Location-aware fitness training device, methods, and program products that support real-time interactive communication and automated route generation

• US 20040209600A1
• Filed: 01/16/2004
• Published: 10/21/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 01/16/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Adidas AG
• Original Assignee: Navassist
• Inventors: Werner, Jon H., Doyle, Scot
• Granted Patent: US 7,292,867 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/414.1
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/273 Adaptation for carrying or wearing by persons or animals
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/385 Transceivers carried on the body, e.g. in helmets

Abstract

A portable fitness device includes a global positioning system (GPS) receiver that receives GPS signals, a wireless wide-area network transmitter supporting communication over-the-air to a wireless communication network, and a processing unit coupled to the GPS receiver and the wireless wide-area network transmitter. The processing unit receives the time-stamped waypoints from the GPS receiver and determines athletic performance information and route information from the time-stamped waypoints. The processing unit further outputs at least one of the athletic performance information and the route information to the wireless communication network during a human fitness activity via the wireless wide-area network transmitter.

Claims

1. A portable fitness device, comprising:

a global positioning system (GPS) receiver that receives time-stamped waypoints;

a wireless wide-area network transmitter supporting communication over-the-air to a wireless communication network; and

a processing unit coupled to the GPS receiver and the wireless wide-area network transmitter, wherein the processing unit receives said time-stamped waypoints from said GPS receiver and determines at least one of athletic performance information and route information therefrom, and wherein said processing unit outputs at least one of said route information and said athletic performance information to said wireless communication network during a fitness activity via said wireless wide-area network transmitter.

2. The portable fitness device of claim 1, and further comprising a wireless wide-area network receiver coupled to said processing unit.

3. The portable fitness device of claim 2, wherein:

said GPS receiver comprises an assisted GPS receiver;

said wireless wide-area network receiver receives at least elevation information; and

said processing unit determines at least a portion of said athletic performance information utilizing said elevation information.

4. The portable fitness device of claim 2, wherein said wireless wide-area network receiver receives from said wireless wide-area network route information regarding a predetermined route for the fitness activity, and wherein said portable fitness device further includes a presentation device that presents said route information.

5. The portable fitness device of claim 4, wherein said presentation device comprises means for presenting said route information in audio format.

6. The portable fitness device of claim 2, wherein said wireless wide-area network receiver receives a training recommendation over-the-air from said wireless wide-area network during the fitness activity, and wherein said portable fitness device further includes a presentation device that presents said training recommendation to a user during the fitness activity in real-time.

7. The portable fitness device of claim 6, wherein said training recommendation is received in audio format, and wherein said presentation device comprises means for presenting said training recommendation in audio format.

8. The portable fitness device of claim 7, wherein said wireless wide-area network receiver receives said training recommendation in a voice-over-Internet Protocol (VoIP) session.

9. The portable fitness device of claim 6, and further comprising a microphone to sense audio inputs, wherein said wireless wide-area network transmitter transmits said audio inputs over-the-air to a wireless communication network.

10. The portable fitness device of claim 1, and further comprising a data storage device coupled to said processing unit, wherein said processing unit stores at least some of said athletic performance information within said data storage device.

11. A program product for controlling a portable fitness device, said program product comprising:

a data processing system-usable medium, said data processing system-usable medium including;

first instructions that cause said portable fitness device, responsive to receiving global positioning system (GPS) time-stamped waypoints, to determine athletic performance information therefrom; and

second instructions that cause said portable fitness device to automatically transmit said athletic performance information to a remote recording device via a wireless wide-area communication network during a fitness activity.

12. The program product of claim 11, wherein:

said program product further comprises third instructions that receive elevation information; and

first instructions determine at least a portion of said athletic performance information utilizing said elevation information.

13. The program product of claim 11, and further comprising:

third instructions that receive from a wireless wide-area network route information regarding a predetermined route; and

fourth instructions cause said portable fitness device to presents said route information.

14. The program product of claim 13, wherein said fourth instructions comprise instructions that cause the portable fitness device to present said route information in audio format.

15. The program product of claim 11, and further comprising:

third instructions that, during the fitness activity, receive from a wireless wide-area network a training recommendation over-the-air; and

fourth instructions that cause the portable fitness device to present said training recommendation to a user during the fitness activity in real-time.

16. The program product of claim 15, wherein said training recommendation is received in audio format, and wherein said fourth instructions comprise instruction for causing the portable fitness device to present said training recommendation in audio format.

17. The program product of claim 16, wherein said third instructions comprise instructions that receive said training recommendation in a voice-over-Internet Protocol (VoIp) session.

18. The program product of claim 15, wherein the portable training device includes a microphone to sense audio inputs, and wherein said program product includes fifth instructions to cause the portable training device to transmit said audio inputs over-the-air to a wireless communication network.

19. The program product of claim 11, wherein said portable training device includes a data storage device, and wherein said program product further comprises means for causing said portable training device to store at least some of said athletic performance information within said data storage device.

20. A method in a data processing system for supporting user route determination, said method comprising:

in response to receipt of at least one route criterion including at least one of route length and route duration, automatically generating one or more routes satisfying said at least one route criterion for user selection, wherein each route represents a physical path that may be traversed by a human during a fitness activity;

presenting said one or more routes for user selection; and

in response to user selection of at least one route among said one or more routes, transmitting information regarding said route to a portable fitness device.