Activity tracking device and associated methods

Abstract

An activity tracking device includes a motion detection component and a band. The motion detection component includes circuitry for detecting and recording movement of the motion detection component. The motion detection component includes a display defined to provide a visual indication of an amount of movement recorded by the circuitry. The band is formed to secure to a part of a human body. The band includes the motion detection component.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An apparatus, comprising:
 a motion detection component including circuitry for detecting and recording movement of the motion detection component, the motion detection component including a display defined to provide a visual indication of an amount of movement recorded by the circuitry; and   a band formed to secure to a part of a human body, the band including the motion detection component.   
     
     
         2 . An apparatus as recited in  claim 1 , wherein the display includes a light emitting diode. 
     
     
         3 . An apparatus as recited in  claim 2 , wherein the circuitry is defined to illuminate the light emitting diode in a manner to indicate when the amount of movement recorded by the circuitry has exceeded a threshold amount of movement. 
     
     
         4 . An apparatus as recited in  claim 2 , wherein the circuitry is defined to control a color emitted by the light emitting diode, the color indicating the amount of movement recorded by the circuitry. 
     
     
         5 . An apparatus as recited in  claim 1 , wherein the band includes a housing for receiving and holding the motion detection component. 
     
     
         6 . An apparatus as recited in  claim 5 , wherein the housing is a pocket in the band. 
     
     
         7 . An apparatus as recited in  claim 1 , wherein the circuitry includes a three-axis motion sensor. 
     
     
         8 . An apparatus as recited in  claim 1 , wherein the circuitry is defined to translate the amount of movement recorded into an amount of points. 
     
     
         9 . An apparatus as recited in  claim 1 , wherein the display is defined to show an alphanumeric message. 
     
     
         10 . An apparatus as recited in  claim 9 , wherein the alphanumeric message is associated with the amount of movement recorded by the circuitry. 
     
     
         11 . An apparatus as recited in  claim 9 , wherein the alphanumeric message indicates that the amount of movement recorded by the circuitry has reached a predetermined threshold of movement. 
     
     
         12 . An apparatus as recited in  claim 1 , wherein the circuitry is defined to direct the display to display a code associated with the amount of movement recorded by the circuitry. 
     
     
         13 . An apparatus as recited in  claim 1 , further comprising:
 at least one removable component.   
     
     
         14 . An apparatus, comprising:
 a motion detection component including circuitry for detecting and recording movement of the motion detection component, the motion detection component including a display defined to provide a visual indication of an amount of movement recorded by the circuitry, the display including a series of light emitting diodes, and the circuitry defined to illuminate the series of light emitting diodes in a manner to indicate the amount of movement recorded by the circuitry; and   a band formed to secure to a part of a human body, the band including the motion detection component.   
     
     
         15 . An apparatus as recited in  claim 14 , wherein the series of light emitting diodes is defined to emit light of a single color, or wherein the series of light emitting diodes is defined to emit light of multiple colors either simultaneously or at different times, with a given color associated with the amount of movement recorded by the circuitry. 
     
     
         16 . An apparatus as recited in  claim 14 , wherein the series of light emitting diodes is defined to emit light of multiple colors either simultaneously or at different times, with a given color associated with the amount of movement recorded by the circuitry. 
     
     
         17 . An apparatus as recited in  claim 16 , wherein the circuitry is defined to control each of the series light emitting diodes with regard to its color of light emission, the color indicating the amount of movement recorded by the circuitry. 
     
     
         18 . An apparatus as recited in  claim 14 , wherein the circuitry is defined to illuminate the series of light emitting diodes in a progressive manner based on the amount of movement recorded by the circuitry. 
     
     
         19 . An apparatus, comprising:
 a dampening device motion detector defined to provide three-axis motion detection;   circuitry connected to receive signals from the dampening device motion detector and process the received signals through an algorithm to determine a quantity of movement;   a display defined to provide a visual indication of the quantity of movement determined by the circuitry; and   a band formed to secure to a part of a human body, the band including the dampening device motion detector, the circuitry, and the display.   
     
     
         20 . An apparatus as recited in  claim 19 , wherein the dampening device motion detector and circuitry are included as part of a pedometer device. 
     
     
         21 . An apparatus as recited in  claim 19 , wherein the dampening device motion detector is a piezoelectric device. 
     
     
         22 . An apparatus as recited in  claim 19 , wherein the algorithm is also defined to determine an orientation of the dampening device motion detector. 
     
     
         23 . An apparatus as recited in  claim 19 , wherein the band includes a housing for receiving and holding the dampening device motion detector. 
     
     
         24 . An apparatus as recited in  claim 23 , wherein the housing is a pocket in the band. 
     
     
         25 . An apparatus, comprising:
 a motion detection component including circuitry for detecting and recording movement of the apparatus;   a series of light emitting diodes connected to provide visual signals, some of the visual signals associated with an amount of movement of the apparatus as recorded by the circuitry of the motion detection component; and   a band formed to secure to a part of a human body, the band including a housing for receiving and holding the motion detection component and the series of light emitting diodes.   
     
     
         26 . An apparatus as recited in  claim 25 , wherein the circuitry is defined to illuminate a portion of the series of light emitting diodes in proportion to the amount of recorded movement of the apparatus relative to a predetermined threshold of movement. 
     
     
         27 . An apparatus as recited in  claim 25 , wherein colors of the series of light emitting diodes are controlled based on the amount of recorded movement of the apparatus relative to a predetermined threshold of movement. 
     
     
         28 . An apparatus as recited in  claim 25 , wherein the series of light emitting diodes are defined to display an alphanumeric message. 
     
     
         29 . An apparatus as recited in  claim 28 , wherein the alphanumeric message is associated with the amount of movement recorded by the circuitry. 
     
     
         30 . An apparatus as recited in  claim 28 , wherein the alphanumeric message indicates that the amount of recorded movement of the apparatus has reached a predetermined threshold of movement.