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BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a pulse counting apparatus for obtaining
pulse data per unit time by measuring a period of time in which a
predetermined number of pulses are generated.
2. Description of the Related Art
Conventionally, in medical facilities, an electrocardiographic signal or
pulse generated when the heart contracts is detected by a sensor, and an
apparatus for displaying a waveform of the detected signal and an
apparatus for calculating the pulses per minute from the signal detected
by the sensor, and displaying the pulse have been used. However, since
these apparatuses are large and expensive, there has been a demand for a
portable pulse counting apparatus, which is inexpensive and which thus
allows personal use. In response to the demand, a pulse counting apparatus
having a sensor for counting a pulse, applicable to a small apparatus
(e.g., a watch), has been put into practice. Such a pulse counting
apparatus is disclosed in, for example, U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,807,639 and
5,316,008.
The aforementioned pulse counting apparatus, however, has the following
drawback. That is, noise is liable to be generated in a sensor of the
apparatus for detecting an electrocardiographic signal or an optical
sensor for detecting the pulse. Since noise can result in an inaccurate
count, the pulse must be counted repeatedly.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
An object of the present invention is to provide a pulse counting
apparatus, which has a simple structure and makes few count errors.
To achieve the above object, a pulse counting apparatus of the present
invention comprises:
time measuring means, which starts time measuring in response to a start
signal, stops the time measuring within one minute after the time
measuring is started, and produces time data;
numerical data storing means for storing predetermined numerical data;
pulse data obtaining means for obtaining pulse data from the predetermined
numerical data stored in the numerical data storing means and time data
produced by the time measuring means when the time measuring in the time
measuring means is stopped; and
display means for displaying the pulse data obtained by the pulse data
obtaining means.
According to the present invention, a pulse can be detected with a very
simple structure, without using a pulse sensor.
Additional objects and advantages of the invention will be set forth in the
description which follows, and in part will be obvious from the
description, or may be learned by practice of the invention. The objects
and advantages of the invention may be realized and obtained by means of
the instrumentalities and combinations particularly pointed out in the
appended claims.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and constitute a part
of the specification, illustrate presently preferred embodiments of the
invention and, together with the general description given above and the
detailed description of the preferred embodiments given below, serve to
explain the principles of the invention.
FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a pulse counting apparatus according to the
present invention;
FIG. 2 is a diagram showing the structure of the RAM shown in FIG. 1;
FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing an operation of a pulse counting apparatus
according to a first embodiment of the present invention;
FIG. 4 is a flowchart showing a calculating operation;
FIG. 5 is a diagram for explaining a mode switching operation;
FIG. 6 is a diagram showing a state of the display in a time display mode;
FIG. 7 is a diagram showing a state of the display in an initial mode of a
pulse mode;
FIG. 8 is a diagram showing a state of the display in a pulse display mode;
FIG. 9 is a flowchart showing an operation of a pulse counting apparatus
according to a second embodiment of the present invention; and
FIGS. 10A and 10B are diagrams showing states of the display in a pulse
counting operation of the second embodiment.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
Embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to
the accompanying drawings. In the embodiments, the pulse counting
apparatus of the present invention is applied to an electronic watch
having a pulse counting function.
FIG. 1 is a diagram showing the structure of the electronic watch having
the pulse counting function.
Referring to FIG. 1, an oscillation clock signal of a predetermined
frequency generated in an oscillator 1 is divided by a frequency divider
1. A frequency-divided signal is input to a control unit 3. A key input
section 4 has an S1 key for switching modes such as a time display mode
and a pulse mode, an S2 key for starting and stopping measurement of a
pulse counting time, an S3 key for inputting the age of the user and an S4
key for switching the pulse mode to an age setting mode (to be described
later) in which an input of the age by means of the S3 key is permitted.
The control unit (central processing unit) 3 executes a key process, a
time-counting process, a pulse calculation process (to be described
later), and the like, in accordance with a control program stored in a ROM
(read only memory) 5, and stores a measured time and a calculation result
in a RAM (random access memory) 6. The control unit 3 reads time data or
pulse data (to be described later) from the RAM 6, outputs them to a
driver 7 and displays them in a display unit 8 such as a liquid crystal
display.
The structure of the RAM 6 will now be described with reference to FIG. 2.
A display register 21 stores display data to be displayed in the display
unit 8. A time register 22 stores current time data. A mode register M
stores numerals corresponding to operation modes: "0" in the time display
mode, "1" in the pulse mode and "2" in a recall mode in which pulse data
is read from a data memory 26 (to be described later).
A flag F is to distinguish between a pulse count mode and the age setting
mode. More specifically, "0" is set to the flag F in the pulse count mode
and "1" is set in the age setting mode. As regards a flag G, "1" is set
when a pulse counting time is measured and "0" is set in the other
situations.
A timer (a time measuring means) T measures a time period in which the user
counts a predetermined number (e.g., 10) of pulses by means of palpation.
An age register 23 stores age data input by the user. A pulse register 24
stores the number of pulses per minute calculated from an equation based
on the period of time measured by the timer T and a predetermined number
of pulses. An intensity register 25 stores exercise intensity data
calculated by an exercise intensity calculation process (to be described
later) based on a maximum number of pulses, depending on the age, and the
number of pulses obtained by the calculation (pulse data stored in the
pulse register 24).
The exercise intensity data indicates a percentage with respect to the
intensity of exercise corresponding to the maximum pulse of the set age. A
data memory 26, comprised of a plurality of memory areas, stores the
calculated pulse data in order.
An operation of the above embodiment will be described with reference to
the flowcharts shown in FIGS. 3 and 4 and the diagram shown in FIG. 5 for
explaining the operation modes.
When the control unit 3 is in a halt state in a step S1 as shown in FIG. 3,
if it detects a timing signal output from the frequency-divider 2, it
executes a time counting process of a step S2. If it detects a key
operation signal, the flow proceeds to a step S9.
If a timing signal is detected in the step S1, a time counting process of
the step S2 is executed. In the time counting process, current time data
stored in the time register 22 is updated. Subsequently, in a step S3, it
is determined whether the content of the mode register M is "1" (M=1) and
the content of the register F is "0" (F=0).
If M.noteq.1 or F.noteq.0 in the step S3, the flow proceeds to a step S8 in
which a display process in the corresponding mode is performed. For
example, if the operation mode is the time display mode (M=1), the time
data stored in the time register 22 is transferred to the display register
21, so that the current date and time are displayed on the display unit 8.
If M=1 and F=0 in the step S3, that is, if the current operation mode is
the pulse mode and not the age setting mode, the flow proceeds to a step
S4 in which it is determined whether the flag G is "1".
In the step S4, if the flag G is "1", that is, if the pulse counting time
is being measured, the flow proceeds to a step S5 in which the value of
the timer T for measuring the pulse counting time is incremented by 1. In
the next step S6, it is determined whether the value of the timer T
amounts to "20", i.e., whether the counting time period amounts to 20
seconds.
In the step S6, if the counting time period amounts to 20 seconds, the
values of the timer T and the flag G are cleared in a step S7, so that the
operation mode is switched to the initial mode. Thereafter, the display
process is executed in a step S8, so as to display the counting time
period "0" of the timer T.
The reason why the timer T and the flag G are cleared in the step S7 if the
value of the timer T amounts to 20 seconds will be described. In this
embodiment, the timer T measured a pulse counting time period in which the
number of pulses becomes 10, and calculates pulse per minute from the
pulse counting time period. More specifically, assuming that the number of
pulses to be counted is X, if a pulse counting time T elapses until the
pulses amount to X, the number of pulses per minute Y is obtained by the
equation: Y=60X/T. In the apparatus of the embodiment, since the pulse
counting time is a period of time which elapses until the pulses amount to
x (10), the numerical data of 60.times.10=600 is prestored in the ROM 5,
so that the number of pulses per minute is obtained by the calculation
"600/Pulse Counting Time". However, if the pulse counting time of 20
seconds elapses until the pulses amount to 10, the pulses per minute will
be 30. Actually, however, the pulses per minute cannot be so low.
Therefore, when the value of the timer T becomes 20, the control unit
determines that the pulses are miscounted and clears the values of the
timer T and the flag G, so that the pulse cannot be calculated from the
value of the timer T.
In the step S6, if the value of the timer T is less than 20 seconds, the
flow proceeds to the step S8 in which the counting time of the timer T is
displayed on the display unit 8.
If a key operation signal is detected in the step S1, the flow proceeds to
the step S9, in which it is determined whether the S1 key is operated. If
the S1 key is operated, the flow proceeds to a step S10, in which the
value of the mode register M is incremented by 1, thereby changing the
operation mode. Subsequently, the display process of step S8 is executed,
so that a display process in the corresponding mode is performed.
In the step S9, if a key other than the S1 key is operated, the flow
proceeds to a step S11, in which it is determined whether the S2 key is
operated. If the S2 key is operated, the flow proceeds to a step S12, in
which it is determined whether the value of the mode register M is "1" and
the value of the flag F is "0".
In the step S12, if M=1 and F=0, the flow proceeds to a step S13, in which
it is determined whether the flag G is "0". In the step S13, if the flag G
is "0", i.e., if the S2 key is operated in the initial mode of the pulse
mode, the flow proceeds to a step S14, in which the flag G is set to "1"
and the mode is switched to a pulse count time measurement mode, so as to
start the measurement of the pulse counting time in the timer T.
Thereafter, the display process of the step S8 is executed to display the
pulse counting time in the timer T.
If the flag G is "1" in the step S13, i.e., if the S2 key is operated while
the pulse counting time is being measured, the flow proceeds to a step
S15, in which the flag G is set to "0" and the current operation mode is
switched to a pulse display mode and the measurement of the pulse counting
time of the timer T is stopped. At the same time, the calculation in a
step S16 is executed.
The calculation process executed in the step S16 will now be described with
reference to the flowchart of FIG. 4. First, in a step S41, it is
determined whether the value of the timer T, when the measurement is
stopped, is 3 seconds or less. If the period of time in which the pulses
amount to 10 is 3 seconds or less, the pulses per minute will be 200 or
greater. Since, in general, the number of pulses per minute cannot be so
great, the control unit determines that the pulses are miscounted by the
user and clears the value of the timer T in a step S42. Further, "1" is
set to the flag G, so that the operation mode is switched to the
measurement mode.
If in the step S41, the value of the timer T exceeds 3 seconds, the pulse
is calculated in a step S44, i.e., the calculation "600/Pulse Counting
Time" (the period of time measured by the timer T until the pulses amount
to 10) is executed so as to obtain the pulses per minute. Further, in a
step S45, intensity of exercise is calculated from the age data stored in
the age register 23 and the pulse data calculated in the step S44.
There is a relationship between the age of a person and his or her maximum
pulse. That is, the maximum pulse of a person of an age is represented by
"220-Age". In the aforementioned calculation of the exercise intensity,
assuming that the exercise of the intensity "100" results in the maximum
pulse, the intensity of the exercise, corresponding to the calculated
pulse, is obtained from the ratio of the calculated pulse to the maximum
pulse. For example, the maximum pulse of a person of 20 years old is
220-20=200. In this case, if the pulse of the person is 180 when he or she
performs an exercise, the intensity of the exercise is
(180/200).times.100=90%.
When the calculation of the pulse and the exercise intensity has completed,
the calculated pulse data is stored in the data memory 26 in a step S46.
Mode switching by means of the S1 key and S2 keys will be described with
reference to FIG. 5. In the time display mode in which M=0, when the S1
key is operated, "1" is set to the mode register M, the apparatus is
switched to the pulse mode.
Immediately after the mode is switched to the pulse mode, "0" is set to the
flag G and the apparatus is set in the initial mode as indicated by A in
FIG. 5. In this state, when the S2 key is operated, "1" is set to the flag
G and the apparatus is set in the measurement mode as indicated by B in
FIG. 5, at which time, a time measurement operation of the timer T is
started. If the S2 key is operated within 3 seconds of the start of the
time measurement operation of the timer T, the measured time is cleared
and the measurement operation is performed again. If the S2 key is not
operated in 20 seconds, the apparatus is returned to the initial mode. If
the S2 key is operated in 3 to 20 seconds after the start of the time
measurement operation, "0" is set to the flag G and the apparatus is set
in the pulse display mode and the time measurement operation of the timer
T is stopped. In the pulse display mode, the pulses per minute and the
exercise intensity are calculated from the time measured by the timer T
and the pulse 10 measured in the time, and displayed in the display 8.
In the pulse mode in which M=1, when the S1 key is operated, the value of
the mode register M is changed to "2", i.e., the apparatus is switched to
the recall mode. In the recall mode, the pulse data stored in the data
memory 26 can be successively displayed by operating the S3 key.
FIGS. 6 to 8 show states of the display in the time display mode, the
initial mode and the pulse display mode. FIG. 6 shows a state of the
display in the time display mode, indicating the current date and time,
October 15, 10:25 35". FIG. 7 shows a state of the display in the initial
mode, indicating the letters "PULSE" and the initial value ":00" of the
timer. FIG. 8 shows a state of the display in the pulse display mode,
indicating the pulse per minute "120" and the exercise intensity "65%"
calculated from the pulse and the age.
Referring to FIG. 3 again, in the step S11, if the S2 key is not operated,
the flow proceeds to a step S17, in which it is detected whether the S3
key is operated. If the S3 key is operated, it is determined whether the
value of the mode register M is "1" in a step S18. If the S3 key is
operated in the pulse mode (M=1), it is determined whether the flag F is
"1" in a step S19.
If "YES" in the step S19, i.e., if the S3 key is operated in the age
setting mode in which M=1 and F=1, the flow proceeds to a step S20, in
which the value of the age register 23 is incremented by 1.
If the flag F is not "1" in the step S19, i.e., if the S3 key is operated
in the pulse mode in which F=0, the flow proceeds to a step S21 in which
it is determined whether the flag G is "0". If the flag G is "0" in the
step S21 (i.e., if the S3 key is operated in the pulse display mode), the
timer T and the pulse register 24 are cleared in a step S22 and the
apparatus is returned to the initial mode.
If the value of the mode register M is not "1" in the step S18, the flow
proceeds to a step S23 in which it is determined whether the value of the
mode register M is "2". If M=2, i.e., if the apparatus is in the recall
mode, the read address in the data memory 26 is increased in a step S24.
In other words, in the recall mode, the pulse data stored in the data
memory 26 can be successively displayed by operating the S3 key. It is
possible that the step S24 includes a process of calculating the exercise
intensity from the read pulse data and the age data read from the age
register 23 and displaying the calculated intensity.
The function of the S3 key will be described with reference to FIG. 5. In
the age setting mode (M=1, F=0), each time the S3 key is operated, the
value of the age register 23 is incremented by 1. Thus, the age of the
user can be set by operating the S3 key in the age setting mode. When the
S3 key is operated in the pulse display mode (M=1, F=0, G=0), the timer T
and the pulse register 24 are cleared and the apparatus is switched to the
initial mode. When the S3 key is operated in the recall mode (M=2), the
pulse data stored in the data memory 26 are successively read out.
Referring to FIG. 3 again, if the S3 key is not operated in the step S17,
the flow proceeds to a step S25 in which it is determined whether the S4
key is operated. If the S4 key is operated in the step S25, it is
determined whether the value of the mode register M iS "1" in a step S26.
If M=1, it is determined whether the flag F is "0" in a step S27.
If F=0 in the step S27, i.e., if the S4 key is operated in the pulse mode,
"1" is set in the flag F in a step S28, thereby switching the apparatus to
the age setting mode. If F=1 in the step S27, i.e., the S4 key is operated
in the age setting mode, the flow proceeds to a step S29 in which "0" is
set to the flag F, thereby switching the apparatus to the pulse mode. If
the S4 key is not operated in the step S25, the flow proceeds to a step
S30, so that another key operation can be executed.
A mode switching process by means of operating the S4 key will be described
with reference to FIG. 5. As shown in FIG. 5, when the S4 key is operated
in the pulse mode (M=1, F=0), the apparatus is switched to the age setting
mode. In the age setting mode, a desired age can be set by operating the
S3 key as described above. When the S4 key is operated in the age setting
mode (F=1), "0" is set to the flag F and the apparatus is switched to the
initial mode of the pulse mode. In the pulse mode, the pulse counting time
period can be measured by operating the S2 key as described above. In this
embodiment, as described above, when the period of time, in which the
pulses amounts to a predetermined number, is measured, if the measured
period of time is too short (shorter than a first reference period of
time, e.g., 3 seconds in the embodiment) in a logical sense or too long
(longer than a second reference period of time, e.g., 20 seconds in the
embodiment), the measured period of time is invalidated. In this way, even
if the user miscounts pulses, the miscounted pulse rate is not displayed.
A second embodiment of the present invention will now be described with
reference to FIGS. 9, 10A and 10B. In an operation of the second
embodiment, after the time measurement operation by the timer T starts in
the pulse mode, the number of pulses per minute is calculated in every
second based on the period of time measured by the timer T and the
predetermined number of pulses (e.g., 10 pulses in the embodiment) and the
calculated pulse is displayed.
In the following, only portions different from those of the first
embodiment shown in FIG. 3 will be described. FIG. 9 is a flowchart
showing processes of the second embodiment inserted between the steps S5
and S6 of the flowchart of FIG. 3.
After the timer is incremented by 1 in the step S5, it is determined
whether a second carry is generated in a step S51. If a second carry is
generated, a calculation of pulse and intensity is executed in a step S52.
The calculation is the same as the calculation of pulse in the step S44
and the calculation of intensity in the step S45 shown in FIG. 4. That is,
pulses per minute is calculated from the value of the timer T and the
number (10) of pulses and the exercise intensity is calculated from the
pulses per minute and the age. Thereafter, in the step S6, it is
determined whether the timer T counts to 20 seconds. The subsequent steps
are the same as those shown in FIG. 3.
FIG. 10A shows a display when 5 seconds have elapsed from the start of the
measurement of the pulse counting time. In this case, since the pulse
amounts to 10 in 5 seconds, the pulses per minute "120" is displayed.
Further, since the user is 20 years old in this case, the exercise
intensity is calculated by the equation (120/200).times.100=60 and the
calculation result "60" % is displayed.
FIG. 10B shows a display when 6 seconds have elapsed from the start of the
measurement of the pulse counting time. In this case, since the pulse
amounts to 10 in 6 seconds, the pulses per minute "100" is displayed.
Further the exercise intensity "50" % is obtained and displayed. In the
second embodiment, the pulses per minute is calculated and displayed every
second after the start of the measurement of the pulse counting time.
Therefore, the number displayed when the user amounts 10 pulses is the
pulses per minute of the user. It is thus unnecessary to stop the
measurement of the period of time.
In the above embodiments, the pulses per minute is obtained by the
calculation "600/Pulse Counting Time". However, the number of pulses to be
counted is not limited to 10 but can be 5, 20 or any other number and the
calculation can be modified accordingly. Further, it is possible that a
table data of pulses per minute corresponding to the pulse counting time
is stored in the ROM, so that the data in accordance with the time can be
read. In this case, the calculation is not required.
Moreover, the present invention is not limited to the watch as used in the
above embodiments but can be applied to any other device having a time
measuring function.
As has been described above, the present invention has the following
advantages. First, pulses per unit time can be immediately obtained simply
by counting the number of pulses at a wrist or the neck of the user by
means of palpation and measuring the period of time in which the pulses
amount to a predetermined number. Further, if the measured period of time
is too short or long, the period is invalidated, so that an incorrect
pulse number cannot be displayed. Furthermore, since the intensity of
exercise is displayed along with the pulse, the user can see the degree of
the exercise.
Additional advantages and modifications will readily occur to those skilled
in the art. Therefore, the invention in its broader aspects is not limited
to the specific details, and representative devices shown and described
herein. Accordingly, various modifications may be made without departing
from the spirit or scope of the general inventive concept as defined by
the appended claims and their equivalents.
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