Methods, systems and devices for activity tracking device data synchronization with computing devices

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9819754-B2
Application number	US-201514598161-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jan 15, 2015
Priority date	Sep 30, 2010
Publication date	Nov 14, 2017
Grant date	Nov 14, 2017

Abstract

Methods, devices and system are provided. One method includes capturing activity data associated with activity of a user via a device. The activity data is captured over time, and the activity data is quantifiable by a plurality of metrics. The method includes storing the activity data in storage of the device and, from time to time, connecting the device with a computing device over a wireless communication link. The method defines using a first transfer rate for transferring activity data captured and stored over a period of time. The first transfer rate is used following startup of an activity tracking application on the computing device The method also defines using a second transfer rate for transferring activity data from the device to the computing device for display of the activity data in substantial-real time on the computing device.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method, comprising,
capturing activity data associated with activity of a user via a device, the activity data being captured over time, the activity data quantified by a plurality of metrics;
storing the activity data in storage of the device;
connecting the device with a computing device over a wireless communication link when the device is within range of communication and while an activity tracking application on the computing device is closed;
using a first transfer rate for transferring activity data captured and stored over a period of time; and
using a second transfer rate for transferring activity data from the device to the computing device for display of the activity data in substantial-real time on the computing device when the activity tracking application is open, the method is executed by a processor.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first transfer rate is selected for transferring the activity data from the storage of the device to the computing device.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the second transfer rate is selected to transfer activity data, upon or substantially after being produced in the device, to the computing device for display by the activity tracking application on the computing device in substantial real-time.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first transfer rate is set at a scaled-up connection interval, while the second transfer rate is set at a scaled-down connection interval, the first transfer rate being higher than the second transfer rate.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first transfer rate for transferring activity data captured and stored over the period of time is for one or more background transfers of activity data from the device to the computing device, the background transfers occurring at predefined intervals.

6. The method of claim 1 , further comprising,
detecting opening of the activity tracking application on the computing device;
upon opening the activity tracking application, initiating transfer of firmware updates, using the first transfer rate, to the device;
wherein the firmware updates being triggered in response to installation instructions obtained from a server by the activity tracking application.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of metrics include one or more of step count metrics, or stair count metrics, or distance traveled metrics, or active time metrics, or calories burned metrics, or heart rate metrics, or sleep metrics, or combinations two or more thereof.

8. The method of claim 1 , further comprising,
transferring the activity data to an activity management server to update the plurality of metrics associated with the activity of the user, the activity management server, from time to time, synchronizing activity data and settings with the computing device.

9. The method of claim 8 , further comprising,
receiving setting configurations from the activity management server, as obtained from the computing device, the setting configurations being received from a user account that is associated with the device, the activity management server configured to render graphical user interfaces on a website to display the plurality of metrics in various illustration configurations, the transferring of the activity data in the first transfer rate and the second transfer rate acting to obtain activity data from the device and synchronize the plurality of metrics for display on the computing device and on the website.

10. The method of claim 1 , wherein the range of communication is within a low energy wireless communication link distance.

11. The method of claim 10 , wherein the plurality of metrics include a time of day metric and metrics representing activity data captured by the device or sensed by the device.

12. A device configured for capture of activity for a user, comprising,
a housing;
a sensor disposed in the housing to capture activity data associated with activity of the user;
a memory for storing the captured activity data; and
a processor for managing connection of the device with a computing device over a wireless communication link, the processor configured to use a first transfer rate for transferring activity data captured and stored in memory of the device when the device is within a range of communication of the computing device and while an activity tracking application on the computing device is closed, the transfer of activity data in the first transfer rate being for background updates, and the processor is further configured to use a second transfer rate for transferring activity data for display in substantial-real time on the computing device after the sensor captures the activity data and the activity tracking application is open to enable the display.

13. The device of claim 12 , wherein the housing is part of a wearable wrist attachable structure, or an attachable structure that can be carried or worn by the user.

14. The device of claim 12 , further comprising one or both of an altimeter and an accelerometer.

15. The device of claim 12 , wherein the first transfer rate is further used by the processor for receiving data that is to be applied as firmware updates at the device.

16. The device of claim 12 , wherein the second transfer rate is slower than the first transfer rate.

17. The device of claim 12 , wherein the processor is configured such that the first transfer rate is set at a scaled-up connection interval, while the second transfer rate is set at a scaled-down connection interval, the first transfer rate being higher than the second transfer rate.

18. The device of claim 12 , wherein the housing further includes wireless communication logic for transferring data over the wireless communication link.

19. The device of claim 18 , wherein the wireless communication logic includes one of a wireless connection processing logic, or a low energy wireless processing logic, or radio processing logic.

20. The device of claim 19 , wherein the computing device is configured for access with an activity management server.

Assignees

• Fitbit Inc

Inventors

• Park James
• Burton Barry
• Panther Heiko
• Friedman Eric

Classifications

• G01C22/006

  Pedometers · CPC title

• A61B2560/0242

  adapted to measure environmental factors, e.g. temperature, pollution · CPC title

• H04L67/22 Primary

  Electricity · mapped topic

• A61B5/0022 Primary

  Monitoring a patient using a global network, e.g. telephone networks, internet · CPC title

• G08C17/02

  using a radio link · CPC title