Patents by Inventor Heiko Gernot Albert Panther
Heiko Gernot Albert Panther has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).
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Patent number: 10218433Abstract: Biometric monitoring devices, including various technologies that may be implemented in such devices, are discussed herein. Additionally, techniques, systems, and apparatuses are discussed herein for utilizing two different Bluetooth communications interfaces, one that provides Bluetooth classic (base rate/enhanced data rate) communications functionality and one that provides Bluetooth low-energy communications functionality, in a common device. The techniques, systems, and apparatuses may elect to use a particular Bluetooth interface based on various criteria.Type: GrantFiled: March 21, 2017Date of Patent: February 26, 2019Assignee: Fitbit, Inc.Inventors: Heiko Gernot Albert Panther, James Park
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Patent number: 10209365Abstract: Biometric monitoring devices, including various technologies that may be implemented in such devices, are discussed herein. Additionally, techniques, systems, and apparatuses are discussed herein for providing power-conserving techniques and systems for efficiently utilizing a GPS receiver are described. The positional fix frequency of the GPS receiver may, according to some implementations, be modified or adjusted between various levels according to data from one or more non-GPS sensors. Such non-GPS sensors may include, for example, ambient light intensity or spectrum sensors, accelerometers, gyroscopes, magnetometers, heart rate sensors, galvanic skin response sensors, infrared sensors, etc.Type: GrantFiled: February 17, 2017Date of Patent: February 19, 2019Assignee: Fitbit, Inc.Inventors: Subramaniam Venkatraman, Heiko Gernot Albert Panther, Shelten Gee Jao Yuen
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Patent number: 10194836Abstract: Biometric monitoring devices, including various technologies that may be implemented in such devices, are discussed herein. Additionally, techniques for enhancing GPS speed and distance measurements based on step counts measured by a biometric monitoring device are provided. Such techniques may, in some implementations, involve blending two independently-measured data streams of raw distance traveled—one based on inter-coordinate GPS coordinate distances and one based on step count and stride length—using a Kalman filter to provide an enhanced-accuracy measurement of distance or speed traveled. In some other or additional implementations, distances or speeds calculated based on inter-coordinate GPS coordinate distances may be smoothed with a smoothing constant that is proportional to the variance in measured step count.Type: GrantFiled: March 20, 2017Date of Patent: February 5, 2019Assignee: Fitbit, Inc.Inventors: Subramaniam Venkatraman, Heiko Gernot Albert Panther, Shelten Gee Jao Yuen
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Publication number: 20190025928Abstract: In one embodiment, an electronic device to be worn on a user's forearm includes a display and a set of one or more sensors that provide sensor data. In one aspect, a device may detect, using sensor data obtained from a set of sensors, that a first activity state of a user is active. The device may determine, while the first activity state is active, that the sensor data matches a watch check rule associated with the first activity state. Responsive to the detected match, the device may cause a change in visibility of the display.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 21, 2018Publication date: January 24, 2019Inventors: Alexandros A. Pantelopoulos, Shelten Gee Jao Yuen, Heiko Gernot Albert Panther
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Patent number: 10187918Abstract: The present inventions, in one aspect, are directed to systems and circuitry for and/or methods of establishing communication having one or more pairing facilitator-intermediary devices (for example, a network connected server) to enable or facilitate pairing and/or registering at least two devices (e.g., (i) a portable biometric monitoring device and (ii) a smartphone, laptop and/or tablet) to, for example, recognize, interact and/or enable interoperability between such devices. The pairing facilitator-intermediary device may responsively communicates information to one or more of the devices (to be paired or registered) which, in response, enable or facilitate such devices to pair or register. The present inventions may be advantageous where one or both of the devices to be paired or registered is/are not configured (e.g., include a user interface or certain communication circuitry that is configured or includes functionality) to pair devices without use of a facilitator-intermediary device.Type: GrantFiled: August 21, 2017Date of Patent: January 22, 2019Assignee: Fitbit, Inc.Inventor: Heiko Gernot Albert Panther
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Patent number: 10132645Abstract: An activity monitoring device accumulates a count of steps taken as an individual bearing the activity monitoring device travels by foot along a route, and wirelessly acquires positioning data from a discrete global-positioning device corresponding to a sequence of locations along the route. The activity monitoring device iteratively revises an estimated stride length of the individual based on the positioning data and the step count and iteratively updates a travel distance on a display of the activity monitoring device according to the step count and the estimated stride length as the individual proceeds from one location in the sequence to the next.Type: GrantFiled: May 15, 2015Date of Patent: November 20, 2018Assignee: Fitbit, Inc.Inventors: Shelten Gee Jao Yuen, Timothy M. Roberts, Heiko Gernot Albert Panther, Barry Christopher Burton
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Publication number: 20180224559Abstract: Assisted-GPS for a portable biometric monitoring device is provided. The portable biometric monitoring device may obtain updated ephemeris data from an associated secondary device via a short-range, low-power communication protocol. The secondary device may be a computing device such as a smartphone, tablet, or laptop. Various rules may control when the ephemeris data is updated. The ephemeris data may be used in the calculation of the global position of the portable biometric monitoring device. Additionally, the portable biometric monitoring device may communicate downloaded position fixing data to the associated secondary device. The associated secondary device may then calculate the global position from the position fixing data.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 8, 2018Publication date: August 9, 2018Inventors: James Park, Heiko Gernot Albert Panther, Shelten Gee Jao Yuen
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Publication number: 20180156660Abstract: A wearable computing device includes an electronic display with a configurable brightness level setting, a physiological metric sensor system including a light source configured to direct light into tissue of a user wearing the wearable computing device and a light detector configured to detect light from the light source that reflects back from the user. The device may further include control circuitry configured to activate the light source during a first period, generate a first light detector signal indicating a first amount of light detected by the light detector during the first period, deactivate the light source during a second period, generate a second light detector signal indicating a second amount of light detected by the light detector during the second period, generate a physiological metric based at least in part on the first light detector signal and the second light detector signal, and modify the configurable brightness level setting based on the second light detector signal.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 30, 2017Publication date: June 7, 2018Inventors: Félix Antoine TURGEON, Sebastian Joseph CAPELLA, Subramaniam Venkatraman, Shelten Gee Jao Yuen, Heiko Gernot Albert Panther
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Patent number: 9977508Abstract: In one embodiment, an electronic device to be worn on a user's forearm includes a display and a set of one or more sensors that provide sensor data. In one aspect, a device may detect, using sensor data obtained from a set of sensors, that a first activity state of a user is active. The device may determine, while the first activity state is active, that the sensor data matches a watch check rule associated with the first activity state. Responsive to the detected match, the device may cause a change in visibility of the display.Type: GrantFiled: September 16, 2015Date of Patent: May 22, 2018Assignee: Fitbit, Inc.Inventors: Alexandros Pantelopoulos, Shelten Gee Jao Yuen, Heiko Gernot Albert Panther
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Patent number: 9952675Abstract: In one embodiment, an electronic device to be worn on a user's forearm includes a display and a set of one or more sensors that provide sensor data. In one aspect, a device may detect, using sensor data obtained from a set of sensors, that a first activity state of a user is active. The device may determine, while the first activity state is active, that the sensor data matches a watch check rule associated with the first activity state. Responsive to the detected match, the device may cause a change in visibility of the display.Type: GrantFiled: June 22, 2015Date of Patent: April 24, 2018Assignee: Fitbit, Inc.Inventors: Alexandros Pantelopoulos, Shelten Gee Jao Yuen, Heiko Gernot Albert Panther
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Patent number: 9891717Abstract: In one embodiment, an electronic device to be worn on a user's forearm includes a display and a set of one or more sensors that provide sensor data. In one aspect, a device may detect, using sensor data obtained from a set of sensors, that a first activity state of a user is active. The device may determine, while the first activity state is active, that the sensor data matches a watch check rule associated with the first activity state. Responsive to the detected match, the device may cause a change in visibility of the display.Type: GrantFiled: October 6, 2015Date of Patent: February 13, 2018Assignee: Fitbit, Inc.Inventors: Alexandros Pantelopoulos, Shelten Gee Jao Yuen, Heiko Gernot Albert Panther
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Publication number: 20180035481Abstract: The present inventions, in one aspect, are directed to systems and circuitry for and/or methods of establishing communication having one or more pairing facilitator-intermediary devices (for example, a network connected server) to enable or facilitate pairing and/or registering at least two devices (e.g., (i) a portable biometric monitoring device and (ii) a smartphone, laptop and/or tablet) to, for example, recognize, interact and/or enable interoperability between such devices. The pairing facilitator-intermediary device may responsively communicates information to one or more of the devices (to be paired or registered) which, in response, enable or facilitate such devices to pair or register. The present inventions may be advantageous where one or both of the devices to be paired or registered is/are not configured (e.g., include a user interface or certain communication circuitry that is configured or includes functionality) to pair devices without use of a facilitator-intermediary device.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 21, 2017Publication date: February 1, 2018Inventor: Heiko Gernot Albert Panther
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Patent number: 9864066Abstract: Assisted-GPS for a portable biometric monitoring device is provided. The portable biometric monitoring device may obtain updated ephemeris data from an associated secondary device via a short-range, low-power communication protocol. The secondary device may be a computing device such as a smartphone, tablet, or laptop. Various rules may control when the ephemeris data is updated. The ephemeris data may be used in the calculation of the global position of the portable biometric monitoring device. Additionally, the portable biometric monitoring device may communicate downloaded position fixing data to the associated secondary device. The associated secondary device may then calculate the global position from the position fixing data.Type: GrantFiled: March 12, 2015Date of Patent: January 9, 2018Assignee: Fitbit, Inc.Inventors: James Park, Heiko Gernot Albert Panther, Shelten Gee Jao Yuen
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Patent number: 9817481Abstract: In one embodiment, an electronic device to be worn on a user's forearm includes a display and a set of one or more sensors that provide sensor data. In one aspect, a device may detect, using sensor data obtained from a set of sensors, that a first activity state of a user is active. The device may determine, while the first activity state is active, that the sensor data matches a watch check rule associated with the first activity state. Responsive to the detected match, the device may cause a change in visibility of the display.Type: GrantFiled: October 6, 2015Date of Patent: November 14, 2017Assignee: Fitbit, Inc.Inventors: Alexandros Pantelopoulos, Shelten Gee Jao Yuen, Heiko Gernot Albert Panther
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Publication number: 20170311365Abstract: Embodiments of the present invention include a system and method for wirelessly identifying and validating an electronic device in order to initiate a communication process with another device or a service. In an embodiment, the system includes a portable biometric monitoring device that is identified by a client device or a server for the purpose of initiating a pairing process. In an embodiment, pairing implies pairing the portable device to an online user account with minimal user interaction. After pairing, the portable device and appropriate client devices and servers communicate with little or no user interaction, for example to upload sensor data collected by the portable device.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 15, 2017Publication date: October 26, 2017Inventors: Peter Andrew Molettiere, James Park, Aislinn Abigail Bilodeaux-Dewey, Christine Boomer Brumback, Eric Nathan Friedman, Robert Curtis Cole, Heiko Gernot Albert Panther, Andrew Cole Axley
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Publication number: 20170257162Abstract: Biometric monitoring devices, including various technologies that may be implemented in such devices, are discussed herein. Additionally, techniques, systems, and apparatuses are discussed herein for utilizing two different Bluetooth communications interfaces, one that provides Bluetooth classic (base rate/enhanced data rate) communications functionality and one that provides Bluetooth low-energy communications functionality, in a common device. The techniques, systems, and apparatuses may elect to use a particular Bluetooth interface based on various criteria.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 21, 2017Publication date: September 7, 2017Inventors: Heiko Gernot Albert Panther, James Park
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Patent number: 9743443Abstract: The present inventions, in one aspect, are directed to systems and circuitry for and/or methods of establishing communication having one or more pairing facilitator-intermediary devices (for example, a network connected server) to enable or facilitate pairing and/or registering at least two devices (e.g., (i) a portable biometric monitoring device and (ii) a smartphone, laptop and/or tablet) to, for example, recognize, interact and/or enable interoperability between such devices. The pairing facilitator-intermediary device may responsively communicates information to one or more of the devices (to be paired or registered) which, in response, enable or facilitate such devices to pair or register. The present inventions may be advantageous where one or both of the devices to be paired or registered is/are not configured (e.g., include a user interface or certain communication circuitry that is configured or includes functionality) to pair devices without use of a facilitator-intermediary device.Type: GrantFiled: February 1, 2016Date of Patent: August 22, 2017Assignee: Fitbit, Inc.Inventor: Heiko Gernot Albert Panther
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Publication number: 20170188893Abstract: Biometric monitoring devices, including various technologies that may be implemented in such devices, are discussed herein. Additionally, techniques for enhancing GPS speed and distance measurements based on step counts measured by a biometric monitoring device are provided. Such techniques may, in some implementations, involve blending two independently-measured data streams of raw distance traveled—one based on inter-coordinate GPS coordinate distances and one based on step count and stride length—using a Kalman filter to provide an enhanced-accuracy measurement of distance or speed traveled. In some other or additional implementations, distances or speeds calculated based on inter-coordinate GPS coordinate distances may be smoothed with a smoothing constant that is proportional to the variance in measured step count.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 20, 2017Publication date: July 6, 2017Inventors: Subramaniam Venkatraman, Heiko Gernot Albert Panther, Shelten Gee Jao Yuen
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Patent number: 9686812Abstract: Embodiments of the present invention include a system and method for wirelessly identifying and validating an electronic device in order to initiate a communication process with another device or a service. In an embodiment, the system includes a portable biometric monitoring device that is identified by a client device or a server for the purpose of initiating a pairing process. In an embodiment, pairing implies pairing the portable device to an online user account with minimal user interaction. After pairing, the portable device and appropriate client devices and servers communicate with little or no user interaction, for example to upload sensor data collected by the portable device.Type: GrantFiled: April 27, 2015Date of Patent: June 20, 2017Assignee: FITBIT, INC.Inventors: Peter Andrew Molettiere, James Park, Aislinn Abigail Bilodeaux-Dewey, Christine Boomer Brumback, Eric Nathan Friedman, Robert Curtis Cole, Heiko Gernot Albert Panther, Andrew Cole Axley
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Publication number: 20170160398Abstract: Biometric monitoring devices, including various technologies that may be implemented in such devices, are discussed herein. Additionally, techniques, systems, and apparatuses are discussed herein for providing power-conserving techniques and systems for efficiently utilizing a GPS receiver are described. The positional fix frequency of the GPS receiver may, according to some implementations, be modified or adjusted between various levels according to data from one or more non-GPS sensors. Such non-GPS sensors may include, for example, ambient light intensity or spectrum sensors, accelerometers, gyroscopes, magnetometers, heart rate sensors, galvanic skin response sensors, infrared sensors, etc.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 17, 2017Publication date: June 8, 2017Inventors: Subramaniam Venkatraman, Heiko Gernot Albert Panther, Shelten Gee Jao Yuen