Pressure sensing systems for sports, and associated methods

• US 20070061107A1
• Filed: 11/14/2006
• Published: 03/15/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 11/21/1994
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nike, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Nike, Inc.
• Inventors: Darcy, Dennis, Flentov, Peter, Vock, Curtis
• Granted Patent: US 7,433,805 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 702/182
• CPC Class Codes: A42B 3/046 Means for detecting hazards or accidents
• 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 5/6804 Garments; Clothes
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/681 Wristwatch-type devices
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6895 Sport equipment
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2069/185 for ski-jumping
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/40 Acceleration
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/62 Time or time measurement used for time reference, time stamp, master time or clock signal
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/74 Atmospheric pressure
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 69/18 for skiing
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 71/0605 Decision makers and devices using detection means facilitating arbitration
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 71/10 for the head A63B71/081 takes precedence ; in the form of caps or hats A42B1/08; helmets A42B3/00
• CPC Class Codes: A63C 2203/18 Measuring a physical parameter, e.g. speed, distance
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 9/00 Measuring inclination, e.g. by clinometers, by levels
• CPC Class Codes: G01L 1/00 Measuring force or stress, in general measuring force due to impact G01L5/00
• CPC Class Codes: G01P 15/00 Measuring acceleration; Measuring deceleration; Measuring shock, i.e. sudden change of acceleration
• CPC Class Codes: G01P 15/0891 with indication of predetermined acceleration values G01P15/135 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01P 3/50 for measuring linear speed G01P3/56 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 11/14 using ultrasonic, sonic, or infrasonic waves
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 15/60 : wherein the transmitter and receiver are mounted on the moving object, e.g. for determining ground speed, drift angle, ground track
• CPC Class Codes: G04F 8/08 : Means used apart from the time-piece for starting or stopping same

Abstract

A system determines athletic performance. A pressure sensor senses change in elevation. A microprocessor processes signals from the pressure sensor to determine speed corresponding to the change in elevation. A display reports the speed to a user.

Claims

1. A system for determining athletic performance, comprising:

a pressure sensor for sensing change in elevation;

a microprocessor for processing signals from the pressure sensor to determine speed corresponding to the change in elevation; and

a display for reporting the speed to a user.

2. The system of claim 1, further comprising a watch for reporting the speed to a user wearing the watch.

3. The system of claim 1, the pressure sensor comprising an altimeter.

4. The system of claim 1, the microprocessor processing the signals and information corresponding to angle of descent to determine speed of descent along a slope.

5. The system of claim 4, the microprocessor utilizing predetermined angle of descent to determine the speed along the slope.

6. The system of claim 4, further comprising an inclinometer to measure the angle of descent for the microprocessor.

7. The system of claim 1, the sensor converting pressure to analog voltage for use by the microprocessor.

8. The system of claim 1, the microprocessor reading data from the pressure sensor at a fixed rate.

9. The system of claim 1, the sensor, microprocessor and display configured for attachment to a user.

10. The system of claim 8, the sensor and microprocessor configured with a common housing.

11. The system of claim 10, the housing comprising a watch, the display being a display of the watch.

12. The system of claim 1, further comprising a low pass filter for filtering low frequency data from the pressure sensor.

13. The system of claim 12, further comprising a high pass filter for filtering high frequency data from the pressure sensor.

14. The system of claim 1, the pressure sensor and microprocessor configured with a common housing, and further comprising a wireless transmitter configured with the housing, to transmit data indicative of the vertical speed, and further comprising a watch having the display and a wireless receiver configured to receive the data.

15. The system of claim 1, the speed comprising vertical speed.