Athletic performance sensing and/or tracking systems and methods

• US 8,152,695 B2
• Filed: 07/16/2010
• Issued: 04/10/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 09/07/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nike, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Nike, Inc.
• Inventors: Riley, Raymond W., Hoffer, Kevin W., Berner, William E. Jr., Schrock, Allan M., Niegowski, James A., Rauchholz, William F.
• Primary Examiner(s): Thanh, Loan
• Assistant Examiner(s): GANESAN, SUNDHARA M
• Application Number:
  US12/837,893
• Publication Number:
  US 20100279825A1
• Time in Patent Office: 634 Days
• Field of Search: 482/1, 482/8, 482/9, 482/901, 482/902, 434/247, 434/236, 434/238
• US Class Current: 482/9
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2503/10 Athletes
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/1118 Determining activity level
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/74 Details of notification to user or communication with user or patient indicating measured values G01D7/00; user input means input or output arrangements for computers G06F3/00
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/7405 using sound
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2024/0065 Evaluating the fitness, e.g. fitness level or fitness index
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2024/0068 Comparison to target or threshold, previous performance or not real time comparison to other individuals
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2024/0071 Distinction between different activities, movements, or kind of sports performed
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2071/0625 Emitting sound, noise or music
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2071/0694 Visual indication, e.g. Indicia
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/00 Measuring of physical parameters relating to sporting activity
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/12 Absolute positions, e.g. by using GPS
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/17 Counting, e.g. counting periodical movements, revolutions or cycles, or including further data processing to determine distances or speed
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/20 Distances or displacements
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/30 Speed
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/836 Sensors arranged on the body of the user
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2225/20 with means for remote communication, e.g. internet or the like
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2230/06 heartbeat rate only
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 24/0006 Computerised comparison for qualitative assessment of motion sequences or the course of a movement
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 24/0059 Exercising apparatus with reward systems
• 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 24/0075 : Means for generating exercise programs or schemes, e.g. computerized virtual trainer, e.g. using expert databases
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 24/0087 : Electric or electronic controls for exercising apparatus of groups A63B21/00 - A63B23/00, e.g. controlling load
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 69/0028 : for running, jogging or speed-walking movable endless bands A63B22/02
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 69/16 : for cycling , i.e. arrangements on or for real bicycles
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 71/06 : Indicating or scoring devices for games or players , or for other sports activities
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 71/0616 : Means for conducting or scheduling competition, league, tournaments or rankings
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 71/0622 : Visual, audio or audio-visual systems for entertaining, instructing or motivating the user
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 71/0686 : Timers, rhythm indicators or pacing apparatus using electric or electronic means
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 15/02 : electric
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/4387 : by the use of playlists
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/68 : Retrieval characterised by using metadata, e.g. metadata not derived from the content or metadata generated manually
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/165 : Management of the audio stream, e.g. setting of volume, audio stream path
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/0639 : Performance analysis of employees; Performance analysis of enterprise or organisation operations
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 5/02 : with visual presentation of the material to be studied, e.g. using film strip
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 5/04 : with audible presentation of the material to be studied sound recording or reproducing G11B
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 20/30 : relating to physical therapies or activities, e.g. physiotherapy, acupressure or exercising
• CPC Class Codes: G16Z 99/00 : Subject matter not provided for in other main groups of this subclass

Abstract

Athletic performance sensing and/or tracking systems include components for measuring or sensing athletic performance data and/or for storing and/or displaying desired information associated with the athletic performance to the user (or others). Such systems can allow users a wide variety of options in creating workouts, selecting and presenting media content during the athletic performance, etc., e.g., to help keep users entertained and motivated. In some instances, user feedback may be used, optionally in combination with objective data relating to a workout, to control features of the workout routine, to control the music or other media content selected and/or presented, and/or to control features of future workout routines and/or the presented media content.

Claims

1. An athletic performance tracking system, comprising:

a processing system programmed and adapted to receive input indicating at least a first parameter associated with a user'"'"'s performance during a workout routine, wherein the first parameter includes physical or physiological data associated with the workout routine; and

an input system configured to receive subjective user input including a ranking or characterization of an intensity or difficulty of the workout routine,

wherein the processing system is further adapted to;

determine, during the user'"'"'s performance of the workout routine, whether a predefined condition associated with the workout routine has been met;

in response to determining that the predefined condition has been met, prompt the user for the subjective ranking or the characterization of the intensity or difficulty of the workout routine; and

generate a future workout routine based on the subjective ranking or characterization of the intensity or difficulty of the workout routine.

2. An athletic performance tracking system according to claim 1, further comprising:

a storage system that stores data relating to plural workout routines performed by the user and stores the ranking or characterization of the intensity or difficulty of the respective workout routine.

3. An athletic performance tracking system according to claim 1, wherein the first parameter includes at least one of speed information, distance information, or timing information.

4. An athletic performance sensing system, comprising:

a processing system programmed and adapted to receive input indicating at least a first parameter associated with a user'"'"'s performance during a workout routine, wherein the first parameter includes physical or physiological data associated with the workout routine;

a media content presentation system for presenting media content to a user during user performance of the workout routine; and

an input system configured to receive user input ranking the media content or characterizing a user'"'"'s subjective reaction to the presented media content, wherein the input system is configured to receive the user input during or after the user'"'"'s performance of the workout routine,

wherein the processing system is further programmed and adapted to;

store one or more athletic performance metrics of the user'"'"'s performance of the workout routine in association with the media content, wherein the one or more athletic performance metrics is measured in relation to playback of the media content during the user'"'"'s performance of the workout routine;

identify motivational media content based on the user'"'"'s subjective reaction to the presented media content and the stored one or more athletic performance metrics, wherein the motivational media content is to be rendered during one or more specific portions of the workout routine or a future workout routine.

5. An athletic performance sensing system according to claim 4, wherein the processing system is further programmed and adapted to correlate at least the first parameter associated with the user'"'"'s performance during the workout routine with the presented media content or at least one feature of the presented media content.

6. An athletic performance sensing system according to claim 4, wherein the processing system is further programmed and adapted to display objective data including information relating to the first parameter during the workout routine correlated with the presented media content.

7. An athletic performance sensing system according to claim 4, wherein the processing system is further programmed and adapted to alter features of the playback characteristics of the media content in response to the user input.

9. The athletic performance system of claim 4, wherein the one or more specific portions of the workout routine or the future workout routine correspond to a high intensity portion of the workout routine or the future workout routine.

10. The athletic performance system of claim 4, wherein the one or more specific portions of the workout routine or the future workout routine correspond to a time at which the user is approaching a personal best in an athletic activity metric.

11. The athletic performance system of claim 4, wherein the processing system is further programmed and adapted to generate a user interface displaying a motivational content button, wherein selection of the motivation content button causes the identified motivational media content to be rendered.

8. An athletic performance tracking method, comprising:

receiving electronic input at a processing system indicating at least a first parameter associated with a user'"'"'s performance during a workout routine, wherein the first parameter includes physical or physiological data associated with the workout routine;

determining, during the user'"'"'s performance of the workout routine, whether a predefined condition associated with the workout routine has been met;

in response to determining that the predefined condition has been met;

prompting the user for a ranking or characterization of the intensity or difficulty of the workout routine; and

receiving subjective user input specifying the ranking or characterization of the intensity or difficulty of the workout routine; and

generating a future workout routine based on the subjective user input ranking or characterizing the intensity or difficulty of the workout routine.

12. A method comprising:

receiving, by a computing device having at least one processor, input indicating at least a first parameter associated with a user'"'"'s performance during a workout routine, wherein the first parameter includes physical or physiological data associated with the workout routine;

presenting, by the computing device, media content to a user during the user'"'"'s performance of the workout routine;

storing one or more athletic performance metrics of the user'"'"'s performance of the workout routine in association with the media content, wherein the one or more athletic performance metrics is measured in relation to playback of the media content during the user'"'"'s performance of the workout routine;

receiving, by the computing device, user input ranking the media content or characterizing a user'"'"'s subjective reaction to the presented media content; and

identifying, by the computing device, motivational media content based on the user'"'"'s subjective reaction to the presented media content and the stored one or more athletic performance metrics, wherein the motivational media content is to be rendered during one or more specific portions of the workout routine or a future workout routine.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the one or more specific portions of the workout routine or the future workout routine correspond to a time at which the user is approaching a personal best in an athletic activity metric.

14. The method of claim 12, further comprising generating a user interface displaying a motivational content button, wherein selection of the motivational content button causes the identified motivational media content to be rendered.