Movement monitoring systems and associated methods

• US 7,949,488 B2
• Filed: 10/05/2005
• Issued: 05/24/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 11/21/1994
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Nike, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Nike, Inc.
• Inventors: Darcy, Dennis M., Vock, Curtis A., Flentov, Peter
• Primary Examiner(s): Charioui; Mohamed
• Assistant Examiner(s): Desta; Elias
• Application Number:
  US11/243,945
• Publication Number:
  US 20060031039A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,057 Days
• Field of Search: 702/33, 702 75- 77, 702/81, 702 96- 98, 702141-143, 734/88, 734/89, 368/10, 368/11, 368/14, 701/3, 701/7, 701/70, 346/33.R
• US Class Current: 702/141
• 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 2024/0025 Tracking the path or location of one or more users, e.g. players of a game
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2069/185 for ski-jumping
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/13 Relative positions
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/30 Speed
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/40 Acceleration
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2244/08 Jumping, vaulting
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2244/19 Skiing
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 24/0021 Tracking a path or terminating locations
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 71/0605 Decision makers and devices using detection means facilitating arbitration
• 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 5/06 with special devices thereon, e.g. steering devices
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 22/002 for cycles
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 22/02 by conversion into electric waveforms and subsequent integration, e.g. using tachometer generator G01C22/002, G01C22/004, G01C22/006 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01P 15/18 in two or more dimensions
• CPC Class Codes: G01P 21/00 Testing or calibrating of apparatus or devices covered by the preceding groups
• CPC Class Codes: G01P 3/366 : by using diffraction of light for measuring speed of fluids G01P5/26
• CPC Class Codes: G01P 3/50 : for measuring linear speed G01P3/56 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01P 3/62 : Devices characterised by the determination or the variation of atmospheric pressure with height to measure the vertical components of speed measuring pressure in general G01L
• CPC Class Codes: G01P 5/08 : by measuring variation of an electric variable directly affected by the flow, e.g. by using dynamo-electric effect
• CPC Class Codes: G01P 7/00 : Measuring speed by integrating acceleration measuring travelled distance by double integration of acceleration G01C21/16
• 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: G01S 17/58 : Velocity or trajectory determination systems; Sense-of-movement determination systems
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 17/86 : Combinations of lidar systems with systems other than lidar, radar or sonar, e.g. with direction finders
• CPC Class Codes: G04F 8/08 : Means used apart from the time-piece for starting or stopping same

Abstract

Systems and methods are disclosed that monitor movement of a person, or of a vehicle ridden by the person, to determine speed, distance traveled and/or airtime of the person or vehicle. Accelerometer-based sensors, pressure sensors or Doppler sensors may be employed in these systems and methods. A liquid crystal display may attach to the person to display speed, distance traveled and/or airtime.

Claims

1. An accelerometer based movement monitoring system, comprising:

a sensor configured to be attached to a person in motion and including at least one accelerometer configured to sense a vibration spectrum of the person relative to the ground; and

a processor configured to;

process the vibration spectrum to detect a reduction in the vibration spectrum of the person at a first time period and an increase in the vibration spectrum at a second time period to determine when the person is in contact with the ground while in motion; and

in response to determining that a duration of time between the first time period and the second time period exceeds a boundary condition, exclude data of the vibration spectrum that occurs during the duration of time.

2. System of claim 1, the processor further being configured to process the vibration spectrum to determine speed of the person.

3. System of claim 2, further comprising a display, that when in operative communication with the processor, is configured to display the speed to the person.

4. System of claim 1, the processor further configured to process the vibration spectrum to determine distance traveled of the person.

5. System of claim 4, further comprising a display, that when in operative communication with the processor, is configured to display the distance traveled.

6. System of claim 5, the display comprising a liquid crystal display configured to be attached to the person.

11. The system of claim 1, the processor processing the data through state machine logic attached with the person.

12. The system of claim 1, further comprising a state machine for processing the data to determine whether the sensor is coupled with the ground or not.

7. A method of determining one or both of speed and distance traveled of a moving person, comprising:

sensing one or more accelerations of the person while moving over a surface by a sensor that includes at least one accelerometer;

sensing a vibration spectrum of the person relative to the surface while moving over the surface;

detecting, by a processor, a reduction in the vibration spectrum of the person at a first time period and an increase in the vibration spectrum at a second time period;

determining, from the accelerations and the vibration spectrum, when the person is in contact with the surface and when the person is not in contact with the surface, to determine one or both of speed and distance traveled of the person;

determining an airtime of the person while in motion, by comparing acceleration signals and the vibration spectrum; and

in response to determining that a duration of time between the first time period and the second time period exceeds a boundary condition, excluding data of the vibration spectrum that occurs during the duration of time.

8. The method of claim 7, further comprising utilizing a plurality of accelerometers as inertial sensors to sense the one or more accelerations in at least two different axes, and integrating the accelerations over time to calculate one or both of the speed and distance traveled.

9. The method of claim 7, the step of determining comprising compensating for one or more of gravity and centripetal acceleration to determine the speed or the distance traveled.

10. The method of claim 7, further comprising displaying one or both of the speed and distance traveled to the person via a liquid crystal display attached to the person.

13. A method of monitoring motion of a sportsman, comprising:

sensing acceleration of the sportsman by a sensor including at least an accelerometer;

sensing a vibration spectrum of the sportsman relative to the ground;

processing, by a processor, the vibration spectrum to detect a reduction in the vibration spectrum at a first time period and an increase in the vibration spectrum at a second time period to determine when the sportsman is in contact with the ground while in motion; and

in response to determining that a duration of time between the first time period and the second time period exceeds a boundary condition, excluding data of the vibration spectrum that occurs during the duration of time.

14. The method of claim 13, further comprising processing data representative of the acceleration by the processor attached with the sportsman, to determine one or both of speed and distance traveled.

15. The method of claim 14, further comprising generating timing information via a clock attached to the sportsman, to provide timing signals used in determining at least one of the speed and distance traveled.

16. The method of claim 13, the step of sensing acceleration comprising utilizing a plurality of accelerometers attached to the sportsman.