Athletic Performance Sensing and/or Tracking Systems and Methods

• US 20120179278A1
• Filed: 03/23/2012
• Published: 07/12/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 09/07/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nike, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Nike, Inc.
• Inventors: Riley, Raymond W., Hoffer, Kevin W., Berner, William E. Jr., Niegowski, James A., Rauchholz, William F., Schrock, Allan M.
• Granted Patent: US 8,568,278 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 700/91
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2503/10 Athletes
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/1118 Determining activity level
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/74 Details of notification to user or communication with user or patient indicating measured values G01D7/00; user input means input or output arrangements for computers G06F3/00
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/7405 using sound
• 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 2024/0071 Distinction between different activities, movements, or kind of sports performed
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2071/0625 Emitting sound, noise or music
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2071/0694 Visual indication, e.g. Indicia
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/00 Measuring of physical parameters relating to sporting activity
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/12 Absolute positions, e.g. by using GPS
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/17 Counting, e.g. counting periodical movements, revolutions or cycles, or including further data processing to determine distances or speed
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/20 Distances or displacements
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/30 Speed
• 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 2230/06 heartbeat rate only
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 24/0006 Computerised comparison for qualitative assessment of motion sequences or the course of a movement
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 24/0059 Exercising apparatus with reward systems
• 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 24/0075 : Means for generating exercise programs or schemes, e.g. computerized virtual trainer, e.g. using expert databases
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 24/0087 : Electric or electronic controls for exercising apparatus of groups A63B21/00 - A63B23/00, e.g. controlling load
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 69/0028 : for running, jogging or speed-walking movable endless bands A63B22/02
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 69/16 : for cycling , i.e. arrangements on or for real bicycles
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 71/06 : Indicating or scoring devices for games or players , or for other sports activities
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 71/0616 : Means for conducting or scheduling competition, league, tournaments or rankings
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 71/0622 : Visual, audio or audio-visual systems for entertaining, instructing or motivating the user
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 71/0686 : Timers, rhythm indicators or pacing apparatus using electric or electronic means
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 15/02 : electric
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/4387 : by the use of playlists
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/68 : Retrieval characterised by using metadata, e.g. metadata not derived from the content or metadata generated manually
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/165 : Management of the audio stream, e.g. setting of volume, audio stream path
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/0639 : Performance analysis of employees; Performance analysis of enterprise or organisation operations
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 5/02 : with visual presentation of the material to be studied, e.g. using film strip
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 5/04 : with audible presentation of the material to be studied sound recording or reproducing G11B
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 20/30 : relating to physical therapies or activities, e.g. physiotherapy, acupressure or exercising
• CPC Class Codes: G16Z 99/00 : Subject matter not provided for in other main groups of this subclass

Abstract

Athletic performance sensing and/or tracking systems include components for measuring or sensing athletic performance data and/or for storing and/or displaying desired information associated with the athletic performance to the user (or others). Such systems can allow users a wide variety of options in creating workouts, selecting and presenting media content during the athletic performance, etc., e.g., to help keep users entertained and motivated. In some instances, user feedback may be used, optionally in combination with objective data relating to a workout, to control features of the workout routine, to control the music or other media content selected and/or presented, and/or to control features of future workout routines and/or the presented media content.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

receiving, by a computing device having at least one processor, athletic performance data for physical activity performed by a user;

determining, by the computing device, whether the athletic performance data satisfies a specified condition; and

in response to determining that the athletic performance data satisfies the specified condition, outputting a predefined media content item to the user.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the specified condition corresponds to the user approaching or reaching a specified level of athletic activity.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the specified level of athletic activity corresponds to a personal best in a particular activity metric.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein the specified level of athletic activity corresponds to a user-defined goal.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the specified condition corresponds to a location.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the specified condition corresponds to a particular portion of a workout program.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising receiving a user selection of the predefined media content item prior to the physical activity.

8. A method comprising:

receiving, by a computing device having at least one processor, athletic performance data for physical activity performed by a user;

detecting, by the computing device, the output of a media content item; and

determining a change in a user'"'"'s performance between a time prior to output of the media content item and a time during or after the output of the media content item.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein determining the change in the user'"'"'s performance includes:

determining a first level of athletic performance for a time period prior to the output of the media content;

determining a second level of athletic performance for a time period during or after the output of the media content item; and

calculating a change in an athletic activity metric based on the determined first and second levels of athletic performance.

10. The method of claim 8, further comprising storing the change in association with the media content item.

11. The method of claim 8, further comprising:

generating recommendations for media content to be provided during a future athletic activity session by selecting one or more media content items associated with positive changes in athletic performance.

12. The method of claim 8, further comprising:

determining that the change in user'"'"'s performance satisfies a specified condition; and

in response to determining that the change in user'"'"'s performance satisfies the specified condition, storing the media content item to a specified group of media content items.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the specified condition includes a specified amount of improvement in user performance.

14. The method of claim 8, further comprising:

determining that the change in user'"'"'s performance satisfies a specified condition; and

in response to determining that the change in user'"'"'s performance satisfies the specified condition, designating the media content item for automatically output during a future athletic activity session.

15. One or more non-transitory computer readable media storing computer readable instructions that, when executed, cause an apparatus to:

receive athletic performance data for physical activity performed by a user;

determine whether the athletic performance data satisfies a specified condition; and

in response to determining that the athletic performance data satisfies the specified condition, output a predefined media content item to the user.

16. The one or more computer readable media of claim 15, wherein the specified condition corresponds to the user approaching or reaching a specified level of athletic activity.

17. The one or more computer readable media of claim 16, wherein the specified level of athletic activity corresponds to a personal best in a particular activity metric.

18. One or more non-transitory computer readable media storing computer readable instructions that, when executed, cause an apparatus to:

determining a first level of athletic performance for a time period prior to the output of the media content;

determining a second level of athletic performance for a time period during or after the output of the media content item; and

calculating a change in an athletic activity metric based on the determined first and second levels of athletic performance.

19. The apparatus of claim 18, wherein the apparatus is further caused to:

generate recommendations for media content to be provided during a future athletic activity session by selecting one or more media content items associated with positive changes in athletic performance.

20. The apparatus of claim 18, wherein the apparatus is further caused to:

determine that the change in user'"'"'s performance satisfies a specified condition; and

in response to determining that the change in user'"'"'s performance satisfies the specified condition, store the media content item to a specified group of media content items.