CONSUMER USEABLE TESTING KIT

• US 20120115682A1
• Filed: 11/10/2010
• Published: 05/10/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 11/10/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nike, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Nike, Inc.
• Inventors: Homsi, Kristopher L.
• Granted Patent: US 9,298,886 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 482/8
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2024/0012 Comparing movements or motion sequences with a registered reference
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2024/0065 Evaluating the fitness, e.g. fitness level or fitness index
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2071/0694 Visual indication, e.g. Indicia
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 21/4037 Exercise mats for personal use, with or without hand-grips or foot-grips, e.g. for Yoga or supine floor exercises mats for absorbing shocks A63B6/00
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2102/18 Baseball, rounders or similar games
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2102/22 Field hockey
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2102/24 Ice hockey
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2102/32 Golf
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/12 Absolute positions, e.g. by using GPS
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/13 Relative positions
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/20 Distances or displacements
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/30 Speed
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/40 Acceleration
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/51 Force
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/52 Weight, e.g. weight distribution
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/56 Pressure
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/72 Temperature
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/806 Video cameras
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/833 Sensors arranged on the exercise apparatus or sports implement
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/836 Sensors arranged on the body of the user
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2225/096 : automatically adjusted according to anthropometric data of the user
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2225/15 : with identification means that can be read by electronic means
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2225/20 : with means for remote communication, e.g. internet or the like
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2225/50 : Wireless data transmission, e.g. by radio transmitters or telemetry
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2243/0025 : Football
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2243/0037 : Basketball
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2243/007 : American football
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 24/0003 : Analysing the course of a movement or motion sequences during an exercise or trainings sequence, e.g. swing for golf or tennis
• 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 41/00 : Hollow inflatable balls
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 50/30 : for calculating health indices; for individual health risk assessment

Abstract

Systems and techniques relating to evaluating performance characteristics are provided. One or more fitness devices, for example, a ball and/or a mat, may have sensors for measuring a user'"'"'s actions during an activity protocol, such as a testing drill. Sensor configured to detect if the fitness device meets operational criteria are disclosed. In one embodiment, the fitness device may comprise a ball and the operational criteria may relate to the weight, dimensions, and/or internal pressure of the ball. In one embodiment, data from fitness device(s) may be used to calculate a score. In other embodiments, a score may be calculated; however, it may not be associated with credentials or certified if an operational criteria is not met.

Claims

1. A ball comprising:

a first sensor configured to measure a fitness parameter;

a second sensor configured to measure a first operational criterion of the ball; and

a transceiver configured to wireless transmit data relating to the first parameter and the first operational criterion measured by the first and second sensors.

2. The ball of claim 1, wherein the ball is configured to communicate with a system comprising:

a processor;

a computer-readable medium comprising computer-executable instructions that when executed by the processor perform;

determining that the first operational criterion is not met; and

disabling a feature of the system.

3. The ball of claim 2, wherein the feature comprises the calculation of a score.

4. The ball of claim 3, wherein the feature comprises the calculation of a certified score.

5. The ball of claim 1, further comprising a:

a processor; and

a computer-readable medium comprising computer-executable instructions that when executed by the processor perform;

based, at least in part, on the fitness parameter measured by the first sensor, calculating a plurality of performance characteristics during a user'"'"'s performance of a first activity protocol.

6. The ball of claim 5, wherein the performance characteristics are selected from the group consisting of:

power, agility, speed, reaction, quickness, and combinations thereof.

7. The ball of claim 2, wherein the first operational criterion specifies a range relating to:

weight, dimensions, internal pressure, and combinations thereof.

8. The ball of claim 5, wherein the calculation of at least one of the plurality of performance characteristics comprises the utilization of data from a third sensor associated with a fitness device configured to measure a fitness parameter.

9. The ball of claim 8, wherein the fitness parameter measured by the first sensor is selected from the group consisting of:

distance traveled, velocity in flight, power upon impact, and combinations thereof and the performance characteristics are selected from the group consisting of;

power, agility, speed, reaction, quickness, combinations thereof.

10. The ball of claim 9, the instructions further comprising:

determining a score based upon the calculated performance characteristics.

11. A method of evaluating performance characteristics of a user, comprising:

detecting a ball comprising a sensor configured to measure a first parameter and a sensor configured to detect if the ball meets a predefined operational criteria; and

selecting a first activity protocol from a plurality of activity protocols, wherein the selection is based, at least in part, upon one or more factors selected from the group consisting of;

a detected fitness device, a sensor of a detected fitness device, a parameter measured by a detected fitness device, and combinations thereof.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the sensor configured to measure the first parameter comprises the sensor configured to detect if the ball meets the predefined operational criteria.

13. The method of claim 12, further comprising:

calculating a plurality of performance characteristics from data collected from one or more sensors of the ball during a user'"'"'s performance of the first activity protocol.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the performance characteristics are selected from the group consisting of:

power, agility, speed, reaction, quickness, combinations thereof.

15. The method of claim 13, further comprising:

receiving data from a sensor of a second fitness device; and

cross-referencing data collected from the sensors of the ball and the second fitness device to validate actions selected from the group consisting of;

timing between two user actions, timing of a specific user action, location of a user;

location of a fitness device;

velocity of a user, velocity of a fitness device, acceleration of a user, acceleration of a fitness device, detection of a sensor, detection of a fitness device, and combinations thereof.

16. The method of claim 11, wherein at least one detected fitness device comprises a ball and the predefined operational criteria specifies a range relating to:

weight, dimensions, internal pressure, and combinations thereof.

17. The method of claim 11, further comprising:

using a sensor of the ball to determine if an apparatus meets a predefined operational criteria.

18. A method of evaluating performance characteristics of a user, comprising:

detecting a plurality of fitness devices in a system, wherein the plurality of fitness devices comprises at least;

a first fitness device comprising at least one sensor configured to measure a first parameter;

a second fitness device comprising at least one sensor configured to measure a second parameter;

determining with a sensor of at least one of the detected fitness devices if at least one detected fitness device meets a predefined operational criteria; and

selecting a first activity protocol from a plurality of activity protocols, wherein the selection is based, at least in part, upon one or more factors selected from the group consisting of;

a detected fitness device, a sensor of a detected fitness device, a parameter measured by a detected fitness device, and combinations thereof.

19. The method of claim 18, further comprising:

calculating a plurality of performance characteristics from data collected from the first and second fitness devices during a user'"'"'s performance of the first activity protocol.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein the performance characteristics are selected from the group consisting of:

power, agility, speed, reaction, quickness, combinations thereof.

21. The method of claim 19, further comprising:

cross-referencing data collected from the sensors of the first and the second fitness devices to validate actions selected from the group consisting of;

timing between two user actions, timing of a specific user action, location of a user;

location of a fitness device;

velocity of a user, velocity of a fitness device, acceleration of a user, acceleration of a fitness device, detection of a sensor, detection of a fitness device, and combinations thereof.

22. The method of claim 21, further comprising:

calculating a score from at least a portion of the calculated performance characteristics.

23. The method of claim 18, wherein at least one detected fitness device comprises a ball and the predefined operational criteria specifies a range relating to:

weight, dimensions, internal pressure, and combinations thereof.

24. The method of claim 18, further comprising:

using a sensor of a detected fitness device to determine if an apparatus that is not one of the detected fitness devices meets a predefined operational criteria.

25. The method of claim 24, wherein a detected fitness device comprises a mat and the apparatus comprises footwear.

26. The method of claim 25, further comprising:

with a sensor of the mat, detecting pressure from the footwear; and

determining if the footwear comprises unauthorized pressure points.

27. The method of claim 18, wherein the detected fitness devices comprise a mat and footwear, wherein the mat comprises one or more sensors configured to detect pressure from the footwear, the method further comprising:

with a sensor of the mat, detecting pressure from the footwear; and

determining if the footwear comprises unauthorized pressure points.

28. The method of claim 18, further comprising:

determining that at least one operational criteria is not met; and

disabling a feature of the system.

29. The method of claim 28, wherein the feature comprises the calculation of a score.

30. The method of claim 29, wherein the feature comprises the calculation of a certified score.

31. The method of claim 18, further comprising:

determining that at least a specific type of fitness device is not detected, and disabling at least feature of the system.

32. The method of claim 31, wherein the feature comprises the calculation of a score.

33. The method of claim 32, wherein the feature comprises the calculation of a certified score.

34. The method of claim 24, wherein at least one or a detected fitness device or the apparatus comprises a camera and the method further comprising:

capturing images with the camera; and

generating a plurality of 3-dimensional images of motion.

35. The method of claim 18, further comprising:

detecting that a first sensor of a detected fitness device has been replaced a second sensor; and

selecting a second activity protocol from the plurality of activity protocols.

36. The method of claim 35, further comprising:

determining that the second sensor is a different type of sensor than the first sensor.

37. The method of claim 18, further comprising:

based, at least in part, upon a detected property of the first fitness device, adjusting a property of the second fitness device.