Activity detection in MEMS accelerometers

1. A method of detecting activity in a MEMS accelerometer, the method comprising:

using circuitry, storing a first acceleration value as measured by the accelerometer in a memory at a first time;

then measuring a second acceleration value with the accelerometer at a predetermined time, the predetermined time later than the first time;

using circuitry, calculating a change in acceleration equal to the difference between the second acceleration value and the stored first acceleration value from the memory; and

using circuitry, comparing the change in acceleration to a threshold to detect activity.

2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

changing the predetermined time for measuring acceleration when activity is detected.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the MEMS accelerometer includes at least one measurement axis and measuring acceleration includes measuring acceleration from one or more measurement axes.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the MEMS accelerometer includes at least one measurement axis and the threshold is a different value for two or more measurement axes.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the MEMS accelerometer includes at least one measurement axis and the threshold is the same value for two or more measurement axes.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the MEMS accelerometer includes one or more measurement axes and activity is detected if the change in acceleration is greater than or equal to the threshold for any measurement axis.

7. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

initiating a method of detecting inactivity once activity is detected, the method comprising:

using circuitry, storing an updated first acceleration value as measured by the accelerometer in the memory at a second time;

then measuring a third acceleration value using the accelerometer value at a second predetermined time, the second predetermined time later than the second time;

using circuitry, calculating a change in acceleration equal to the difference between the third acceleration value and the stored updated first acceleration value from the memory;

using circuitry, comparing the change in acceleration to an inactivity threshold;

using circuitry, determining if the change in acceleration is less than the inactivity threshold; and

if the change in acceleration is less than the inactivity threshold, using circuitry, determining if a predetermined period of time has elapsed to detect inactivity.

8. A method of detecting inactivity in a MEMS accelerometer, the method comprising:

using circuitry, storing a first acceleration value as measured by the accelerometer in a memory at a first time;

then measuring a second acceleration value at a predetermined time, the predetermined time later than the first time;

using circuitry, calculating a change in acceleration equal to the difference between the second acceleration value and the stored first acceleration value from the memory;

using circuitry, comparing the change in acceleration to a threshold;

using circuitry, determining if the change in acceleration is less than the threshold; and

if the change in acceleration is less than the threshold, using circuitry, determining if a predetermined period of time has elapsed to detect inactivity.

9. The method of claim 8 , further comprising:

changing the predetermined time for measuring acceleration when inactivity is detected.

10. The method of claim 8 , wherein the MEMS accelerometer includes at least one measurement axis and measuring acceleration includes measuring acceleration from one or more measurement axes.

11. The method of claim 8 , wherein the MEMS accelerometer includes at least one measurement axis and the threshold is a different value for two or more measurement axes.

12. The method of claim 8 , wherein the MEMS accelerometer includes at least one measurement axis and the threshold is the same value for two or more measurement axes.

13. The method of claim 8 , wherein the MEMS accelerometer includes one or more measurement axes and inactivity is detected if the change in acceleration is less than the threshold for all measurement axes.

14. The method of claim 8 , further comprising:

if the change in acceleration is greater than or equal to the threshold, repeating capturing, measuring, calculating and comparing until the change in acceleration is less than the threshold.

15. The method of claim 8 , further comprising:

if the predetermined period of time has not elapsed, repeating measuring, calculating, comparing, and determining if the change in acceleration is less than the threshold until the predetermined period of time has elapsed or the change in acceleration is greater than or equal to the threshold.

16. The method of claim 8 , further comprising

using circuitry, initiating a method of detecting activity according to claim 1 once inactivity is detected.

17. The method of claim 16 wherein the MEMS accelerometer includes at least one measurement axis and the threshold for detecting activity is a different value than the threshold for detecting inactivity for a given measurement axis.

18. A computer program product for detecting the activity or inactivity in a MEMS accelerometer, the computer program product comprising a non-transitory computer usable medium having computer readable program code encoded thereon, the computer readable program code comprising:

program code for storing a first acceleration value as measured by the accelerometer in a memory at a first time;

program code for then measuring a second acceleration value with the accelerometer at a predetermined time, the predetermined time later than the first time;

program code for calculating a change in acceleration equal to the difference between the second acceleration value and the stored first acceleration value from the memory;

program code for comparing the change in acceleration to a threshold;

program code for determining if the change in acceleration is less than the threshold, or greater than or equal to the threshold;

if the change in acceleration is greater than or equal to the threshold, detecting activity;

if the change in acceleration is less than the threshold, determining if a predetermined period of time has elapsed; and

if the predetermined period of time has elapsed, detecting inactivity.

19. The computer program product of claim 18 , wherein the computer readable program code further comprises:

program code for changing the predetermined time for measuring acceleration when activity or inactivity is detected.

20. The computer program product of claim 18 , wherein the computer readable program code further comprises:

program code for repeating the detecting of activity or inactivity in a MEMS accelerometer once inactivity or activity is detected.