Activity monitoring systems and methods

• US 7,451,056 B2
• Filed: 05/15/2006
• Issued: 11/11/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 11/21/1994
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Nike, Inc., PhatRat Technology LLC (PhatRat Technology)
• Original Assignee: PhatRat Technology LLC (PhatRat Technology)
• Inventors: Vock, Curtis A., Flentov, Peter, Darcy, Dennis M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Raymond; Edward
• Application Number:
  US11/434,588
• Publication Number:
  US 20060235642A1
• Time in Patent Office: 911 Days
• Field of Search: 702/141, 702149-152, 702/160, 702/188, 342104-107, 342/109, 342/113, 34234206- 17, 342/450, 342/451, 342/458, 342/460
• US Class Current: 702/141
• CPC Class Codes: A42B 3/0433 Detecting, signalling or lighting devices
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2562/0219 Inertial sensors, e.g. accelerometers, gyroscopes, tilt switches
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/11 Measuring movement of the entire body or parts thereof, e.g. head or hand tremor, mobility of a limb for measuring pulse A61B5/02 ;A61B5/1038 takes precedence; motion detection to correct for motion artifacts in physiological signals A61B5/721
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6807 Footwear
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6895 Sport equipment
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2024/0071 Distinction between different activities, movements, or kind of sports performed
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2069/185 for ski-jumping
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2071/065 Visualisation of specific exercise parameters
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2071/0663 worn on the wrist, e.g. wrist bands
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/13 Relative positions
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/16 Angular positions
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/30 Speed
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/40 Acceleration
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/44 Angular acceleration
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/51 Force
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/53 Force of an impact, e.g. blow or punch
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/62 Time or time measurement used for time reference, time stamp, master time or clock signal
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/64 Frequency, e.g. of vibration oscillation
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/801 Contact switches
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/803 Motion sensors
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/808 : Microphones
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/833 : Sensors arranged on the exercise apparatus or sports implement
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2225/50 : Wireless data transmission, e.g. by radio transmitters or telemetry
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2230/75 : calorie expenditure
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2244/19 : Skiing
• 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 5/00 : Apparatus for jumping mats for jumping A63B6/00; for racing or riding sports, e.g. hurdles A63K
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 69/0093 : for surfing, i.e. without a sail; for skate or snow boarding
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 69/16 : for cycling , i.e. arrangements on or for real bicycles
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 69/18 : for skiing
• 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 71/10 : for the head A63B71/081 takes precedence ; in the form of caps or hats A42B1/08; helmets A42B3/00
• CPC Class Codes: A63C 11/00 : Accessories for skiing or snowboarding fittings on vehicles for carrying skis B60R9/12
• CPC Class Codes: A63C 2203/18 : Measuring a physical parameter, e.g. speed, distance
• CPC Class Codes: A63C 2203/24 : Processing or storing data, e.g. with electronic chip
• CPC Class Codes: A63C 5/03 : Mono skis; Snowboards
• CPC Class Codes: A63C 5/06 : with special devices thereon, e.g. steering devices
• CPC Class Codes: G01L 5/00 : Apparatus for, or methods of, measuring force, work, mechanical power, or torque, specially adapted for specific purposes
• CPC Class Codes: G01P 1/16 : for erasable recording, e.g. magnetic recording
• CPC Class Codes: G01P 15/00 : Measuring acceleration; Measuring deceleration; Measuring shock, i.e. sudden change of acceleration
• CPC Class Codes: G01P 15/0891 : with indication of predetermined acceleration values G01P15/135 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01P 3/42 : Devices characterised by the use of electric or magnetic means G01P3/66 takes precedence; measuring electric or magnetic values in general G01R
• CPC Class Codes: G01P 3/50 : for measuring linear speed G01P3/56 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 11/14 : using ultrasonic, sonic, or infrasonic waves
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 15/60 : wherein the transmitter and receiver are mounted on the moving object, e.g. for determining ground speed, drift angle, ground track
• CPC Class Codes: G04F 8/08 : Means used apart from the time-piece for starting or stopping same

Abstract

An activity monitor, comprises housing for attachment to a person; at least one accelerometer disposed within the housing; and a processor disposed within the housing, for processing signals from the accelerometer to assess activity of the person. A method assesses activity of a person, including: sensing acceleration at a first location on the person; processing the acceleration, over time, to assess activity of the person; and wirelessly communicating information indicative of the activity to a second location.

Claims

1. An activity monitor, comprising:

a housing for attachment to a human-powered vehicle or to a person riding the vehicle;

at least one accelerometer disposed within the housing; and

a processor disposed within the housing, for processing signals from the accelerometer in a frequency domain to assess activity of the person when riding the vehicle.

2. The activity monitor of claim 1, wherein the processor processes the signals to determine power as activity of the person.

3. The activity monitor of claim 2, the power comprising energy experienced by the person.

4. The activity monitor of claim 2, the power comprising an amount of g'"'"'s experienced by the person.

5. The activity monitor of claim 2, the power comprising shock.

6. The activity monitor of claim 5, the power comprising average shock.

7. The activity monitor of claim 2, the power comprising accumulated acceleration as a function of frequency.

8. The activity monitor of claim 2, wherein the processor determines assessment of the activity as a scaled number that is relative to a predetermined maximum for activity over the time period.

9. The activity monitor of claim 8, the scaled number comprising 100, 50 or 20.

10. The activity monitor of claim 9, the predetermined maximum being derived from acceleration-based measurement of an athlete on the same or a similar vehicle over the time period.

11. The activity monitor of claim 8, the time period being one of 8 hours and a day.

12. The activity monitor of claim 1, wherein the processor assesses the activity over a period of time.

13. The activity monitor of claim 12, the period of time being selectable by the person.

14. The activity monitor of claim 12, the period of time being one of 8 hours and a day.

15. The activity monitor of claim 1, farther comprising a wireless transmitter configured in the housing, for wirelessly transmitting an assessment of activity to a remote location.

16. The activity monitor of claim 15, further comprising a watch to be worn by the person, for displaying the assessment.

17. The activity monitor of claim 15, the assessment comprising power.

18. The activity monitor of claim 17, the power comprising one of energy experienced by the person, an amount of g'"'"'s experienced by the person, shock, average shock, accumulated acceleration and RMS acceleration.

19. The activity monitor of claim 15, the wireless transmitter comprising a radiofrequency transmitter.

20. The activity monitor of claim 1, further comprising a high pass filter for filtering high frequency output of the accelerometer.

21. The activity monitor of claim 1, the processor Fourier transforming output of the accelerometer to provide the accelerometer signals in the frequency domain.

22. The activity monitor of claim 1, the vehicle comprising one of a snowboard, a ski and a mountain bike.

23. The activity monitor of claim 1, the human-powered vehicle comprising a skate, a roller-blade, a skateboard, a snowboard, a snow ski, a bike, a water ski or a windsurfing board.

24. A method for assessing activity of a person riding a human-powered vehicle, comprising:

sensing acceleration at a first location on the vehicle or the person riding the vehicle;

processing the acceleration to assess activity of the person when riding the vehicle; and

wirelessly communicating information indicative of the activity to a second location;

wherein processing the acceleration comprises performing a Fourier transformation on the acceleration, over time, to assess the activity of the person when riding the vehicle.

25. The method of claim 24, wherein sensing comprises utilizing a tri-axial accelerometer.

26. The method of claim 24, further comprising receiving the information at a watch positioned at the second location and displaying assessed activity via a display of the watch.

27. The method of claim 24, wherein processing comprises processing the acceleration as a function of frequency to determine power comprising one of energy experienced by the person, an amount of g'"'"'s experienced by the person, shock, average shock, accumulated acceleration, RMS acceleration.

28. The method of claim 24, wherein processing comprises processing the acceleration over eight hours or one day.

29. The method of claim 24, further comprising comparing assessed activity between two or more persons.

30. A system for assessing accelerations experienced by a person over time when riding a human-powered sporting vehicle, comprising:

a sensor having at least one accelerometer, a processor and a wireless transmitter, the processor processing data from the accelerometers in a frequency domain to determine power of the person when riding the vehicle, the transmitter wirelessly transmitting information indicative of the power; and

a watch having a wireless receiver, for receiving and displaying the information.

31. The activity monitor of claim 30, the sensor being configured for attachment to a vehicle ridden by the person, the vehicle comprising one of a ski, a snowboard and a mountain bike.

32. The system of claim 30, the human-powered sporting vehicle comprising a skate, a roller-blade, a skateboard, a snowboard, a snow ski, a bike, a water ski or a windsurfing board.