Patent ID: 9008995
Filing Date: 2015-04-14
Classification: G01P

Abstract:
1. A method for detecting activity and inactivity in a MEMS accelerometer, the method comprising: using circuitry to measure a dynamic component of acceleration; using circuitry to compare the dynamic component to an activity threshold to detect activity; using circuitry to detect inactivity once activity is detected, comprising: measuring a dynamic component of acceleration; and using circuitry to determine if the dynamic component of acceleration is less than an inactivity threshold and to determine if a predetermined period of time has elapsed to detect inactivity, wherein the accelerometer is implemented as an integrated circuit and wherein a pin of the integrated circuit is configured to present a first value when the last state detected is activity and to present a second value when the last state detected is inactivity, and wherein using circuitry to compare the dynamic component of acceleration to an activity threshold to detect activity determines if the dynamic component of acceleration exceeds the activity threshold at a plurality of intervals and only detects activity if the dynamic component of acceleration exceeds the threshold during each interval.