United States Patent
`
`[19]
`
`[11]
`
`Patent Number:
`
`5,976,083
`[45] Nov. 2, 1999
`Date of Patent:
`Richardson et al.
`
`
`
`US005976083A
`
`[54] PORTABLE AEROBIC FITNESS MONITOR
`FOR WALKING AND RUNNING
`
`[75]
`
`Inventors: J. Jeffrey Richardson, Boulder; Ted D.
`Wade, Littleton, both of Colo.
`
`Primary Examiner—Cary O’ Connor
`Assistant Examiner—Charles Marmer,II
`Attorney, Agent, or Firm—Jay R Beyer; Stephen C Sheer
`
`[57]
`
`ABSTRACT
`
`[73] Assignee: Living Systems, Inc., Boulder, Colo.
`
`[21] Appl. No.: 08/902,748
`
`[56]
`
`References Cited
`
`
`
`A personal fitness monitoring device and a method for
`assessing the fitness of an individual as the individual
`exercises includes using a pedometer to determine and
`output data representing the locomotion of the individual. A
`heart rate monitor determines and outputs data representing
`Jul. 30, 1997
`Filed:
`[22]
`
`[SL] Lint, C05 cccccccccssssccsssssssssesssseseesenstveee A61B 5/02_the heart rate of the individual. A determination arrangement
`[52] US. Ch. ceccscscscseeneene 600/300; 600/481; 600/587;
`Calculates the fitness of the individual as the individual
`482/8; 482/901
`exercises using personal data provided by the individual in
`[58] Field of Search ...ccccccsssscsssssscesesee 600/500, 502,
`Combination with the data outputs of the pedometerandthe
`600/520, 587, 592, 595; 482/3, 4, 8, 9,
`heart
`rate without requiring a predetermined exercise
`900, 901. 300, 481
`regime. In one embodiment,
`the pedometer calculates a
`,
`,
`,
`distance traveled by the individual using personal data
`provided by the individual. The personalfitness monitoring
`device may further include a user interface for communi-
`U.S. PATENT DOCUMENTS
`cating with the user. The user interface uses a single user
`4,192,000
`3/1980 Lipsey ssccssssssssssessssssssssssssseen 482g
`controlled selecting mechanism to select a desired one of
`4,434,801
`3/1984 Jiminez ct al.
`cessssssssssscsseeseeee 600/502
`various user selectable options. The single user controlled
`4,566,461
`1/1986 Lubell et al.
`eesccssesccsssseeseseene 600/481
`selecting mechanism is arranged such that the user selects
`4,757,453
`7/1988 Nasiff .cccccccccseessesessessesessees 364/415
`the desired option by actuating the selecting mechanism
`4,771,394
`9/1988 Cavanagh oo...
`cece 364/561
`during or immediately following the time during which the
`4,830,021
`5/1989 Thornton .....seseecsseceeseseeesiees 600/520
`desired option is being presented by the user interface. The
`
`4,867,442
`9/1989 Matthews .rrrssscsccccessesssesssesssnnneess 482/8
`personal fitness monitoring device may also include a pre-
`
`sssessssseseenseserens ate dicting arrangementfortracking and predicting thefitness of
`en 2)fo04 puton Ct AL.
`
`sssssssntssosose 600/502
`5,435,315
`7/1995 MePhee et ale
`the individual.
`
`5,485,402
`1/1996 Smith et al. cceeeeceeeseeeeen 364/566
`5,524,637
`6/1996 Erickson oe. eeeceeeeeeteeeneneeeneee 600/592
`
`23 Claims, 14 Drawing Sheets
`
`094
`
`096
`
`092
`
`1
`
`APPLE 1107
`
`APPLE 1107
`
`1
`
`

`

`U.S. Patent
`
`Nov.2, 1999
`
`Sheet 1 of 14
`
`5,976,083
`
`FITNESS MONITOR 001—~
`HEART RATE p> te
`INDICATION 009
`
`
`PERSONAL DATA 005
`
`
`
`BODILY
`
`017
`01
`
`
`MOVEMENT
`
`FITNESS
`FITNESS
`007
`ASSESSMENT
`PREDICTION
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`;ARRANGEMENT| ARRANGEMENT
`
`AUDIO
`
`SELECTING ACTIONS 0115
`
`t
`
`AUXILIARY AUDIO 013
`
`| |
`
`PERSONAL|
`DATA 005
`
`
`
`|
`|
`
`LOCOMOTION
`|
`
`| 027|PARAMETERS031 029
`
`
`
`STEP PARAMETER
`REAL-TIME
`|
`PEDOMETER
`016
`
`
`
`
`STORAGE
`ASSIGNMENT
`CLOCK
`
`ARRANGEMENT
`MODULE
`
`
`
`
`
`MOVEMENT 007
`025
`
`ACCELEROMETER
`SUBSYSTEM
`
`BODILY
`
`|
`|
`
`FIG. 2
`
`2
`
`

`

`U.S. Patent
`
`Nov.2, 1999
`
`Sheet 2 of 14
`
`5,976,083
`
`USER INTERFACE 021pna ,
`|
`
`CURRENT STATE 049
`
`]
`MENU
`TRIGGER SIGNAL 051
`STORAGE
`ARRANGEMENT
`
`
`
`
` SELECTING
`
`ACTION 110
`0590
`
`
`SELECTION
`
`
`
`OPTION
`TRANSDUCER
`
`
`
`SELECTING
`DESIGNATION
`CURRENT
`
`
`039b
`SELECTING
`ACTION 11b
`“OPTION
`|
`
`
`
`
`
`
`SELECTION
`SECHANISY
`937] PRESENTATION
`
`
`
`TRANSDUCER
`|
`047
`
`RECITATION
`
`
`MECHANISM
`SELECTING
`ACTION fic 039c
`
`
`SELECTION
`TRANSDUCER
`
`eee eeea eee
`
`
`
`| |
`
`
`
`AUDIO OUTPUT SWITCH 023 YY
`Se caiaaietaatanatanan _
`|
`|
`
`
`
`FADER
`ARRANGEMENT
`
`
`
`
` DEVICE
`
`AUXILIARY
`AUDIO 013
`
`AUDIO
`MESSAGES 024
`
`|
`
`|
`=|
`
`INTERRUPT
`CONTROL
`SIGNAL 059 ——~
`
`Le
`
`_
`
`3
`
`

`

`U.S. Patent
`
`Nov.2, 1999
`
`Sheet 3 of 14
`
`5,976,083
`
`FITNESS ASSESSMENT ARRANGEMENT 0175
`
`
`
`070
`PRIOR FITNESS
`STORAGE
`|
`
`
`ARRANGEMENT
`LOCOMOTION
`
`
`065
`|
`PARAMETERS 016
`
`EXERTION
`
`
`
`FITNESS
`
`
`PERSONAL DATA 005+ 069
`MEASURING
`
`
`ASSESSMENT
`
`
`
`ARRANGEMENT
`071
`
`|
`FITNESS
`
`DETERMINATION
`
`:
`HEART RATE
` LeeeeHe-
` 067
`ARRANGEMENT
`
`
`INDICATION 009 >_
`
`HEART BEAT
`SUBSYSTEM
`
`| |
`
`| |
`
`FIG.5
`
`| | |
`
`
`
`FITNESS PREDICTION ARRANGEMENT 0195
`postr
`TIME TO NEXT ZONE 082
`
`
`073
`—
`FITNESS
`|
`
`
`FITNESS
`
`
`ASSESSMENT 071_|ctopace 075
`
`|
`ARRANGEMENT
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`FITNESS
`PREDICTION
`081
`
`
`
`
`MODULE
`
`
`REDON
`
`
`PERSONAL DATA 005-—\
`
`| | | L
`
`
`
`4
`
`

`

`U.S. Patent
`
`Nov.2, 1999
`
`Sheet 4 of 14
`
`5,976,083
`
`096
`
`092
`
`5
`
`

`

`Sheet 5 of 14
`
`5,976,083
`
`U.S. Patent
`
`Nov.2, 1999
`
`
`
`6
`
`

`

`U.S. Patent
`
`Nov.2, 1999
`
`Sheet 6 of 14
`
`5,976,083
`
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`

`U.S. Patent
`
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`
`Sheet 7 of 14
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`5,976,083
`
`981
`
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`

`

`U.S. Patent
`
`Nov.2, 1999
`
`Sheet 8 of 14
`
`5,976,083
`
`
`YES|- SUMMARIZE
`BEGIN PROGRAM
`DAY PROCESS
`160
`
`
`
`
`
`LONG PAUSE
`IN
`LOCOMOTION
`
`USER SELECTS
`"END SESSION"
`
`STOP MONITOR
`SENSORS
`
`PROCESS 154
`
`
`SUMMARIZE
`
`
`SESSION
`PROCESS 158
`
`ADD Q STATES:
`‘STOP RESULTS’
`‘STOP GOODBYE’
`
`
`
`
`
`BUTTON IS
`PRESSED FOR
`FIRST TIME
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`ADD Q STATES:
`‘MAIN PERSONAL NOT'
`
`
`
`STATE/MENU
` MONITOR SENSORS
`
`LOOP 192
`PROCESS 154
`
`
`BUTTON IS
`PRESSED WHILE
`
`
`
`STATE QUEUE
`
`
`
`LOCOMOTION
`STARTS ?
`
`
`ADD Q STATES:
`‘MAIN START’
`
`
`
`START TRACK
`
`USER STATUS
`PROCESS 156
`
`
`ADD Q STATES:
`STATE/MENU
`MAIN SNAPSHOTS
`Loop 192
`
`PROGRAM FIG.117
`
`FRONT STATE=
`‘STOP GOODBYE!
`
`END
`
`9
`
`

`

`U.S. Patent
`
`Nov.2, 1999
`
`Sheet 9 of 14
`
`5,976,083
`
`154
`
`\ SESSION END
`
`MESSAGE
`
`SAMPLE
`TIMER
`
`STOP
`
`
`wrenauer7]®ACKGROUND
`
`
`
`
`
`
`START
`194
`
`
`BACKGROUND
`
`SCAN B(A)
`
`
`
`USE RAW SAMPLES FROM
`
`A(B) TO COMPUTE MOVING
`
`AVERAGE ACCELERATION
`
`
`
`DETECT FOOTFALLS AND
`ADD SUMMARIZED STEPS
`TO STEP QUEUE
`
`DETECT HEART BEATS
`AND ADD TO BEAT QUEUE
`
`
`
`
`LOCOMOTION STARTS
`TO EAR MENU
`PROCESS 152
`
`
`
`REPORT ONGOING REST
`PERIOD AS STEP
`STATISTICS 190
`
`FIG.12
`
`ADD Q STATES:
`'LONG PAUSE!
`
`STATE/MENU
`LOOP 192
`
`10
`
`

`

`U.S. Patent
`
`Nov.2, 1999
`
`Sheet 10 of 14
`
`5,976,083
`
`FOOTFALLS
`
`ACCELERATION
`sseeteeseeenseeees BASELINE (AVG)
`
`ACCELERATION168ING DETECTING STEPS AS FOOTFALLS
`
`ELAPSED TIME IN SECONDS
`
`FIG. 13a
`
`COMPONENTS OF A STEP
`
`HEEL STRIKE
`195
`
`TOE PUSH-OFF
`197
`
`
`
`
`
`FFALLB
`196
`
`FIG. 13b
`
`11
`
`11
`
`

`

`U.S. Patent
`
`Nov.2, 1999
`
`Sheet 11 of 14
`
`5,976,083
`
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`

`U.S. Patent
`
`Nov.2, 1999
`
`Sheet 12 of 14
`
`5,976,083
`
`
`
`DEQUEUE
`RELATED STATES
`
`EXECUTE CURRENT
`STATE 049
`
`049=
`CURRENT OPTION
`DESIGNATION 045
`
`192yr
`
`
`
`
`
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`STATE CURRENT STATE
`
`DEQUEUE
`
`
` BEGIN FRONT UTTERANCE
`
`
`STOP
`UTTERANCE
`
`
`
`
`BUTTON IS PRESSED
`
`WHILE UTTERANCE
`
`ONGOING OR BEFORE
`
`NEXT UTTERANCE
`
`
`
`UTTERANCES
`FINISHED
`
`
`UTTERANCE
`CHAIN=
`
`TRUE?
`
`
`
`FIG. 15
`
`13
`
`13
`
`

`

`U.S. Patent
`
`Nov.2, 1999
`
`Sheet 13 of 14
`
`5,976,083
`
`
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`

`

`U.S. Patent
`
`Nov.2, 1999
`
`Sheet 14 of 14
`
`5,976,083
`
`HEART RATE (HR) VS ENERGY EXPENDITURE (EE)
`PER STEP
`
`MAX HR
`227
`
`HEART
`RATE
`226
`
`REST HR
`
`|
`BASAL EE
`
`ENERGY
`EXPENDITURE
`228
`
`|
`MAX EE 230=RAW FITNESS 232
`
`FITNESS TREND
`CURVE 229
`
`TODAY
`
`MAX EE
`230
`
`d
`
`2
`
`PREDICTED
`FITNESS 234
`
`PRESENT
`FITNESS 236
`
`|
`-100 DAYS
`
`|
`0
`TODAY
`
`|
`+100 DAYS
`
`MAX EE OVER DAYS
`
`FIG. 17
`
`15
`
`

`

`5,976,083
`
`1
`PORTABLE AEROBIC FITNESS MONITOR
`FOR WALKING AND RUNNING
`
`BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
`
`The present invention relates to personal fitness monitor-
`ing devices. More specifically,
`the invention relates to a
`personal fitness monitoring device that may be worn by an
`individual while the individual is exercising. The fitness
`monitoring device monitors the aerobic fitness of the user as
`the user exercises and provides the user with information
`about the current exercise session, an assessment of the
`user’s current fitness level, and a prediction of the user’s
`future fitness.
`
`SUMMARYOF THE INVENTION
`
`A personal fitness monitoring device and a method for
`assessing the fitness of an individual as the individual
`exercises is herein disclosed. The fitness monitoring device
`includes a pedometer for determining and outputting data
`representing the locomotion of the individual. A heart rate
`monitor determines and outputs data representing the heart
`rate of the individual. A determination arrangement calcu-
`lates the fitness of the individual as the individual exercises
`
`using personal data provided by the individual in combina-
`tion with the data outputs of the pedometer andthe heart rate
`monitor without requiring a predetermined exercise regime.
`In one embodiment, the pedometer of the personalfitness
`monitoring device includes an accelerometer for measuring
`and outputting data representing the vertical accelerations
`caused by each step of the individual as the individual is
`walking or running. A clock is used to segmentthe output of
`the accelerometer into a time series of data points repre-
`senting the output of the accelerometer. A distance determi-
`nation arrangement calculates a distance traveled by the
`individual using personal data provided by the individual in
`combination with the data outputs of the accelerometer and
`the clock.
`
`In another embodiment, the personal fitness monitoring
`device further includes a user interface for communicating
`with the user. The user interface includes menus having a
`plurality of various user selectable options available to the
`user for controlling the operation of the personal fitness
`monitoring device. The various user selectable options of the
`menus are successively presented to the user. A single user
`controlled selecting mechanism is used for selecting a
`desired one of the various user selectable options of the
`menus. The single user controlled selecting mechanism is
`arranged such that the user selects the desired option by
`actuating the selecting mechanism during or immediately
`following the time during which the desired option is being
`presented by the user interface.
`In one version of the above described embodiment, the
`arrangement for presenting the various user selectable
`options to the user is provided by an audio producing
`arrangement which presents the options to the user in the
`form of recorded or synthesized speech. This embodiment
`may further include an auxiliary audio fader arrangement.
`The audio fader arrangement has an auxiliary audio input
`connector for receiving an auxiliary audio input signal from
`an auxiliary audio device. A fader, whichis controlled by the
`operation of the personal fitness monitoring device, connects
`the auxiliary audio input signal to an audio output device
`used by the user interface of the personal fitness monitoring
`device to present the user interface messages. The fader is
`configured to suppress the auxiliary audio input signal when
`the user interface of personal fitness monitoring device
`presents a message to the user.
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`In another embodiment, the personal fitness monitoring
`device further includes a predicting arrangementfor tracking
`and predicting the fitness of the individual. The predicting
`arrangementincludes a memory arrangementfor storing the
`data representing the fitness of the individual each time the
`individual exercises using the personal fitness monitoring
`device. A fitness projecting arrangement calculates a pro-
`jected fitness of the individual. The fitness projecting
`arrangementuses the stored data representing the fitness of
`the individual each time the individual exercises using the
`personal fitness monitoring device to calculate the projected
`fitness of the individual.
`
`In another aspect of the invention, a pedometer and a
`method for calculating the distance traveled by an individual
`as the individual walks or runs is herein disclosed. The
`
`pedometer includes an accelerometer for measuring and
`outputting data representing the vertical accelerations of
`each step of an individual as the individual is walking or
`running. A clock is used to segment
`the output of the
`accelerometer into a time series of data points representing
`the output of the accelerometer. The pedometeralso includes
`a determination arrangementfor calculating a distance trav-
`eled by the individual. The determination arrangement uses
`personal data provided by the individual in combination
`with the data outputs of the accelerometer and the clock to
`calculate the distance traveled.
`
`In another aspect of the invention, a user interface for use
`in a personal fitness monitoring device and a user interface
`method are herein disclosed. The user interface includes
`menus having a plurality of various user selectable options
`available to the user for controlling the operation of the
`personal fitness monitoring device. An audio producing
`arrangement is used to present the various user selectable
`options of the menusto the user in the form of recorded or
`synthesized speech. A single user controlled selecting
`mechanism is used to select a desired one of the various user
`selectable options of the menus. The single user controlled
`selecting mechanism is arranged such that the user selects
`the desired option by actuating the selecting mechanism
`during or immediately following the time during which the
`desired option is being presented in the form of recorded or
`synthesized speech.
`In another aspect of the invention, an auxiliary audio fader
`arrangement and method for use in a personalfitness moni-
`toring device which includes an audio user interface for
`presenting user interface audio messages to a user in order
`to interface with the user is herein disclosed. An auxiliary
`audio input connector receives an auxiliary audio input
`signal from an auxiliary audio device. A fader, which is
`controlled by the operation of the personal fitness monitor-
`ing device, connects the auxiliary audio input signal to an
`audio output device used by the audio user interface of the
`personal fitness monitoring device to present the user inter-
`face audio messages. The fader is configured to suppress the
`auxiliary audio input signal when the audio userinterface of
`personal fitness monitoring device presents an audio mes-
`sage to the user.
`Andfinally, in another aspect of the invention, a personal
`fitness monitoring device and method for tracking and
`predicting the fitness of an individual is herein disclosed.
`Thefitness device includes an exertion determining arrange-
`ment for determining and outputting data representing the
`exertion of the individual as the individual is exercising. A
`heart rate monitor is used to determine and output data
`representing the heart rate of the individual. A fitness deter-
`mination arrangementcalculates and outputs data represent-
`ing the fitness of the individual as the individual exercises.
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`The determination arrangementuses personal data provided
`by the individual in combination with the data outputs of the
`exertion determining arrangementandthe heart rate monitor
`to calculate the fitness of the individual. A memoryarrange-
`mentstores the data representing the fitness of the individual
`each time the individual exercises using the personal fitness
`monitoring device. A fitness projecting arrangement calcu-
`lates a projected fitness of the individual. The fitness pro-
`jecting arrangement uses the stored data representing the
`fitness of the individual each time the individual exercises
`
`using the personal fitness monitoring device to calculate the
`projected fitness of the individual.
`BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
`
`The features of the present invention may best be under-
`stood by reference to the following description of the
`presently preferred embodiments together with the accom-
`panying drawings in which:
`FIG. 1 is a diagrammatic illustration of one embodiment
`of a personal fitness monitor in accordance with the present
`invention.
`
`FIG. 2 is a diagrammatic illustration of one embodiment
`of a pedometer in accordance with the present invention.
`FIG. 3 is a diagrammaticillustration of a user interface in
`accordance with the present invention.
`FIG. 4 is a diagrammatic illustration of an audio fader
`arrangement in accordance with the present invention.
`FIG. 5 is a diagrammatic illustration of a fitness assess-
`ment arrangement in accordance with the present invention.
`FIG. 6 is a diagrammaticillustration of a fitness prediction
`arrangement in accordance with the present invention.
`FIG. 7 is a diagrammaticillustration of another embodi-
`mentof a personal fitness monitor device in accordance with
`the present invention showing how the device is worn by an
`individual.
`
`FIG. 8 is a perspective illustration of the personal fitness
`monitoring device of FIG. 7
`FIG. 9 is a schematic illustration showing various com-
`ponents which make up the personal fitness monitoring
`device of FIG. 7.
`
`FIG. 10 is a data flow diagram illustrating the operation
`of the personal fitness monitoring device of FIG. 7.
`FIG. 11 is a flow chartillustrating one embodimentof an
`ear menu process of the personal fitness monitoring device
`of FIG. 7.
`
`FIG. 12 is a flow chart illustrating one embodimentof a
`monitor sensors process of the personal fitness monitoring
`device of FIG. 7.
`
`FIG. 13a is diagrammaticillustration of one embodiment
`detailing how the personalfitness monitoring device of FIG.
`7 detects steps as footfalls.
`FIG. 135 is a diagrammatic illustration of one embodi-
`mentdetailing the different components of a step interpreted
`by the personal fitness monitoring device of FIG. 7.
`FIG. 14 is a flow chart illustrating one embodimentof a
`gait model used by the personalfitness monitoring device of
`FIG. 7.
`
`FIG. 15 is a flow chart illustrating one embodimentof a
`state/menu process used by the personal fitness monitoring
`device of FIG. 7.
`
`FIG. 16 is a timeline illustrating the state/menu process
`illustrated in FIG. 15.
`
`FIG. 17 is a diagrammatic illustration of one embodiment
`of how the personal fitness monitoring device of FIG. 7
`computes a fitness trend.
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`DETAILED DESCRIPTION
`
`FIG. 1 shows an embodimentof a fitness monitor 001,
`designed in accordance with the invention. When worn on
`the human body while exercising on multiple occasions over
`the course of many days, fitness monitor 001 provides the
`user, as its primary output, an audio output 003. Audio
`output 003 may take the form of synthesized or digitized
`voice messages detailing the user’s current exercise session,
`an assessment of the user’s current level of fitness, and a
`prediction of the user’s future fitness.
`Fitness monitor 001 takes as primary input certain user’s
`personal data 005, an indication of the user’s bodily move-
`ment 007, an indication of the user’s heart rate 009, any user
`selecting actions 011, and an auxiliary audio input 013, all
`of which will be described hereinafter. Fitness monitor 001
`has as constituent components a pedometer 015, a fitness
`assessment arrangement 017, a fitness prediction arrange-
`ment 019, a user interface 021, and an audio output switch
`023, all of which will also be discussed hereinafter.
`Taking as inputs bodily movement 007 and personal data
`005, pedometer 015 produces a locomotion parameters
`signal 016 representing the users walking or running loco-
`motion. Signal 016 indicates locomotion parameters asso-
`ciated with each step that the user takes during an exercise
`session. The locomotion parameters include the gait,
`duration, speed, and distance of each step, and optionally,
`grade and terrain characteristics.
`The output signal 016 of pedometer 015 is taken as input
`to fitness assessment arrangement 017 which also takes as
`input heart rate indication 009 and personal data 005. The
`fitness assessment arrangement 017 then computes anesti-
`mate of the user’s current fitness, a measure of the aerobic
`capacity of the user. This output may be expressed in one of
`several commonunits of measure, including ml oxygen per
`minute and kilogram body weight, known as VO., metabolic
`equivalents, known as METs, or any commonly used mea-
`sure of indication of fitness, including qualitative measures
`such as “good” or “poor.”
`The output of fitness assessment arrangement 017is input
`to fitness prediction arrangement 019, which also takes as
`input personal data 005. The fitness prediction arrangement
`019 produces as output a signal that represents the rate of
`change and future trajectory of the user’s aerobic fitness.
`This output
`is reported on demand to the user through
`suitable means according to the particular embodiment of
`the invention, for example as a text display or as pre-
`recorded or synthesized speech. However, the format of the
`output is not a requirement of the invention and it may vary
`considerably.
`The fitness monitor 001 also includes a user interaction
`arrangement, user interface 021. User interface 021 provides
`a means for the user to communicate with fitness monitor
`
`001 by coordinating the timing of a selecting action 011 with
`the temporal period during which a choice is presented. User
`interface 021 provides as an output certain audio messages
`024.
`
`Finally, fitness monitor 001 includes audio output switch
`023 which takes as input both audio messages 024 of fitness
`monitor 001 and auxiliary audio 013 the user may wish to
`hear. The purpose of the audio output switch 023 is to permit
`users to attend to their desired auxiliary programmingyet to
`also permit this programmingto be interrupted or faded out
`in order that users can hear important messagesinitiated by
`fitness monitor 001. For example, users will beable to listen
`to a portable tape recorder or radio and to fitness monitor
`001 through the same set of earphones as will be described
`hereinafter.
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`While fitness monitor 001 is described as being composed
`of pedometer 015,
`fitness assessment arrangement 017,
`fitness prediction arrangement 019, user interface 021, audio
`output switch 023, and inputs representing bodily movement
`007, personal data 005, heart rate indication 009, selecting
`actions 011, and auxiliary audio 013, the presence of all of
`these components is not essential to this invention, and the
`existence of certain additional components would be con-
`sistent with the invention. For example, a non-audio version
`of fitness monitor 001 could be constructed without the
`requirement of audio output switch 023.
`A version of fitness monitor 001 comprised of any ofits
`components alone would be a useful device, for example,
`pedometer 015 alone, or fitness prediction arrangement 019
`alone. Or several constituents could be present, while others
`are absent, for example, pedometer 015, fitness assessment
`arrangement 017, and fitness prediction arrangement 019
`would provide a useful fitness monitoring device employing
`some meansof user interaction other than user interface 021
`as described herein. Similarly, pedometer 015 is not a
`requirement of the invention because other methods of
`detecting and reporting distance traveled, speed oftraveling,
`or expended energy in general might be employed, such as
`global positioning systems or Doppler sound ranging tech-
`niques. In a like manner,fitness prediction arrangement 019
`is not a requirement of the invention because the fitness
`monitoring function can be fully realized by computing and
`reporting the user’s current fitness without regard to or need
`to predict the future trends in fitness.
`In summary, the constituent components of this invention
`can be assembled into numerousconfigurations by including
`some components and leaving others out. All such useful
`combinations would be consistent with the invention. On the
`other hand, the invention may be augmented with additional
`components without changing the nature of this invention.
`For example, the invention could include in its function-
`ing access to sources of auditory programming, such as
`recorded audio, broadcasts, or digital text that could be
`translated to voice for presentation to the user. That is, the
`invention could include a component designed to provide
`the user with pager messages, email messages, and Internet
`information bulletins. Audio messages could also be used
`for encouragement, advice, and inspiration. A remote clin-
`ic’s computer could send fitness goals and a suggested
`exercise regimento the fitness monitor 001, which could in
`turn report back on compliance with the regimen andfitness
`changes for review byclinic personnel.
`As another example of additional components, the fitness
`monitor 001, when combined with a personal digital assis-
`tant scheduling program, could arrange times for the user to
`exercise. A home scale could supply body weight, which is
`needed by the fitness monitor 001 for many ofits calcula-
`tions. A kitchen appliance used for recipes, diet and menu
`planning could give an estimate of dietary fat, which the
`fitness monitor 001 could use in recommending fitness
`goals, and explaining fitness progress. The fitness monitor
`001 in turn could supply fitness and body weight to the
`dietary computer, which could use them to make dietary
`recommendations.
`
`While several examples have been cited of additional
`components to which the invention might be connected,
`these examples are only indicative of the range of inputs to
`and outputs from the invention described herein. Custom-
`ized inputs for these components could be readily provided
`and/or user interface 021 could be designed to accommodate
`all of these components through one or more auxiliary
`inputs.
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`The principal advantage of the invention consistent with
`the embodiment as fitness monitor 001 is that previous
`approaches have provided no equivalent function of calcu-
`lating fitness while the user is engaged in normal exercise
`activity and without the requirement that the user follow a
`specific testing protocol conducted in a specific location in
`order to determinefitness. A further advantageis that, due to
`the ease of calculating fitness, it is possible to obtain a time
`series of fitness data points across a number days which
`permits a trend in fitness to be computed and reported to the
`user.
`Pedometer 015
`
`Although pedometer 015 has been described as being
`included in fitness monitor 001, this is not a requirement of
`the invention. Instead, pedometer 015 may be used alone
`while walking or running to provide information about
`locomotor activity, including gait, total distance traveled,
`calories consumed, current and average speed of travel, and
`current grade of the terrain.
`FIG. 2 shows an embodiment of pedometer 015 designed
`in accordance with the invention. Pedometer 015 includes an
`
`accelerometer subsystem 025, a step parameter assignment
`module 027, a pedometer storage arrangement 029, and a
`real-time clock 031. Pedometer 015 takes as input personal
`data 005 and bodily movement 007 and provides as output
`locomotion parameters 016. Accelerometer subsystem 025
`measures the on-going instantaneous profile of the user’s
`movement as magnitudes of acceleration in or near the
`vertical plane and stores these magnitudes in pedometer
`storage arrangement 029 as a time series wherein each
`instantaneous moment’s acceleration is associated with a
`
`time provided by the real-time clock 031. A more detailed
`discussion of the way in which pedometer 015 operates will
`be provided hereinafter in conjunction with FIGS. 13 and
`14.
`
`Step parameter assignment module 027 makesuse of the
`varying magnitude of acceleration in the vertical or near-
`vertical plane as an individual walks or runs as recorded in
`pedometer storage arrangement 029. Prior art pedometers
`base the measurementof distance on ascribing (a) a prede-
`termined length to eachstep, (b) a variable length based only
`on the stride time, (c) or, one of several alternative prede-
`termined lengths associated with one of several predeter-
`mined gaits. The present invention bases the measurement of
`distance covered bya series of steps by assigning a certain
`distance and speed to each step depending on the charac-
`teristics of the near-vertical acceleration waveform produced
`by that step.
`It is not a requirementof this invention that the vertical or
`near-vertical acceleration magnitude be associated with any
`one temporal
`instant during the course of a step. For
`example, the magnitude employed by step parameterassign-
`ment module 027 might be associated with the heel strike,
`or the toe push-off. Given embodiments of the invention
`could require that step parameter assignment module 027
`employs acceleration magnitudes from multiple or even all
`temporal instants during the course of a step. A step begins
`with a left (or right) foot heel strike and continues through
`and ends with the right (or left) foot heel strike.
`The step parameter assignment module 027 employs
`personal data 005 in ascribing the correct gait and speed to
`associate with a step. Step parameter assignment module
`027 employs a network of decisions, implemented as gait
`model 030. Gait model 030 assigns to a given vertical or
`near vertical acceleration magnitudeor profile an associated
`gait and speed of locomotion. This assignment is dependent
`on the characteristics of the user, such as height, leg length,
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`gender, age, or weight, as represented by personal data 005.
`Thatis, personal data 005, taken together with the output of
`acceleration subsystem 025 provides a powerful andreliable
`estimate of locomotor gait and speed of each step.
`Described in detail hereinafter in conjunction with FIG.
`14 and Table 3, gait model 030 subjects the vertical or near
`vertical acceleration magnitude associated with a given step
`to a series of yes/no classification decisions dealing with the
`magnitude of the acceleration and the user’s personal data
`005. The resulting classification associates with each step a
`certain gait and speed. Gait takes on one of two values,
`either “walking” or “running”, unless the user is not loco-
`moting. In the latter case, the gait model takes the value of
`“rest”.
`
`Gait model 030 is a statistical compendium of numerous
`users, wherein users’ walking or running acceleration pro-
`files and personal characteristics were used to predict the
`speed of e