Performance measuring footwear
DCFirst Claim
1. A foot mounted apparatus for measuring the locomotive performance of a person having a foot which is fit with footwear having a flexible sole, the apparatus comprising:
- means for sensing the acceleration of the foot when the sole of the footwear is flexed and the foot is pushing off from an underlying surface and for generating a foot push off signal;
means for sensing the deceleration of the foot when the foot is striking against an underlying surface and for generating a foot strike signal;
means for receiving the foot push off signal and the foot strike signal and calculating a performance parameter for the person based upon the elapsed time between the foot push off signal and the foot strike signal, the means for calculating comprising means for selectively determining all of the following performance parameters;
user vertical leap time, user vertical jump distance, user running speed, user trip distance traveled, and accumulated total lifetime distance traveled by the apparatus;
means for receiving input from the user, andmeans for communicating at least one performance parameter to the person.
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Abstract
A foot mounted apparatus for measuring one or more locomotive performance parameters of a person is disclosed. Such locomotive performance parameters preferably include user vertical leap time, user vertical jump distance, user walking or running speed, user trip distance traveled, and accumulated total lifetime distance traveled by the apparatus. It is preferred that the apparatus include all of the structures of an athletic shoe such as a sole, upper, tongue, and lace. Four membrane switches are located in the sole of the footwear: a pair of membrane switches is positioned under the ball of the user'"'"'s foot and a pair of membrane switches is positioned under the heel of the user'"'"'s foot. The membrane switches sense the compressive pressure of the foot on the sole and detect when the foot leaves and contacts the underlying surface. A microprocessor calculates a performance parameter for the person based upon the elapsed time between the foot push off and the foot strike. A pair of pushbuttons connected to the microprocessor allow the user to change the mode of operation of the apparatus. The performance parameter which is output from the microprocessor is conveyed to the user either visually or aurally. The microprocessor and display are mounted on the footwear, preferably on the tongue of the shoe, in a water resistant housing with a long life battery providing self contained operation.
306 Citations
18 Claims
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1. A foot mounted apparatus for measuring the locomotive performance of a person having a foot which is fit with footwear having a flexible sole, the apparatus comprising:
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means for sensing the acceleration of the foot when the sole of the footwear is flexed and the foot is pushing off from an underlying surface and for generating a foot push off signal; means for sensing the deceleration of the foot when the foot is striking against an underlying surface and for generating a foot strike signal; means for receiving the foot push off signal and the foot strike signal and calculating a performance parameter for the person based upon the elapsed time between the foot push off signal and the foot strike signal, the means for calculating comprising means for selectively determining all of the following performance parameters;
user vertical leap time, user vertical jump distance, user running speed, user trip distance traveled, and accumulated total lifetime distance traveled by the apparatus;means for receiving input from the user, and means for communicating at least one performance parameter to the person. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
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10. An apparatus for measuring the locomotive performance of a user having a foot with a heel and a ball, the apparatus comprising:
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a sole, the sole being flexible and configured to be interposed between both the heel of the foot of the user and the ball of the foot of the user and any underlying surface; first switch means attached to the sole in the location of the user'"'"'s heel for sensing compressive pressure of the foot on the sole; second switch means attached to the sole in the location of the user'"'"'s ball of the foot for sensing compressive pressure of the foot on the sole; calculation means for determining the time between the activation of the first switch means and the second switch means and for calculating at least a first locomotive performance parameter for the user, the first locomotive performance parameter being selected from the group consisting of;
user vertical leap time, user vertical jump distance, user running speed, user trip distance traveled, and accumulated total lifetime distance traveled by the apparatus;means for providing audible cues from the calculation means to the user; means for receiving tactile input from the user and converting such input to instructions conveyed to the calculation means; and alpha/numeric display means for visually displaying the at least one performance parameter. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13)
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14. A method for determining at least one performance parameter of a user having a pair of feet, each of the feet being fit with footwear having a flexible sole, the method comprising:
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receiving input from the user regarding at least one performance parameter; detecting when at least one of the feet leaves an underlying surface as the sole of the footwear is flexed during a locomotion by the user; timing a period beginning when the at least one foot leaves the underlying surface is detected; detecting when at least one of the feet strikes the underlying surface during a locomotion by the user; deriving a time period between when the at least one foot leaving the underlying surface and when the at least one foot striking the underlying surface; calculating at least one performance parameter for the user, the performance parameter being at least one selected from the group of performance parameters comprising;
user vertical leap time and user vertical jump distance; anddisplaying the at least one performance parameter on a visually perceptible display. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16)
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17. A foot mounted apparatus for measuring the locomotive performance of a person, the apparatus comprising:
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means for sensing the acceleration of the foot when the foot is pushing off from an underlying surface and for generating a foot push off signal; means for sensing the deceleration of the foot when the foot is striking against an underlying surface and for generating a foot strike signal; means for receiving the foot push off signal and the foot strike signal and calculating a performance parameter for the person based upon the elapsed time between the foot push off signal and the foot strike signal; and means for communicating at least one performance parameter to the person, the means for communicating comprising; means for transmitting a broadcast signal from a location adjacent to the means for calculating; and means for visually conveying the at least one performance parameter to the person in a location distant from the means for transmitting.
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18. A foot mounted apparatus for measuring the locomotive performance of a person, the apparatus comprising:
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means for sensing the acceleration of the foot when the foot is pushing off from an underlying surface and for generating a foot push off signal; means for sensing the deceleration of the foot when the foot is striking against an underlying surface and for generating a foot strike signal; means for receiving the foot push off signal and the foot strike signal and calculating a performance parameter for the person based upon the elapsed time between the foot push off signal and the foot strike signal; and means for communicating at least one performance parameter to the person, the means for communicating comprising means for synthesizing human speech and translating the at least first performance parameter into human speech.
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Specification