Athletic band with removable module

• US 10,334,893 B2
• Filed: 02/14/2017
• Issued: 07/02/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 11/19/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nike, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Nike, Inc.
• Inventors: Cobbett, Jamian R., Judge, Monica, Schneider, Summer, Watt, Russ, Manesh, Ariana, Quay, Simon, Webb, Bill, Fitzgerald, Quinn
• Primary Examiner(s): Eiseman, Lynsey C
• Assistant Examiner(s): Steinberg, Amanda L
• Application Number:
  US15/432,145
• Publication Number:
  US 20170150895A1
• Time in Patent Office: 868 Days
• CPC Class Codes: A41D 1/002 adapted to accommodate electronic equipment patients' garments for medical monitoring A41D13/1281; luminous ornaments A41D27/085
• CPC Class Codes: A41D 1/005 with embedded cable or connector
• CPC Class Codes: A41D 20/00 Wristbands or headbands, e.g. for absorbing sweat
• CPC Class Codes: A41D 2300/52 made by welding or gluing
• CPC Class Codes: A41D 27/205 Pockets adapted to receive a mobile phone or other electronic equipment
• CPC Class Codes: A41H 43/04 Joining garment parts or blanks by gluing or welding mending garments by adhesives or adhesive patches A41H27/00 ; Gluing presses
• CPC Class Codes: A45F 2005/008 Hand articles fastened to the wrist or to the arm or to the leg
• CPC Class Codes: A45F 2200/05 Holder or carrier for specific articles
• CPC Class Codes: A45F 5/00 Holders or carriers for hand articles; Holders or carriers for use while travelling or camping
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2503/10 Athletes
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2560/0223 of calibration, e.g. protocols for calibrating sensors
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2562/0219 Inertial sensors, e.g. accelerometers, gyroscopes, tilt switches
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/002 Monitoring the patient using a local or closed circuit, e.g. in a room or building A61B5/0017 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0022 Monitoring a patient using a global network, e.g. telephone networks, internet
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0024 for multiple sensor units attached to the patient, e.g. using a body or personal area network
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0205 Simultaneously evaluating both cardiovascular conditions and different types of body conditions, e.g. heart and respiratory condition
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/02416 using photoplethysmograph signals, e.g. generated by infrared radiation A61B5/14552 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/02438 with portable devices, e.g. worn by the patient
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/1118 Determining activity level
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/4866 Evaluating metabolism A61B5/083 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6804 : Garments; Clothes
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6807 : Footwear
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/681 : Wristwatch-type devices
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6824 : Arm or wrist
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6831 : Straps, bands or harnesses
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/7207 : of noise induced by motion artifacts
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/7221 : Determining signal validity, reliability or quality A61B5/7207 and A61B5/7217 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/7278 : Artificial waveform generation or derivation, e.g. synthesising signals from measured signals A61B5/327 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/742 : using visual displays A61B5/339 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/7455 : characterised by tactile indication, e.g. vibration or electrical stimulation
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 24/0062 : Monitoring athletic performances, e.g. for determining the work of a user on an exercise apparatus, the completed jogging or cycling distance
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 65/02 : by heating, with or without pressure
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 65/52 : characterised by the way of applying the adhesive B29C65/50 takes precedence; apparatus for applying liquids in general B05C; processes for applying liquids in general B05D
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 65/7832 : by setting the overlap between the parts to be joined, e.g. the overlap between sheets, plates or web-like materials
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 66/4324 : for making closed loops, e.g. belts
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 66/71 : characterised by the composition of the plastics material of the parts to be joined welding bar compositions B29C65/125
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 66/729 : Textile or other fibrous material made from plastics
• CPC Class Codes: B29K 2623/06 : PE, i.e. polyethylene
• CPC Class Codes: B29K 2913/00 : Use of textile products or fabrics as mould materials
• CPC Class Codes: B29K 2995/0046 : Elastic
• CPC Class Codes: B29L 2029/00 : Belts or bands conveyor belts B29L2031/7092; drive belts B29L2031/7094; fourdrinier belts B29L2031/733
• CPC Class Codes: B29L 2031/48 : Wearing apparel
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3697 : Output of additional, non-guidance related information, e.g. low fuel level G01C21/3679 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/163 : Wearable computers, e.g. on a belt
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/016 : Input arrangements with force or tactile feedback as computer generated output to the user
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0227 : Cooperation and interconnection of the input arrangement with other functional units of a computer G06F3/023 - G06F3/037 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 6/00 : Tactile signalling systems, e.g. personal calling systems
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 20/30 : relating to physical therapies or activities, e.g. physiotherapy, acupressure or exercising
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 20/40 : relating to mechanical, radiation or invasive therapies, e.g. surgery, laser therapy, dialysis or acupuncture
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 40/67 : for remote operation
• CPC Class Codes: G16Z 99/00 : Subject matter not provided for in other main groups of this subclass

Abstract

A device for monitoring athletic activity of a user. In one example, the device has a sensor, and executes a calibration process using data received from the sensor to determine a correct positioning of the device on the user.

Claims

1. A device configured to be worn by a user comprising:

a housing configured to be worn along an appendage of a user, the housing including;

a sensor, such that upon proper placement of the housing on the appendage of the user, the sensor is aligned at a first orientation that is directly on or over the appendage of the user;

a processor; and

a non-transitory computer-readable medium that comprises computer-executable instructions, that when executed by the processor perform at least;

receiving first sensor data from the sensor at a first time period in which the sensor is located at a first location of a plurality of locations

calculating, using the first sensor data, a first value of a physiological parameter for the user;

instructing the user to perform a specific activity configured to trigger a known tension within a specific muscle within the appendage at the first location;

receiving second sensor data from the sensor during the specific activity;

calculate, using the second sensor data, a second value of the physiological parameter for the user; and

comparing the first value for the physiological parameter to the second value for the physiological parameter,

wherein if the first value for the physiological parameter is within a threshold range of the second value for the physiological parameter, communicate a notification to the user that a calibration is complete and the device is positioned correctly on the appendage of the user, and

wherein if the first value for the physiological parameter is outside of a threshold range of the second value for the physiological parameter, instruct the user to reposition the device on the appendage to a second location within the plurality of locations.

2. The device of claim 1, wherein the specific activity is configured to cause movement to trigger a known tension within a specific muscle of a forearm of the user.

3. The device of claim 1, wherein the first sensor data is associated with a period of rest for the user.

4. The device of claim 1, wherein when at the first location, the device is worn on a wrist of the user in a position having a first distance to an elbow of the user, and wherein the second location is located on the wrist at a second distance to the elbow, wherein the second distance is longer than the first distance.

5. The device of claim 1, wherein the physiological parameter comprises a heart rate.

6. The device of claim 1, wherein the sensor comprises an optical heart rate sensor.

7. The device of claim 1, wherein the sensor comprises an accelerometer.

8. The device of claim 1, wherein the comparing of the first value for the physiological parameter to the second value for the physiological parameter accounts for demographic information of the user.

9. The device of claim 8, wherein the demographic information includes a user sex, weight, age, and height.

10. The device of claim 1, wherein the calibration is automatically initialized when the user puts on the device.

11. The device of claim 1, wherein the calibration is manually initialized.

12. A computer-implemented calibration method comprising:

receiving first sensor data from a sensor device located at a first location along a user'"'"'s appendage, wherein the sensor device is positioned directly over or on a user'"'"'s appendage without intervening materials located between the sensor device and the user'"'"'s appendage;

calculating, using the first sensor data, a first value of a physiological parameter for a user;

receiving second sensor data from the sensor device during performance of a specific activity by the user that triggers a known tension range within a specific muscle within the appendage at the first location the specific activity;

calculating, using the second sensor data, a second value of the physiological parameter for the user; and

comparing the first value of the physiological parameter to the second value of the physiological parameter,

wherein if the first value for the physiological parameter is within a threshold range of the second value for the physiological parameter, communicating a notification to the user that a calibration is complete and the sensor device is positioned correctly on the appendage of the user, and

wherein if the first value for the physiological parameter is outside of a threshold range of the second value for the physiological parameter, instructing the user to reposition the sensor device to a second location on the appendage.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the specific activity is configured to cause movement to trigger a known tension within a specific muscle of a forearm of the user.

14. The method of claim 12, wherein the first sensor data is associated with a period of rest for the user.

15. The method of claim 12, wherein the physiological parameter comprises a heart rate.

16. The method of claim 12, wherein the comparing of the first value for the physiological parameter to the second value for the physiological parameter accounts for demographic information of the user.

17. A non-transitory computer-readable medium comprising computer-executable instructions, that when executed by a processor are configured to cause the processor to:

initialize a sensor calibration process, comprising;

receiving first sensor data from a sensor device aligned at a first orientation that is directly on or over an appendage of a user at a first location;

calculating, using the first sensor data, a first value of a physiological parameter for a user;

receiving second sensor data from the sensor device during performance of a specific activity by the user triggering a known tension range within a specific muscle within the appendage at the first location;

calculating, using the second sensor data, a second value of the physiological parameter for the user; and

comparing the first value of the physiological parameter to the second value of the physiological parameter,

wherein if the first value of the physiological parameter is within a threshold range of the second value of the physiological parameter, communicating a notification to the user that a calibration is complete and the sensor device is positioned correctly on the appendage of the user, and

wherein if the first value of the physiological parameter is outside of a threshold range of the second value of the physiological parameter, instructing the user to reposition the sensor device such that it is at least one of;

aligned at second orientation or at a second location on the appendage of the user.

18. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 17, wherein the specific activity is configured to cause movement to trigger a known tension within a specific muscle of a forearm of the user.

19. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 17, wherein the physiological parameter comprises a heart rate.

20. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 17, wherein the comparing of the first value for the physiological parameter to the second value for the physiological parameter accounts for demographic information of the user.