Interactive Athletic Equipment System

• US 20100048358A1
• Filed: 03/03/2009
• Published: 02/25/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 03/03/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nike, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Nike, Inc.
• Inventors: Robinette, Christopher A., Tchao, Michael, Nims, Jason
• Granted Patent: US 8,088,044 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 482/9
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2024/0065 Evaluating the fitness, e.g. fitness level or fitness index
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2024/0068 Comparison to target or threshold, previous performance or not real time comparison to other individuals
• 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 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 24/0084 Exercising apparatus with means for competitions, e.g. virtual races
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 71/0616 Means for conducting or scheduling competition, league, tournaments or rankings
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 71/0619 Displays, user interfaces and indicating devices, specially adapted for sport equipment, e.g. display mounted on treadmills
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/016 Input arrangements with force or tactile feedback as computer generated output to the user
• 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

Abstract

Systems and techniques for the collection and display of athletic information. Athletic data relating to a single person or group of people is collected at a central location, and subsequently displayed at a desired remote location so that the person or people can review and critique their performance. In addition, athletic data for multiple persons can be collected at a central location, and subsequently displayed to a user at a desired remote location, so that the user can compare his or her athletic activities to others.

Claims

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the athletic performance device is further configured to receive athletic activity data from the portable user device.

22-1. The system of claim 1, wherein the athletic performance device is further configured to display an electronic avatar representing the user.

23-2. The system of claim 1, wherein the athletic performance device is further configure to display athletic performance data of at least one other user.

24-3. The system of claim 1, wherein the athletic performance device is configured to facilitate a connection between the portable user device and a remote network site.

25. The system of claim 1, wherein the athletic performance device is further configured to display comments from another user.

26. The apparatus of claim 25, wherein the one or more messages includes a comment from at least one other user.

27. The apparatus of claim 25, wherein the user interface further includes an avatar display section for displaying an electronic avatar representing the user.

28. The apparatus of claim 27, wherein an appearance of the electronic avatar changes based on the athletic activity of the user.

29. The apparatus of claim 25, wherein the athletic activity information includes a measure of the athletic activity of the user in a common unit.

30. The apparatus of claim 29, wherein the athletic activity information is provided in the common unit and a unit in which the athletic activity is measured.

31. The apparatus of claim 30, wherein the user interface is configured to provide the athletic activity information in the common unit in a perceptively different manner than the unit in which the athletic activity is measured.

32. The apparatus of claim 25, wherein the display is further configured to display athletic activity information of at least one other user.

33. The apparatus of claim 32, wherein the display is configured to display athletic activity information of at least one other user in comparison with the athletic activity of the user.

34. The apparatus of claim 25, wherein the message section is configured to provide the one or more messages to the user upon the user reaching a halfway mark to a specified goal.

35. The apparatus of claim 25, wherein the one or more messages include a message of encouragement.

36. The apparatus of claim 25, wherein the user interface further includes a history section configured to display historical workout information of the user.

37. The apparatus of claim 36, wherein the historical workout information includes only data relating to a type of athletic activity corresponding to the apparatus.

38. The apparatus of claim 36, wherein the historical workout information includes a best workout time.

39. The apparatus of claim 25, wherein the one or more messages are provided to the user in response to determining that the user is on track to beat a best workout time, wherein the determination is made based on the athletic activity detected by the athletic performance module.

25-4. An apparatus comprising:

an athletic performance module configured to detect athletic activity of a user; and

a display configured to display a user interface comprising;

an athletic performance data section providing athletic activity information; and

a message section providing one or more messages to the user, wherein the one or more messages are provided based on the athletic activity information.

40. A system comprising:

an athletic performance module configured to measure athletic activity of a user; and

a challenge module configured to;

receive information specifying a challenge for the user;

determine an amount of athletic activity performed using the athletic performance module; and

determine whether the challenge has been met by the user based on the amount of athletic activity performed.

41. The system of claim 40, wherein the challenge is received from another user.

42. The system of claim 40, wherein the challenge is defined in terms of a common unit used for multiple types of athletic activities.

43. The system of claim 40, wherein the challenge is specified in terms of a unit in which the athletic activity is measured.

44. The system of claim 40, wherein the challenge includes a competition between a first athletic training facility and a second athletic training facility.

45. The system of claim 44, wherein the first and second athletic training facilities correspond to an athletic training facility provider.

46. The system of claim 40, wherein the challenge includes a competition between a first athletic training facility provider and a second athletic training facility provider.

47. The system of claim 46, wherein the first athletic training facility provider includes multiple athletic training facilities.

48. The system of claim 40, wherein the challenge includes a competition between a first group of users and a second group of users.

49. A system comprising:

an athletic performance module configured to measure athletic activity performed by a user; and

a processor configured to;

determine a training program for achieving a specified goal, the training program comprising a plurality of tasks to be completed on a defined schedule; and

determine whether the user has completed at least one task of the plurality of tasks based on the athletic activity measured by the athletic performance module.

50. The system of claim 49, wherein the at least one task is specified in a common unit.

51. The system of claim 49, wherein the at least one task specifies a type of athletic activity corresponding to the athletic performance module.

52. The system of claim 49, wherein the athletic performance module includes an elliptical device.

53. The system of claim 49, wherein the athletic performance module includes a running device.

54. The system of claim 49, wherein the training program is defined by a trainer.

55. The system of claim 54, further comprising a display module configured to display a message from the trainer.

56. A system comprising:

an athletic performance module configured to measure athletic activity performed by a user; and

a display configured to display an electronic avatar representing the user, wherein an appearance of the avatar changes according to the measured athletic activity performed by the user.

57. The system of claim 56, further comprising an achievement module configured to provide a reward for the avatar upon determining that the user has reached an athletic goal based on the measured athletic activity.

58. The system of claim 57, wherein the reward includes a virtual t-shirt.

59. The system of claim 57, wherein the reward includes a pair of virtual shoes.

60. The system of claim 57, wherein the reward further includes a coupon for the user.

61. The system of claim 56, wherein the electronic avatar includes a privacy setting, wherein when the electronic avatar is set to private, the electronic avatar is viewable only by the user.

62. The system of claim 56, wherein the display is further configured to display multiple avatars, wherein a position of a first avatar relative to a position of a second avatar indicates a difference in athletic performance between a first user represented by the first avatar and a second user represented by the second avatar.

63. The system of claim 62, wherein the position of the first avatar relative to the position of the second avatar is indicative of a relative progress to achieving a goal.

64. The system of claim 62, wherein the position of at least one of the first avatar and the second avatar changes based on the measured athletic activity.

65. A system comprising:

an athletic performance module configured to measure athletic activity performed by a user;

a database storing historical data for athletic activity measured by the athletic performance module; and

a comparison module configured to compare the historical data with the measured athletic activity performed by the user.

66. The system of claim 65, wherein the comparison module is further configured to provide one or more messages to the user based on how the athletic activity of the user compares with the historical data.

67. The system of claim 66, wherein the one or more messages includes a motivational message.

68. The system of claim 66, wherein the one or more messages includes a suggestion for beating an average of the historical data.

69. The system of claim 65, further comprising a transceiver configured to transmit the historical data to a remote network site.

70. The system of claim 65, further comprising a data transfer module configured to transfer the historical data to a portable user device.

71. The system of claim 65, wherein the athletic performance module is located at a first location and wherein the system further comprises a transceiver configured to transmit the historical data to a second location, wherein the transceiver is further configured to receive athletic performance data from the second location and wherein the comparison module is further configured to compare the athletic activity performed by the user with the athletic performance data received form the second location, wherein the first location is a first athletic training facility and wherein the second location is a second athletic training facility.

72. The system of claim 71, further comprising a filtering module configured to extract data specific to a type of athletic activity from the received athletic performance data, wherein the type of athletic activity corresponds to the athletic activity performed by the user and wherein the comparison module is configured to compare only the extracted data to the athletic activity performed by the user.

73. A system comprising:

an athletic performance device configured to allow a user to perform cardiovascular exercise thereon, the athletic performance device having a storage module, wherein the athletic performance device is configured to;

detect and store athletic activity of the user; and

communicate the athletic activity of the user to a portable user device, wherein the portable user device is configured to record and store a second athletic activity of the user in the form of running.

74. The system of claim 73, further comprising a remote network site configured to track and store athletic activity data, the remote network site in communication with the portable user device wherein the portable user device is capable of transferring the athletic activity of the user associated with the athletic activity device and the second athletic activity of the user.

75. The system of claim 74, wherein the second athletic activity is measured in miles run and the athletic activity associated with the athletic activity device is measured in a common unit different from miles run, and wherein the remote network site displays the common unit athletic activity perceptively differently from the miles run athletic activity.

76. A method comprising:

measuring, at an athletic performance device, athletic activity performed by a user; and

communicating the athletic activity of the user to a portable user device.

77. The method of claim 76, wherein communicating the athletic activity of the user to the portable user device is performed through a physical connection between the athletic performance device and the portable user device.

78. The method of claim 76, wherein communicating the athletic activity of the user to the portable user device is performed wirelessly.

79. The method of claim 76, further comprising receiving athletic activity data from the portable user device.

80. The method of claim 76, wherein the portable user device includes a digital music player.

81. The method of claim 76, wherein the portable user device includes a USB connector.

82. The method of claim 76, further comprising transmitting the measured athletic activity to a remote network site configured to store track and store athletic activity data.

83. The method of claim 82, wherein transmitting the measure athletic activity to the remote network site is performed through the portable user device.

84. The method of claim 82, further comprising:

receiving data for a best workout for a type of athletic equipment corresponding to the athletic performance device; and

comparing the measured athletic activity performed by the user with the best workout data.

85. The method of claim 84, wherein the data for the best workout is received from a remote network site.

86. The method of claim 83, wherein the data for the best workout is received from the portable device.

87. The method of claim 83, further comprising display the athletic activity of the user in comparison to the data for the best workout.

88. The method of claim 76, wherein the athletic performance device is further configured to receive athletic activity data from at least one other athletic performance device.

89. The method of claim 76, further comprising storing the athletic activity in a common unit used for multiple types of athletic activity, wherein the common unit is different from a unit in which the athletic activity is measured.

90. The method of claim 89, further comprising displaying the athletic activity is on a remote network site in the common unit and the unit in which the athletic activity is measured, and wherein the athletic activity in the common unit is displayed perceptively differently than the athletic activity in the unit in which the athletic activity is measured.

91. The method of claim 89, wherein the remote network site is configurable to display the athletic activity in only the common unit or in only the unit in which the athletic activity is measured.

92. The method of claim 89, wherein the unit in which the athletic activity is measured includes a number of calories burned and wherein the common unit is equal to 100 calories burned.

93. The method of claim 76, wherein the athletic activity is transmitted to a remote network site configured to display athletic performance data of the user.

94. The method of claim 93, further comprising displaying the athletic performance data on the network site in an equipment-specific manner.

95. The method of claim 93, further comprising displaying a goal and a current progress in achieving the goal based on the athletic performance data of the user.

96. A method comprising:

measuring, by an athletic performance module, athletic activity of a user; and

displaying a user interface comprising;

an athletic performance data section providing athletic activity information; and

a message section providing one or more messages to the user, wherein the one or more messages are provided based on the athletic activity information.

97. The method of claim 96, wherein the one or more messages includes a comment from at least one other user.

98. The method of claim 96, wherein the user interface further includes an avatar display section for displaying an electronic avatar representing the user.

99. The method of claim 98, further comprising changing an appearance of the electronic avatar based on the athletic activity of the user.

100. The method of claim 96, wherein the athletic activity information includes a measure of the athletic activity of the user in a common unit.

101. The method of claim 100, wherein the athletic activity information is provided in the common unit and a unit in which the athletic activity is measured.

102. The method of claim 101, wherein the user interface displays the athletic activity information in the common unit in a perceptively different manner than the unit in which the athletic activity is measured.

103. The method of claim 96, the user interface further comprises athletic activity information of at least one other user.

104. The method of claim 103, further comprising displaying the athletic activity information of at least one other user in comparison with the athletic activity of the user.

105. The method of claim 96, further comprising displaying the one or more messages to the user in the message section upon the user reaching a halfway mark to a specified goal.

106. The method of claim 96, wherein the user interface further comprises a history section for displaying display historical workout information of the user.

107. The method of claim 106, wherein the historical workout information includes only data relating to a type of athletic activity corresponding to the athletic performance module.

108. The method of claim 106, wherein the historical workout information includes a best workout time.

109. The method of claim 96, further comprising:

determining that the user is on track to beast a best workout time; and

in response to the determination, providing the one or more messages to the user, wherein the determination is made based on the athletic activity detected by the athletic performance module.

110. A method comprising:

receiving information specifying a challenge for the user;

determining an amount of athletic activity performed using an athletic performance device; and

determining whether the challenge has been met by the user based on the amount of athletic activity performed using the athletic performance device.

111. The method of claim 110, wherein the challenge is received from another user.

112. The method of claim 110, wherein the challenge is defined in terms of a common unit used for multiple types of athletic activities.

113. The method of claim 110, wherein the challenge is specified in terms of a unit in which the athletic activity is measured.

114. The method of claim 110, wherein the challenge includes a competition between a first athletic training facility and a second athletic training facility.

115. The method of claim 114, wherein the first and second athletic training facilities correspond to an athletic training facility provider.

116. The method of claim 110, wherein the challenge includes a competition between a first athletic training facility provider and a second athletic training facility provider.

117. The method of claim 116, wherein the first athletic training facility provider includes multiple athletic training facilities.

118. The method of claim 110, wherein the challenge includes a competition between a first group of users and a second group of users.

119. A method comprising:

determining a training program for achieving a specified goal, the training program comprising a plurality of tasks to be completed on a defined schedule, wherein at least one task of the plurality of tasks includes athletic activity using an athletic performance device;

determining an amount of athletic activity performed using the athletic performance device; and

determining whether the user has completed the at least one task based on the amount of athletic activity performed using the athletic performance device.

120. The method of claim 119, wherein the at least one task is specified in a common unit.

121. The method of claim 119, wherein the at least one task specifies a type of athletic activity corresponding to the athletic performance device.

122. The method of claim 119, wherein the athletic performance device includes an elliptical device.

123. The method of claim 119, wherein the athletic performance device includes a running device.

124. The method of claim 119, wherein the training program is defined by a trainer.

125. The method of claim 124, further comprising displaying a message from the coach.

126. A method comprising:

determining an amount of athletic activity performed using an athletic performance device; and

modifying an appearance of an electronic avatar based on the amount of athletic activity performed using the athletic performance device.

127. The method of claim 126, further comprising providing a reward for the avatar upon determining that the user has reached an athletic goal based on the amount of athletic activity performed.

128. The method of claim 127, wherein the reward includes a virtual t-shirt.

129. The method of claim 127, wherein the reward includes a pair of virtual shoes.

130. The method of claim 127, wherein the reward further includes a coupon for the user.

131. The method of claim 126, further comprising:

receiving a request to set the electronic avatar to private; and

in response to the request, configuring the electronic avatar to be viewable only by the user.

132. The method of claim 126, further comprising displaying multiple avatars, wherein a position of a first avatar relative to a position of a second avatar indicates a difference in athletic performance between a first user represented by the first avatar and a second user represented by the second avatar.

133. The method of claim 132, wherein the position of the first avatar relative to the position of the second avatar is indicative of a relative progress to achieving a common goal.

134. The method of claim 132, wherein the position of at least one of the first avatar and the second avatar changes based on the amount of athletic activity performed.

135. A method comprising:

storing historical data for athletic activity performed by a first user using an athletic performance device;

determining an amount of athletic activity performed by a second user using the athletic performance device; and

comparing the amount of athletic activity performed by the second user to the historical data.

136. The method of claim 135, wherein further comprising providing one or more messages to the user based on how the athletic activity of the user compares with the historical data.

137. The method of claim 136, wherein the one or more messages includes a motivational message.

138. The method of claim 136, wherein the one or more messages includes a suggestion for beating an average of the historical data.

139. The method of claim 135, further comprising transmitting the historical data to a remote network site.

140. The method of claim 135, further comprising transferring the historical data to a portable user device.

141. The method of claim 135, wherein the athletic performance device is located at a first location and wherein the method further comprises transmitting the historical data to a second location.

142. The method of claim 141, further comprising:

receiving athletic performance data from the second location; and

comparing the athletic activity performed by the user with the athletic performance data received form the second location.

143. The method of claim 142, wherein the first location is a first athletic training facility and wherein the second location is a second athletic training facility.

144. The method of claim 142, further comprising extracting data specific to a type of athletic activity from the received athletic performance data.

145. The method of claim 144, wherein the type of athletic activity corresponds to the athletic activity performed by the user and wherein the method further comprises comparing only the extracted data to the athletic activity performed by the user.