Patent Publication Number: US-2015087995-A1

Title: Body information obtaining device, body information obtaining method and body information obtaining program

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     The entire disclosure of Japanese Patent Application No. 2013-195302 filed on Sep. 20, 2013 including description, claims, drawings, and abstract are incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The present invention relates to a body information obtaining device, a body information obtaining method and a body information obtaining program. Especially, the present invention relates to a body information obtaining device which is wearable on any one of a plurality of types of wearing positions of a body which are different from each other, a body information obtaining method by the body information obtaining device and a body information obtaining program. 
     2. Description of Related Art 
     Conventionally, there are pedometers, pulsimeters and bioacoustic sensors as body information obtaining devices which perform sensing regarding movement conditions and biological information of bodies by using various types of sensors and measure the body information of the bodies on the basis of the sensing results. 
     Such body information obtaining device is described in Japanese Patent Application Laid Open Publication No. 2012-24390, for example. 
     Here, in a conventional body information obtaining device, a specific wearing position which is one of the positions of the body such as a head, a chest, an arm and a leg is determined in advance as the wearing position to wear the body information obtaining device. 
     That is, a conventional body information obtaining device is worn around a specific wearing position which is determined in advance for the body information obtaining device, and the body information obtaining device can only perform predetermined sensing on the specific wearing position. 
     Thus, when sensing is to be performed at various wearing positions of a body, for example, a user needs to prepare a plurality types of body information obtaining devices which are different from each other and correspond to the respective wearing positions. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     An object of the present invention is to provide a body information obtaining device, a body information obtaining method and a body information obtaining program that a single body information obtaining device can perform automatic sensing corresponding to a wearing position at any one of the plurality of wearing positions of a user around which the body information obtaining device can be worn. 
     In order to solve the above object, according to one aspect of the present invention, there is provided a body information obtaining device, including: a sensor unit which has at least one sensor sensing body information and is wearable on any one of a plurality of wearing positions different from each other of a body of a user; and a wearing position identification unit which identifies an actually-wearing position where the sensor unit is worn among the plurality of wearing positions on basis of a sensing result by the sensor unit. 
     According to another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a body information obtaining device, including: a sensor unit which has at least one sensor sensing body information and is wearable on any one of a plurality of wearing positions different from each other of a body of a user; and a sensing control unit which controls the sensor unit to obtain data regarding specific body information that is detectable at a specific wearing position from a specific sensor in the sensor unit which is capable of sensing the specific body information when the sensor unit is identified to be worn on the specific wearing position among the plurality of wearing positions. 
     According to another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a body information obtaining method by a body information obtaining device for sensing body information, the method including: identifying an actually-wearing position where a sensor is worn among a plurality of wearing positions on basis of a sensing result by a sensor unit which has at least one sensor sensing body information and is wearable on any one of the plurality of wearing positions different from each other of a body of a user. 
     According to another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a body information obtaining program which makes a computer as a body information obtaining device achieve a function for sensing body information, the function including: identifying an actually-wearing position where a sensor is worn among a plurality of wearing positions on basis of a sensing result by a sensor unit which has at least one type of the sensor sensing the body information and is wearable on the plurality of wearing positions different from each other of a body of a user. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       The above and other objects, advantages and features of the present invention will become more fully understood from the detailed description given hereinafter and the appended drawings which are given by way of illustration only, and thus are not intended as a definition of the limits of the present invention, and wherein: 
         FIG. 1A  is a perspective view showing an outer appearance of a body information obtaining device; 
         FIG. 1B  is a view showing a state in which body information obtaining devices are worn; 
         FIG. 2  is a block diagram showing a schematic configuration of the body information obtaining device; 
         FIG. 3  is a view showing a sensing target storage table; 
         FIGS. 4A to 4D  are views showing acceleration waveform data when the body information obtaining device is worn around an arm; 
         FIGS. 5A to 5D  are views showing acceleration waveform data when the body information obtaining device is worn around a leg; 
         FIG. 6  is a flow chart showing the flow of body information obtaining processing; 
         FIGS. 7A to 7D  are views showing acceleration vector strengths when the body information obtaining device is worn around an arm; 
         FIGS. 8A to 8D  are views showing acceleration vector strengths when the body information obtaining device is worn around a leg. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     Hereinafter, a body information obtaining device, a body information obtaining method and a body information obtaining program according to the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. 
     Though the after-mentioned embodiment is provided with various technically preferred limitations to perform the present invention, the scope of the present invention is not limited to the following embodiment and illustrated examples. 
     &lt;Outer Configuration&gt; 
       FIG. 1A  is an appearance view showing a body information obtaining device  1  in the embodiment. 
       FIG. 1B  is a view showing a state in which a user wears body information obtaining devices  1 . 
     As shown in the drawings, the body information obtaining device  1  is a device for sensing body information including at least any one of movement conditions of a body and biological information such as a pulse rate regarding a body of a user. 
     As shown in  FIG. 1A , the body information obtaining device  1  is configured in the form of a ring having flexibility, for example. 
     As shown in  FIG. 1B , the body information obtaining device  1  is wearable around any one of a plurality of wearing positions (arms and legs in the embodiment) which are different from each other of the body of the user. When the body information obtaining device  1  is formed in a ring shape having flexibility as shown in  FIG. 1A , the body information obtaining device  1  can be tightly fitted around any one of arms and ankles as shown in  FIG. 1B . 
     The body information obtaining device  1  includes a button  10 . 
     The button  10  is used when the position where the body information obtaining device  1  is worn is changed, for example, which will be described in detail later. 
     &lt;Functional Configuration&gt; 
       FIG. 2  is a block diagram showing a functional configuration of the body information obtaining device  1  in the embodiment. 
     As shown in the drawing, the body information obtaining device  1  is configured by including an input unit  2 , a communication unit  3 , a timing unit  9 , a sensor unit  4 , a storage unit  5 , a control unit  6  and such like. 
     Among them, the input unit  2  has the above-mentioned button  10  and outputs an operation signal of the button  10  to the control unit  6 . 
     The communication unit  3  is for performing wireless data communication with another body information obtaining device  1  and an external equipment (not shown in the drawings). 
     The timing unit  9  is for obtaining time information such as elapsed time. 
     The sensor unit  4  includes at least one type of sensor  40 , and in the embodiment, includes an acceleration sensor  40   a  and a pulse rate sensor  40   b.    
     The acceleration sensor  40   a  is a sensor for sensing accelerations in three axial directions, for example. 
     Here, the acceleration sensor  40   a  can perform comparatively better sensing regarding the movement condition of body for the movement of a leg per step when a user walks or runs in a case in which the user walks or runs while wearing the body information obtaining device  1  around the leg. 
     On the other hand, in a case in which the user walks or runs while wearing the body information obtaining device  1  around an arm, the acceleration sensor  40   a  simultaneously performs sensing for the movement condition regarding the arm swing of the user in addition to the sensing for the movement condition regarding the movement of a leg per step of the user. 
     Thus, sensing result of movement condition regarding the arm swing is noise and the movement condition regarding movement of a leg per step when the user walks or runs cannot be sensed well. 
     On the other hand, the acceleration sensor  40   a  can sense the movement condition of an arm well when the body information obtaining device  1  is worn around an arm. 
     In the embodiment, when the user wears the body information obtaining device  1  correctly, the detecting directions (X direction, Y direction and Z direction) of acceleration by the acceleration sensor  40   a  are as shown in the above-mentioned  FIG. 1B . 
     The pulse rate sensor  40   b  is for sensing pulse rates. 
     The pulse rate sensor  40   b  in the embodiment can sense a pulse rate well when the body information obtaining device  1  is worn around an arm. 
     On the other hand, when the body information obtaining device  1  is worn around a leg, the pulse rate sensor  40   b  cannot sense the pulse rate well since the wearing position is away from the heart. 
     As such pulse rate sensor  40   b , known sensors such as a reflective pulse rate sensor can be used, for example. 
     The reflective pulse rate sensor is a sensor sensing a pulse rate by using absorption of infrared rays into hemoglobin in blood, and senses the pulse rate by irradiating the blood vessel position with infrared rays, receiving reflected light and detecting the change in strength of reflected light caused by expansion and contraction of the blood vessel. 
     The storage unit  5  is a memory which stores programs and data for achieving various functions of the body information obtaining device  1  and functions as a working area of the control unit  6 . 
     In the embodiment, in the storage unit  5 , a sensing target storage table  51 , a reference waveform data group  53 , a body information obtaining program  55 , a pulse rate calculation program  56 , a step calculation program  57 , an obtained data storage table  59  and such like are stored. 
     As shown in  FIG. 3 , in the sensing target storing table  51 , the type of sensor  40  used for sensing in the sensor unit  4  and body information which is a target of the sensing performed by the sensor  40  to be used are stored so as to be associated with each other for each of the plurality of wearing positions of the body around which the body information obtaining device  1  can be worn. 
     The reference waveform data group  53  has arm acceleration waveform data  503  and leg acceleration waveform data  531 . 
     As shown in  FIGS. 4A to 4D , the arm acceleration waveform data  530  is data showing waveforms of typical changes to time progress in acceleration values obtained by the acceleration sensor  40   a  when the body information obtaining device  1  is worn around an arm. 
     Here, the arm acceleration waveform data  530  shown in  FIG. 4A  is data showing a waveform of changes to time progress in acceleration in X direction (see  FIG. 1B ) to be measured by the acceleration sensor  40   a  when a male athlete runs with the body information obtaining device  1  around his arm. 
     Similarly, the arm acceleration waveform data  530  shown in  FIG. 4B  is data showing a waveform of changes to time progress in acceleration to be measured when a female athlete runs with the body information obtaining device  1  around her arm. 
     The arm acceleration waveform data  530  shown in  FIG. 4C  is data showing a waveform of changes to time progress in acceleration to be measured when a general male runner runs with the body information obtaining device  1  around his arm. 
     The arm acceleration waveform data  530  shown in  FIG. 4D  is data showing a waveform of changes to time progress in acceleration to be measured when a general female runner runs with the body information obtaining device  1  around her arm. 
     In each piece of the arm acceleration waveform data  530 , the portions which are circled in the drawing are characteristic. That is, second largest peaks appear at time bands which are approximately in the middle between a plurality of largest periodic peaks. 
     The positive and negative of the arm acceleration waveform data  530  may be reversed since the positive and negative of the output signal by the acceleration sensor  40   a  is reversed according to the direction in which the body information device  1  is worn. 
     It is preferable that any piece of the arm acceleration waveform data  530  shown in  FIGS. 4A to 4D  is selected when the user performs initial setting. 
     As such arm acceleration waveform data  530 , data obtained by a user himself/herself may also be used. 
     As shown in  FIGS. 5A to 5D , the leg acceleration waveform data  531  is data showing waveforms of typical changes to time progress in acceleration values to be obtained by the acceleration sensor  40   a  when the body information obtaining device  1  is worn around a leg. 
     Here, the leg acceleration waveform data  531  shown in FIG.  5 A is data showing a waveform of changes to time progress in acceleration in X direction (see  FIG. 1B ) to be measured by the acceleration sensor  40   a  when a male athlete runs with the body information obtaining device  1  around his leg. 
     Similarly, the leg acceleration waveform data  531  shown in  FIG. 5B  is data showing a waveform of changes to time progress in acceleration to be measured when a female athlete runs with the body information obtaining device  1  around her leg. 
     The leg acceleration waveform data  531  shown in  FIG. 5C  is data showing a waveform of changes to time progress in acceleration to be measured when a general male runner runs with the body information obtaining device  1  around his leg. 
     The leg acceleration waveform data  531  shown in  FIG. 5D  is data showing a waveform of changes to time progress in acceleration to be measured when a general female runner runs with the body information obtaining device  1  around her leg. 
     In each piece of the leg acceleration waveform data  531 , the portions which are circled in the drawing are characteristic. That is, second largest peaks appear immediately before largest peaks, respectively. 
     The positive and negative of the leg acceleration waveform data  531  may be reversed since the output signal by the acceleration sensor  40   a  is reversed in positive and negative according to the direction in which the body information obtaining device  1  is worn. 
     It is preferable that any piece of leg acceleration waveform data  531  shown in  FIGS. 5A to 5D  is selected when the user performs initial setting. 
     As such leg acceleration waveform data  531 , data obtained by a user himself/herself may also be used. 
     The body information obtaining program  55  is for executing after-mentioned body information obtaining processing (see  FIG. 6 ) by the control unit  6 . 
     The pulse rate calculation program  56  is a program for calculating a pulse rate from the sensing result by the pulse rate sensor  40   b  when the body information obtaining device  1  is worn around an arm. Known programs can be used as such pulse rate calculation program  56 . 
     The step calculation program  57  is a program for calculating the number of steps from the sensing result by the acceleration sensor  40   a  when the body information obtaining device  1  is worn around a leg. Known programs can be used as such step calculation program  57 . 
     In the obtained data storage table  59 , the data (raw data) of sensing result by the sensor unit  4  is stored to be accumulated so as to be associated with the type of sensor  40  which performed the sensing, a tag indicating the wearing position (hereinafter, called actually-wearing position) around which the body information obtaining device  1  was worn during the sensing, and time when the sensing was performed. 
     In the obtained data storage table  59  in the embodiment, data regarding the number of steps and the pulse rate calculated from the data of sensing result is stored. 
     The control unit  6  centrally controls the units of the body information obtaining device  1 . 
     Specifically, the control unit  6  opens a program specified among various programs stored in the storage unit  5  and executes various types of processing in cooperation with the opened program. 
     The control unit  6  stores the processing result in the storage unit  5  and appropriately outputs the processing result to the communication unit  3 . 
     [Operation] 
     Next, body information obtaining processing executed by the body information obtaining device  1  will be described with reference to the drawings. 
       FIG. 6  is a flow chart for explaining operations of the body information obtaining processing. 
     After the body information obtaining device  1  is activated, when the button  10  is operated, the body information obtaining program  55  is read out from the storage unit  5  and opened appropriately, and as a result, the body information obtaining processing is executed in cooperation between the body information obtaining program  55  and the control unit  6 . 
     As shown in the drawing, of the body information obtaining processing, the control unit  6  first determines whether data is obtained for a sufficient amount to be compared with the arm acceleration waveform data  530  and the leg acceleration waveform data  531  in the reference waveform data group  53  (step S 1 ). 
     Here, the determination regarding whether the amount of obtained data is sufficient is performed by, for example, comparing the time width of obtained data with time width of arm acceleration waveform data  530  and the leg acceleration waveform data  531  in the reference waveform data group  53  (400 msec in the arm acceleration waveform data  530  shown in  FIGS. 4A to 4D  and the leg acceleration waveform data  531  shown in  FIGS. 5A to 5D ). 
     That is, if the time width of obtained data is the same as or longer than the time width of arm acceleration waveform data  530  and the leg acceleration waveform data  531 , the obtained data is determined to be sufficient. If the time width of obtained data is shorter than the time width of arm acceleration waveform data  530  and the leg acceleration waveform data  531 , the obtained data is determined to be not sufficient. 
     If it is not determined that the sufficient amount of data is obtained in step S 1  (step S 1 ; NO), the control unit  6  continuously performs sensing by the acceleration sensor  40   a  and stores the data (raw data) which is the sensing result in the obtained data storage table  59  so as to be associated with the current time (step S 3 ) and shifts to step S 1 . Thus, the sensing by the acceleration sensor  40   a  is continued until sufficient amount of data is obtained. 
     On the other hand, if it is determined that sufficient amount of data is obtained in step S 1  (step S 1 ; YES), the control unit  6  performs pattern matching between the data of sensing result obtained by the acceleration sensor  40   a  (in the embodiment, acceleration waveform data in X direction (see  FIG. 1B )) and each piece of the arm acceleration waveform data  530  (and the positive-negative reversed data of the arm acceleration waveform data  530 ) to calculate the degree of matching (correlation coefficient) (step S 5 ). 
     Next, the control unit  6  performs pattern matching between the data of sensing result obtained by the calculation sensor  40   a  (in the embodiment, acceleration waveform data in X direction (see  FIG. 1B )) and each piece of the leg acceleration waveform data  531  (and the positive-negative reversed data of the leg acceleration waveform data  531 ) to calculate the degree of matching (correlation coefficient) (step S 7 ). 
     Next, the control unit  6  compares the degree of matching with respect to the arm acceleration waveform data  530  (and the positive-negative reversed data of arm acceleration waveform data  530 ) with the degree of matching with respect to the leg acceleration waveform data  531  (and the positive-negative reversed data of leg acceleration waveform data  531 ), and determines whether the former degree of matching is higher than the latter degree of matching (step S 11 ). 
     By comparing the acceleration waveform of sensing result by the acceleration sensor  40   a  with each of the acceleration waveforms which could be obtained by the acceleration sensor  40   a  worn around an arm and a leg in such way, the control unit  6  can identify, among the plurality of wearing positions of a body, the actually-wearing position where the body information obtaining device  1  is worn. 
     If it is determined that the degree of matching (correlation coefficient) with respect to the arm acceleration waveform data  530  is the higher in step S 11  (step S 11 ; YES), the control unit  6  identifies that the body information obtaining device  1  is worn around an arm. 
     In such case, data (raw data) regarding pulse rate is obtained from the pulse rate sensor  40   b  on the basis of the type of sensor  40  used for the sensing when worn around an arm and body information regarding the sensing target to be sensed by the sensor  40  which are stored in the sensing target storage table  51 . 
     Then, the control unit  6  calculates the pulse rate from the data of sensing result by the pulse rate sensor  40   b  by using the pulse rate calculation program  56 , stores the raw data and the pulse rate data in the obtained data storage table  59  (step S 13 ), and ends the body information obtaining processing. 
     In this step S 13 , the control unit  6  stores the raw data (data of sensing result by the pulse rate sensor  40   b ) stored in the obtained data storage table  59  so as to be associated with a tag indicating “arm” as the actually-wearing position and the time when the sensing was performed. 
     Furthermore, in the step S 13 , the control unit  6  obtains data (raw data) regarding arm movement from the acceleration sensor  40   a  and stores the raw data, the tag indicating “arm” as the actually-wearing position and the time when the sensing was performed in the obtained data storage table  59  so as to be associated with each other. 
     In this step S 13 , in a case in which the body information obtaining device  1  can communicate with second body information obtaining device  1  via the communication unit  3 , the control unit  6  may identify that the second body information obtaining device  1  is worn around an arm similarly to the first body information obtaining device  1  and make the second body information obtaining device  1  perform the same processing as that of the first body information obtaining device  1 . 
     On the other hand, if it is not determined that the degree of matching (correlation coefficient) with respect to the arm acceleration waveform data  530  is the higher in step S 11  (step S 11 ; NO), the control unit  6  identifies that the body information obtaining device  1  is worn around a leg. 
     In such case, data (raw data) regarding movement of walking or running per step is obtained from the acceleration sensor  40   a  on the basis of the type of sensor  40  used for sensing when worn around a leg and body information regarding the sensing target to be sensed by the sensor  40  which are stored in the sensing target storage table  51 . 
     Then, the control unit  6  calculates the number of steps from the data of sensing result by the acceleration sensor  40   a  by using the step calculation program  57  and stores the raw data and the step data in the obtained data storage table  59  (step S 15 ), and ends the body information obtaining processing. 
     In this step S 15 , the control unit  6  stores the raw data (data of sensing result by the acceleration sensor  40   a ) stored in the obtained data storage table  59  so as to be associated with a tag indicating “leg” as the actually-wearing position and the time when the sensing was performed. 
     In this step S 15 , the control unit  6  controls the pulse rate sensor  40   b  not to perform sensing. 
     In this step S 15 , in a case in which the body information obtaining device  1  can communicate with second body information obtaining device  1  via the communication unit  3 , the control unit  6  may identify that the second body information obtaining device  1  is worn around a leg similarly to the first body information obtaining device  1  and make the second body information obtaining device  1  perform the same processing as that of the first body information obtaining device  1 . 
     As described above, according to the body information obtaining device  1  in the embodiment, as shown in  FIG. 6 , on the basis of sensing result by any one of the sensors  40  in the sensor unit  4 , the actually-wearing position where the body information obtaining device  1  is worn is identified among a plurality of wearing positions of a body around which the body information obtaining device  1  can be worn. Then, data regarding body information of the sensing target associated with the actually-wearing position is obtained from the sensor  40  which is the type of sensor associated with the actually-wearing position. 
     Thus, for example, in a case in which sensing is to be performed on a plurality of wearing positions of a body to obtain body information which can be sensed at the respective wearing positions, it is possible to automatically perform sensing of body information corresponding to the respective wearing positions with the body information obtaining device  1  worn around the respective wearing positions by wearing the same body information obtaining device  1  around the respective wearing positions of the body without preparing a plurality of body information obtaining devices which are different from each other and corresponding to the respective wearing positions nor operating to set body information of sensing targets with respect to the body information obtaining devices worn around the respective wearing positions. 
     The actually-wearing position among the wearing positions is identified by comparing the acceleration waveform of sensing result by the acceleration sensor  40   a  with typical acceleration waveforms which could be obtained by the acceleration sensor  40   a  at a plurality of wearing positions, and thus, the actually-wearing position can be accurately identified. 
     Since the sensing result by the sensor  40  and the tag indicating the actually-wearing position are stored in the obtained data storage table  59  so as to be associated with each other, data regarding body information corresponding to the actually-wearing position can be obtained from the raw data of sensing result. 
     It goes without saying that changes can be appropriately made within the scope of the present invention with respect to the detailed configuration and detailed operation of the components of the body information obtaining device  1  in the embodiment. 
     For example, the body information obtaining device according to the present invention may be applied to an electronic device such as a mobile phone, a PDA (Personal Digital Assistant) and a game machine as long as it is formed to be wearable around a plurality of wearing positions of a body and performs sensing of body information regarding the body. In such case, the body information obtaining device  1  may be formed to be a thin plate and tightly fitted on a body by a separate stretching band. 
     In the embodiment, among the sensing results by the acceleration sensor  40   a , the acceleration waveform in X direction is compared with typical acceleration waveforms (arm acceleration waveform data  530  and leg acceleration waveform data  531 ) which could be obtained by the acceleration sensor  40   a  around an arm and a leg, and thereby the actually-wearing position among the plurality of wearing positions is identified. 
     In addition to (or instead of) this method, the actually-wearing position among the plurality of wearing positions may be identified on the basis of peak values of acceleration vector strengths (square root of a total value of squares of accelerations in X, Y and Z directions) obtained from the sensing result by the acceleration sensor  40   a.    
     That is,  FIGS. 7A to 7D  are views showing acceleration vector strengths when the body information obtaining device  1  is worn around an arm, and  FIGS. 8A to 8D  are views showing acceleration vector strengths when the body information obtaining device  1  is worn around a leg. 
     Here, the acceleration vector strengths shown in  FIGS. 7A and 8A  are acceleration vector strengths to be measured by the acceleration sensor  40   a  when the male athlete runs with the body information obtaining device  1  around his arm and leg, respectively. 
     Similarly, the acceleration vector strengths shown in  FIGS. 7B and 8B  are acceleration vector strengths to be measured when the female athlete runs with the body information obtaining device  1  around her arm and leg, respectively. 
     The acceleration vector strengths shown in  FIGS. 7C and 8C  are acceleration vector strengths to be measured when the general male runner runs with the body information obtaining device  1  around his arm and leg, respectively. 
     The acceleration vector strengths shown in  FIGS. 7D and 8D  are acceleration vector strengths to be measured when the general female runner runs with the body information obtaining device  1  around her arm and leg, respectively. 
     As shown in  FIGS. 7A to 7D  and  8 A to  8 D, the acceleration vector strengths when the body information obtaining device  1  is worn around an arm have smaller peak values than those of the acceleration vector strengths when the body information obtaining device  1  is worn around a leg. 
     Thus, when peak values of these acceleration vector strengths are obtained from the user in advance, the control unit  6  can identify whether the actually-wearing position is an arm or leg by comparing the peak values with peak values newly obtained from the acceleration sensor  40   a.    
     The actually-wearing position is identified among the plurality of wearing positions on the basis of the sensing result by the acceleration sensor  40   a  in the embodiment; however, the actually-wearing position may be identified on the basis of the sensing result by the pulse rate sensor  40   b.    
     That is, the pulse rate sensor  40   b  can perform sensing of pulse rate well when the body information obtaining device  1  is worn around an arm. However, the pulse rate sensor  40   b  cannot perform sensing of pulse rate well when the body information obtaining device  1  is worn around a leg. Thus, the control unit  6  identifies whether the actually-wearing position is an arm or leg by detecting whether the pulse rate was obtained on the basis of sensing result by the pulse rate sensor  40   b . Also in this case, whether the actually-wearing position is an arm or leg can be accurately identified. 
     Though the sensor unit  4  includes the acceleration sensor  40   a  and the pulse rate sensor  40   b  in the embodiment, the sensor unit  4  may include only the acceleration sensor  40   a.    
     Alternatively, the sensor unit  4  may include an ultrasonic sensor in addition to (or instead of either one of) the acceleration sensor  40   a  and the pulse rate sensor  40   b.    
     When the sensor unit  4  includes the ultrasonic sensor, the control unit  6  can identify the actually-wearing position among the plurality of wearing positions by detecting the distance from the ground to the body information obtaining device  1  on the basis of the sensing result by the ultrasonic sensor. Even in this case, the actually-wearing position among the plurality of wearing positions can be accurately identified. 
     Though the body information obtaining device  1  can be worn around an arm and a leg in the above embodiment, the body information obtaining device  1  may be further wearable around other wearing positions of the body such as a chest and a neck. 
     Though several embodiments of the present invention have been described above, the scope of the present invention is not limited to the above embodiments, and includes the scope of inventions, which is described in the scope of claims, and the scope equivalent thereof.