Enhancing exercise safety

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9782083-B2
Application number	US-201514845887-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 4, 2015
Priority date	Sep 4, 2015
Publication date	Oct 10, 2017
Grant date	Oct 10, 2017

Abstract

A method includes determining that a portable apparatus is in an exercise mode; obtaining, by the portable apparatus when in the exercise mode, real-time exercise data of a user of the portable apparatus acquired using a sensor set having one or more sensors, and reference data related to the exercise mode; observing, when in the exercise mode, the real-time exercise data, and detecting, during the observing based on comparison of the real-time exercise data with the reference data, that at least one value of the exercise data is uncharacteristic to the exercise mode; and determining, when in the exercise mode, whether the detection of the at least one uncharacteristic value is related to an unpredicted incident, and as a response to the determining that the detection of the at least one uncharacteristic value is related to the unpredicted incident, causing an output of an emergency signal.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An apparatus comprising at least one processor and at least one memory including a computer program code, wherein the at least one memory and the computer program code are configured, with the at least one processor, to cause a portable apparatus to perform operations comprising:
determining that the portable apparatus is in a user-selectable exercise mode among a plurality of different user-selectable exercise modes, each of the plurality of user-selectable exercise modes being associated with a different type of exercise activity;
as a response to determining that the portable apparatus is in the user-selectable exercise mode, causing an activation of one or more sensors of a sensor set;
obtaining, by the portable apparatus when in the exercise mode, real-time exercise data of a user of the portable apparatus acquired using the sensor set having the one or more sensors, and exercise mode-specific reference data associated with the exercise mode;
observing, when in the exercise mode, the real-time exercise data, and detecting, during the observing based on comparison of the real-time exercise data with the exercise mode-specific reference data, that at least one value of the exercise data is uncharacteristic to the exercise mode; and
determining, when in the exercise mode, whether the detection of the at least one uncharacteristic value is related to an unpredicted incident, and as a response to the determining that the detection of the at least one uncharacteristic value is related to the unpredicted incident, causing an output of an emergency signal,
wherein the plurality of exercise modes comprises at least a first exercise mode and a second exercise mode, wherein the first exercise mode is associated with first exercise mode-specific reference data and the second exercise mode is associated with second exercise mode-specific reference data.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the determining that the portable apparatus is in the exercise mode comprises determining that the portable apparatus is in said exercise mode among the plurality of exercise modes of the portable apparatus based on sensor input.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the sensor set is specific to the exercise mode among the plurality of exercise modes.

4. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the at least one memory and the computer program code are configured, with the at least one processor, to cause the portable apparatus further to perform operations comprising:
causing, when in the exercise mode, activation of an exercise mode-specific user interface among a plurality of exercise mode-specific user interfaces.

5. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the exercise mode-specific reference data indicates at least one of at least one measurement range characteristic to the exercise mode, at least one measurement range uncharacteristic to the exercise mode.

6. The apparatus of claim 5 , wherein the detecting that the at least one value of the exercise data is uncharacteristic to the exercise mode is based on determining whether the at least one value is within or outside the at least one measurement range characteristic to the exercise mode.

7. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the determining whether the detection of the at least one uncharacteristic value is related to the unpredicted incident comprises:
causing an output of a notification;
obtaining a user input, or determining that a predetermined time has passed from initiating the output of the notification; and
determining, based on the user input or based on the determining that the predetermined time has passed, whether the detection of the at least one uncharacteristic value is related to the unpredicted incident.

8. The apparatus of claim 7 , wherein the causing the output of the notification comprises causing at least one of a haptic indication, visual indication, sound indication.

9. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the determining whether the detection of the at least one uncharacteristic value is related to the unpredicted incident comprises:
continuing to obtain the real-time exercise data of the user, the real-time exercise data comprising cardiac activity data of the user; and
after the detection of the at least one uncharacteristic value, determining, based on cardiac activity data, whether the detection of the at least one uncharacteristic value is related to the unpredicted incident.

10. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the emergency signal causes at least one of a call to an emergency center, a call to at least one emergency contact of the user.

11. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the emergency signal causes a transmission of data related to at least one of the real-time exercise data, exercise history data, user characteristics, current location, current address, route information, insurance information, contact information to the emergency center, contact information to the at least one emergency contact of the user.

12. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the emergency signal causes an alarm comprising at least one of a haptic indication, visual indication, sound indication.

13. The apparatus of claim 12 , wherein the alarm comprises the sound indication and wherein the sound indication is lower in volume compared to the sound indication related to the output of the notification.

14. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the portable apparatus is a bike computer.

15. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein at least one range of characteristic and/or uncharacteristic values in the first exercise mode is different from at least one range for characteristic and/or uncharacteristic values in the second exercise mode.

16. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the unpredicted incident is related to a change in at least one of speed, velocity, acceleration of the user.

17. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the type of exercise comprises at least one of road cycling, mountain biking, running, swimming.

18. A method comprising:
determining, by a portable apparatus, that the portable apparatus is in a user-selectable exercise mode among a plurality of different user-selectable exercise modes, each of the plurality of user-selectable exercise modes being associated with a different type of exercise activity;
as a response to determining that the portable apparatus is in the user-selectable exercise mode, causing an activation of one or more sensors of a sensor set;
obtaining, by the portable apparatus when in the exercise mode, real-time exercise data of a user of the portable apparatus acquired using the sensor set having the one or more sensors, and exercise mode-specific reference data associated with the exercise mode;
observing, when in the exercise mode, the real-time exercise data, and detecting, during the observing based on comparison of the real-time exercise data with the exercise mode-specific reference data, that at least one value of the exercise data is uncharacteristic to the exercise mode; and
determining, when in the exercise mode, whether the detection of the at least one uncharacteristic value is related to an unpredicted incident, and as a response to the determining that the detection of the at least one uncharacteristic value is related to the unpredicted incident, causing an output of an emergency signal,
wherein the plurality of exercise modes comprises at least a first exercise mode and a second exercise mode, wherein the first exercise mode is associated with first exercise mode-specific reference data and the second exercise mode is associated with second exercise

Assignees

• Polar Electro Oy

Inventors

• Erkkila Mika

Classifications

• G06F19/30

  Physics · mapped topic

• A61B5/02416

  using photoplethysmograph signals, e.g. generated by infrared radiation (A61B5/14552 takes precedence) · CPC title

• G08B21/043

  detecting an emergency event, e.g. a fall · CPC title

• A61B5/02 Primary

  Detecting, measuring or recording for evaluating the cardiovascular system, e.g. pulse, heart rate, blood pressure or blood flow · CPC title

• G08B21/0438

  Sensor means for detecting · CPC title