Prior art

Based on the information cited in US patent 10,959,649 and a review of its prosecution history, the following analysis details the most relevant prior art references and their potential for anticipation under 35 U.S.C. § 102.

For a prior art reference to anticipate a claim under 35 U.S.C. § 102, it must disclose, either expressly or inherently, every limitation of the claim. The key inventive concept of US 10,959,649, as established during its prosecution, is the specific method of using a "verified stride length" determined at a first step rate to adjust the "estimated stride lengths" associated with other, different step rates.

Analysis of Cited Prior Art

1. US 2008/0133139 A1 (Vock et al.)

• Full Citation: US Patent Application Publication No. 2008/0133139 A1
• Publication Date: June 5, 2008
• Brief Description: Vock et al. describes a system for determining stride length using an inertial sensor (like an accelerometer) to measure step frequency. This data is correlated with a database to determine a corresponding stride length. Vock et al. also explicitly discloses using a GPS receiver to measure the distance traveled, which is then divided by the step count to calculate an average stride length for calibration purposes.
• Anticipation Analysis (Claims 1 & 13): This reference does not anticipate claims 1 or 13. As argued successfully during prosecution, Vock et al. teaches the verification of a stride length for a given activity using GPS. However, it fails to teach or suggest the crucial step of using that single verified stride length (e.g., for a running pace) to then adjust a table of estimated stride lengths for other step rates (e.g., for a walking pace). It is missing the cross-relational calibration element that is a specific limitation in the claims of patent '649.

2. US 2014/0278211 A1 (Yuen et al.)

• Full Citation: US Patent Application Publication No. 2014/0278211 A1
• Publication Date: September 18, 2014
• Brief Description: Yuen et al. discloses a wearable fitness monitoring device that determines a user's stride length. The system can base an initial stride length on user-provided characteristics such as height and gender. It also describes using GPS to track distance and calibrate or refine activity metrics over time.
• Anticipation Analysis (Claims 1 & 13): This reference does not anticipate claims 1 or 13. Yuen et al. teaches creating an initial estimate based on user data (height, sex) and using GPS for calibration. However, like Vock et al., it does not disclose the specific process of using a verified stride length from one step-rate range to incrementally adjust the estimated stride lengths in other, different step-rate ranges. The key limitation of inferring that estimates at other step rates are also inaccurate and adjusting them proportionally is absent.

3. US 8,868,377 B2 (Han et al.)

• Full Citation: US Patent No. 8,868,377 B2
• Issue Date: October 21, 2014
• Brief Description: Han et al. describes a method for more accurately measuring distance traveled by a user. The system uses an acceleration sensor to determine a user's movement type (e.g., walking vs. running) and applies a corresponding stride length that is set for that specific type of movement. The system can update the stride length for a given movement type based on new measurements.
• Anticipation Analysis (Claims 1 & 13): This reference does not anticipate claims 1 or 13. Han et al. teaches a system with different stride lengths for different activities and a method to update them. For example, it can calibrate the "running" stride length based on a GPS-verified run. However, it does not teach using that verified "running" stride length to then adjust the pre-set "walking" stride length. Each movement type's stride length is calibrated independently rather than being adjusted based on calibrations from other movement types.

4. US 2012/0197548 A1 (Oh et al.)

• Full Citation: US Patent Application Publication No. 2012/0197548 A1
• Publication Date: August 2, 2012
• Brief Description: Oh et al. discloses a method for calculating a user's stride and traveled distance. It involves obtaining a stride value that corresponds to a user's step frequency from a pre-stored table. The system can enter a calibration mode where it calculates a user's personal stride based on a known distance (e.g., on a track) and uses this to create a personalized stride table.
• Anticipation Analysis (Claims 1 & 13): This reference does not anticipate claims 1 or 13. Oh et al. describes creating a personalized stride table through calibration, which involves measuring stride length at various step frequencies. However, it does not teach the specific inference and adjustment step of patent '649. It does not disclose a method where a single verified stride length measurement at one frequency is used to systematically and proportionally adjust the estimated stride lengths at all other frequencies in the table.

5. US 2009/0048789 A1 (Neymotin et al.)

• Full Citation: US Patent Application Publication No. 2009/0048789 A1
• Publication Date: February 19, 2009
• Brief Description: Neymotin et al. describes a personal navigation and tracking device that calculates stride length. The system can receive user parameters like height and weight to estimate stride length. It uses GPS data to determine an actual stride length, which is then used to calibrate a "stride length factor" that influences future calculations, improving accuracy when GPS is lost.
• Anticipation Analysis (Claims 1 & 13): This reference does not anticipate claims 1 or 13. While it teaches estimating stride length from user data and calibrating it with GPS, it describes adjusting a general "stride length factor." It does not describe maintaining a database of different estimated stride lengths for different step-rate ranges and then using a verified stride length from one range to specifically adjust the estimates in the other ranges. The specific, granular, cross-range adjustment is not disclosed.