Determining footwear replacement based on piezoelectric output

• US 10,321,732 B2
• Filed: 05/27/2016
• Issued: 06/18/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 05/29/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nike, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Nike, Inc.
• Inventors: Folske, Keith A., Malhotra, Vikram, Pheil, Holli, Schneider, Summer L.
• Primary Examiner(s): Blount, Eric
• Application Number:
  US15/575,837
• Publication Number:
  US 20180146738A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,117 Days
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 3/38 with power sources
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 3/40 Batteries
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 3/42 where power is generated by conversion of mechanical movement to electricity, e.g. by piezoelectric means
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 3/44 with sensors, e.g. for detecting contact or position
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 3/48 with transmitting devices, e.g. GSM or Wi-Fi®
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 5/00 Footwear for sporting purposes non-skid devices, e.g. ice-spurs or studs for football shoes, A43C15/00
• CPC Class Codes: A43D 999/00 Subject matter not provided for in other groups of this subclass
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 22/006 Pedometers
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/163 Wearable computers, e.g. on a belt
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/3212 Monitoring battery levels, e.g. power saving mode being initiated when battery voltage goes below a certain level
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 5/22 using electric transmission; using electromagnetic transmission
• CPC Class Codes: H02N 2/181 Circuits; Control arrangements or methods
• CPC Class Codes: H10N 30/30 with mechanical input and electrical output, e.g. functioning as generators or sensors
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 10/00 Energy efficient computing, e.g. low power processors, power management or thermal management

Abstract

An article of apparel, a system, and methods include a structural material configured to enable the article of footwear to the worn on a body. A wireless transmission circuit is included and a piezoelectric generator is positioned with respect to the structural material in a configuration to be flexed to induce a voltage signal output. A voltage sensor is configured to sense the voltage profile and output a sensor signal indicative of the voltage profile. An electronic data storage, coupled to the voltage sensor, is configured to store voltage profile information based on the sensor data. A comparator, coupled to the electronic data storage, is configured to identify a change in the voltage profile information over time. The wireless transmission circuit is configured to transmit data indicative of a physical status of the article of footwear based on the change in the voltage profile information over time.

Claims

1. An article of footwear, comprising:

a structural material configured to enable the article of footwear to be worn on a body;

a wireless transmission circuit;

a piezoelectric generator, positioned with respect to the structural material in a configuration to be flexed to induce a voltage signal output, configured to output a signal having a voltage profile upon being flexed;

a voltage sensor, coupled to the piezoelectric generator, configured to sense the voltage profile and output a sensor signal indicative of the voltage profile;

an electronic data storage, coupled to the voltage sensor, configured to store voltage profile information based on the sensor signal; and

a comparator, coupled to the electronic data storage, configured to identify a change in the voltage profile information over time;

wherein the wireless transmission circuit is configured to transmit data indicative of a physical status of the article of footwear based on the change in the voltage profile information over time; and

wherein the voltage profile includes a peak voltage, relative to a baseline voltage, of a pulse, a rise time of the pulse, a fall time of the pulse, and a pulse duration, and wherein the change in the voltage profile is based on a change in the voltage profile of at least one of the peak voltage, the rise time, the fall time, and the pulse duration.

2. The article of footwear of claim 1, wherein the data indicative of the physical status indicates a recommended replacement of the article of footwear upon the peak voltage increasing by a predetermined amount.

3. The article of footwear of claim 1, wherein the data indicative of the physical status indicates a recommended replacement of the article of footwear upon at least one of the rise time, the fall time, and the pulse duration decreasing by a predetermined amount.

4. The article of footwear of claim 3, wherein the rise time is based on a time for the voltage profile to rise between a predetermined baseline percentage from the baseline and a predetermined peak percentage from the peak voltage, wherein the fall time is based on a time for the voltage profile to fall between the predetermined peak percentage and the predetermined baseline percentage, and wherein the pulse duration is based on a time for the voltage profile to pass between a first crossing of the predetermined baseline percentage and a second crossing of the predetermined baseline percentage.

5. The article of footwear of claim 1, further comprising a controller configured to determine the change in the voltage profile based on a comparison of a first voltage profile sensed at a first time as stored in the electronic data storage and a second voltage profile sensed at a second time later than the first time.

6. The article of footwear of claim 5, wherein the first time is based on a first time window and the first voltage profile is an average of voltage profiles sensed during the first time window and wherein the second time is based on a second time window and the second voltage profile is an average of voltage profiles sensed during the second time window.

7. The article of footwear of claim 6, wherein the second time window is a moving time window and wherein the second voltage profile is based on an average of voltage profiles during the moving time window include a most recently sensed voltage profile.

8. The article of footwear of claim 1, wherein the controller is further configured to cause, at least in part, a user interface to provide a message based on the data indicative of the physical status.

9. A method of making an article of footwear, comprising:

forming a structural material configured to enable the article of footwear to be worn on a body;

positioning a piezoelectric generator with respect to the structural material in a configuration to be flexed to induce a voltage signal output, configured to output a signal having a voltage profile upon being flexed; and

coupling a wireless transmission circuit, a voltage sensor, an electronic data storage, and a comparator to the piezoelectric generator;

wherein the voltage sensor is configured to sense the voltage profile and output a sensor signal indicative of the voltage profile;

wherein the electronic data storage is configured to store voltage profile information based on the sensor signal;

wherein the comparator is configured to identify a change in the voltage profile information over time; and

wherein the wireless transmission circuit is configured to transmit data indicative of a physical status of the article of footwear based on the change in the voltage profile information over time

wherein the voltage profile includes a peak voltage, relative to a baseline voltage, of a pulse, a rise time of the pulse, a fall time of the pulse, and a pulse duration, and wherein the change in the voltage profile is based on a change in the voltage profile of at least one of the peak voltage, the rise time, the fall time, and the pulse duration.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the data indicative of the physical status indicates a recommended replacement of the article of footwear upon the peak voltage increasing by a predetermined amount.

11. The method of claim 9, wherein the data indicative of the physical status indicates a recommended replacement of the article of footwear upon at least one of the rise time, the fall time, and the pulse duration decreasing by a predetermined amount.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the rise time is based on a time for the voltage profile to rise between a predetermined baseline percentage from the baseline and a predetermined peak percentage from the peak voltage, wherein the fall time is based on a time for the voltage profile to fall between the predetermined peak percentage and the predetermined baseline percentage, and wherein the pulse duration is based on a time for the voltage profile to pass between a first crossing of the predetermined baseline percentage and a second crossing of the predetermined baseline percentage.

13. The method of claim 9, further comprising coupling a controller to the voltage sensor and the electronic data storage, the controller configured to determine the change in the voltage profile based on a comparison of a first voltage profile sensed at a first time as stored in the electronic data storage and a second voltage profile sensed at a second time later than the first time.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the first time is based on a first time window and the first voltage profile is an average of voltage profiles sensed during the first time window and wherein the second time is based on a second time window and the second voltage profile is an average of voltage profiles sensed during the second time window.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the second time window is a moving time window and wherein the second voltage profile is based on an average of voltage profiles during the moving time window include a most recently sensed voltage profile.

16. The method of claim 9, wherein the controller is further configured to cause, at least in part, a user interface to provide a message based on the data indicative of the physical status.

17. A system, comprising:

a structural material of a wearable article, configured to enable wearable article to be worn on a body;

a wireless transmission circuit;

a piezoelectric generator positioned with respect to the structural material in a configuration to be flexed to induce a voltage signal output, configured to output a signal having a voltage profile upon being flexed;

a voltage sensor, coupled to the piezoelectric generator, configured to sense the voltage profile and output a sensor signal indicative of the voltage profile;

an electronic data storage, coupled to the voltage sensor, configured to store voltage profile information based on the sensor signal; and

a comparator, coupled to the electronic data storage, configured to identify a change in the voltage profile information over time;

wherein the wireless transmission circuit is configured to transmit data indicative of a physical status of the wearable article based on the change in the voltage profile information over time; and

wherein the voltage profile includes a peak voltage, relative to a baseline voltage, of a pulse, a rise time of the pulse, a fail time of the pulse, and a pulse duration, and wherein the change in the voltage profile is based on a change in the voltage profile of at least one of the peak voltage, the rise time, the fail time, and the pulse duration.

18. The system of claim 17, wherein the data indicative of the physical status indicates a recommended replacement of the wearable article upon the peak voltage increasing by a predetermined amount.

19. The system of claim 17, wherein the data indicative of the physical status indicates a recommended replacement of the wearable article upon at least one of the rise time, the fall time, and the pulse duration decreasing by a predetermined amount.

20. The system of claim 19, wherein the rise time is based on a time for the voltage profile to rise between a predetermined baseline percentage from the baseline and a predetermined peak percentage from the peak voltage,

wherein the fall time is based on a time for the voltage profile to fall between the predetermined peak percentage and the predetermined baseline percentage, and wherein the pulse duration is based on a time for the voltage profile to pass between a first crossing of the predetermined baseline percentage and a second crossing of the predetermined baseline percentage.

21. The system of claim 17, further comprising a controller configured to determine the change in the voltage profile based on a comparison of a first voltage profile sensed at a first time as stored in the electronic data storage and a second voltage profile sensed at a second time later than the first time.

22. The system of claim 21, wherein the first time is based on a first time window and the first voltage profile is an average of voltage profiles sensed during the first time window and wherein the second time is based on a second time window and the second voltage profile is an average of voltage profiles sensed during the second time window.

23. The system of claim 22, wherein the second time window is a moving time window and wherein the second voltage profile is based on an average of voltage profiles during the moving time window include a most recently sensed voltage profile.

24. The system of claim 17, wherein the controller is further configured to cause, at least in part, a user interface to provide a message based on the data indicative of the physical status.