2 (block 265). Furthermore, the state flag FST is set at the
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`count value, and the first counting procedure is terminated. In
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`this case, after the test on the state flag ofblock 120 of FIG. 3,
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`the second counting procedure is executed (block 130).
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`In practice, the first counting procedure enables the pedom-
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`eter 1 to remain waiting for a sequence of events correspond-
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`ing to a sequence of steps that satisfies the first condition of
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`regularity. The regularity of the gait is considered sufficient
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`when the number of valid control steps NVC reaches the sec-
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`ond threshold number N12. The events considered irregular or 45
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`a waiting time that is too long between two successive steps
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`cause the decrement (block 250) or the zeroing (blocks 220
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`and 245) of the number of valid control steps NVC, so that the
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`first counting procedure resumes from the start. As long as the
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`pedometer 1 is in the waiting condition, the total number of 50
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`valid steps NVT is not incremented because the user is still
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`considered as at rest. However, when the first regularity test
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`(block 260) is passed, the total number of valid steps NVT is
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`immediately updated so as to take into account the valid steps
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`(equal to N12) that make up the sequence considered as being 55
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`regular. Isolated events and sequence of steps that are in any
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`case too short are thus advantageously ignored, whereas
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`counting of the steps promptly resumes also in the case of
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`isolated irregularities (for example, due to a non-homoge-
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`neous acceleration or to a loss of balance at the start of 60
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`locomotion).
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`The possibility of programming the value of the first
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`threshold number NH and of the second threshold number
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`NI2 enables modification of the sensitivity of the pedometer
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`in recognizing an initial sequence of steps. For example, the 65
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`user can program lower values of the first threshold number
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`NT1 and of the second threshold number NI2 (for example 2
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`40
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`LGE V. Uniloc 2017 LLC
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`Page 7 of 10
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`LGE Ex. 1006
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`6
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`and 4, respectively) when he remains for a long time in a
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`closed environment, for example an office or a room, where it
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`would not in any case be possible to maintain a regular gait for
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`a long time. In this way, shorter sequences of steps are vali-
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`dated and counted. Instead, during a more constant and
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`intense activity, such as running, the gait remains constant for
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`a long time, and hence the first threshold number NH and the
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`second threshold number NI2 can be programmed with
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`higher values (for example, 4 and 12, respectively). Step
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`sequences that are shorter and not very significant in relation
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`to the activity performed can be ignored.
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`FIG. 7 illustrates in detail the second counting procedure
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`(executed in block 130 of FIG. 3).
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`The control unit 5 initially reads a sample of the accelera-
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`tion signal AZ (block 300), and then evaluates whether the
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`time interval TC that has elapsed from the last step recognized
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`is higher than the first second time threshold T52 (block 305).
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`If so (outputYES from block 205), the number ofinvalid steps
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`NINV and the number of valid control steps NVC are zeroized
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`(block 3 1 0), and the second counting procedure is terminated.
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`Otherwise (output NO from block 305), a step-recognition
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`test is carried out (block 315), identical to the step-recogni-
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`tion test of block 225 of FIG. 3. Also in this case, then, step
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`recognition is based upon the detection of a positive peak of
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`the acceleration signal AZ followed by a negative peak that
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`falls in the time window TW (see FIG. 5).
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`If the control unit 5 does not recognize an event corre-
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`sponding to a step (output NO from block 315), a new sample
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`of the acceleration signal AZ is read (block 300). If, instead,
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`the step-recognition test is passed (output YES from block
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`315), a second validation test is made, corresponding to the
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`regularity of the individual step (block 320). The second
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`validation test is altogether similar to the first validation test
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`carried out in block 230 ofFIG. 3. Also in this case, then, the
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`last step recognized is validated ifthe instant ofrecognition of
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`the current step TC(K) falls within the validation interval TV
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`defined above. In practice,
`it is verified that the last step
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`recognized is compatible with the frequency of the last steps
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`made previously.
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`Ifthe check yields a positive result (outputYES from block
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`320), the control unit 5 updates the total number ofvalid steps
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`NVT and the number of valid control steps NVC, incrementing
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`them by one (block 325). The number of valid control steps
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`NVC is then compared with a third programmable threshold
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`number NI3 (block 330), which, in the embodiment described
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`herein, is equal to the second threshold number N12. If the
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`number of valid control steps NVC is smaller than the second
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`threshold number NI2 (output NO from block 330), the con-
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`trol unit 5 once again directly acquires a new sample of the
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`acceleration signal AZ (block 300), whereas otherwise (out-
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`put YES from block 330), the number of invalid steps NINV
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`and the number of valid control steps NVC are set to zero
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`(block 335) prior to acquisition of a new sample AZ.
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`If, instead, the second validation test of block 320 is nega-
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`tive, the number of invalid steps NINV is incremented by one
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`(block 340) before being compared with a fourth program-
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`mable threshold number NT4 (block 345), which,
`in the
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`present embodiment, is equal to the first threshold number
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`NH. If the number of invalid steps NINV is smaller than the
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`fourth threshold number NT4 (output NO from block 345), the
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`number of valid control steps NVC is decremented (block
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`350), here by two. Also in this case, if the result of the
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`decrement operation is negative, the number of valid control
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`steps NVC is set to zero (the updated value of the number of
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`valid control steps NVC is equal to the smaller between zero
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`and the previous value of the number of valid control steps
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`NVC, decreased by two). Then, the control unit 5