Portable electronic device and computer software product

1. A portable electronic device comprising:

a motion detector for generating motion data characterizing local movement of the portable electronic device;

a motion intensity determiner configured to determine an instantaneous motion intensity value for the user of the portable electronic device from the motion data; and

an active time counter configured to determine an active time accumulation that sums up the time periods, during which the instantaneous motion intensity value meets predefined activity criteria, the active time counter being configured to start determining the active time accumulation after a time threshold that is proportional to a user parameter.

2. A portable electronic device as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the active time counter is configured to determine the active time accumulation for a predefined time period.

3. A portable electronic device as claimed in claim 2 , further comprising an active time indication means for indicating the time instant of the active time accumulation preceding said time period.

4. A portable electronic device comprising:

a motion detector for generating motion data characterizing local movement of the portable electronic device;

a motion intensity determiner configured to determine an instantaneous motion intensity value for the user of the portable electronic device from the motion data;

an active time counter configured to determine an active time accumulation that sums up the time periods, during which the instantaneous motion intensity value meets predefined activity criteria; and

at least one game application whose operation depends on at least one parameter proportional to the active time accumulation.

5. A portable electronic device comprising:

a motion detector for generating motion data characterizing local movement of the portable electronic device;

a motion intensity determiner configured to determine an instantaneous motion intensity value for the user of the portable electronic device from the motion data;

an active time counter configured to determine an active time accumulation that sums up the time periods, during which the instantaneous motion intensity value meets predefined activity criteria; and

a communication unit configured to communicate the active time accumulation information to a game application external to the portable electronic device, the operation of which game application depends on at least one parameter proportional to the active time accumulation.

6. A portable electronic device as claimed in claim 5 , wherein the communication unit is configured to communicate wirelessly.

7. A portable electronic device as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the active time counter is configured to determine an inactive time accumulation that contains the summed-up time periods, during which the instantaneous motion intensity value meets predefined inactivity criteria.

8. A portable electronic device as claimed in claim 7 , further comprising a motion indicator controller connected to the motion detector and active time counter, wherein the motion indicator controller is configured to compare the inactive time accumulation with a predefined threshold value and to switch the motion detector into a measuring mode, if the inactivity time accumulation reaches a predefined threshold value, the measuring mode generating motion data discontinuously at predefined time intervals.

9. A portable electronic device as claimed in claim 1 , further comprising a classifier configured to divide instantaneous motion intensity values into at least two intensity classes based on predefined intensity class limits; and

wherein the active time counter is configured to determine a class-specific active time accumulation.

10. A portable electronic device as claimed in claim 1 , further comprising an intensity indicator configured to indicate to the user the latest time instant of a motion intensity value meeting activity criteria.

11. A portable electronic device as claimed in claim 1 , further comprising means for generating a performance instruction on the basis of the active time accumulation.

12. A portable electronic device as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the portable electronic device is a wrist device.

13. A portable electronic device as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the predefined activity criterion is set according to a predefined physiological benefit effect that is obtained by exceeding the predefined activity criterion.

14. A portable electronic device as claimed in claim 1 , further comprising means for calculating the predefined activity criterion from user parameters.

15. A computer-readable medium comprising encoded instructions that, when executed by a processing device, cause the processing device to perform a computer process suitable for determining the intensity of a performance, the computer process comprising:

inputting motion data characterizing local movement of the portable electronic device;

determining an instantaneous motion intensity value of the user of the portable electronic device from the motion data;

determining an active time accumulation that sums up the time periods, during which the instantaneous motion intensity value meets predefined activity criteria; and

determining the active time accumulation after a time threshold that is proportional to a user parameter.

16. A computer-readable medium as claimed in claim 15 , wherein the computer process further comprises determining an active time accumulation for a predefined time period.

17. A computer-readable medium as claimed in claim 15 , wherein the computer process further comprises indicating the time instant of the active time accumulation preceding said time period to the user.

18. A computer-readable medium comprising encoded instructions that, when executed by a processing device, cause the processing device to perform a computer process suitable for determining the intensity of a performance, the computer process comprising:

inputting motion data characterizing local movement of the portable electronic device;

determining an instantaneous motion intensity value of the user of the portable electronic device from the motion data;

determining an active time accumulation that sums up the time periods, during which the instantaneous motion intensity value meets predefined activity criteria; and

performing at least one game application whose operation depends on at least one parameter proportional to the active time accumulation.

19. A computer-readable medium as claimed in claim 18 , wherein the computer process further comprises communicating the active time accumulation information to a game application external to the portable electronic device, the operation of which game application depends on at least one parameter proportional to the active time accumulation.

20. A computer-readable medium as claimed in claim 19 , wherein the computer process further comprises communicating the active time accumulation information to the game application wirelessly.

21. A computer-readable medium as claimed in claim 15 , wherein the computer process further comprises determining an inactive time accumulation that sums up the time periods, during which the instantaneous motion intensity value meets predefined inactivity criteria.

22. A computer-readable medium as claimed in claim 21 , wherein the computer process further comprises:

comparing the inactive time accumulation with a predefined threshold value; and

switching into a measuring mode if the inactive time accumulation exceeds the predefined threshold value, the measuring mode generating motion data discontinuously at predefined time intervals.

23. A computer-readable medium as claimed in claim 15 , wherein the computer process further comprises:

dividing instantaneous motion intensity values into at least two intensity classes based on predefined intensity class limits; and

determining a class-specific active time accumulation.

24. A computer-readable medium as claimed in claim 15 , wherein the computer process further comprises indicating the latest time instant of the motion intensity value meeting the activity criteria to the user.

25. A computer-readable medium as claimed in claim 15 , wherein the computer process further comprises generating for the user a performance instruction on the basis of the active time accumulation.

26. A computer-readable medium as claimed in claim 15 , wherein at least a portion of the computer process is executable in a wrist device.

27. A computer-readable medium as claimed in claim 15 , wherein the predefined activity criterion is set according to a predefined physiological benefit effect that is obtained by exceeding the predefined activity criterion.

28. A computer-readable medium as claimed in claim 15 , wherein the computer process further comprises calculating the predefined activity criterion from user parameters.