SWIM WATCH

• US 20090295596A1
• Filed: 05/29/2008
• Published: 12/03/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 05/29/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Garmin Switzerland GmbH (Garmin Limited)
• Original Assignee: Garmin Limited
• Inventors: Downey, David J., Massoth, Kristin M.
• Granted Patent: US 7,889,085 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/850
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2024/0025 Tracking the path or location of one or more users, e.g. players of a game
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/836 Sensors arranged on the body of the user
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2225/50 Wireless data transmission, e.g. by radio transmitters or telemetry
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2225/60 Apparatus used in water
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 24/0021 Tracking a path or terminating locations
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/19 Sporting applications
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/24 Acquisition or tracking or demodulation of signals transmitted by the system synchronisation aspects of direct sequence spread spectrum modulation H04B1/7073
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/26 involving a sensor measurement for aiding acquisition or tracking
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/35 Constructional details or hardware or software details of the signal processing chain
• CPC Class Codes: G04G 21/00 Input or output devices integrated in time-pieces
• CPC Class Codes: G04G 21/04 using radio waves radio-controlled time-pieces G04R

Abstract

A watch device for use by a swimmer while swimming in a body of water. The watch device may generally comprise a housing, a location determining component disposed within the housing and operable to receive one or more satellite signals to determine a current geographic location of the housing, and a processing system. The processing system may synchronize the location determining component with the swimmer'"'"'s arm movement so that the location determining component can determine the current geographic location of the housing.

Claims

1. A watch device for use by a swimmer while swimming in a body of water, the watch device comprising:

a housing;

a location determining component disposed within the housing and operable to receive one or more signals to determine a current geographic location of the housing; and

a processing system disposed within the housing and coupled with the location determining component, the processing system operable to synchronize the location determining component with the swimmer'"'"'s arm movement so that the location determining component is operable to determine the current geographic location of the housing.

2. The watch device of claim 1, wherein the location determining component comprises a global positioning system (GPS) receiver and an antenna.

3. The watch device of claim 1, further including an inertial sensor disposed within the housing and operable to sense movement of the housing, the processing system being operable to synchronize the location determining component with the swimmer'"'"'s arm movement based on the movement sensed by the inertial sensor.

4. The watch device of claim 1, wherein the processing system is operable to synchronize the location determining component by activating the location determining component when the swimmer'"'"'s arm is out of the water.

5. The watch device of claim 1, wherein the processing system is operable to synchronize the location determining component by waking the location determining component from a sleep mode.

6. The watch device of claim 1, wherein the processing system is operable to synchronize the location determining component by providing a timing signal to the location determining component.

7. The watch device of claim 1, wherein the processing system is operable to synchronize the location determining component with upward movement of the swimmer'"'"'s arm.

8. The watch device of claim 1, wherein the processing system is operable to generate performance information for the swimmer based on locations determined by the location determining component.

9. The watch device of claim 1, wherein the processing system is operable to determine a route deviation for the swimmer based on locations determined by the location determining component.

10. The watch device of claim 9, further including a display disposed within the housing and coupled with the processing system, the display operable to present an indication of the route deviation.

11. The watch device of claim 9, further including a heads-up display operable to wirelessly communicate with the processing system to present an indication of the route deviation.

12. A watch device for use by a swimmer while swimming in a body of water, the watch device comprising:

a waterproof housing;

a display;

a location determining component disposed within the housing and operable to receive one or more satellite signals to determine a current geographic location of the housing;

an inertial sensor disposed within the housing and operable to sense movement of the housing; and

a processing system disposed within the housing and coupled with the location determining component and the inertial sensor, the processing system operable to—

synchronize the location determining component with the swimmer'"'"'s arm movement based on the movement sensed by the inertial sensor so that the location determining component is operable to determine the current geographic location of the housing,

generate a track log based on locations determined by the location determining component,

generate performance information for the swimmer using information selected from the group consisting of locations determined by the location determining component, movement sensed by the inertial sensor, and combinations thereof, and

control the display to present an indication of the generated track log and performance information.

13. The watch device of claim 12, wherein the location determining component comprises a global positioning system (GPS) receiver and an antenna.

14. The watch device of claim 12, wherein the inertial sensor comprises one or more accelerometers.

15. The watch device of claim 12, wherein the processing system is operable to synchronize the location determining component by activating the location determining component when the swimmer'"'"'s arm is out of the water.

16. The watch device of claim 12, wherein the processing system is operable to synchronize the location determining component by waking the location determining component from a sleep mode.

17. The watch device of claim 12, wherein the processing system is operable to synchronize the location determining component by providing a timing signal to the location determining component.

18. The watch device of claim 12, wherein the processing system is operable to synchronize the location determining with upward movement of the swimmer'"'"'s arm.

19. The watch device of claim 12, wherein the processing system is operable to determine a route deviation for the swimmer based on locations determined by the location determining component and control the display to present a visual indication of the route deviation.

20. The watch device of claim 12, wherein the display is disposed within the housing.

21. A method for synchronizing a location determining component housed within a watch device worn by a swimmer while swimming in body of water, the method comprising:

sensing movement of the watch device using an inertial sensor; and

synchronizing the location determining component with the swimmer'"'"'s arm movement based on the movement sensed by the inertial sensor so that the location determining component is operable to determine the current geographic location of the watch device.

22. The method of claim 21, wherein the location determining component is synchronized by activating the location determining component when the swimmer'"'"'s arm is out of the water.

23. The method of claim 21, wherein the location determining component is synchronized by waking the location determining component from a sleep mode.

24. The method of claim 21, wherein the location determining component is synchronized by providing a timing signal to the location determining component.

25. The method of claim 21, wherein the location determining component is synchronized with upward movement of the swimmer'"'"'s arm.