Patent claim: Method for counting steps taken by a user said method being implemented by a first portable electronic device 1 formed by a personal activity monitor 1 intended to be rather rigidly associated with the body of the user and by a second portable electronic device 2 formed by a smartphone 2 the first and second devices being configured to exchange data over a wireless connection the method comprising the steps of a1 detecting and counting the steps of the user by the first device 1 with at least one associated timestamp information a2 detecting and counting the steps of the user by the second device 2 with at least one associated timestamp information b transferring step data from one of the two devices to the other of the two devices c identifying at least a first time period Tw for which it is determined that a difference in the number of steps counted by the first device 1 and by the second device 2 is greater than a predetermined threshold S d supplementing the step data recorded for said first time period in one of the two devices with the step data from the other of the two devices.

Related passage: In an exemplary embodiment the shock button 54 or tap button 54 generally corresponds to a shock sensor that is preferably located within the housing 16 and is operably connected to the controller 18 such as a printed circuit board of the controller 18.FIG.8a shows a schematic view of a printed circuit board of the controller 18.The controller 18 includes lead interfaces 18a that cooperate with the USB connector 24.The board operably supports the shock sensor 54 generally proximate a periphery of the board which also positions the shock sensor at a periphery of the housing 16.Thus the shock sensor 54 is operably connected to the controller 18 and may be a piezo shock sensor in this exemplary embodiment.Even when positioned proximate a periphery the acceleration sensed at the periphery location is generally very close to the acceleration at the center location such as from a user tapping generally at a center of the screen 39.It is understood that the shock button 54 may be located in alternate positions on the controller 18 or in the housing 16.For example the shock sensor 54 may be located proximate a center of the board as shown in phantom lines in FIG.8a which generally corresponds to a center of the housing 16 and underneath a center point of the crystal 39.The shock sensor can take other forms other than a shock sensor and may also be an accelerometer in one exemplary embodiment.For example FIG.8b shows a printed circuit board of the controller 18 wherein a shock button 54 is in the form of an accelerometer and positioned at a periphery of the board.As shown in phantom lines the accelerometer may also be positioned proximate a center of the board and therefore proximate a center of the housing 16.As discussed the shock button 54 in any of its forms is generally positioned within the housing 16 and beneath the crystal 39 FIG.7.It is understood that the shock sensor 54 shown in FIG.8a may have lesser power requirements than the accelerometer sensor 54 shown in FIG.8b.It is understood that the accelerometer 54 shown in FIG.8b could be a threeaxis accelerometer and have additional function in addition to sensing the tap input or third input.For example the accelerometer could be used to wakeup the device upon motion as well as speed and distance measurement for the user.The wakeup functionality may be used to return the device from a sleep mode e.g.to save power to a mode in which the devices display is activated an athletic activity tracking function is automatically activated andor one or more input devices are activated e.g.a touch screen is activated to accept touch input while touch input might not be accepted in a deactivated or sleep state.Alternatively or additionally the wakeup functionality may automatically trigger signal detection for locationdetection sensors andor to begin detecting sensors andor requestingreceiving data from one or more sensors e.g.accelerometers.A wakeup function may also be triggered based on other input such as a spectrum andor intensity of light a time of day week andor year and the like.For example the watch 10 mayrecognize a typical workout time of day week andor year and automatically return the watch 10 to an active state at that particular time andor a predefined amount time therebefore.