Athletic Performance Monitoring Systems and Methods in a Team Sports Environment

• US 20120191405A1
• Filed: 04/04/2012
• Published: 07/26/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 12/05/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nike, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Nike, Inc.
• Inventors: Molyneux, James, Weast, Aaron B., Burroughs, Brandon S.
• Granted Patent: US 8,672,810 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 702/141
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 1/0054 provided with magnets, magnetic parts or magnetic substances
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 5/02 Football boots or shoes, i.e. for soccer, football or rugby
• 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 2024/0028 Tracking the path of an object, e.g. a ball inside a soccer pitch
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2024/0071 Distinction between different activities, movements, or kind of sports performed
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2071/065 Visualisation of specific exercise parameters
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2071/1258 for the shin, e.g. shin guards
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2102/02 Tennis
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2102/14 Lacrosse
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2102/18 Baseball, rounders or similar games
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2102/20 Cricket
• 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 2220/40 Acceleration
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/53 Force of an impact, e.g. blow or punch
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/56 : Pressure
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/58 : Measurement of force related parameters by electric or magnetic means
• 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 2220/89 : Field sensors, e.g. radar systems
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2225/50 : Wireless data transmission, e.g. by radio transmitters or telemetry
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2225/54 : Transponders, e.g. RFID
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2243/0025 : Football American football A63B2243/007
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2243/0066 : Rugby; American football
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2243/007 : American football
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2243/0095 : Volleyball
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 24/0021 : Tracking a path or terminating locations
• 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 43/00 : Balls with special arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 71/06 : Indicating or scoring devices for games or players , or for other sports activities
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 71/0605 : Decision makers and devices using detection means facilitating arbitration
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 71/0622 : Visual, audio or audio-visual systems for entertaining, instructing or motivating the user
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 71/081 : fluid-filled, e.g. air-filled
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 71/1225 : for the legs, e.g. thighs, knees, ankles, feet
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/34 : using transmission of continuous, frequency-modulated waves while heterodyning the received signal, or a signal derived therefrom, with a locally-generated signal related to the contemporaneously transmitted signal
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/751 : wherein the responder or reflector radiates a coded signal
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/82 : wherein continuous-type signals are transmitted
• 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: G16Y 10/65 : Entertainment or amusement; Sports
• CPC Class Codes: G16Y 20/10 : relating to the environment, e.g. temperature; relating to location
• CPC Class Codes: G16Y 40/10 : Detection; Monitoring
• CPC Class Codes: G16Z 99/00 : Subject matter not provided for in other main groups of this subclass
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 482/901 : having computer circuitry

Abstract

Systems and methods for sensing and monitoring various athletic performance metrics, e.g., during the course of a game, a practice, a training session, training drills, and the like, are described. These systems and methods can provide useful metrics for players and coaches relating to athletic performances in various sports, including various team sports.

Claims

1. A system for monitoring user motion, comprising:

a first sensor configured to be mounted on an upper torso of a user and being configured for generating data relating to a rate of angle change of the upper torso; and

a processing system configured for determining a body motion metric for the user based at least in part on the rate of angle change.

2. The system according to claim 1, wherein the first sensor comprises an accelerometer.

3. The system according to claim 2, wherein the accelerometer is configured for measuring a rate of change of a gravity vector.

4. The system according to claim 1, wherein the first sensor comprises a gyroscope.

5. The system according to claim 4, wherein the gyroscope is configured for providing gyroscope data relating to the rate of angle change.

6. The system according to claim 1, further comprising:

a second sensor configured for sensing data relating to at least one of foot location, foot movement, or foot movement speed.

7. The system according to claim 6, wherein the processing system is further configured for determining the body motion metric based on the sensing data relating to at least one of the foot location, the foot movement, or the foot movement speed.

8. The system according to claim 6, wherein the second sensor comprises at least one of an accelerometer sensor, a piezoelectric sensor, and a pedometer based speed or distance sensor.

9. The system according to claim 1, wherein the body motion metric comprises body acceleration.

10. The system according to claim 1, wherein the body motion metric comprises a determination of whether the user is accelerating or moving at a steady state pace.

11. A method for monitoring user motion, comprising:

sensing, by a sensor, a rate of angle change of an upper torso of a user in motion on foot; and

determining, by a processor, a body motion metric for the user based at least in part on the rate of angle change.

12. The method according to claim 11, further comprising sensing an acceleration of the upper torso of the user with respect to a gravity vector.

13. The method according to claim 12, wherein the rate of angle change indicates an acceleration of the upper torso of the user with respect to the gravity vector.

14. The method according to claim 11, further comprising sensing data relating to at least one of foot location, foot movement, or foot movement speed.

15. The method according to claim 14, wherein the body motion metric is determined, at least in part, based on the sensing data relating to at least one of the foot location, the foot movement, or the foot movement speed.

16. The method according to claim 14, wherein the sensing data relating to at least one of the foot location, the foot movement, or the foot movement speed includes speed or distance data provided from a pedometer.

17. The method according to claim 11, wherein the body motion metric includes at least one of body acceleration and a determination of whether the user is accelerating or moving at a steady state pace.

18. A computer readable medium storing computer-executable instructions that, when executed, cause an apparatus at least to perform:

processing sensor data on a rate of angle change of an upper torso of a user in motion on foot; and

determining a body motion metric for the user based at least in part on the rate of angle change.

19. The computer readable medium according to claim 18, wherein the computer-executable instructions, when executed, cause the apparatus to process data relating to at least one of foot location, foot movement, or foot movement speed, wherein the body motion metric is determined, at least in part, based on the data relating to at least one of the foot location, the foot movement, or the foot movement speed, and wherein the data relating to at least one of the foot location, the foot movement, or the foot movement speed includes speed or distance data provided from a pedometer.

20. The computer readable medium according to claim 18, wherein the computer-executable instructions, when executed, cause the apparatus to process gyroscope data, received from a gyroscope, relating to the rate of angle change, wherein the body motion metric is determined based on the gyroscope data.