Treadmill Step Counting via Terminal Vibration Analysis
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current methods for step counting on treadmills require additional devices like smartwatches or smart treadmills, increasing costs and limiting user experience, as they are not widely used and require separate communication means with mobile phones.
Innovation Solution
A method and apparatus using a terminal device with an acceleration sensor to collect and analyze vibration signals through a time-frequency analysis algorithm, eliminating the need for additional devices by integrating step counting directly into the terminal device, such as a mobile phone, which is placed on the treadmill.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If additional step counting devices like smartwatches or bracelets are used on treadmills, then step counting function is achieved, but user costs increase
Solution Approach 1:
The terminal device (mobile phone) is made to serve multiple functions: it acts as both a communication device and a step counting device by utilizing its existing acceleration sensor to detect treadmill vibrations and analyze running steps through time-frequency analysis algorithms, eliminating the need for separate step counting hardware
Solution Approach 2:
The terminal device uses its own built-in acceleration sensor to perform step counting functionality without requiring external specialized devices, making the system self-sufficient by leveraging resources already present in the user's possession
2Measurement precision
If smart treadmills with Bluetooth connection are used for step counting, then step counting accuracy is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The step counting functionality is extracted from complex smart treadmill systems and transferred to the terminal device, which analyzes vibration signals from the treadmill using its own processing capabilities without requiring Bluetooth or other communication protocols between devices
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces complex electronic communication systems (Bluetooth, infrared) with a simpler mechanical vibration detection approach, where the acceleration sensor directly captures physical vibrations from the treadmill belt to determine step count
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This solution reduces user costs, enhances user experience by providing accurate step counting without additional devices, and improves social ranking performance by directly tracking exercise steps on the treadmill.
Implementation Method 1
collecting, by the terminal device by using an acceleration sensor a vibration signal generated when a user runs on the treadmill
Data Source
AI summary
A step counting apparatus for a treadmill includes a terminal device. The terminal device is placed on the treadmill. The terminal device includes an acceleration sensor, a processor and a memory. The memory is configured to store a software program. The acceleration sensor is configured to collect a vibration signal generated when a user runs on the treadmill. The processor is configured to execute the software program stored in the memory, to cause the processor to instruct the acceleration sensor to collect the vibration signal generated when the user runs on the treadmill. The processor is further configure to execute the software program to analyze, using a time-frequency analysis algorithm, the vibration signal to determine a quantity of exercise steps of the user on the treadmill.