Apparatus, systems, and methods for gathering and processing biometric and biomechanical data

• US 10,675,507 B2
• Filed: 02/05/2018
• Issued: 06/09/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 01/09/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nike, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Nike, Inc.
• Inventors: Cusey, Lee Norman, Shears, Jay Allan, Stirling, Harold Dan
• Primary Examiner(s): Pierce, Damon J
• Application Number:
  US15/889,007
• Publication Number:
  US 20180290021A1
• Time in Patent Office: 855 Days
• Field of Search: None
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2562/0219 Inertial sensors, e.g. accelerometers, gyroscopes, tilt switches
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/11 Measuring movement of the entire body or parts thereof, e.g. head or hand tremor, mobility of a limb for measuring pulse A61B5/02 ;A61B5/1038 takes precedence; motion detection to correct for motion artifacts in physiological signals A61B5/721
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/1114 Tracking parts of the body
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/1124 Determining motor skills
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/1127 using markers
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/22 Ergometry; Measuring muscular strength or the force of a muscular blow exercising apparatus A63B21/00 ; measuring of work or force in general G01L
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/4528 Joints A61B5/4533, A61B5/4538 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6802 Sensor mounted on worn items
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6804 Garments; Clothes
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6824 Arm or wrist
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/7405 using sound
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2024/0012 Comparing movements or motion sequences with a registered reference
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2209/08 magnetic
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2209/10 with adhesive type surfaces, i.e. hook and loop-type fastener
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/10 Positions
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/13 Relative positions
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/24 Angular displacement
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/30 Speed
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/40 Acceleration
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/803 Motion sensors
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/836 : Sensors arranged on the body of the user
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2225/20 : with means for remote communication, e.g. internet or the like
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2225/50 : Wireless data transmission, e.g. by radio transmitters or telemetry
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 24/0006 : Computerised comparison for qualitative assessment of motion sequences or the course of a movement
• 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: A63B 5/11 : Trampolines
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 69/3608 : Attachments on the body, e.g. for measuring, aligning, restraining A63B69/0059, A63B69/3673 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 69/3667 : Golf stance aids, e.g. means for positioning a golfer's feet
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 18/00 : Pattern recognition
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/011 : Arrangements for interaction with the human body, e.g. for user immersion in virtual reality blind teaching G09B21/00
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 40/23 : Recognition of whole body movements, e.g. for sport training
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 20/30 : relating to physical therapies or activities, e.g. physiotherapy, acupressure or exercising
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 40/67 : for remote operation
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 80/00 : ICT specially adapted for facilitating communication between medical practitioners or patients, e.g. for collaborative diagnosis, therapy or health monitoring

Abstract

Apparatus, systems, and methods are provided for measuring and analyzing movements of a body and for communicating information related to such body movements over a network. In certain embodiments, a system gathers biometric and biomechanical data relating to positions, orientations, and movements of various body parts of a user performed during sports activities, physical rehabilitation, or military or law enforcement activities. The biometric and biomechanical data can be communicated to a local and/or remote interface, which uses digital performance assessment tools to provide a performance evaluation to the user. The performance evaluation may include a graphical representation (e.g., a video), statistical information, and/or a comparison to another user and/or instructor. In some embodiments, the biometric and biomechanical data is communicated wirelessly to one or more devices including a processor, display, and/or data storage medium for further analysis, archiving, and data mining. In some embodiments, the device includes a cellular telephone.

Claims

1. A system for gathering data related to sports activities, the system comprising:

a first electronic device associated with a first user;

a sensor in data communication with the first electronic device and configured to collect data related to movement of a body portion of the first user during a sports activity; and

a communication system configured to provide data communication between the first electronic device, a server, and at least one other electronic device associated with a second user, wherein the server comprises at least one database to store the collected data from the sensor; and

wherein an analysis result, based on the collected data and received from the at least one other electronic device associated with the second user, is used to provide a personalized recommendation, an instruction or a diagnosis to the first user using the first electronic device.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the communication system comprises a wireless network.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the collected data is analyzed by the second user, wherein the second user is allowed to access the collected data stored in the at least one database using the at least one other electronic device and wherein the second user uses the at least one other electronic device to communicate the personalized recommendation, the instruction or the diagnosis to the first user.

4. The system of claim 3, wherein the first electronic device comprises a computer or a telecommunication device.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the personalized recommendation, the instruction or the diagnosis is provided to the first user using audible or visual communication.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the sensor is configured for sensing movement of the body portion of the user during the sports activity at a first sampling rate in the range of 1 Hz to 100 Hz.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the sensor is configured for sensing movement of the body portion of the user during the sports activity at a second sampling rate in the range of 100 Hz to 1000 Hz.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the sensor is configured for sensing movement of the body portion of the user during the sports activity at a third sampling rate greater than 1000 Hz.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein the sensor is configured to be attached to or integrated into a garment worn by the user.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein the sensor is configured to be attached to at least one of a first body portion selected from the group consisting of a head, an ankle, a waist, or a lower leg;

a second body portion selected from the group consisting of a shoulder, hip, upper leg or upper arm;

or a third body portion selected from the group consisting of an arm, hand or foot.

11. The system of claim 1, wherein the sensor is configured to sample the data at a sampling rate that is selected based on a rate at which the body portion moves or is expected to move.

12. The system of claim 1, wherein the collected data is analyzed automatically by a processor and a result of the analysis includes the personalized recommendation, the instruction or the diagnosis for the first user.

13. A recommendation apparatus comprising:

a sensor configured to sense movement of a body portion of a user during activity that involves movement of the body portion within a range of speeds, the sensor having a sampling rate associated with movement of the body portion within the range of speeds;

a control unit configured to receive data from the sensor; and

a processor configured to;

communicate with the control unit to obtain information sensed by the sensor; and

communicate with the control unit to provide a personalized recommendation, an instruction or a diagnosis to the user based on an analysis of the obtained sensor information.

14. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the processor is configured to communicate with the control-unit over the Internet.

15. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the processor is configured to communicate with the control-unit over a wireless network.

16. The system of claim 13, wherein the sampling rate of the sensor is in the range of 1 Hz to 100 Hz.

17. The system of claim 13, wherein the sampling rate of the sensor is in the range of 100 Hz to 1000 Hz.

18. The system of claim 13, wherein the sampling rate of the sensor is greater than 1000 Hz.

19. The system of claim 13, wherein the sensor is configured to be attached to or integrated into a garment worn by the user.

20. The system of claim 13, wherein the sensor is configured to be attached to at least one of a first body portion selected from the group consisting of a head, an ankle, a waist, or a lower leg;

a second body portion selected from the group consisting of a shoulder, hip, upper leg or upper arm;

or a third body portion selected from the group consisting of an arm, hand or foot.

21. A method of providing a personal athletic performance recommendation to a first user, the method comprising:

receiving, at a server, a performance fingerprint for the first user, the performance fingerprint based on sensor information related to a body posture or relative movement of a body appendage portion of the first user from one or more sensors configured to collect data related to the body posture or relative movement of the body appendage portion when the first user participates in an athletic activity;

accessing the performance fingerprint using a remote electronic device that is in communication with the server using a network;

receiving or determining, at the remote electronic device, an analysis result based on the performance fingerprint;

receiving, at an electronic device associated with the first user, the analysis result from the remote electronic device in response to an input to the remote electronic device from a second user;

and

providing, to the first user via the electronic device associated with the first user, a personalized recommendation or an instruction or a diagnosis based on the analysis result and selected to improve future performance of the athletic activity by the first user.

22. The method of claim 21, comprising determining the analysis result by analyzing the collected data using a processor to perform automated analysis methods.