Step counter accounting for incline

US 7,690,556 B1
Filed: 01/26/2007
Issued: 04/06/2010
Est. Priority Date: 01/26/2007
Status: Active Grant

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1. A step counter system comprising:

an accelerometer to detect motion of a user;

a step calculation logic to utilize the motion detected by the accelerometer to detect and count steps; and

an incline logic to utilize the motion detected by the accelerometer to make a calculation of an incline of a surface on which the user moved for one or more of the steps, wherein the calculation is performed for a step based on identifying a vertical travel up portion of the step, identifying a vertical travel down portion of the step, and computing a difference between the vertical travel up portion and the vertical travel down portion of the step.

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Abstract

A method and apparatus for a step counter system is described. The step counter system comprises an accelerometer to detect motion of a user, a step calculation logic to utilize the motion detected by the accelerometer to detect and count steps, and an incline logic to calculate an incline of a surface on which the user moved.

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1. A step counter system comprising:
- an accelerometer to detect motion of a user;
  
  a step calculation logic to utilize the motion detected by the accelerometer to detect and count steps; and
  
  an incline logic to utilize the motion detected by the accelerometer to make a calculation of an incline of a surface on which the user moved for one or more of the steps, wherein the calculation is performed for a step based on identifying a vertical travel up portion of the step, identifying a vertical travel down portion of the step, and computing a difference between the vertical travel up portion and the vertical travel down portion of the step.
- View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
- - 2. The step counter system of claim 1 further comprising a calorie expenditure calculator to calculate a calorie expenditure for the user based on the steps and incline data.
  - 3. The step counter system of claim 2, further comprising an interface to enable a user to input his or her personal data, the personal data used to calculate the calorie expenditure.
  - 4. The step counter system of claim 3, wherein the interface comprises a network interface to enable the step counter system to obtain the personal data from a server.
  - 5. The step counter system of claim 3, wherein the personal data comprises one or more of the following:
    - height, weight, stride length, and heart rate.
  - 6. The step counter system of claim 1, further comprising:
    - the incline logic to average inclines calculated for a plurality of steps.
  - 7. The step counter system of claim 1, wherein each step is associated with a cadence of the user, the step counter system further comprising:
    - the incline logic to calculate a new incline when the user'"'"'s cadence changes.
  - 8. The step counter system of claim 1, further comprising:
    - an altimeter to determine a change in altitude;
      
      the incline logic to utilize the change in altitude to make an additional calculation of the incline of the surface, and to verify the calculation of the incline using the additional calculation of the incline.

9. A system comprising:
- a motion detection apparatus to detect three dimensional motion of a user on a surface;
  
  an incline logic to utilize the motion detected by the motion detection apparatus to make a calculation of an incline of the surface to associate with user steps, wherein the calculation is performed for one or more of the user steps based on identifying a vertical travel up portion of the step, identifying a vertical travel down portion of the step, and computing a difference between the vertical travel up portion and the vertical travel down portion of the step; and
  
  an energy calculation logic to calculate a calorie expenditure of the user, based on the three dimensional motion of the user, wherein the energy calculation logic takes into account the incline of the surface.
- View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
- - 10. The system of claim 9, wherein the motion detection apparatus is an accelerometer, and the accelerometer data is used to calculate the incline of the surface.
  - 11. The system of claim 9, the system further comprising:
    - an altimeter to determine a change in altitude;
      
      the incline logic to utilize the change in altitude to make an additional calculation of the incline of the surface and to verify the calculation of the incline using the additional calculation of the incline.
  - 12. The system of claim 9 further comprising further comprising an interface to enable a user to input his or her personal data, the personal data used to calculate the calorie expenditure.
  - 13. The system of claim 12, wherein the interface comprises a network interface to enable the step counter system to obtain the personal data from a server.
  - 14. The system of claim 9, interface further comprising:
    - the incline logic to average inclines calculated for a plurality of steps.
  - 15. The system of claim 9, wherein the personal data comprises one or more of the following:
    - height, weight, stride length, and heart rate.
  - 16. The system of claim 9, wherein each step is associated with a cadence of the user, the system further comprising:
    - the incline logic to calculate a new incline when the user'"'"'s cadence changes.

17. A method comprising:
- receiving data from an accelerometer, the data indicating a motion of a user in three dimensions;
  
  calculating, by a mobile device, user step data based on the accelerometer data; and
  
  calculating an incline by the mobile device, and associating the incline with the step data, wherein for one of more of the steps the incline is calculated by identifying a vertical travel up portion of the step, identifying a vertical travel down portion of the step, and computing a difference between the vertical travel up portion and the vertical travel down portion of the step.
- View Dependent Claims (18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24)
- - 18. The method of claim 17, further comprising:
    - detecting a change in altitude using an altimeter; and
      
      utilizing the change in altitude to verify the incline of the surface.
  - 19. The method of claim 17, further comprising:
    - calculating a calorie expenditure for the user based on the step data and the incline data.
  - 20. The method of claim 17, further comprising:
    - using personal data of the user to calculate the calorie expenditure.
  - 21. The method of claim 20, further comprising:
    - connecting to a health server to obtain the personal data about the user.
  - 22. The method of claim 20, wherein the personal data comprises one or more of:
    - height, weight, stride length, and heart rate of the user.
  - 23. The method of claim 17, further comprising:
    - transmitting the accelerometer data to a server for calculations.
  - 24. The method of claim 17, wherein each step is associated with a cadence of the user, the method further comprising:
    - calculating a new incline when the user'"'"'s cadence changes.

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Current Assignee
Uniloc 2017 LLC (SoftBank Group Corp.)
Original Assignee
DP Technologies, Inc.
Inventors
Kahn, Philippe, Kinsolving, Arthur
Primary Examiner(s)
Lee, Michael G
Assistant Examiner(s)
ELLIS, SUEZU Y

Application Number

US11/698,633
Time in Patent Office

1,166 Days
Field of Search

235/105, 702/160, 377/24.2
US Class Current

235/105
CPC Class Codes

G01C 22/006 Pedometers

Step counter accounting for incline

First Claim

4 Assignments

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Abstract

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24 Claims

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Step counter accounting for incline

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Abstract

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