JP4990735B2 - Pedometer - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to a pedometer that measures the number of steps, and more particularly to a pedometer that performs a walking detection operation intermittently when no walking is detected for a predetermined time.

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, a pedometer has been developed that measures the number of steps of a person to be measured by being worn on the body of the person to be measured or stored in a bag or the like carried by the person to be measured.
In the pedometer, since a battery is used as a power source, power saving measures are taken.

For example, in Patent Document 1, an acceleration sensor (piezoelectric element) built in the body of a wristwatch detects a walking vibration and outputs a walking signal, amplifies the walking signal by an amplifier circuit and a filter circuit, and binary by a comparator circuit. A pedometer is disclosed that counts the number of steps.
In the pedometer, in order to stop the detection operation and reduce the power consumption when the user is sleeping or not carrying it or puts a bag containing the pedometer, the walking signal is stopped and the walking signal is predetermined. When the time (sleep transition time) is not input, the sensor circuit is configured to switch from a continuous operation to an intermittent operation that alternately repeats a predetermined time (rest time) OFF operation and a predetermined time (operation time) ON operation. Yes.

Power saving is possible by the intermittent drive, but the problem is that the number of steps counted is less than the actual number of steps because the walking cannot be detected when walking during the downtime. There is.
On the other hand, in Patent Document 2, when a key is operated during stopwatch measurement, the measurement of the number of steps for 2 seconds is prohibited, and the number of steps in the meantime is corrected based on the number of steps measured within the previous 5 seconds. The pedometer is disclosed, but there is no description about the relationship with intermittent driving.

  Patent Document 3 also corrects the problem of counting two steps as one step when the arm of exercise walking is extended by doubling the number of odd-numbered walking pulses (however, one step is two steps). In order to prevent erroneous detection, a pedometer is disclosed in which a mask period of 0.28 seconds is provided. However, as in Patent Document 2, there is no description about the relationship with intermittent driving.

Patent Document 4 discloses an electronic pedometer that determines that one step has been missed and corrects one step when the walking cycle is doubled. In Patent Document 4, there is no description about the relationship with intermittent driving.
As described above, Patent Document 1 discloses a pedometer that is intermittently driven, and Patent Documents 2 to 4 disclose pedometers that perform step correction. There is no description of an invention that takes account of counting omission during intermittent driving.

JP 2005-267152 A Japanese Patent No. 3493550 No. 6-2097 JP 2005-309691 A

  An object of the present invention is to improve the step count measurement accuracy while reducing power consumption by intermittent driving.

According to the present invention, a detecting means having a sensor for detecting walking and outputting a walking signal corresponding to the walking detected by the sensor, a counting means for counting the number of steps based on the walking signal from the detecting means, When the walking signal is not continuously output for a predetermined time from the detection means, the operation of the detection means is changed from a continuous operation for continuously detecting the walking to a pause operation and a detection time for stopping the walking detection during the pause time. And a pedometer having control means for controlling to shift to an intermittent operation that alternately repeats a detection operation for performing walking detection, wherein the counting means is counted when the number of steps is detected at a detection time after the pause time has elapsed. A pedometer characterized by correcting the number of steps is provided.
When the counting means detects the number of steps in the detection time after the pause time has elapsed, the counting means corrects the number of steps counted.

Here, the counting unit may be configured to correct the counted number of steps when a walking signal is output from the detection unit within a predetermined time immediately after the detection time starts.
The control means controls the detection means so that the pause time is gradually increased when the walking signal is not output from the detection means during the intermittent operation, and the counting means has the pause time within a predetermined time. In this case, the counted number of steps may be corrected.

Further, the counting means may be configured to correct by adding the number of steps calculated by [(pause time / 2) × walking pitch] to the counted number of steps.
Further, the counting means corrects by adding the number of steps calculated by [coefficient × rest time × walking pitch] (where the coefficient is a value weighted according to the length of the rest time) to the counted number of steps. You may comprise.

  The counting means may be configured to correct the walking pitch immediately before the pause time or the walking pitch at the detection time immediately after the pause time as the walking pitch of the predetermined time.

  According to the present invention, it is possible to increase the step count measurement accuracy while reducing power consumption by intermittent driving.

Hereinafter, a pedometer according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.
FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a pedometer according to an embodiment of the present invention.
In FIG. 1, a pedometer includes a piezoelectric element and a sensor 101 that detects walking (including running) and outputs a corresponding walking signal, and an amplification circuit (amplifier) that amplifies and outputs the walking signal from the sensor 101. 102, a filter 103 that passes a walking signal in the signal from the amplifier circuit 102, an amplifier circuit (amplifier) 104 that amplifies and outputs the walking signal from the filter 103, and a walking signal from the amplifier circuit 104 is compared with a predetermined reference signal Thus, a comparator 105 for converting into a binary digital signal and outputting it is provided. The sensor 101, the amplifier circuits 102 and 104, the filter 103, and the comparator 105 constitute a detection circuit 100.

  The pedometer includes a central processing unit (CPU) 106, an oscillation circuit 107 that generates a signal having a predetermined frequency, and a frequency dividing circuit that divides the signal from the oscillation circuit 107 and outputs a clock signal that serves as a reference for time counting operation. 108, a power supply control circuit for switching the detection circuit 100 to a continuous operation or an intermittent operation (details of the intermittent operation will be described later) by supplying driving power to the detection circuit 100 continuously or intermittently based on a control signal from the CPU 106. 109, an input 110 constituted by a key switch or the like, a read only memory (ROM) 111 for storing a program executed by the CPU 106, a random access memory (RAM) 112 for storing step count data, etc., and display control signals from the CPU 106 A display drive circuit 113 that drives the display unit 114 in response, and a display unit 11 that displays the number of steps, time, and the like. It is equipped with a.

FIG. 1 is a block diagram illustrating functions realized when the CPU 106 executes a program stored in the ROM 111 in the CPU 106.
As will be described in detail later, the CPU 106 calculates a cycle of the signal from the detection circuit 100, and compares the cycle of the signal from the detection circuit 100 with a reference value to determine whether the signal is a walking signal. 116, the walking stop detecting unit 117 that determines that the walking is stopped when the period of the signal determined by the period comparing unit 116 exceeds a predetermined value, and the detection circuit 100 is intermittent when the walking stop detecting unit 117 determines that the walking is stopped. After the power control processing unit 118 to be driven and the walking stop detection unit 117 determine that the walking is stopped, when the cycle comparison unit 116 determines that it is a walking signal, the step number correction unit 120 that calculates and outputs the corrected step number, and the cycle comparison unit 116 It functions as a step counting unit 119 that counts the number of steps based on the walking signal from and corrects the counted number of steps with the corrected number of steps from the step correction unit 120. .

The detection circuit 100 constitutes detection means, and the CPU 106, the oscillation circuit 107, and the frequency divider circuit 08 constitute time measuring means. The CPU 106 constitutes counting means, and the CPU 106 and the power supply control circuit 109 constitute control means. The input unit 110 constitutes input means, and the ROM 111 and RAM 112 constitute storage means.
FIG. 2 is a flowchart showing processing of the pedometer according to the embodiment of the present invention.
Hereinafter, the operation of the pedometer according to the embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. 1 and 2.

First, when the person to be measured performs a step count measurement start operation with the input unit 110 in a state in which the pedometer (at least the sensor 101) is attached to his / her arm, the power control processing unit 118 of the CPU 106 applies driving power to the detection circuit 100. To control the power supply control circuit 109 to turn on the power (step S201).
The power supply control circuit 109 turns on the power supply of the detection circuit 100 in response to control by the power supply control processing unit 118.

  When the measurement subject walks, the acceleration sensor 101 detects walking vibration and outputs a walking signal corresponding to the walking. After the signal from the acceleration sensor 101 is amplified by the amplifier circuit 102, the noise component is removed by the filter 103 and the walking signal is input to the amplifier circuit 104. The walking signal amplified by the amplifier circuit 104 is compared with a predetermined reference value by the comparator 105 and binarized, and is input to the CPU 106 as a digital signal.

The period calculation unit 115 calculates the period of the signal from the detection circuit 100. The period comparison unit 116 compares the period calculated by the period calculation unit 115 with a reference value, and determines whether or not the signal is a walking signal corresponding to the measurement subject's walking (step S202).
In the processing step S202, the period comparison unit 116 determines that the signal is a normal walking signal when the period is within a predetermined range, and outputs a signal (walking signal) from the detection circuit 100 to the step counting unit 119. The step counting unit 119 counts the walking signal and performs step counting (step S213).
The number of steps counted by the step counting unit 119 is displayed on the display unit 114 via the display driving circuit 113.

When the person to be measured stops walking, the signal from the detection circuit 100 exceeds the period within a predetermined range, and the period comparison unit 116 determines that it is not a walking signal. The walking stop detection unit 117 determines whether a predetermined walking stop determination time (for example, 5 seconds) has elapsed in a state in which the period comparison unit 116 determines that the signal is not a walking signal (step S203).
If the walking stop detection unit 117 determines in the processing step S203 that the state determined not to be a walking signal has exceeded a predetermined walking stop determination time, the walking signal continues during the walking determination time. Therefore, it is determined that the walking is stopped, and the operation shifts to an intermittent operation in which a pause time that is a pause time for the detection operation and a detection time for the detection operation are repeated.

  When the power supply control processing unit 118 enters the intermittent operation, the power supply control processing unit 118 initializes a predetermined pause time during which the detection operation is paused (pause state) in the intermittent operation to a minimum time (for example, 5 seconds) (step S204), and then performs power supply control processing. The unit 118 outputs a control signal to the power supply control circuit 109 so as to turn off the detection circuit 100 (step S205). In response to the control signal, the power supply control circuit 109 pauses the power supply to the detection circuit 100 and turns it off, whereby the detection circuit 100 pauses the walking detection operation.

The power supply control processing unit 118 outputs a control signal to the power supply control circuit 109 so as to turn on the detection circuit 100 (step S207) after maintaining the sleep state until the pause time elapses (step S206). In response to the control signal, the power supply control circuit 109 supplies power to the detection circuit 100 to turn it on, whereby the detection circuit 100 resumes the walking detection operation.
When the detection circuit 100 restarts the walking detection operation and a walking signal resulting from the walking of the person being measured is output from the detection circuit 100, the cycle calculation unit 115 calculates the cycle of the signal from the detection circuit 100. The period comparison unit 116 compares the period calculated by the period calculation unit 115 with a reference value, and determines whether or not the signal is a walking signal corresponding to the measurement subject's walking (step S208).

In the processing step S208, the period comparison unit 116 determines that the signal is a normal walking signal when the period is within a predetermined range, and outputs the walking signal from the detection circuit 100 to the step number correction unit 120 and the step number counting unit 119.
When the step count correction unit 120 determines that the walking signal is detected within a predetermined time immediately after the start of the detection operation in intermittent driving (that is, a predetermined time immediately after the detection time starts) (3 seconds in the present embodiment) (step) S214), it is determined whether or not the pause time is equal to or less than a predetermined value (10 seconds in the present embodiment) (step S215).

In step S215, when the pause time is determined to be equal to or less than the predetermined value, the step correction unit 120 performs a predetermined step correction process to correct the step count that the step count counter 119 has already counted. Is calculated and output to the step counting unit 119 (step S216). In this embodiment, the corrected number of steps is calculated by the following equation.
Correction step count = coefficient × stop time × walking pitch Here, the length of the stop time changes so as to gradually increase, but it means the stop time immediately before the detection time for calculating the corrected step count. The walking pitch can be either the walking pitch at the detection time for calculating the corrected step count or the walking pitch detected at the detection time closest to the detection time for calculating the corrected step count.

FIG. 3 is a diagram showing the relationship between the coefficient used in the step correction process and the pause time, and shows two types of coefficients. In FIG. 3, 301 is an example in which the coefficient is ½, which is a constant value. The shortest pause time is 5 seconds, and if the pause time exceeds 10 seconds, it is not considered that the user has walked during the pause time, so a coefficient is set only between 5 seconds and 10 seconds. The formula for calculating the corrected step count using the coefficient 301 is
The corrected number of steps = (resting time / 2) × walking pitch.

On the other hand, 302 is an example in which the coefficient is weighted in relation to the length of the pause time. Since the possibility of walking decreases as the pause time increases, the coefficient is set to decrease as the pause time increases. ing. In the coefficient 302, the pause time is set from 5 seconds to 20 seconds. The formula for calculating the corrected step count using the coefficient 302 is:
Correction step count = coefficient corresponding to pause time × pause time × walking pitch.

The step counting unit 119 performs the step counting process by counting the walking signal from the period comparison unit 116 and adding the corrected step count from the step correction unit 120 to the counted step count (step S213). Returning to step S202, continuous operation is performed.
When the intermittent operation is started again after returning to the continuous operation, the pause time is returned to the minimum value by the processing step S204, and the intermittent operation is started.

When the period comparison unit 116 determines in the processing step S208 that the signal is not a walking signal instead of a period within a predetermined range, the walking stop detection unit 117 determines that the signal from the detection circuit 100 is not a walking signal. It is determined whether or not a predetermined detection time has elapsed in the state to be performed (step S209).
When determining that the detection time (for example, 5 seconds) has elapsed in process step S209, the power supply control processing unit 118 determines whether or not a predetermined time (for example, 1 minute) has elapsed since the start of the intermittent operation. (Step S210).

  When determining that the predetermined time has elapsed in processing step S210, the power supply control processing unit 118 determines whether or not the current pause time is a predetermined upper limit (for example, 30 seconds) (step S211). If the upper limit has not been reached, a predetermined time (for example, 5 seconds) is added to the current pause time (step S212) to set a pause time longer than the current time, and the process returns to step S205.

  As described above, when the period calculation unit 115 and the period comparison unit 116 of the CPU 106 determine that the walking signal from the detection circuit 100 is within the predetermined period, the walking signal is counted as the number of steps by the step counting unit 119. When the period comparison unit 116 does not detect a walking signal within a predetermined period for a predetermined period of time, the walking stop detection unit 117 determines that the walking is stopped, and the power control processing unit 118 controls the power control circuit 109 to continuously operate the detection circuit 100. Switching from driving to intermittent driving in which pause time and detection time are alternately repeated. When the number of steps is detected in the detection time immediately after the pause time elapses, the number of steps correction unit 120 calculates a corrected number of steps, and the number of steps counting unit 119 corrects the number of steps by adding the corrected number of steps to the counted number of steps.

In addition, when walking is detected immediately after a pause time of a predetermined time (for example, 10 seconds) or less, it is determined that the user has also walked during the pause time, and the number of steps at the pitch at the time of walking detection is added and corrected. When walking is detected immediately after a pause time exceeding the predetermined time (for example, 10 seconds), the number of steps is not corrected.
Therefore, by correcting the number of steps taken during pauses during intermittent driving, it is possible to increase the number of steps measured while reducing power consumption.
In addition, since the correction amount of the number of steps is changed according to the length of the pause time, it is possible to perform appropriate step number correction.

  When the cycle calculation unit 115 and the cycle comparison unit 116 of the CPU 106 determine that the walking signal from the detection circuit 100 is within a predetermined cycle, the walking signal is counted as the number of steps by the step counting unit 119. If the walking signal within the predetermined period is not continuously detected for a predetermined time by the period comparison unit 116, the walking stop detection unit 117 determines that the walking is stopped, and the power control processing unit 118 controls the power control circuit 109 to detect the detection circuit. After switching 100 from continuous drive to intermittent drive, the pause time of intermittent drive is gradually extended by a predetermined time each time a walking signal within a predetermined period is not detected for a predetermined time. Therefore, since the pause time becomes longer as the walking stop time becomes longer, it is possible to reduce power consumption and to suppress the occurrence of walking detection omission.

In addition, the power control processing unit 118 does not extend the pause time indefinitely, but sets the upper limit to a predetermined time, so that it is also possible to suppress the occurrence of a walk detection leak.
When the power supply control processing unit 118 determines in the processing step S210 that the predetermined time has not elapsed since the start of the intermittent operation, the processing returns to the processing step S205. If the power supply control processing unit 118 determines that the detection time has not elapsed in process step S209, the process returns to process step S208.

  The walking stop status can be broadly divided into (i) temporary stoppage that resumes walking in a short time from walking stop, such as waiting for a signal, and (ii) steady walking and sitting at the office desk for desk work. It can be divided into three types, that is, a typical walking stop, and (iii) a long-term walking stop due to non-carrying while sleeping. In the pedometer according to the present embodiment, the predetermined time (for example, 1 minute) after detecting the stop of walking is a pause time of, for example, 5 seconds and a walk stop determination time of, for example, 5 seconds. Ensure detectability. If the walking signal is not detected after the predetermined time after detecting the walking stop, it is determined that the walking is not temporarily stopped, and the pause time is increased by, for example, 5 seconds to 10 seconds. When the state without a walking signal continues, for example, the pause time is gradually increased by 5 seconds every minute and the pause time is increased to 30 seconds. If a walking signal is detected on the way, the rest time is returned to the initial value of 5 seconds, which is the minimum value.

As described above, the walking stop determination time is set to a relatively short time (for example, 5 seconds). Therefore, even when the walking is temporarily stopped while waiting for a signal, the detection circuit 100 is stopped to reduce the consumption.
In addition, even in the case of desk work, the operation of the detection circuit 100 is stopped in a short time, so that the probability of detecting an irregular motion of the upper body is reduced, and the number of walking determination processes is reduced, so that power consumption can be reduced. In addition, the probability of false detection also decreases.
On the other hand, even when the user stops for a moment to open the door and immediately resumes walking, the operation of the walking detection circuit 100 is not stopped for the walking stop determination time of 5 seconds.

Since the pause time is 5 seconds for the first minute, even when walking is resumed in a short time, such as waiting for a signal, the detection of walking can be resumed in a short time, so the step count measurement accuracy is not greatly reduced.
Further, when the state without the walking signal continues, the pause time is gradually extended, so that the operation time of the detection circuit 100 can be shortened as much as possible when sleeping and not carrying, and the power consumption can be reduced.
In addition, even if the pause time is 30 seconds at the maximum, when the walking signal is received, the initial value is reset to 5 seconds, which is the minimum value. Therefore, the number of steps is greatly reduced only at the start of walking. There is an effect that the accuracy is not greatly reduced.

In the above-described embodiment, the example in which the count of the step correction process is fixed to a predetermined value and the example in which the weight of the count is changed linearly have been described. However, various changes such as changing the count weight in a curve are possible. is there.
Further, although the example of the arm pedometer has been described, the present invention can be applied to various pedometers such as a pedometer that is used by being worn on the waist or stored in a portable bag.
Further, although the acceleration sensor is used as the walking sensor, a mechanical sensor, a pressure sensor provided on the shoe sole, or the like may be used.
In addition, the entire detection circuit 100 is configured to be switched between continuous driving and intermittent driving. However, a part of the detection circuit 100 such as the amplifier circuits 102 and 104 may be switched between continuous driving and intermittent driving. Good.

  Applicable to various pedometers, such as pedometers that are used with at least a sensor attached to the arm, worn on the hips, or stored in a portable bag. is there.

It is a block diagram of the pedometer which concerns on embodiment of this invention. It is a flowchart which shows the process in embodiment of this invention. It is a figure which shows the coefficient used by the step count correction process of embodiment of this invention.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 100 ... Detection circuit 101 ... Sensor 102, 104 ... Amplification circuit 103 ... Filter 105 ... Comparator 106 ... CPU
107... Oscillation circuit 108... Dividing circuit 109... Power supply control circuit 110.
112 ... RAM
113 ... Display drive circuit 114 ... Display means 115 ... Cycle calculation unit 116 ... Cycle comparison unit 117 ... Walk stop detection unit 118 ... Power supply control processing unit 119 ... Step counting unit 120 ... step count correction unit 301, 302 ... coefficient

Claims (6)

A detecting unit having a sensor for detecting walking and outputting a walking signal corresponding to the walking detected by the sensor; a counting unit for counting the number of steps based on a walking signal from the detecting unit; and the walking from the detecting unit When the signal is not continuously output for a predetermined time, the operation of the detection means is changed from the continuous operation for continuously detecting the walk to the pause operation for stopping the walk detection during the pause time and the detection operation for detecting the walk during the detection time. In a pedometer having a control means for controlling to shift to intermittent operation that alternately repeats
The counting means corrects the counted number of steps when detecting the number of steps in the detection time after the lapse of the pause time.   2. The pedometer according to claim 1, wherein the counting unit corrects the counted number of steps when a walking signal is output from the detection unit within a predetermined time immediately after the detection time starts.   When the walking signal is not output from the detection means during the intermittent operation, the control means controls the detection means so that the pause time is gradually increased, and the counting means is when the pause time is within a predetermined time The pedometer according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the counted number of steps is corrected.   4. The step count according to claim 1, wherein the counting unit corrects the step count calculated by [(pause time / 2) × walking pitch] by adding to the counted step count. 5. Total.   The counting means corrects by adding the number of steps calculated by [coefficient × rest time × walking pitch] (where the coefficient is a value weighted according to the length of the rest time) to the counted number of steps. The pedometer according to claim 3.   6. The pedometer according to claim 4, wherein the counting unit corrects the walking pitch of the predetermined time using the walking pitch immediately before the resting time or the walking pitch at the detection time immediately after the resting time. .

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