JP5616763B2 - Pedometer with shoe-mounted sensor and transmitter - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to a pedometer used for measuring a pedestrian's step count and calculating a distance traveled on foot. More specifically, the present invention relates to a pedometer including a shoe-mounted system that acquires data on pedestrian movement and transmits a calculation result to a separately provided display unit.

  Pedometers are increasingly used by both professional and amateur fitness enthusiasts to help monitor and evaluate daily exercise. To name a few, using a pedometer, a user can measure and record various data parameters such as step count, distance traveled, speed, and calories burned. These parameters are useful in determining the effectiveness and efficiency of a particular fitness program. In addition, it is possible to use a pedometer as a motivating device by tracking a person's daily physical activity level and providing the person with a means to establish a corresponding improved activity level goal. In many cases, the use of pedometers causes people to be willing to significantly improve their physical activity levels, resulting in lower blood pressure, weight loss, and improved overall health.

  Several different types of pedometers are known and are currently available. These known pedometers use a variety of techniques to determine the step count and distance. One classic type of well-known pedometer is a mechanical device that uses a pendulum to detect body movement and then converts that movement into a step count. The user typically wears a mechanical pedometer on the belt in a substantially vertical orientation. As the wearer walks, the waist causes the pedometer to move up and down, which causes the loaded pendulum to move within the pedometer housing. The inertia of the pendulum is sensed by a ratchet mechanism or mechanical stop, which advances the mechanical counter. A pedometer that uses a pendulum to detect the number of steps has some usefulness, but often records an "wrong number of steps", that is, a motion such as bending or leaning. In addition, pendulum actuated pedometers are usually highly sensitive to proper vertical alignment, make accurate adjustments to the user's pace / step length to accurately record the steps and convert the steps to distance values. I need.

  Another type of known pedometer uses an electromechanical system to detect and record the step count. One such pedometer is to count steps with one or more electromechanical switches embedded in the shoe. When the wearer walks, the switch opens and closes to generate an electrical signal, and the electronic counter is incremented using this electrical signal. This type of pedometer is usually more accurate than a pendulum pedometer, but it still often records the wrong number of steps, such as when the weight is moved from one foot to another. Furthermore, incorporating a switch into a shoe to ensure that the switch senses step by step is not an easy task to achieve. In addition, switches are prone to soiling in the field and are subject to wear when placed in harsh environments.

  More advanced electromechanical pedometers use one or more accelerometers and a suitably programmed microprocessor to detect pedestrian steps. These pedometers typically have a uniaxial, biaxial or triaxial accelerometer to measure acceleration and generate electronic signals corresponding to body movements. The software in the microprocessor then processes the electronic acceleration signal to determine the step count, step frequency, and step length. This kind of pedometer is useful and is more accurate than frequent pendulum-based and switch-based pedometers for high-frequency pedometers, but for slow movements, it has the wrong steps and wrong distance. May be generated. Furthermore, improper axial alignment of the accelerometers in use can adversely affect the accuracy of these pedometers.

  In one well-known accelerometer-type pedometer described in US Pat. No. 6,145,389 granted to Ebeling et al. On November 14, 2000, the entire disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference. The accelerometer is attached to the shoe and the microprocessor uses the signal generated by the accelerometer to calculate the stride. This pedometer requires careful alignment of the accelerometer so that the acceleration measurement axis is substantially aligned with the pedestrian's foot movement direction. Correspondingly, inadequate and inaccurate measurements may result if improper axial alignment of the accelerometer occurs during use.

  In another known accelerometer-type pedometer described in US Pat. No. 6,175,608 issued to Pyles et al. On Jan. 16, 2001, the entire disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference. Attach an inertial device to the user's torso, chest or legs to determine the stride count. This pedometer inertial device detects the whole body movement, similar to a pendulum pedometer. While this type of pedometer is useful, it may mistakenly record the wrong number of steps, that is, unrelated movements, such as bending or leaning, as the number of steps. Furthermore, since the inertial device determines the step count based on the acceleration, it cannot accurately detect the low-speed step count. In addition, improper alignment of the inertial device in use can adversely affect the accuracy of these pedometers.

US Pat. No. 6,145,389 US Pat. No. 6,175,608

  Attempts to provide a pedometer that eliminates the above-mentioned drawbacks have so far not been successful.

  The present invention consists of a pedometer without the above-mentioned drawbacks, which substantially reduces false step count readings, provides high accuracy at low speeds and is relatively easy to implement on existing footwear. .

  In its broadest aspect, the present invention comprises a first signal generator supported on a first portion of a first shoe, and a second signal generator supported on a second portion of the first shoe. And the first signal generator and the second signal generator are separated by a certain distance to sense and respond to the signals generated by the first signal generator and the second signal generator. A sensor comprising a sensor for generating an electrical signal and a microcontroller unit having an input coupled to the sensor for receiving the corresponding electrical signal and converting the corresponding electrical signal into pedestrian motion data The assembly consists of a pedometer coupled with a second shoe. The first signal generator, the second signal generator, and the sensor face each other on the first shoe and the second shoe with the user wearing the first shoe and the second shoe. Preferably, the frequency of detection of signals from the first signal generator and the second signal generator by the aligned sensors is maximized.

  Preferably, the first signal generator and the second signal generator are attached adjacent to the inner edge of the first shoe, and the sensor is attached adjacent to the inner edge of the second shoe. Preferably, the constant distance interval between the first signal generator and the second signal generator extends substantially in the longitudinal direction of the first shoe.

  The first and second signal generators and sensors are alternatively implemented using various techniques. In the implementation of magnetic technology, the first signal generator and the second signal generator include a permanent magnet, and the sensor has a Hall effect for converting the magnetic field generated by the permanent magnet into a corresponding electrical signal. Includes devices such as sensors or MR sensors. In an embodiment using optical technology, the first signal generator and the second signal generator include a light radiation source, such as a light emitting diode, and the sensor emits light radiation generated by the light radiation source. A device for converting into a corresponding electrical signal is included. In an embodiment using radio frequency technology, the first signal generator and the second signal generator include an RFID tag for generating a radio frequency (rf) signal of a known frequency, and the sensor Received from the RFID tag. f. An RFID reader is included for converting the signal into a corresponding electrical signal. RFID signal generator tags can include active or passive RFID tags.

  The pedometer may further include a transmitter coupled to the microcontroller unit for transmitting pedestrian motion data to the receiver / display unit to provide user feedback in real time.

  Pedometers manufactured in accordance with the teachings of the present invention are relatively inexpensive to install in footwear at the time of manufacture or as aftermarket products. Such pedometers can provide accurate pedestrian motion data such as step speed, step count, distance traveled, pace, and many other behavioral parameters that are of potential interest to the user.

  For a fuller understanding of the nature and advantages of the present invention, reference should be made to the following detailed description taken together with the accompanying figures.

  In the drawings, like reference characters generally refer to the same parts throughout the different views. Also, the drawings are not necessarily drawn to scale, but rather an emphasis is placed on illustrating the principles of the invention in general. In the following description, various embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the following drawings.

It is the schematic of a biped walking cycle. It is a front view which shows the shoe mounting type pedometer by this invention. FIG. 2 is a block diagram of a pedometer with a signal generator, sensor and transmitter attached to a shoe, and an associated separate pedestrian parameter display unit. FIG. 3 is an enlarged schematic view of a typical biped walking cycle. It is a graph which shows a sensor signal versus time. It is a graph which shows walking speed versus time.

  Referring now to the drawings, FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of a typical bipedal walking cycle 100. As can be seen in this figure, a typical human or bipedal walking cycle 100 for a generally linear forward motion includes a right foot waveform path 101 and a left foot waveform path 102. When both the right foot waveform path 101 and the left foot waveform path 102 are combined, a biped walking cycle 100 is achieved that results in a generally linear forward motion. To start the walking cycle 100, the forefoot 104 supports the majority of the person's weight. Next, the hind legs 106 are lifted and moved generally forward as indicated by the directional arrows. When the rear foot 106 moves in the direction of the front foot 104, the movement of the rear foot 106 bends inward toward the front foot 104, forming an arcuate path. When the first front foot 104 and the first back foot 106 achieve a minimum separation distance, a minimum spatial distance 108 between both feet 104 and feet 106 is determined. At this point in the walking cycle 100, the first hind leg 106 is typically not supporting weight, and the first forefoot 104 supports the overall weight of the person. Next, the first hind leg 106 bends away from the first front leg 104 and contacts the ground at a position 110 approximately in front of the first front leg 104 to achieve a maximum spatial distance 112. When the first hind legs 106 supportably contact the ground, the person's weight is distributed between both the first front legs 104 and the first hind legs 106.

  As shown in FIG. 1, in the walking cycle 100, the same operation as that of the front foot 104 in the initial state is repeated in the same manner as described above, but the role of the foot is reversed. Thus, with the foot 106 supporting most of the person's weight, the foot 104 is then lifted and moved generally forward as indicated by the directional arrow. When the foot 104 moves in the direction of the foot 106, the path of the foot 104 bends inward in the direction of the foot 106 to form an arcuate path. When the foot 104 and foot 106 reach the minimum distance interval, a minimum spatial distance 108 between both feet 104 and foot 106 is determined. At this point in the walking cycle 100, the foot 104 typically does not support weight and the foot 106 supports the overall weight of the person. Next, the foot 104 bends away from the foot 106, contacts the ground at a position approximately in front of the foot 106, and reaches the maximum spatial distance 112. When the foot 104 contacts the ground in a support state, the person's weight is distributed between both the foot 104 and the foot 106.

  The exact shape of the right waveform path 101 and the left waveform path 102 is typically of a physical result such as hip rotation, weight shift, and many other posture adjustments required for bipedal movement. . The minimum clearance 108 may be less than 0.5 inches and is usually determined by the body structure and other attributes of the person walking. The maximum spatial distance 112 is usually about the shoulder width of a person, but varies depending on the person's pace / step length.

  Since both feet are close together at the minimum spatial distance 108, it is possible to implement a signal generator and proximity sensor attached to the shoe to detect when the feet pass during the walking cycle. The detection of a passing foot is described in further detail below with respect to FIG.

  Reference is now made to FIG. 2, which is a front view showing a pedometer, indicated generally by the reference numeral 200, including a shoe-mounted system capable of obtaining real-time pedestrian motion data during a pedestrian's walking movement. As shown in FIG. 2, the pedometer 200 is incorporated into a right shoe 204 and a corresponding left shoe 206. Both the right shoe 204 and the left shoe 206 generally form a matched pair suitable for wearing and use in walking movements such as walking, running, and jogging. A first signal generator 208 and a second signal generator 210 are attached to the right shoe 204. The first signal generator 208 is disposed adjacent to the relatively front portion 212 of the right shoe 204 and the second signal generator 210 is disposed adjacent to the relatively rear portion 214 of the right shoe 204. . Both the first signal generator 208 and the second signal generator 210 are located along the inner edge of the right shoe 204 so as to be closest to the corresponding left shoe 206 and the instep region 213 of the right shoe 204. It is preferable to arrange | position close to. In the exemplary embodiment, each of the first signal generator 208 and the second signal generator 210 has a sufficient magnetic field to reach the area of the left shoe 206 where the sensor and transmitter assembly 202 is located. Manufactured from the resulting permanent magnetic material. As will be apparent to those skilled in the art, ferromagnetic materials (eg, cobalt, nickel) and ferrimagnetic materials, composites such as Alnico and Ticonal, and sintered composites of powdered iron oxide and barium carbonate / strontium ceramic Many different types of magnetic materials, such as bodies, can be used. The signal generator longitudinal distance interval 216 defines a constant distance between the first signal generator 208 and the second signal generator 210 along the generally longitudinal axis of the right shoe 204. In the exemplary embodiment, the longitudinal separation distance 216 is about 5 inches, although other constant dimensions may be used for the longitudinal distance spacing 216 depending on the relative size and configuration of the shoe. Is also possible. In the exemplary embodiment, signal generators 208, 210 are embedded in a sole (not shown) that forms part of right shoe 204. The signal generators 208, 210 may be incorporated into other parts of the right shoe 204 by molding or gluing, or any suitable attachment technique, such as a loop and hook type fastener material marketed under the Velcro brand name. It can be seen that it may be mechanically attached to an appropriate part of the right shoe 204.

  Mounted on the left shoe 206 is a sensor and transmitter assembly 202 disposed in place on the left shoe 206. In the exemplary embodiment, sensor and transmitter assembly 202 includes at least one proximity sensor (Hall effect sensor) that can sense magnetic field signals generated by signal generators 208, 210 mounted on right shoe 204. A microcontroller unit and a transmitter. These elements are described in further detail below with respect to FIG. The sensor and transmitter assembly 202 is intended to be embedded in a sole (not shown) that forms part of the left foot 206. In an alternative embodiment, the sensor and transmitter assembly 202 can be coupled to other parts and areas of the left shoe 204. While the signal generators 208, 210 have been described with respect to the right shoe and the sensor and transmitter assembly 202 has been described with respect to the left shoe 206, those skilled in the art will recognize that the right and left shoe configurations can be reversed. It will be easy to understand.

  FIG. 3 is a block diagram of the pedometer of FIG. 2 having a shoe-mounted signal generator 208, 210, a shoe-mounted sensor and transmitter assembly 202, and an associated separate display unit 300. As can be seen in this figure, the proximity sensor 302 is disposed within the operable range of the first signal generator 208 and the second signal generator 210, so that the signal generators 208, 210 are operated by the proximity sensor 302. A magnetic pulse signal is generated in the sensor 302 when there is relative movement between the right shoe 204 and the left shoe 206 in such a way as to pass the region of the left shoe 206 within range. In the described magnetic implementation, the proximity sensor 302 is an allomicrosystems, Inc. A Hall effect sensor (part number: A1395SEHLT) available from the company is preferred. Alternatively, the proximity sensor 302 can be an MR sensor (part number: HMC1001) available from Honeywell Microelectronics.

  Since the proximity sensor 302 is operatively coupled to a microcontroller unit (MCU) 304, the magnetic impulse signal received by the proximity sensor 302 is converted into an electrical signal for various signal processing functions (FIGS. 5 and 5). 6 is described in further detail below). The MCU 304 is operably coupled with the transmitter 306 to wirelessly transmit the processed pedestrian motion data to the display unit 300. The motion data may include the total number of steps, the number of steps per minute, the instantaneous speed, the average speed, the pace, the total distance traveled, the distance per step, the calories burned, and other parameter data generated by the MCU 304. it can. The MCU 304 and transmitter 306 are preferably incorporated into an AT3 chipset available as SensRcore, part number nRF24LO1, from ANT, Cochrane, Alberta, Canada. The transmitter 306 wirelessly communicates with the display unit 300 by transferring operation data and step count information to the display unit 300 in one direction or in both directions. The display unit 300 is connected to Garmin Ltd. , A third party motion monitoring device such as the Edge 705 unit available from the company (part number 010-00555-20) or a fitness computer. In an alternative embodiment, the transmitter 306 can be configured to communicate and forward operational data to other electronic devices such as a mobile phone, Mp3 player, or other portable display device.

  In the exemplary embodiment, the wireless communication protocol used between transmitter 306 and display unit 300 is generally “ANT”, available from Dynastream Innovations, Inc., Cochrane, Alberta, Canada. It is called wireless sensor network communication protocol. Some features of the ANT protocol include low power consumption, low cost overhead, and the ability of multiple transceivers to coexist in close proximity to other similar transceivers. The ANT protocol has an estimated efficiency of about 47 percent due to various programming configurations that reduce power consumption in the standby state. However, those skilled in the art can easily transfer data between the transmitter 306 and the display unit 300 using other types of wireless communication protocols such as Bluetooth or ZigBee (based on IEEE standard 802.15.4). You will immediately understand what you can do.

  A suitable D.C. such as a battery (not shown). C. A power source is used to supply power to the system elements 302, 304, and 306 shown in FIG. In an alternative approach, the magnetic field generated by the magnets 208, 210 is applied to the coils included in the assembly 202 and the D.P. C. When combined with a rectifier circuit, it can act as an energy source. This arrangement eliminates the need to replace the battery when useful energy is exhausted from the battery. The display unit 300 is provided with a separate power source such as a battery.

  Referring now to FIGS. 4 and 5, FIG. 4 is an enlarged schematic view of a representative portion of the biped walking cycle 100, and FIG. 5 is a graph showing sensor signals versus time. The pedometer according to the present invention generates a step count and one step time when one shoe passes the other shoe. For example, in FIG. 4, as the right shoe 204 follows the waveform path 101 of the right foot, the first signal generator 208 and the second signal generator 210 are successfully in close proximity to the sensor and transmitter assembly 202. . When the first signal generator 208 passes the proximity sensor in the assembly 202 at the minimum spatial distance 108, a first impulse signal 500 (FIG. 5) is generated by the sensor 302 (FIG. 3) and the generator 208. The maximum value occurs at the closest point between the sensor 302 and the sensor 302. This first impulse signal is coupled to MCU 304 (FIG. 3) in sensor and transmitter assembly 202. When the right shoe 204 moves further forward by a distance equal to the constant longitudinal distance interval 216, the second signal generator 210 passes the proximity sensor in the assembly 202 and generates a second impulse signal 502. The second impulse signal 502 is received by the MCU 304. Given a known distance interval between signal generators 208, 210, this pair of first impulse signal 500 and second impulse signal 502 is separated by a first time interval “t” that can be determined by MCU 304. Is done. As the left shoe 206 advances the next step in the walking cycle 100, the third impulse signal 504 is generated when the proximity sensor 302 included in the sensor and transmitter assembly 202 moves near the second signal generator 210. , Generated at a second time interval. When this third impulse signal 504 is generated, the MCU 304 can determine a parameter value called a one-step time “T”.

  By obtaining real-time pedestrian data “t” and “T” as described above, various other operational parameters such as pace, speed, and total travel distance can be calculated. The pedometer cadence is calculated by dividing the total number of steps by the total time of one step. The cadence value can then be converted to various units such as steps / minute by applying standard time conversion. Regarding the total movement distance, referring to FIG. 6, first, the average walking speed V1 over the first time interval “t” is obtained. The average walking speed is calculated using a constant separation distance between the first signal generator 208 and the second signal generator 210 and the first time interval “t”. In the exemplary embodiment, the longitudinal distance separating first signal generator 208 and second signal generator 210 is 5 inches, resulting in a step over a first time interval “t”. The speed is determined by V1 = 5 / t inches / second. Second, the coefficient “K” is used to scale the average walking speed V1 in proportion to the average one-step speed V2. The factor K can be determined by calibration based on actual user stride length, or by construction of a table of average stride lengths based on standard physical attributes that relate stride length to human height. Once “K” is determined, an equation for the step speed is defined by V2 = KV1. Third, by multiplying V2 by "T", the step length "d" is obtained, i.e., d = V2T. The total number of steps “N” is obtained by accumulating the total number of one-step times “T”. Finally, to obtain the total travel distance “D”, the step width “d” is multiplied by the total number of steps “N”, that is, D = Nd. All of the above algorithms can be easily implemented by MCU 304 using standard techniques.

  The resulting motion data determined by the MCU 304 can be stored in the memory of the MCU 304 for later analysis and transmitted to the display unit 300 by the transmitter 306 for real-time motion data feedback. Can be given to the user.

  Although described above as operating in a magnetic field zone, the signal generators 208, 210 and sensor 302 are optical and r.p. f. It can be implemented using other techniques such as techniques. For example, in embodiments using optical technology, the signal generators 208, 210 may include light emitting diodes (LEDs) that generate a light beam of a known wavelength, and the sensor 302 senses light emission at the LED wavelength. An optical sensor for performing the operation. In such embodiments, it is necessary to provide an electrical energy source, such as a battery, to provide power to the LED signal generators 208, 210. Similarly, in implementations using radio frequency technology, the signal generators 208, 210 are r. f. An RFID tag that generates a signal can be included, and the sensor 302 can receive r. f. An RFID reader / interrogator that can sense the signal can be included. RFID tags can include active or passive RFID tags. When an active RFID tag is used, it is necessary to provide an electric energy source such as a battery to supply power to the RFID tag. When a passive RFID tag is used, r. f. Power is provided by the interrogation signal and no separate power source is required for the signal generators 208,210. One suitable option for passive RFID tags is the Atmel ATA5577 RFID tag available from Atmel Corporation, San Jose, California. One preferred option for the RFID reader / interrogator is an Atmel ATA5577 device, also available from Atmel Corporation, San Jose, California.

  As has become apparent, pedometers manufactured in accordance with the teachings of the present invention provide accuracy and advantageous advantages over known pedometers. First, by using a shoe-mounted proximity sensor and a signal generator, the accuracy of obtaining a step count is improved. This improved accuracy results from generating an impulse signal each time the foot passes. In addition, pedometers manufactured in accordance with the teachings of the present invention reduce "wrong step count" recordings by eliminating reliance on accelerometer mechanical motion and axial alignment. Furthermore, by using a shoe-mounted sensor and a transmitter that wirelessly communicate with a separate display device, user convenience is increased as compared to a pedometer having an integrated display unit. Finally, by using the proximity sensor and signal generator configurations shown in FIGS. 2-5, a high level of step count accuracy can be achieved at very slow walking speeds.

  Although the invention has been described with reference to particular embodiments, various modifications, alternative constructions, and equivalents can be used without departing from the spirit of the invention. For example, although specific circuit components have been disclosed, other equivalent units can be used if desired. Therefore, the above should not be construed as limiting the invention, which is defined by the appended claims.

204 right shoe; 208 first signal generator; 210 second signal generator;
300 display unit; 302 proximity sensor;
304 Microcontroller unit (MCU); 306 Transmitter.

Claims (13)

A first signal generator attached to a first portion of the first shoe to emit a first signal toward the outside of the first shoe;
A second portion attached to a second portion at a distance from the first signal generator in the longitudinal direction of the first shoe so as to emit a second signal toward the outside of the first shoe; A signal generator of
Sensor assembly coupled to the second shoe, a pedometer constructed from capital, before Symbol sensor assembly for sensing the first and second signals emitted from said first shoe directly Te, a sensor for generating an electrical signal group corresponding to these signal group has an input terminal connected to said sensor, said predetermined distance before and SL corresponding electrical signal group which receives an electrical signal that the corresponding Consists of a microcontroller that generates pedometer data using values ,
Electrical signal pairs corresponding to the first and second signals are separated by a first time interval;
The pedometer data includes an average gait over the first time interval;
The pedometer characterized in that the average walking speed is calculated using the value of the constant distance and the first time interval .   The first and second signal generators and the sensor are positioned in a face-to-face relationship on the first shoe and the second shoe when the user wears the first shoe and the second shoe. The pedometer according to claim 1, wherein the pedometers are combined.   The number of steps of claim 1, wherein the first shoe has an inner edge, and the first and second signal generators are mounted adjacent to the inner edge of the first shoe. Total.   4. The pedometer according to claim 3, wherein the second shoe has an inner edge, and the sensor is mounted adjacent to the inner edge of the second shoe.   The first and second signal generators include permanent magnets, and the sensor includes a device for converting an outwardly radiating magnetic field generated by the permanent magnets into corresponding electrical signals. Item 1. A pedometer according to item 1.   The pedometer according to claim 5, wherein the sensor includes a Hall effect sensor device.   The pedometer according to claim 5, wherein the sensor includes an MR sensor device.   The first and second signal generators include an optical radiation source, and the sensor includes an apparatus for converting outwardly emitted optical radiation generated by the optical radiation source into a corresponding electrical signal. The pedometer according to claim 1.   The pedometer according to claim 8, wherein the light emitting source is a light emitting diode.   The first and second signal generators emit r. f. An RFID tag for generating a signal, wherein the sensor receives r. f. The pedometer according to claim 1, characterized in that it includes an RFID reader that converts the signal into a corresponding electrical signal.   The pedometer according to claim 10, wherein the RFID tag is an active RFID device.   The pedometer according to claim 10, wherein the RFID tag is a passive RFID device.   The transmitter of claim 1, further comprising a transmitter coupled to the microcontroller unit for transmitting the pedestrian motion data to a receiver / display unit to provide real-time user feedback. Pedometer as described.

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