The present invention generally relates to devices and methods for downloading and displaying information.
There exists a need for a device and method to download and display information related to a user's activities.
The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and form a part of the specification, illustrate example embodiments and, together with the description, serve to explain the principles of the invention. In the drawings:
A device is provided for use by a user having a transmitter operable to transmit a data signal corresponding to previously recorded activity of the user. The device includes: a standing surface for supporting the user, a weight scale operable to output a weight signal based on the weight of the user supported by said standing surface; a receiver operable to receive the data signal; and a memory operable to store user data based on the received data signal.
One of the recent trends in fitness is using a wearable device to record data related to the activity a user is performing. The data can be downloaded directly to a computer, smartphone, or other smart devices, and the user can refer to the downloaded data to track his progress. A wearable device may incorporate various sensors to determine activity levels. Non-limiting examples of such sensors include temperature sensors, pressure sensors, water sensors, moisture sensors, saline channel sensors, electric field sensors, current sensors, voltage sensors, impedance sensors, magnetic field sensors, accelerometers, altimeters, GPS sensors, magnetometers, optical sensors, and chemical sensors. Traditionally, a user may wear a single wearable device to record data related to all activities a user is performing. However, some wearable devices may be better at recording data from certain activities than others. For example, a shoe may be better equipped to measure the number of steps, ground force, and foot speed than a headband, but a headband may be better equipped to measure body temperature, pulse rate, and perspiration than a shoe. A user may therefore choose to wear more than one wearable device when performing activities.
A user that has multiple wearable devices may desire to view the recorded data from all of his wearable devices at the same time, and even manipulate or combine the data to perform a more detailed analysis of his performance.
As shown in the figure, user 100 is wearing shoes 102 while running. Shoes 102 are an example of a smart wearable device, and shoes 102 to record data associated with running. A smart wearable device is one that incorporates a computer chip into its design. The computer chip typically includes sensors, a memory that can store the data the sensors record, and a transmitter/receiver so that data, or functions thereof, can be uploaded/downloaded. The sensors inside shoes 102 may incorporate the types of sensors described above, they detect certain parameters associated with a user's activity, and those parameters are translated into data signals. These sensors can detect data signals including, but not limited to: foot force, running speed, distance covered, calories burned, pulse rate, fluid loss, gait length, and time. The computer chip may also manipulate the data signals to generate a signature that is a function of the data. Signatures may include, but are not limited to: amount of work done, change in calories burned over time, change in gait length over time, and combinations thereof.
In order to view the recorded data signals and signatures, shoes 102 must be tethered or otherwise connected to another device, as shoes 102 do not provide user 100 with a means to view the data signals or signatures. In many instances, shoes 102 are tethered, via a wireless or wired connection, to a smartphone so a user can upload the data to the phone follow the progress of his exercise regimen. In other embodiments, shoes 102 may be tethered to a computer, via a wireless or wired connection. In yet other embodiments, shoes 102 may be tethered, via a wireless or wired connection, to another smart device, like a smart television.
As shown in the figure, user 100 is wearing a smartwatch 202 while swimming. Smartwatch 202 can record data signals associated with swimming in a manner similar to how shoes 102 record data signals associated with running, as discussed above. Non-limiting examples of the types of data signals that may be recorded include maximum speed, average speed, distance covered, stroke length, drag force, etc., and combinations thereof. The signal may be stored as the raw data recorded by smartwatch 202, but smartwatch 202 may also generate signatures based on the data, as described above with reference to
As shown in the figure, user 100 is a wearing headband 302 while playing tennis. Headband 302 can record data signals associated with playing tennis in a manner similar to how shoes 102 record data signals associated with running, as discussed above. Non-limiting examples of the types of data signals that may be recorded include distance covered, backhand and forehand force, fluid loss, etc., and combinations thereof. The signal may be stored as the raw data recorded by headband 302, but headband 202 may also generate signatures based on the data, as described above with reference to
In accordance with aspects of the present invention a weight scale is a data hub for collecting, storing and managing exercise data from a plurality of a user's wearable smart devices and phones. Beneficial aspects of the data hub include the use of a single processing center that may provide “heavy lifting” with respect to processing data so as to maximize power savings of the plurality of the user's wearable smart devices and phones.
Example embodiments of a weight scale data hub in accordance with aspects of the present invention will now be described with additional reference to
As shown in the figure, user 100 is standing on a scale 400 while a mobile phone 404 is nearby. User 100 is wearing shoes 102, smartwatch 202, and headband 302. Scale 400 includes a standing surface 402.
The operation of scale 400 will be further described with additional reference to
As shown in the figure, scale 400 includes standing surface 402, a weight scale 502, a transmitter 504, a receiver 506, a memory 508, a processor 510, and a display 512.
Standing surface 402 is the portion of scale 400 the user stands on when the user desires to view how much he weighs. Standing surface 402 is operable to communicate with weight scale 502.
Weight scale 502 communicates with standing surface 402 via a communication channel 514, transmitter 504 via a communication channel 516, and display 512 via a communication channel 522. Weight scale 502 may be any device or system that is able to determine the weight of a user. In this embodiment, weight scale 502 is additionally able to generate and signal to transmitter 504 based on the user standing on standing surface 402.
Display 512 may be any known type of display that is able to provide information to the user. Display 512 additionally processor 510 via a communication channel 530.
Transmitter 504 receives information from weight scale 502, via communication channel 516 and is able to transmit various wearable devices, via communication channel 520, and can transmit information to various wearable devices via communication channel 518.
Receiver 506 communicates with memory 508 via communication channel 526 and various wearable devices via communication channel 524. Receiver 506 may receive data from various wearable devices in any known manner, non-limiting examples of which include via a Bluetooth signal, a Wi-Fi signal and an RF signal. Receiver 506 receives data from various wearable devices, and sends the data to memory 508.
Memory 508 communicates with receiver 506 via communication channel 524 and processor 510 via communication channel 528. Memory 508 may be any device or system that is able to receive, store, retrieve and manage data, non-limiting examples of which include random access memory (RAM), static RAM (SRAM), dynamic RAM (DRAM), flash, disk, etc.
As shown in the figure, standing surface 402, weight scale 502, transmitter 504, receiver 506, memory 508, processor 510, and display 512 are shown as separate components. However, in some embodiments, at least two of standing surface 402, weight scale 502, transmitter 504, receiver 506, memory 508, processor 510 and display 512 may be combined as a single component. Still further, in some embodiments, processor 510 may be implemented as a computer having tangible computer-readable media for carrying or having computer-executable instructions or data structures stored thereon. Such tangible computer-readable media can be any available media that can be accessed by a general purpose or special purpose computer. Non-limiting examples of tangible computer-readable media include physical storage and/or memory media such as RAM, ROM, EEPROM, CD-ROM or other optical disk storage, magnetic disk storage or other magnetic storage devices, or any other medium which can be used to carry or store desired program code means in the form of computer-executable instructions or data structures and which can be accessed by a general purpose or special purpose computer. For information transferred or provided over a network or another communications connection (either hardwired, wireless, or a combination of hardwired or wireless) to a computer, the computer may properly view the connection as a computer-readable medium. Thus, any such connection may be properly termed a computer-readable medium. Combinations of the above should also be included within the scope of computer-readable media.
The interaction between standing surface 402, weight scale 502, transmitter 504, receiver 506, memory 508, processor 510, and display 512 will be further described with reference to
For purposes of discussion, presume that a user has performed various activities and/or exercises, data for which has been stored on a plurality of smart wearable devices of the user. As a non-limiting example, presume that the user has run 2 miles, wherein data associated with the 2-mile run is stored in a wireless communication processor in shoe 102 of
After completing the various activities, the user desires to see the recorded data for the day. Further, in some cases, the user may also desire to see how the recorded data for the day compares to data previously recorded. A data hub in accordan aspects of the present invention enables these features.
Each wearable device has recorded and stored its own data, and the user wants to see the data in a manner that is easy to understand. In some embodiments, the recorded data is transferred to an intermediate device, like a mobile phone, as a first step, and then the data is transferred from the intermediate device to the scale. In other embodiments, the recorded data is transferred directly from the wearable devices to the scale. Regardless of the location of the data,
As shown in the figure, process 600 starts (S602) and scale 400 is activated (S604). For example, returning to
Returning to
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In another embodiment, and with reference to
Referring back to
In another embodiment, the user may wear a single wearable device that records the data for all activities. In this case, the data from all the activities will be downloaded from the single wearable device as opposed to multiple wearable devices, as described above. Scale 400 would be able to differentiate between different activities based on the data signals that correspond to the different activities the user performs.
In some embodiments, communication between scale 400 and the wearable devices may occur in series. As a non-limiting example, scale 400 may first execute a handshake with shoes 102 and then download data from shoes 102, then execute a handshake with smartwatch 202 and then download data from smartwatch 202, then execute a handshake with headband 302 and then download data from headband 302.
In other embodiments, communication between scale 400 and the wearable devices may occur in parallel, where all handshakes are completed at the same time, and then all data is downloaded at the same time.
In some embodiments, the data from each wearable device is stored separately within memory 508 such that the user can view data associated with a single wearable device (for example, how far the user ran in shoes 102). In other embodiments, the data from one or more wearable devices is combined such that the user can view the totals from the data taken from each wearable (for example, how many total calories the user burned during the day).
Referring back to
In some embodiments, processor 510 creates a signature based on the signals from the downloaded data. As a non-limiting example, processor 510 may receive data signals regarding a user's running, swimming, and tennis activity for the day. Processor 510 may combine those signals in a predetermined manner to create a signature based on the combination of the day's activities. For example, the signature may include information of the total distance covered, the user's average heart rate, the total number of calories burned, or any other data that may be relevant to the user regarding the day's activities. After generating the user data, processor 510 may transmit the user data back to memory 508 as a signature to be stored.
In other embodiments, processor 510 may maintain separation of the data signals provided by the respective wearable devices. Further, processor 510 may process data signals provided by the respective wearable devices in a different predetermined manner. In any event, processor 510 may then transmit the individual data sets from the respective wearable devices to memory 508 to be stored.
Returning to
Memory 508 then provides the requested signatures (or individual data sets) to processor 510, and processor 510 proceeds to generate a comparison signal based on the comparison between the two signatures received. The comparison signal serves to provide a comparison between the levels of activity in which the user engaged during the two days being compared. In other embodiments, various comparisons may be made, and comparisons are not limited to comparisons between two consecutive days. As non-limiting examples, comparisons may be made between groups of days, or if the user performs the same exercise every Monday, for example, comparisons may be made between various Mondays.
As a non-limiting example, presume that at a time t1 the user downloaded data from shoes 102, smartwatch 202, and headband 302, at a time t2 the user downloaded data from smartwatch 202 and headband 302, and at time t3 the user downloaded data from shoes 102, smartwatch 202, and headband 302. In creating comparison signals, in some embodiments, processor 510 may only generate a comparison signal between comparable data sets.
In the above example, processor 510 may generate a comparison signal based on the combination of data from all three wearable devices from times t1 and t3, but the data from t2 would not be available for comparison because there is no data available from shoes 102 at time t2. Processor 510 may generate a comparison signal based on data from smartwatch 202 and headband 302 at times t1, t2, and t3 because data is available for those wearable at all three times.
Returning to
In an another embodiment, after downloading the exercise and activity data to scale 400, user 100 may want to view the data on a larger screen or he may want to manipulate the data in more depth than scale 400 allows. In this case, scale 400 may be equipped to transmit data or comparison signals to another device, like a laptop or table computer. For example, user 100 may want to display his exercise performance over the last year in a graphical format, which may be easier to do on a computer.
In some embodiments, scale 400 may upload data to another device. Such an upload may occur whenever data is downloaded to scale 400, or at predetermined times.
Returning to
The above discussed non-limiting example deals with a scale being used as a data hub for multiple wearable smart devices. However, in another embodiment, user 100 may only use a single wearable device when performing multiple exercises. The single wearable device may record the data from all different exercises and activities user 100 performs throughout the day, and the data would have different signals based on the activity being performed, as previously described. When user 100 steps on standing surface 402, the data from the single wearable device downloads to scale 400, and scale 400 can differentiate the data based on the signals that correspond to different activities or exercises. Scale 400 can then show user 100 his progress, as previously described.
The present invention provides a device and method to wirelessly download data from a wearable device to a scale. The scale is able to compare exercise and activity data from previous days or previous exercise sessions to notify the user of his progress.
The foregoing description of various preferred embodiments have been presented for purposes of illustration and description. It is not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the invention to the precise forms disclosed, and obviously many modifications and variations are possible in light of the above teaching. The example embodiments, as described above, were chosen and described in order to best explain the principles of the invention and its practical application to thereby enable others skilled in the art to best utilize the invention in various embodiments and with various modifications as are suited to the particular use contemplated. It is intended that the scope of the invention be defined by the claims appended hereto.