Patent ID: 8386008

Claim:
An activity monitoring system comprising: a first fixture having (i) a physical size and shape that is adapted to couple to an associated location on the body of the user and (ii) a particular signature; a portable monitoring device adapted to physically engage the first fixture and to detect the particular signature of the first fixture, the portable monitoring device including: a housing having a physical size and shape that is adapted to couple to the body of the user and to physically engage the first fixture; a plurality of activity sensors, disposed in the housing, to detect activity of the user and, in response thereto, to generate data which is representative of the activity of the user; and processing circuitry, disposed in the housing and coupled to the activity sensors, to calculate activity-related quantities of the user using the data which is representative of the activity of the user, wherein the processing circuitry: determines whether the portable monitoring device is physically engaging the first fixture based on detecting the particular signature associated with the first fixture, and, calculates an activity-related quantity of the user associated with the first fixture, using data from a first set of one or more activity sensors of the plurality of activity sensors.