Fitness monitoring device with altimeter and airplane mode

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-8965730-B2
Application number	US-201414297397-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 5, 2014
Priority date	Jun 22, 2012
Publication date	Feb 24, 2015
Grant date	Feb 24, 2015

Abstract

Biometric monitoring devices, including various technologies that may be implemented in such devices, are discussed herein. Additionally, techniques for utilizing altimeters in biometric monitoring devices are provided. Such techniques may, in some implementations, involve recalibrating a biometric monitoring device altimeter based on location data; using altimeter data as an aid to gesture recognition; and/or using altimeter data to manage an airplane mode of a biometric monitoring device.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A wearable biometric tracking device, the wearable biometric tracking device comprising:
one or more biometric sensors;
an altitude sensor, the altitude sensor configured to detect altitude of the wearable biometric tracking device and to output altitude sensor data; and
control logic, wherein the one or more biometric sensors, the altitude sensor, and the control logic are communicatively coupled and the control logic is configured to:
a) receive the altitude sensor data,
b) analyze the altitude sensor data to determine if the altitude sensor data is indicative of flight in an airplane, and
c) place, responsive at least in part to a determination in (b) that the altitude sensor data is indicative of flight in an airplane, the wearable biometric tracking device into a mode associated with air travel.

2. The wearable biometric tracking device of claim 1 , wherein the altitude sensor data is indicative of flight in an airplane when the altitude sensor data indicates a rate of altitude change that exceeds a rate of altitude change threshold.

3. The wearable biometric tracking device of claim 2 , wherein the rate of altitude change threshold is above 30 feet per minute.

4. The wearable biometric tracking device of claim 1 , wherein:
the altitude sensor data is indicative of flight in an airplane when the altitude sensor data indicates a total altitude increase over an altitude increase time period for the wearable biometric tracking device, and
the total altitude increase over the altitude increase time period exceeds a total altitude increase threshold.

5. The wearable biometric tracking device of claim 4 , wherein the total altitude increase threshold is at least 130 feet in altitude and the altitude increase time period is 180 seconds or less.

6. The wearable biometric tracking device of claim 1 , wherein the altitude sensor data is indicative of flight in an airplane when:
the altitude sensor data indicates a rate of altitude change that exceeds an altitude rate of change threshold throughout an altitude change time period, and
the rate of altitude change threshold is at least 30 feet per minute.

7. The wearable biometric tracking device of claim 6 , wherein the altitude change time period is a time period of at least 13 seconds.

8. The wearable biometric tracking device of claim 1 , wherein the mode associated with air travel is a mode in which the wearable biometric tracking device is placed in a low power state.

9. The wearable biometric tracking device of claim 1 , further comprising wireless communication circuitry, the communication circuitry communicatively coupled to the control logic and configured to wirelessly communicate with associated devices, wherein the mode associated with air travel is a mode in which the communication circuitry is placed in a standby or off state.

10. The wearable biometric tracking device of claim 1 , wherein the control logic is further configured to:
d) further analyze the altitude sensor data to determine if the altitude sensor data is indicative of landing of the airplane, and
e) cause, responsive at least in part to a determination in (d) that the altitude sensor data is indicative of landing of the airplane, the wearable biometric tracking device to exit the mode associated with air travel.

11. The wearable biometric tracking device of claim 10 , wherein the altitude sensor data is indicative of the landing of the airplane when:
f) the altitude sensor data indicates a total altitude decrease for the wearable biometric tracking device that exceeds a total altitude decrease threshold over an altitude decrease time period; and
g) the altitude sensor data indicates a rate of altitude change of less than 3 feet per minute for a period of 300 seconds after (f).

12. The wearable biometric tracking device of claim 11 , wherein the altitude decrease time period is 180 seconds or less.

13. The wearable biometric tracking device of claim 11 , wherein the control logic is further configured to:
h) receive biometric data from the one or more biometric sensors;
i) analyze the biometric data to determine if the biometric data indicates that a wearer of the wearable biometric tracking device has taken at least a predetermined number of steps; and
j) determine that the altitude sensor data is indicative of the landing of the airplane when the control logic further detects (i) after (f).

14. The wearable biometric tracking device of claim 11 , wherein the total altitude decrease threshold is an altitude decrease of at least 130 feet.

15. The wearable biometric tracking device of claim 1 , wherein the control logic is further configured to monitor biometric data from the one or more biometric sensors and to determine when the biometric data indicates that a wearer of the biometric monitoring device has not moved more than a threshold movement amount relative to an aircraft reference frame within a first time period after (b).

16. The wearable biometric tracking device of claim 15 , further comprising a user interface, wherein the control logic is further configured to cause a notification to be provided to the wearer via the user interface responsive, at least in part, to the determination that the wearer of the biometric monitoring device has not moved more than the threshold movement amount relative to the aircraft reference frame within the first time period.

17. The wearable biometric tracking device of claim 16 , further comprising a light sensor configured to measure an amount of ambient light around the biometric tracking device and to output detected light data, wherein the control logic is further configured to:
analyze the detected light data to determine if the detected light data is indicative of light levels normally associated with a sleeping environment in an airplane, and
cause the notification to be provided to the wearer via the user interface responsive to the determination that the wearer of the biometric monitoring device has not moved more than the threshold movement amount relative to the aircraft reference frame within the first time period and responsive to a determination that the detected light data is not indicative of the light levels normally associated with the sleeping environment in an airplane.

18. The wearable biometric tracking device of claim 16 , wherein the control logic is further configured to:
place the wearable biometric tracking device into a sleep-tracking mode responsive to a stimulus selected from the group consisting of: (i) a deliberate request provided by the wearer of the wearable biometric tracking device and (ii) analysis of the biometric data indicating that the wearer of the wearable biometric tracking device is likely asleep;
cause the notification to be provided to the wearer via the user interface when the wearable biometric tracking device is not in the sleep-tracking mode and responsive to the determination that the wearer of the biometric monitoring device has not moved more than the threshold movement amount relative to the aircraft reference frame within the first time period.

19. The wearable biometric tracking device of claim 16 , wherein the user interface includes a digital display and the notification is a message displayed on the digital display.

20. The wearable biometric tracking device of claim 16 , wherein the user interface includes an audio device and the notification is an audio notification.

21. The wearable biometric tracking device of claim 16 , whe

Assignees

• Fitbit Inc

Inventors

• Yuen Shelten Gee Jao

Classifications

• G01B21/16 Primary

  for measuring distance of clearance between spaced objects · CPC title

• H04L67/52

  specially adapted for the location of the user terminal · CPC title

• G16H20/30

  relating to physical therapies or activities, e.g. physiotherapy, acupressure or exercising · CPC title

• G16H40/63 Primary

  for local operation · CPC title

• H04W4/80

  Services using short range communication, e.g. near-field communication [NFC], radio-frequency identification [RFID] or low energy communication · CPC title