SMART GARMENT

• US 20100151996A1
• Filed: 02/25/2010
• Published: 06/17/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 03/07/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: Alten, Brett G., Borchers, Robert Edward
• Granted Patent: US 8,099,258 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 482/8
• CPC Class Codes: A41D 1/002 adapted to accommodate electronic equipment patients' garments for medical monitoring A41D13/1281; luminous ornaments A41D27/085
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 3/34 with electrical or electronic arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 5/00 Footwear for sporting purposes non-skid devices, e.g. ice-spurs or studs for football shoes, A43C15/00

Abstract

A sensor authenticated to a garment transfers information, either wirelessly or wired, to an external data processing device. Such information includes location information, physiometric data of the individual wearing the garment, garment performance and wear data (when the garment is an athletic shoe, for example). The external data processing device can be portable digital media players that are, in turn, in wireless communication with a server computer or other wireless devices.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

electronically pairing a garment sensor and a garment by way of a first bi-directional communication link;

forming a second bi-directional communication link between the garment sensor and an external data processing device, wherein garment sensor receives garment data and user performance data over the first bi-directional communication link and wherein at least some of the garment data and user performance data are passed by way of the second bi-directional communication link to the external data processing device for processing, wherein the user performance data includes at least a current running style profile corresponding to a current running event;

processing data received from the garment sensor into real feed back by the external data processing device; and

providing real time feed back to a user by the external processing device based upon the current running style profile.

2. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the providing real time feedback comprises:

retrieving a running style profile template;

comparing the retrieved running style profile template to the current running style profile of the user; and

suggesting a modification of the current running style profile based upon the comparing.

3. The method as recited in claim 2, further comprising:

updating the current running style profile after the modification of the current running style has been suggested.

4. The method as recited in claim 3, further comprising:

providing further feedback to the user based upon the updated current running style profile.

5. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the current running style profile is accumulated over a plurality of previous running events.

6. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein when the garment is a running shoe, the garment performance data includes running shoe wear data and running shoe dynamic force data.

7. The method as recited in claim 6, wherein the running shoe wear data and the running shoe dynamic force data are correlated to at least some of the user performance data that includes the current running style profile.

8. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the external data processing device is a portable media player.

10. The system as recited in claim 8, wherein the external data processing device processes data received from the garment sensor into the real time feedback by:

retrieving a running style profile template;

comparing the retrieved running style profile template to the current running style profile of the user; and

suggesting a modification of the current running style profile based upon the comparing.

9. A system, comprising:

a garment sensor;

a garment electronically paired by way of a first bi-directional communication link to the garment sensor; and

an external data processing device in communication with the garment sensor by way of a second bi-directional communication link, wherein garment sensor receives garment data and user performance data over the first bi-directional communication link and wherein at least some of the garment data and user performance data are passed by way of the second bi-directional communication link to the external data processing device, wherein the user performance data includes at least a current running style profile corresponding to a current running event, wherein the garment sensor provides real time feed back to a user during the running event based upon the current running style profile.

11. The system as recited in claim 9, wherein processing of the data received by the external data processing device further comprises:

updating the current running style profile after the modification of the current running style has been suggested.

12. The system as recited in claim 11, further comprising:

providing further feedback to the user based upon the updated current running style profile.

13. The system as recited in claim 9, wherein the current running style profile is accumulated over a plurality of previous running events.

14. The system as recited in claim 9, wherein when the garment is a running shoe, the garment performance data includes running shoe wear data and running shoe dynamic force data.

15. The system as recited in claim 14, wherein the running shoe wear data and the running shoe dynamic force data are correlated to at least some of the user performance data that includes the current running style profile.

16. A computer readable storage medium embodied in a tangible form and including at least computer program code for providing real time feedback, the computer readable storage medium comprising:

computer code for electronically pairing a garment sensor and a garment by way of a first bi-directional communication link;

computer code for forming a second bi-directional communication link between the garment sensor and an external data processing device, wherein garment sensor receives garment data and user performance data over the first bi-directional communication link and wherein at least some of the garment data and user performance data are passed by way of the second bi-directional communication link to the external data processing device for processing, wherein the user performance data includes at least a current running style profile corresponding to a current running event;

computer code for processing data received from the garment sensor into real feed back by the external data processing device; and

computer code for providing real time feed back to a user by the external processing device based upon the current running style profile.

17. The computer readable storage medium as recited in claim 16, wherein the computer code for providing real time feedback comprises:

computer code for retrieving a running style profile template;

computer code for comparing the retrieved running style profile template to the current running style profile of the user; and

computer code for suggesting a modification of the current running style profile based upon the comparing.

18. The computer readable medium as recited in claim 17, further comprising:

computer code for updating the current running style profile after the modification of the current running style has been suggested.

19. The computer readable medium as recited in claim 18, further comprising:

computer code for providing further feedback to the user based upon the updated current running style profile.

20. The computer readable medium as recited in claim 16, wherein the current running style profile is accumulated over a plurality of previous running events.