Exercise Device, Sensor and Method Of Determining Body Parameters During Exercise

Abstract

A noninvasive light sensor for detecting heart beat signals has a circular support member engageable circumferentially with a body part of a person. There are a plurality of light emitters and light detectors located around a circumference of the circular support member for respectively emitting light signals into different areas of tissue surrounding the body part, and receiving reflected light signals from the different areas of tissue surrounding the body part.

1 . A method of determining heart rate of a person during exercise comprising:
 positioning a circular support member circumferentially engaging the body part of the person;   a plurality of light emitters spaced on a circumference of the circular support member emitting light into respective areas of tissue of the body part;   a plurality of light detectors on the circumference of the circular support member and respectively detecting the light emitted by the of plurality of light emitters that is reflected from the respective areas of tissue of the body part;   obtaining at least three sensor signals from the plurality of light detectors, the sensor signals comprising heart beat signals and movement signals,   separating the heart beat signals and the movement signals in the at least three sensor signals; and   determining heart rate from the heart beat signals.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein there are three sensors; and
 positions of three sensors form a plane; wherein   the positions of the three sensors are different, whereby the different positions of the sensors cause an effect of a motion of the person to have a different effect on each sensor.   
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein comparing the sensor signals to separate the heart beat signals and the movement signals comprises comparing the sensor signals to find in-phase and out-of-phase components of the signals of the plurality of sensors. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein comparing the sensor signals to separate the heart beat signals and the movement signals comprises finding a covariance between the sensor signals. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein determining heart rate from the heart beat signals comprises match filtering using match filters. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein
 the circular support member is part of a headphone including an audio speaker for providing an audio feedback to the person.   
     
     
         7 . An apparatus, comprising:
 at least one earphone; and   a signal processor connected to the at least one earphone, wherein said apparatus is configured to perform the method of  claim 1 .   
     
     
         8 . A method of managing an exercise routine of a person, comprising:
 providing a headphone, the headphone capable of playing an audio file to the person wearing the headphone;   the headphone comprising sensors for monitoring physiological data of the person; and   based on physiological data of the person, the headphone providing audio feedback of target exercise parameters and/or rates to help the person optimize physical activity of the person.   
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein the physiological data includes heart-rate. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein the physiological data includes body temperature. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein the physiological data includes body oxygen level. 
     
     
         12 . A method of managing an exercise routine as claimed in  claim 8 , wherein
 if the physiological data is above a predetermined threshold, the audio feedback indicates to the person to slow down; and   if the physiological data is below a predetermined threshold, the audio feedback indicates to the person to pick up pace.   
     
     
         13 . A method of managing an exercise routine as claimed in  claim 12 ,
 wherein the audio feedback indicating to the person to slow down is a reduction of tempo of the audio file played in the headphone; and   the audio feedback indicating to the person to pick up pace is an increase of tempo of the audio file played in the headphone.   
     
     
         14 . A method of managing an exercise routine as claimed in  claim 12 ,
 wherein the audio feedback indicating to the person to slow down is a reduction of the heaviness of the beat in the audio file played in the headphone; and   the audio feedback indicating to the person to pick up pace is an increase of the heaviness of the beat in the audio the played in the headphone.   
     
     
         15 . A method of managing an exercise routine as claimed in  claim 12 ,
 wherein the audio feedback indicating to the person to slow down is a change in tempo, pitch or equalizer of the audio file to be less exciting to the person; and   the audio feedback indicating to the person to pick up pace is a change in tempo, pitch or equalizer of the audio file to be more exciting to the person.   
     
     
         16 . A method of managing an exercise routine as claimed in  claim 8 , wherein
 the audio feedback indicates the percentage of the exercise has been completed.