111111
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`1111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111
`US007454002Bl
`
`c12) United States Patent
`Gardner et al.
`
`(10) Patent No.:
`(45) Date of Patent:
`
`US 7,454,002 Bl
`Nov. 18, 2008
`
`(54)
`
`INTEGRATING PERSONAL DATA
`CAPTURING FUNCTIONALITY INTO A
`PORTABLE COMPUTING DEVICE AND A
`WIRELESS COMMUNICATION DEVICE
`
`(75)
`
`Inventors: Deane Gardner, Cupertino, CA (US);
`Mitz Kurobe, Tokyo (JP)
`
`6,135,951 A
`
`10/2000 Richardson eta!. ......... 600/300
`
`(Continued)
`
`FOREIGN PATENT DOCUMENTS
`
`(73) Assignee: SportBrain, Inc., Sunnyvale, CA (US)
`
`JP
`
`05252068 A * 9/1993
`
`( *) Notice:
`
`Subject to any disclaimer, the term of this
`patent is extended or adjusted under 35
`U.S.C. 154(b) by 26 days.
`
`(21) Appl. No.: 09/757,241
`
`(22) Filed:
`
`Jan.8,2001
`
`Related U.S. Application Data
`
`(63)
`
`Continuation-in-part of application No. 09/476,142,
`filed on Jan. 3, 2000, now abandoned.
`
`(51)
`
`(52)
`(58)
`
`Int. Cl.
`H04M 3142
`(2006.01)
`H04B 11034
`(2006.01)
`GOJB 5102
`(2006.01)
`U.S. Cl. ................... 379/201.05; 455/100; 702/160
`Field of Classification Search . ... ... ... ... .. .. 600/300;
`455/414.1, 403, 404.1, 412.2, 95, 91, 557,
`455/556.2, 556.1, 100; 379/201.05
`See application file for complete search history.
`
`(56)
`
`References Cited
`
`U.S. PATENT DOCUMENTS
`
`5,598,849 A
`5,722,418 A
`5,810,722 A
`5,827,179 A
`5,827,180 A
`5,891,042 A
`5,960,403 A
`5,976,083 A
`6,102,856 A
`6,132,337 A
`
`2/1997 Browne ...................... 600/520
`3/1998 Bro ............................ 600/300
`9/1998 Heikkila ..................... 600/300
`10/1998 Lichter et a!. ............... 600/300
`10/1998 Goodman ................... 600/300
`4/1999 Sham et al .................. 600/483
`9/1999 Brown ........................... 705/2
`1111999 Richardson eta!. ......... 600/300
`................. 600/301
`8/2000 Groff et a!.
`10/2000 Krupka eta!. . .. ... ... ... ... .. 482/8
`
`(Continued)
`
`OTHER PUBLICATIONS
`
`Doctors praise banned heart-fax device [online], [retrieved on Dec. 4,
`2003]. Retrieved from the Internet <http:/ /www.cnn.com/2003/
`HEALTH/12/04/heart.device.ap/index.htrnl>.*
`
`(Continued)
`
`Primary Examiner-Curtis Kuntz
`Assistant Examiner-Joseph T Pharr
`(74) Attorney, Agent, or Firm-Edell, Shapiro & Finnan,
`LLC
`
`(57)
`
`ABSTRACT
`
`In one embodiment, personal data capturing functionality is
`integrated into a wireless communication device or a portable
`computing device by incorporating one or more personal
`parameter receivers into the wireless communication device
`or the portable computing device. In another embodiment,
`personal data capturing functionality is integrated into a wire(cid:173)
`less commnnication device or a portable computing device by
`attaching a personal data capture device to the wireless com(cid:173)
`munication device or the portable computing device. The
`personal data capture device is configured to receive personal
`data of a user and transmit the personal data to the wireless
`communication device or the portable computing device,
`either of which is capable of transmitting the personal data to
`a network server over a wireless network.
`
`16 Claims, 7 Drawing Sheets
`
`UA-1007.001
`
`

`
`US 7,454,002 B1
`Page 2
`
`U.S. PATENT DOCUMENTS
`
`6,252,883
`6,349,126
`6,512,456
`6,605,038
`6,696,956
`6,997,852
`7,030,735
`7,062,225
`7,063,665
`2001/0007825
`2002/0072932
`2006/0073807
`
`B1 *
`B2
`B1 *
`B1 *
`B1 *
`B2
`B2
`B2 *
`B2
`A1 *
`A1 *
`A1 *
`
`6/2001
`2/2002
`1/2003
`8/2003
`2/2004
`2/2006
`4/2006
`6/2006
`6/2006
`7/2001
`6/2002
`4/2006
`
`Schweickart et al. ...... .. 370/441
`OgaWa et al.
`Taylor, Jr. .............. .. 340/573.1
`Teller et al.
`..... .. 600/300
`Uchida et al. ..
`340/573.1
`Watterson et al.
`Chen
`White ..................... .. 455/412
`Hasegawa et al.
`Harada et al. ................ .. 463/7
`
`Swamy ..... ..
`
`. 705/2
`
`Baker ....................... .. 455/405
`
`FOREIGN PATENT DOCUMENTS
`
`WO 00/68913 A2 * 11/2000
`
`OTHER PUBLICATIONS
`
`PCT Search Report dated Apr. 9, 2001, 4 pages.
`
`Huhn, M., “New Gadgets Get A Workout,” [25 paragraphs]
`NYPOSTcom [Online]. Available: http://WWW.nypost.com/technol
`ogy/18546.htm.
`Time, Inventions 2000, Phone-In Checkups, Available: http://WWW.
`sportbrain.com/AboutUs/images/ArticleTime.gif.
`Wall Street Journal, WSJ.com, “The Pursuit of Happiness,” [7 para
`graphs] Available: http://WWW.sportbrain.com/AboutUs/images/
`ArticleWSJiogif.
`Fortt, J. (May 27, 2000) “Exercise Buff Strap On Latest In Workout
`Technology” [28 paragraphs] SiliconValley.com [Online] . Available:
`http ://WWW. sjmercury. com/svtech/computing/center/sport0 52 800.
`htrn.
`Huhn, M., “New Gadgets Get A Workout,” [25 paragraphs]
`NYPOSTcom [Online]. Available: http://WWW.nypost.com/technol
`ogy/18546.htm, Dec. 21, 2000.
`Time, Inventions 2000, Phone-In Checkups, Available: http://WWW.
`sportbrain.com/AboutUs/images/ArticleTime.gif, year 2000.
`Wall Street Journal, WSJ.com, “The Pursuit of Happiness,” [7 para
`graphs] Available: http://WWW.sportbrain.com/AboutUs/images/
`ArticleWSJiogif, Feb. 9, 2001.
`* cited by examiner
`
`UA-1007.002
`
`

`
`US. Patent
`
`Nov. 18,2008
`
`Sheet 1 0f 7
`
`US 7,454,002 B1
`
`PSA
`
`7
`
`CRADLE FOR PSA (
`12
`
`WIDE AREA
`NETWORK
`(WWW)
`1 5
`
`WEB SERVER
`16
`
`FIG. 1 A
`
`UA-1007.003
`
`

`
`US. Patent
`
`Nov. 18, 2008
`
`Sheet 2 of7
`
`US 7,454,002 B1
`
`10o
`PERSONAL DATA
`CAPTURE DEVICE /
`E
`
`k
`
`r118
`
`7
`
`MEMORY
`1_E
`
`M|cRoPRocEssoR
`m
`
`INPUT DEVICE
`m
`
`DISPLAY
`m
`
`m
`
`WIRELESS NETWORK
`L29
`
`NETWORK sERvER
`@
`
`FIG 1B
`
`UA-1007.004
`
`

`
`US. Patent
`
`Nov. 18, 2008
`
`Sheet 3 of7
`
`US 7,454,002 B1
`
`MEMORY
`m
`
`SOFTWARE
`&
`
`INPUT
`DEVICE
`m
`
`DISPLAY
`115
`
`MICROPROCESSOR
`M
`
`PERSONAL PARAMETER
`RECEIVER
`%
`
`HEART RATE RECEIVER
`240
`
`MOTION SENSOR
`250
`—
`
`GPS RECEIVER
`ggg
`
`WIRELESS NETWORK
`g0
`
`NETWORK SERVER
`E
`
`FIG 1c
`
`UA-1007.005
`
`

`
`US. Patent
`
`Nov. 18, 2008
`
`Sheet 4 of7
`
`US 7,454,002 B1
`
`/ 200
`
`PERSONAL
`PARAMETER
`TRANSMITTER
`E
`
`G.P.S. SIGNAL
`210
`—
`
`W|HELESS
`HEART RATE
`TRANSMITTER
`220
`
`PFAERFLSMOENT’ELR
`RECEIVER
`g
`
`G.P.S.
`RECEIVER
`230
`
`—
`
`I-IEART RATE
`TRANSMITTER
`240
`
`—
`
`MOTION
`SENSOR
`E
`
`ELEcTRoNIc
`BEEPER
`219
`
`I
`I
`
`,
`
`EAFIPHONE +___ DIGITAL AUDIO
`' §
`2
`A
`I
`1L
`
`1:
`I
`i
`:
`__ MP3 PLAYER ____j
`m
`
`'''''
`
`__~ MICFIOPHOCESSOH
`@
`
`/~11a
`
`\1o2
`
`MEMORY
`m
`
`SOFTWARE
`282
`—
`
`ELECTRONICS
`&
`
`KEFINEL @
`
`DEVICE m
`
`FIG. 2
`
`UA-1007.006
`
`

`
`US. Patent
`
`Nov. 18, 2008
`
`Sheet 5 0f 7
`
`US 7,454,002 B1
`
`302
`
`300 /
`
`I
`
`START
`
`RECEIVE PERSONAL DATA OF
`A USER BY AT LEAST ONE
`PERSONAL PARAMETER
`RECEIVER
`
`CAPTURE PERSONAL DATA IN
`THE WIRELESS
`COMMUNICATION DEVICE
`
`304
`
`306
`
`308
`
`TRANSMIT'PERSONAL DATA
`FROM THE WIRELESS
`COMMUNICATION DEVICE TO
`A NETWORK SERVER OVER A
`WIRELESS NETWORK
`
`310
`K’
`
`GENERATE FEEDBACK
`INFORMATION PERTAINING
`TO PERSONAL DATA
`
`K312
`
`DISPLAY FEEDBACK
`INFORMATION TO THE USER
`
`314
`
`END
`
`FIG. 3
`
`UA-1007.007
`
`

`
`US. Patent
`
`Nov. 18, 2008
`
`Sheet 6 of7
`
`US 7,454,002 B1
`
`400
`402 /
`
`(
`
`START
`
`RECEIVE PERSONAL DATA OF
`A USER BY AT LEAST ONE
`PERSONAL PARAMETER
`RECEIVER
`
`406
`
`CAPTURE PERSONAL DATA IN
`THE PORTABLE COMPUTING
`DEVICE
`
`408
`/_
`TRANSMIT PERSONAL DATA
`FROM THE PORTABLE
`COMPUTING DEVICE TO A
`NETWORK SERVER OVER A
`WIRELESS NETWORK
`
`410
`
`GENERATE FEEDBACK
`INFORMATION PERTAINING
`TO PERSONAL DATA
`
`‘
`
`K412
`
`DISPLAY FEEDBACK
`INFORMATION TO THE USER
`
`414
`
`END
`
`FIG. 4
`
`UA-1007.008
`
`

`
`US. Patent
`
`Nov. 18, 2008
`
`Sheet 7 of7
`
`US 7,454,002 B1
`
`500 /
`
`702
`
`/704
`RECEIVING PERSONAL DATA
`BY WEB SERVER
`
`I
`
`,706
`
`PROCESSING PERSONAL
`DATA TO CREATE FEEDBACK
`INFORMATION
`
`I
`
`,708
`
`POSTING THE FEEDBACK
`INFORMATION ON A WEBSITE
`
`710
`
`FIG. 5
`
`UA-1007.009
`
`

`
`US 7,454,002 B1
`
`1
`INTEGRATING PERSONAL DATA
`CAPTURING FUNCTIONALITY INTO A
`PORTABLE COMPUTING DEVICE AND A
`WIRELESS COMMUNICATION DEVICE
`
`This application is a continuation-in-part of application
`Ser. No. 09/476,142, ?led Jan. 3, 2000 noW abandoned.
`
`BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
`
`1. Field of the Invention
`The present invention relates to personal data capturing
`systems. More particularly, the present invention relates to
`integrating personal data capturing functionality into portable
`computing devices and Wireless communication devices.
`2. Background Information
`Physical ?tness is knoWn to bene?t people in many differ
`ent areas, including improved ?exibility and range of motion,
`increased muscular strength and cardiovascular ?tness, body
`fat loss and increased stamina. Physical exercise helps main
`tain good health, increases energy, reduces stress and
`improves physical appearance. HoWever, in order to gain the
`bene?ts of regular physical exercise, the users need to be able
`to conveniently access information concerning their exercise
`level and receive a feedback concerning their ?tness activity.
`Conventional devices are knoWn for providing such infor
`mation to the users. For example, US. Pat. No. 5,810,722
`describes a device for measuring heartbeat rate. An athlete or
`a person engaged in ?tness training may Wear the device on
`the breast or the Wri st. The device measures the heartbeat rate
`based on skin contact and alloWs the user to read the result
`from a display provided in the casing of the device. US. Pat.
`No. 5,891,042 describes a ?tness monitoring device Which
`includes an electronic pedometer integrated together With a
`Wireless heart rate monitor. The device may be secured to the
`user’s belt or Waist band. The device receives electrical sig
`nals from a telemetric transmitter unit arranged on the user’ s
`skin adjacent to his heart and calculates the heart rate. The
`device is also con?gured to detect the user’s body motion at
`each step for performing step counting. The user can read the
`results from a display provided in the casing of the device.
`The display includes an alpha/numeric display portion and a
`heart rate monitoring icon. These prior art devices, hoWever,
`merely alloW the users to see the physiological information
`concerning their exercise level. They do not provide any
`processed feedback to the users. In addition, these devices can
`be cumbersome to Wear and they force the users to monitor
`their oWn activity, thereby interfering With their focus on
`physical exercise.
`Therefore, What is required is a portable device Which Will
`provide the users With convenient access to information con
`cerning their exercise level and Will effectively assist the users
`in their ?tness activity.
`
`20
`
`25
`
`30
`
`35
`
`40
`
`45
`
`50
`
`SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
`
`55
`
`The present invention relates to various aspects for inte
`grating personal data capturing functionality into a Wireless
`communication device and a portable computing device.
`According to one aspect of the present invention, an exem
`plary Wireless communication device comprises one or more
`personal parameter receivers to receive personal data of a
`user, a microprocessor coupled to the personal parameter
`receivers, and a memory coupled to the microprocessor to
`store the personal data. The microprocessor is con?gured to
`transmit the personal data from the memory to a netWork
`server via a Wireless netWork. In one embodiment, an exem
`
`60
`
`65
`
`2
`plary portable computing device includes similar compo
`nents, thereby integrating personal data capturing function
`ality into the portable computing device.
`According to another aspect of the present invention, per
`sonal data capturing functionality is integrated into a Wireless
`communication device by attaching a personal data capture
`device to the Wireless communication device. The personal
`data capture device is con?gured to receive personal data of a
`user and transmit the personal data to the Wireless communi
`cation device, Which is capable of transmitting the personal
`data to a netWork server over a Wireless netWork. In one
`embodiment, personal data capturing functionality is inte
`grated into a portable computing device by attaching a per
`sonal data capture device to the portable computing device.
`The personal data capture device is con?gured to receive
`personal data of a user and transmit the personal data to the
`portable computing device, Which is capable of transmitting
`the personal data to a netWork server over a Wireless netWork.
`Other features of the present invention Will be apparent
`from the accompanying draWings and from the detailed
`description that folloWs.
`
`BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
`
`The present invention is illustrated by Way of example and
`may be better understood by referring to the folloWing
`description in conjunction With the accompanying draWings,
`in Which like references indicate similar elements and in
`Which:
`FIG. 1A is a block diagram of one embodiment for a
`netWork architecture;
`FIGS. 1B and 1C are block diagrams of tWo alternative
`embodiments of a system for integrating personal data cap
`turing functionality into a portable computing device and a
`Wireless communication device;
`FIG. 2 is a block diagram of one embodiment for a personal
`data capture device;
`FIG. 3 is a How diagram of a method for integrating per
`sonal data capturing functionality into a Wireless communi
`cation device, according to one embodiment of the present
`invention;
`FIG. 4 is a How diagram of a method for integrating per
`sonal data capturing functionality into a portable computing
`device, according to one embodiment of the present inven
`tion; and
`FIG. 5 is a How diagram of one embodiment for posting
`personal data of a user on a Web site.
`
`DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF AN
`EMBODIMENT OF THE PRESENT INVENTION
`
`The present invention relates to various aspects for inte
`grating personal data capturing functionality into a Wireless
`communication device and a portable computing device. In
`the folloWing detailed description of the present invention,
`numerous speci?c details are set forth in order to provide a
`thorough understanding of the present invention. HoWever, it
`Will be apparent to one skilled in the art that the present
`invention may be practiced Without these speci?c details. In
`some instances, Well-knoWn structures and devices are shoWn
`in block diagram form, rather than in detail, in order to avoid
`obscuring the present invention.
`Some portions of the detailed descriptions that folloW are
`presented in terms of algorithms and symbolic representa
`tions of operations on data bits Within a computer memory.
`These algorithmic descriptions and representations are the
`means used by those skilled in the data processing arts to most
`
`UA-1007.010
`
`

`
`US 7,454,002 B1
`
`3
`effectively convey the substance of their Work to others
`skilled in the art. An algorithm is here, and generally, con
`ceived to be a self-consistent sequence of processing blocks
`leading to a desired result. The processing blocks are those
`requiring physical manipulations of physical quantities. Usu
`ally, though not necessarily, these quantities take the form of
`electrical or magnetic signals capable of being stored, trans
`ferred, combined, compared, and otherWise manipulated. It
`has proven convenient at times, principally for reasons of
`common usage, to refer to these signals as bits, values, ele
`ments, symbols, characters, terms, numbers, or the like.
`It should be borne in mind, hoWever, that all of these and
`similar terms are to be associated With the appropriate physi
`cal quantities and are merely convenient labels applied to
`these quantities. Unless speci?cally stated otherWise as
`apparent from the folloWing discussion, it is appreciated that
`throughout the description, discussions utiliZing terms such
`as “processing” or “computing” or “calculating” or “deter
`mining” or “displaying” or the like, refer to the action and
`processes of a computer system, or similar electronic com
`puting device, that manipulates and transforms data repre
`sented as physical (electronic) quantities Within the computer
`system’s registers and memories into other data similarly
`represented as physical quantities Within the computer sys
`tem memories or registers or other such information storage,
`transmission or display devices.
`The present invention also relates to apparatus for perform
`ing the operations herein. This apparatus may be specially
`constructed for the required purposes, or it may comprise a
`general purpose computer selectively activated or recon?g
`ured by a computer program stored in the computer. Such a
`computer program may be stored in a computer readable
`storage medium, such as, but is not limited to, any type of disk
`including ?oppy disks, optical disks, CD-ROMs, and mag
`netic-optical disks, read-only memories (ROMs), random
`access memories (RAMs), EPROMs, EEPROMs, magnetic
`or optical cards, or any type of media suitable for storing
`electronic instructions, and each coupled to a computer sys
`tem bus.
`The algorithms and displays presented herein are not inher
`ently related to any particular computer or other apparatus.
`Various general purpose systems may be used With programs
`in accordance With the teachings herein, or it may prove
`convenient to construct more specialiZed apparatus to per
`form the required method steps. The required structure for a
`variety of these systems Will appear from the description
`beloW. In addition, the present invention is not described With
`reference to any particular programming language. It Will be
`appreciated that a variety of programming languages may be
`used to implement the teachings of the invention as described
`herein.
`Referring noW to FIG. 1A, a block diagram of one embodi
`ment for a netWork architecture is illustrated. In this embodi
`ment, portable sports appliance (PSA) 10 is coupled to cradle
`12. PSA 110 may be used to monitor and store physical and
`biometrical parameters of its user. In this embodiment, PSA
`10 is a portable device. HoWever, it Will be recogniZed by one
`of ordinary skill in the art that a stationary device or a device
`included in some other device or equipment may be used With
`this invention Without loss of generality. PSA 10 may be used
`by any person. For example, PSA 10 may be used by a person
`engaged in ?tness activity, a professional athlete during exer
`cise, or an employee Wishing to knoW hoW his stress level
`changes during the day. The operation of PSA 10 and its
`functions Will be described in more details beloW.
`Cradle 12 is used to upload data from personal data capture
`device 10 to netWork 15. In one embodiment, cradle 12 may
`
`20
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`25
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`30
`
`35
`
`40
`
`45
`
`50
`
`55
`
`60
`
`65
`
`4
`resemble a support element for a telephone receiver or hand
`set. Cradle 12 may include a modem to transmit data over
`telephone lines and may be con?gured to provide tWo-Way
`connection to Wide area netWork 15. In one embodiment,
`placing personal data capture device 10 in cradle 12 may
`trigger an automatic dialing of a telephone number of server
`16. When the telephone line is free, data from personal data
`capture device 10 may then be transmitted to server 16
`through Wide area netWork 15.
`Alternatively, the data may be transmitted from personal
`data capture device to server 16 using a Wireless transmitter.
`That is, cradle 12 is not used, and the data is transmitted over
`a Wireless carrier. It should be understood by one of ordinary
`skill in the art that various Ways of transmitting data from PSA
`1 0 to server 1 6, other than those described above, may be used
`With this invention Without loss of generality.
`Cradle 12 may be used With more than one PSA 10. For
`example, if each family member has his or her oWn PSA 10,
`cradle 12 may be shared by all family members. Personal data
`of each family member is then uploaded to server 16 at
`various points of time. Server 16 may receive personal data
`from numerous PSA users. This personal data may then be
`processed by third parties that may provide feedback infor
`mation to those PSA users Who subscribe for this service.
`In one embodiment, server 16 is coupled to Wide area
`netWork 15. Wide area netWork 15 may include, for example,
`the Internet, America On-LineTM, CompuServeTM, Microsoft
`NetWorkTM, or ProdigyTM. In addition, Wide area netWork 15
`may include, for example, conventional netWork backbones,
`long-haul telephone lines, Internet service providers, or vari
`ous levels of netWork routers. Using conventional netWork
`protocols, server 16 may communicate through Wide area
`netWork 15 to a plurality of clients.
`In one embodiment, server communicates to clients 13 and
`17. Clients 13 and 17 represent any device that may enable
`user’s access to data. For simplicity, FIG. 1A shoWs only tWo
`clients, client 13 and client 17, that can communicate to server
`16. HoWever, it Will be recogniZed by one of ordinary skill in
`the art that server 16 may communicate to a various number
`of clients and that a Wide variety of client devices may be used
`With this invention Without loss of generality. Such devices
`may include, for example, a conventional computer system, a
`netWork computer or thin client device (e.g., WebTV Net
`WorksTM Internet terminal or OracleTM NC), a laptop or palm
`top computing device (e.g., Palm PilotTM), a digital consumer
`device (e.g., a digital TV, a digital camcorder, or a “kitchen”
`computer”), etc. In one embodiment, clients 13 and 17 may
`have a Graphical User Interface (GUI) to alloW users to access
`data. A GUI is a graphics-based user interface that incorpo
`rates icons, pull-doWn menus and a mouse. GUIs may
`include, for example, Microsoft WindoWs, Apple Macintosh,
`UNIX Motif, or UNIX OPENLOOK.
`Clients 13 and 17 may be connected to server 16 in various
`Ways. In one embodiment, clients 13 and 17 may be con
`nected to server 16 through Wide area netWork 15. Client 17
`may represent client devices of third parties, e.g., health and
`?tness specialists, Who access personal data of subscribers on
`server 16 via Wide area netWork 15 to generate feedback
`information to subscribers. Client 13 may represent client
`devices of subscribers Who access the generated feedback
`information via Wide area netWork 15. In this embodiment,
`client 13 is connected to cradle 12 Which provides tWo-Way
`connection With Wide area netWork 15. HoWever, it Will be
`understood by one of ordinary skill in the art that client 13
`does not need to be connected to cradle 12. Instead, client 13
`may use the same connection means as client 17.
`
`UA-1007.011
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`US 7,454,002 B1
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`In an alternate embodiment (not shown in FIG. 1A), a
`client, such as client 13 or client 17, may be directly con
`nected to server 16 or through a modem in a conventional
`way. When connected to wide area network 15, clients 13 and
`17 may be connected directly to wide-area network 15
`through direct or dial up telephone or other network trans
`mission line. Alternatively, clients 13 and 17 may be con
`nected to wide-area network 15 using a modem pool. A con
`ventional modem pool may allow a plurality of clients to
`connect with a smaller set of modems in modem pool for
`connection to wide-area network 15. In yet another network
`typology, wide-area network 15 may be connected to a gate
`way computer, which may be used to route data to clients
`through a local area network. In this manner, clients can
`communicate with each other through a local area network
`(LAN) or with server 16 through a gateway and wide-area
`network 15. Alternatively, LAN may be directly connected to
`server 16 and clients may be connected through LAN. For
`example, subscribers’ personal data may be processed by a
`company employing ?tness instructors, athletic trainers, phy
`sicians and other heath and ?tness specialists. Such a com
`pany may use LAN topology for providing internal commu
`nication between its employees. LAN may then be connected
`to server 16 through wide area network 15 for allowing com
`munication between subscribers and health and ?tness spe
`cialists.
`Using one of a variety of network connection means, server
`computer 16 may communicate with clients 15 using conven
`tional means. In one embodiment, a server computer 16 may
`operate as a web server if the World-Wide Web (WWW)
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`portion of the Internet is used for wide area network 15. Using
`the HTTP protocol and the HTML coding language across a
`network, web server 16 may communicate across the World
`Wide Web with clients 13 and 17. In this con?guration, clients
`13 and 17 may use a client application program known as a
`web browser such as the NetscapeTM NavigatorTM published
`by Netscape Corporation of Mountain View, Calif., the Inter
`net ExplorerTM published by Microsoft Corporation of Red
`mond, Wash., the user interface of America On-LineTM, or the
`web browser or HTML translator of any other conventional
`supplier. Using such conventional browsers and the World
`Wide Web, clients 13 and 17 may access graphical and textual
`data or video, audio, or tactile data provided by web server 16.
`Conventional means exist by which clients 13 and 17 may
`supply information to web server 16 through the World-Wide
`Web 15 and the web server 16 may return processed data to
`clients 13 and 17.
`FIGS. 1B and 1C are block diagrams of two alternative
`embodiments of a system for integrating personal data cap
`turing functionality into a portable computing device and a
`wireless computing device. Referring to FIG. 1B, a system
`100 provides personal data capturing functionality using a
`personal data capture device 102. The personal data capture
`device 102 is attachable to a device 104. In one embodiment,
`the device 104 is a wireless communication device such as,
`for example, a radiotelephone, a cellular phone, a pager, etc.
`In another embodiment, the device 104 is a portable comput
`ing device such as, for example, a personal digital assistant
`(PDA), a palmtop computer, etc. In yet another embodiment,
`the device 104 is a combination of a wireless communication
`device and a portable computing device (e.g., a combination
`of a PDA and a cellular phone).
`In one embodiment, an expansion slot in the device 104
`may be used to attach the personal data capture device 102 to
`the device 104. For instance, some PDAs (e.g., a Handspring
`VisorTM) are designed with expansion slots for adding soft
`ware and hardware modules. Alternatively, any other means
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`known in the art may be used to attach the personal data
`capture device 102 to the device 104. When attached, the
`personal data capture device 102 can communicate with the
`device 104 using an interface such as, for example, a bus 118.
`The bus 118 can be an inter-integrated circuit (I2C) bus or any
`other conventional bus suitable for transferring data between
`electronic devices.
`An exemplary personal data capture device will now be
`described in greater detail. FIG. 2 is a block diagram of one
`embodiment for a personal data capture device 102. The
`personal data capture device 102 includes a global position
`ing system (GPS) signal receiver 230 which receives GPS
`signals 210. GPS signals 210 may include three-dimensional
`positional information and velocity of the user when the user
`is walking or running, or is engaged in some other relevant
`activity. The personal data capture device 102 may also
`include a motion sensor 250 which may improve the accuracy
`of the above information or substitute it when a GPS signal
`210 is interrupted. In addition, the personal data capture
`device 202 may include a heart rate receiver 240 which
`receives heart beat rate from a wireless heart rate transmitter
`220. Various other sources may provide signals to the per
`sonal data capture device 102. A personal parameter trans
`mitter 205 represents a wide variety of signals that may be
`received by various personal parameter receivers 225
`included in the personal data capture device 102. For
`example, a blood pressure meter, a glucose meter, exercise
`equipment such as treadmills and stationary bikes, or any
`other device or equipment can transmit data to the personal
`data capture device 102 which will receive it using a corre
`sponding personal parameter receiver 225. In one embodi
`ment, the heart rate receiver 240, the GPS receiver 230, the
`motion sensor 250, and the personal parameter receiver 225
`are included in one receiver, e. g., a personal parameter
`receiver 225. It will be understood by one of ordinary skill in
`the art that all of the receivers described above or any com
`bination of them may be included in the personal data capture
`device 102 without loss of generality.
`The personal data capture device 102 further includes a
`microprocessor 260 which is coupled to a memory 280, a
`software program 282, and electronics 284. Upon receiving a
`signal, any of the receivers 225 through 250 outputs data to
`the microprocessor 260. The microprocessor 260 stores this
`data in the memory 280. Software 282 is stored in a machine
`readable medium that is capable of storing or encoding a
`sequence of instructions for execution by the microprocessor
`260 and that causes the microprocessor 260 to perform any
`one of the methodologies of the present invention. Software
`282 may also reside, completely or at least partially, within
`the memory 280 and/or within the microprocessor 260, or in
`a machine-readable medium of any device coupled to per
`sonal data capture device 200, such as the device 104 or a
`network server 122. The term “machine-readable medium”
`shall accordingly be taken to include, but not be limited to,
`solid-state memories, optical and magnetic disks, and carrier
`wave signals.
`In one embodiment, the personal data capture device 102
`may include an electronic beeper 270 for providing audio
`signals related to the personal data. For example, the elec
`tronic beeper 270 can be set to signal low and high heart rate
`target limits, low and high pace limits, low and high weight
`limits, etc. In addition to the electronic beeper 270, the per
`sonal data capture device 102 may include a digital audio 272
`to provide more detailed feedback. The digital audio 272 may
`be con?gured to provide various real time information (e. g., a
`distance or average speed) related to personal parameters
`transmitted to the personal data capture device 102. The per
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`UA-1007.012
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`US 7,454,002 B1
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`sonal data capture device 102 may also include a digital audio
`player such as an MP3 player 274 to play digital recordings.
`In one embodiment, the real time information generated by
`the digital audio 272 and/or digital recordings played by the
`MP3 player 274 may be communicated to the user by an
`earphone 276 coupled to the digital audio 272 and/or the MP3
`player 274. It will be understood by one of ordinary skill in the
`art that any combination of the personal data receivers 225
`through 250 and the audio signal generators 270 through 276
`may be used with the personal data capture device 102 with
`out loss of generality.
`In one embodiment, a panic button is coupled to micropro
`cessor 260. In this embodiment, software 282 analyZes per
`sonal data in memory 280. If the personal data includes a
`parameter that is below or exceeds a certain panic parameter
`(e.g., heart rate is too low or too high), software 282 may
`cause microprocessor 260 to invoke the panic button. The
`panic button may then produce a panic signal to a satellite
`page service or a cellular service. In one embodiment, the
`panic parameters may be set or updated from the user’s web
`site and transferred to memory 280 over the wide area net
`work. In alternate embodiments, the panic parameters may be
`set or updated by health or ?tness specialists in network
`server 122 or programmed during the manufacture of per
`sonal data capture device 102.
`When the personal data capture device 102 is attached to
`the device 104, the microprocessor 260 transmits portions or
`all of the personal data stored in the memory 280 to the device
`104 via the bus 118. In one embodiment, the microprocessor
`260 transmits the personal data to the device 104 periodically.
`Alternatively, the personal data capture device 102 may trans
`mit the personal data upon receiving a request for information
`from the device 104.
`Returning to FIG. 1B, the device 104 (i.e., a wireless com
`munication device, a portable computing device, or a combi
`nation of a wireless communication device and a portable
`computing device) includes a microprocessor 110 which
`receives the personal data from the personal data capture
`device 102, stores the personal data in memory 116, and
`transmits any portion of the personal data from the memory
`116 to a network server 122 over a wireless network 120. The
`wire