Intelligent footwear systems

• US 7,676,961 B2
• Filed: 04/06/2007
• Issued: 03/16/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 03/10/2003
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Adidas International Marketing BV (Adidas AG)
• Original Assignee: Adidas International Marketing BV (Adidas AG)
• Inventors: Oleson, Mark A., DiBenedetto, Christian
• Primary Examiner(s): KAVANAUGH, JOHN T
• Application Number:
  US11/784,443
• Publication Number:
  US 20070180737A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,075 Days
• Field of Search: 361/32, 36/29, 36/1, 36/25.R, 361/36, 36/30.R, 731/72
• US Class Current: 36/132
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 1/0009 made at least partially of alveolar or honeycomb material
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 1/0036 with fluorescent or phosphorescent parts
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 1/0054 provided with magnets, magnetic parts or magnetic substances
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 13/181 Resiliency achieved by the structure of the sole
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 13/186 Differential cushioning region, e.g. cushioning located under the ball of the foot resilient heel not included in the sole A43B21/26; resilient supports for the heel of the foot A43B21/32
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 13/187 Resiliency achieved by the features of the material, e.g. foam, non liquid materials
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 13/188 Differential cushioning regions
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 21/26 Resilient heels
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 3/00 Footwear characterised by the shape or the use
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 3/0042 with circular or circle shaped parts
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 3/34 with electrical or electronic arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 3/44 with sensors, e.g. for detecting contact or position
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 3/50 with sound or music sources
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 5/06 Running shoes; Track shoes
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 7/144 situated under the heel, i.e. the calcaneus bone

Abstract

The invention is directed to intelligent systems for articles of footwear that adjust automatically in response to a measured performance characteristic. The intelligent systems include one or more adjustable elements coupled to a mechanism that actuates the adjustable elements in response to a signal from a sensor to modify the performance characteristic of the article of footwear. The intelligent system adjusts the performance characteristics of the article of footwear without human intervention.

Claims

1. A method of providing an intelligent footwear system, the method comprising the steps of:

providing a sensing system associated with an article of footwear;

measuring an athletic performance of a wearer of the article of footwear with the sensing system;

providing a control system at least partially within the article of footwear, the control system configured to monitor the athletic performance of the wearer, wherein the athletic performance is selected from the group consisting of a wearer'"'"'s pace, a distance traveled by the wearer, and a location of the wearer; and

providing a remote processor configured to exchange data with at least one of the sensing system and the control system.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the processor can be disposed in a portable electronic device.

3. The method of claim 1 further comprising the step of measuring a performance characteristic of the article of footwear with the sensing system.

4. The method of claim 1 further comprising the step of modifying the article of footwear in response to a signal received from the sensing system.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the sensing system determines the athletic performance of the wearer by sensing contact of the article of footwear with a surface.

6. The method of claim 3, wherein the control system is configured to at least one of control and determine the performance characteristic of the article of footwear based on a signal from the sensing system.

7. The method of claim 3, wherein the performance characteristic is selected from the group consisting of velocity, acceleration, jerk, distance, and stride frequency of a wearer.

8. The method of claim 3, wherein the performance characteristic of the article of footwear is determined by sensing a contact of the article of footwear with a surface.