US 12,085,393 B2
User context and activity detection device and method
Enrico Rosario Alessi, Catania (IT); and Fabio Passaniti, Syracuse (IT)
Assigned to STMICROELECTRONICS S.r.l., Agrate Brianza (IT)
Filed by STMICROELECTRONICS S.r.l., Agrate Brianza (IT)
Filed on Mar. 10, 2021, as Appl. No. 17/198,160.
Claims priority of application No. 102020000005425 (IT), filed on Mar. 13, 2020.
Prior Publication US 2021/0285773 A1, Sep. 16, 2021
Int. Cl. G01C 21/20 (2006.01); A61B 5/00 (2006.01); A61B 5/11 (2006.01); G01C 5/06 (2006.01)
CPC G01C 21/206 (2013.01) [A61B 5/1118 (2013.01); A61B 5/681 (2013.01); G01C 5/06 (2013.01); A61B 2560/0209 (2013.01); A61B 2560/0257 (2013.01); A61B 2562/0219 (2013.01)] 35 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A device, comprising:
a pressure sensor, configured to provide a pressure signal;
an electrostatic-charge-variation sensor, configured to provide a charge-variation signal indicative of a variation of electrostatic charge; and
circuitry, coupled to the pressure sensor and to the electrostatic-charge-variation sensor and configured to detect changes in user-level based on both the pressure signal and on the charge-variation signal, wherein the circuitry is configured to:
process a variation of the pressure signal, to detect an indication of change in user-level;
in response to the processing of the variation of the pressure signal indicating a change in user-level, determine a context associated with the indication using the electrostatic charge-variation signal;
determine whether the context associated with the indication is a user-step activity context; and
in response to a determination that the context associated with the indication is a user-step activity context, determine an occurrence of a change in user-level.