SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR TRACKING MOTION, PERFORMANCE, AND OTHER DATA FOR AN INDIVIDUAL SUCH AS A WINTER SPORTS ATHLETE

• US 20160223578A1
• Filed: 03/18/2016
• Published: 08/04/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 01/30/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Beijing Zitiao Network Technology Company Limited (ByteDance Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Vision Service Plan (VSP Global, Inc.)
• Inventors: Klosinski, Richard Chester Jr., Murphy, Meghan Kathleen, Workman, Matthew Allen, Sales, Jay William
• Granted Patent: US 10,215,568 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• 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: G01C 21/08 involving use of the magnetic field of the earth
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/19 Sporting applications
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/49 whereby the further system is an inertial position system, e.g. loosely-coupled
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/163 Wearable computers, e.g. on a belt
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2200/1637 Sensing arrangement for detection of housing movement or orientation, e.g. for controlling scrolling or cursor movement on the display of an handheld computer
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 40/23 Recognition of whole body movements, e.g. for sport training
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 1/22 in connection with sports or games
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/725 Cordless telephones user interfaces specially adapted therefor H04M1/724

Abstract

A winter sports tracking system, in various embodiments, is configured to measure winter sports athlete speed, heading, distance travelled, acceleration, and other motion related measurements based at least in part on magnetic field measurements taken by one or more magnetometers. In a particular embodiment, the system comprises one or more magnetometers (e.g., that may be embedded in one or more wearable devices, such as eyewear) and at least one magnet disposed on a portion of the winter sports athlete or their equipment. The system is configured to receive magnetic field information associated with the at least one magnet using the one or more magnetometers and determine the speed and other data based at least in part on the magnetic field information. In various embodiments, the system is configured to track movement and speed of a skier or snowboarder.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method of determining individual movement for a winter sports athlete, the method comprising:

providing a mobile computing device comprising;

one or more processors;

a display; and

one or more magnetometers;

providing a first magnet for placement on a piece of winter sports equipment used by the winter sports athlete;

measuring, by the one or more processors, using the one or more magnetometers, magnetic field information for the first magnet disposed on a portion of the piece of winter sports equipment used by the winter sports athlete;

determining, by the one or more processors, using the magnetic field information, one or more pieces of individual movement data associated with the winter sports athlete;

generating, by the one or more processors, a graphical representation of the one or more pieces of individual movement data; and

displaying, by the one or more processors on the display, the generated graphical representation to the winter sports athlete.

2. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the mobile computing device comprises a mobile computing device selected from a group consisting of:

a pair of computerized eyewear; and

a computerized watch.

3. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein:

the winter sports athlete is a skier; and

the first magnet is disposed in a location selected from a group consisting of;

one of the skier'"'"'s skis;

one of the skier'"'"'s gloves;

one of the skier'"'"'s boots;

one of the skier'"'"'s ski bindings; and

one of the skier'"'"'s poles.

4. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, further comprising:

providing a second magnet for placement on a second piece of winter sports equipment used by the winter sports athlete;

measuring, by the one or more processors, using the one or more magnetometers, second magnetic field information for the second magnet; and

determining, by a processor, using the second magnetic field information, the one or more pieces of individual movement data.

5. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein measuring, by the one or more processors, using the one or more magnetometers, magnetic field information for the first magnet disposed on a portion of the piece of winter sports equipment used by the winter sports athlete comprises:

taking a first magnetic field measurement for the first magnet using the one or more magnetometers at a first time; and

taking a second magnetic field measurement for the first magnet using the one or more magnetometers at a second time, wherein;

the first magnetic field measurement comprises a first magnetic field strength and a first magnetic field direction of the first magnet at the first time; and

the second magnetic field measurement comprises a second magnetic field strength and a second magnetic field direction of the first magnet at the second time.

6. The computer-implemented method of claim 5, wherein measuring, by the one or more processors, using the one or more magnetometers, magnetic field information for the first magnet disposed on a portion of the piece of winter sports equipment used by the winter sports athlete further comprises:

taking a plurality of magnetic field measurements for the first magnet using the one or more magnetometers over a particular period of time.

7. The computer-implemented method of claim 6, wherein measuring, by the one or more processors, using the one or more magnetometers, magnetic field information for the first magnet disposed on a portion of the piece of winter sports equipment used by the winter sports athlete further comprises:

continuously taking magnetic field measurements for the first magnet using the one or more magnetometers over the particular period of time.

8. The computer-implemented method of claim 7, wherein:

determining, by the one or more processors, using the magnetic field information, the one or more pieces of individual movement data associated with the winter sports athlete comprises;

using the plurality of magnetic field measurements to determine a change in position of the piece of winter sports equipment used by the winter sports athlete over the particular period of time; and

generating, by the one or more processors, the graphical representation of the one or more pieces of individual movement data comprises;

generating a graphical representation of the change in position of the piece of winter sports equipment over the particular period of time; and

superimposing the graphical representation of the change in position of the piece of winter sports equipment over a topographical map of an area in which the winter sports athlete is performing their winter sport.

9. The computer-implemented method of claim 8, wherein the one or more pieces of individual movement data comprise four or more pieces of data selected from a group consisting of:

a substantially current speed of the winter sports athlete;

a maximum speed of the winter sports athlete during the particular period of time;

an acceleration rate of the winter sports athlete during the particular period of time;

an air time of the winter sports athlete during the particular period of time;

revolutions of the winter sports athlete during the particular period of time;

one or more tricks performed by the winter sports athlete during the particular period of time;

a number of falls by the winter sports athlete during the particular period of time;

a distance covered by the winter sports athlete during the particular period of time;

a number of vertical feet travelled by the winter sports athlete during the particular period of time; and

a smoothness and symmetry of turns performed by the winter sports athlete during the particular period of time.

10. A computer system for determining and tracking performance data for a winter sports athlete comprising:

a memory;

one or more processors;

a display; and

one or more magnetometers, wherein the one or more processors are configured for;

measuring first magnetic field information for a first magnet disposed adjacent the winter sports athlete at a first time using the one or more magnetometers, the first magnetic field information comprising;

a first magnetic field strength; and

a first magnetic field direction;

storing the first magnetic field information in memory;

measuring second magnetic field information for the first magnet at a second time using the one or more magnetometers, the second magnetic field information comprising;

a second magnetic field strength; and

a second magnetic field direction;

storing the second magnetic field information in memory;

calculating, using at least the first magnetic field strength, the second magnetic field strength, the first magnetic field direction, and the second magnetic field direction, a change in relative position and orientation of the first magnet between the first time and the second time;

determining, based at least in part on the calculated relative position and orientation of the first magnet between the first time and the second time, a first position of the winter sports athlete at the first time and a second position of the winter sports athlete at the second time;

generating a graphical representation of the winter sports athlete at the first position and the second position; and

displaying the generated graphical representation on the display.

11. The computer system of claim 10, wherein the one or more processors are further configured for:

determining an instantaneous velocity of the winter sports athlete at the second time using at least the first magnetic field strength, the second magnetic field strength, the first magnetic field direction, and the second magnetic field direction;

receiving, at the second time, a request from the winter sports athlete to display the instantaneous velocity; and

at least partially in response to the request, displaying the instantaneous velocity on the display.

12. The computer system of claim 11, wherein the computer system is embodied as a mobile computing device selected from a group consisting of:

a pair of computerized eyewear; and

a computerized watch.

13. The computer system of claim 12, wherein:

the computer system comprises the first magnet; and

the first magnet comprises one or more electromagnets.

14. The computer system of claim 13, wherein:

the winter sports athlete is a snowboarder; and

the first magnet is disposed on the snowboarder'"'"'s snowboard such that a magnetic field of the first magnet is parallel to a length of the snowboard.

15. The computer system of claim 13, wherein:

the winter sports athlete is a skier; and

the first magnet is disposed on the skier'"'"'s first ski such that the magnetic field of the first magnet is parallel to a length of the first ski.

16. The computer system of claim 15, wherein:

the computer system comprises a second magnet disposed on the skier'"'"'s second ski such that a magnetic field of the second magnet is parallel to a length of the second ski;

the one or more processors are further configured for;

measuring third magnetic field information for the second magnet at the first time using the one or more magnetometers, the third magnetic field information comprising;

a third magnetic field strength; and

a third magnetic field direction;

storing the third magnetic field information in memory;

measuring fourth magnetic field information for the second magnet at a second time using the one or more magnetometers, the fourth magnetic field information comprising;

a fourth magnetic field strength; and

a fourth magnetic field direction;

storing the fourth magnetic field information in memory;

calculating, using at least the third magnetic field strength, the fourth magnetic field strength, the third magnetic field direction, and the fourth magnetic field direction, a change in relative position and orientation of the second ski between the first time and the second time.

17. The computer system of claim 16, wherein the one or more processors are further configured for:

continuously measuring, over a particular period of time, a first instantaneous magnetic field strength and a first instantaneous magnetic field direction for the first magnet;

continuously measuring, over the particular period of time, a second instantaneous magnetic field strength and a second instantaneous magnetic field direction for the first magnet;

continuously determining, over the particular period of time, using at least the first instantaneous magnetic field strength, the second instantaneous magnetic field strength, the first instantaneous magnetic field direction, and the second instantaneous magnetic field direction;

a location of the skier;

a velocity of the skier;

an acceleration of the skier;

a position of the first ski;

a position of the second ski; and

a relative orientation of the first ski with respect to the second ski.

18. The computer system of claim 17, wherein the one or more processors are further configured for:

using the position of the first ski, the position of the second ski, and the relative orientation of the first ski with respect to the second ski to determine whether the skier performed a particular skiing maneuver during the particular period of time.

19. A computer system for determining and tracking performance data for a winter sports athlete comprising:

a memory;

one or more processors;

a display;

one or more global positioning sensors;

one or more altimeters; and

one or more magnetometers, wherein the one or more processors are configured for;

continuously measuring instantaneous magnetic field information for a first magnet disposed on a piece of equipment worn by the winter sports athlete over a period of time using the one or more magnetometers, the instantaneous magnetic field information comprising;

instantaneous magnetic field strength; and

instantaneous magnetic field direction;

storing a plurality of the measured instantaneous magnetic field information over the period of time in memory;

continuously determining an instantaneous position of the winter sports athlete over the period of time using the one or more global positioning sensors;

storing a plurality of the determined instantaneous positions over the period of time in memory;

continuously measuring an instantaneous altitude of the winter sports athlete over the period of time using the one or more altimeters;

storing a plurality of the measured instantaneous altitudes over the period of time in memory;

continuously determining, for each of a plurality of points of time over the period of time, using at least the plurality of measured instantaneous magnetic field information, the plurality of instantaneous positions, and the plurality of instantaneous altitudes;

a location of the winter sports athlete;

a velocity of the winter sports athlete;

an acceleration of the winter sports athlete; and

a position of the piece of equipment worn by the winter sports athlete;

generating a graphical representation of the location of the winter sports athlete, the velocity of the winter sports athlete, the acceleration of the winter sports athlete, and the position of the piece of equipment worn by the winter sports athlete over the period of time; and

displaying the generated graphical representation on the display.

20. The computer system of claim 19, wherein:

the computer system is embodied as a pair of ski goggles;

the display is disposed adjacent the pair of ski goggles;

the piece of equipment worn by the winter sports athlete comprises a first ski; and

the one or more processors are further configured for;

continuously measuring instantaneous second magnetic field information for a second magnet disposed on a second ski worn by the winter sports athlete over the period of time using the one or more magnetometers;

storing a plurality of the measured instantaneous second magnetic field information over the period of time in memory;

continuously determining, for each of the plurality of points of time over the period of time, using at least the plurality of measured instantaneous second magnetic field information, the plurality of instantaneous positions, and the plurality of instantaneous altitudes, a position of the second ski; and

generating a graphical representation of the location of the winter sports athlete, the velocity of the winter sports athlete, the acceleration of the winter sports athlete, and the position of the first and second skis worn by the winter sports athlete over the period of time.