Collection and display of athletic information

• US 8,162,804 B2
• Filed: 02/14/2008
• Issued: 04/24/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 02/14/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nike, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Nike, Inc.
• Inventors: Tagliabue, Roberto
• Primary Examiner(s): Thanh, Loan
• Assistant Examiner(s): JALALZADEH ABYAN, SHILA
• Application Number:
  US12/031,380
• Publication Number:
  US 20080200312A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,531 Days
• Field of Search: 482/1, 482 8- 9
• US Class Current: 482/8
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/02438 with portable devices, e.g. worn by the patient
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/1112 Global tracking of patients, e.g. by using GPS
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/1118 Determining activity level
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/743 Displaying an image simultaneously with additional graphical information, e.g. symbols, charts, function plots
• 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 2024/0068 Comparison to target or threshold, previous performance or not real time comparison to other individuals
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2071/0625 Emitting sound, noise or music
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 22/0056 the pivoting movement being in a vertical plane, e.g. steppers with a horizontal axis platforms for rocking motion about a horizontal axis A63B22/16
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 22/0076 Rowing machines for conditioning the cardio-vascular system seats moving during exercise A63B22/0087; training appliances for rowing or sculling on boats A63B69/06
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 22/02 with movable endless bands , e.g. treadmills other training appliances for running on the spot A63B69/0028
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 22/0605 performing a circular movement, e.g. ergometers
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 22/0664 performing an elliptic movement
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/12 Absolute positions, e.g. by using GPS
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/14 Geo-tagging, e.g. for correlating route or track location data with specific information related to that specific location
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/30 Speed
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/34 Angular speed
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/40 Acceleration
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/803 Motion sensors
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/836 Sensors arranged on the body of the user
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2225/15 with identification means that can be read by electronic means
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2225/20 : with means for remote communication, e.g. internet or the like
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2225/50 : Wireless data transmission, e.g. by radio transmitters or telemetry
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2230/00 : Measuring physiological parameters of the user
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2230/04 : heartbeat characteristics, e.g. ECG, blood pressure modulations
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2230/207 : P-O2, i.e. partial O2 value
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2230/70 : body fat
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2230/75 : calorie expenditure
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 24/0006 : Computerised comparison for qualitative assessment of motion sequences or the course of a movement
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 24/0075 : Means for generating exercise programs or schemes, e.g. computerized virtual trainer, e.g. using expert databases
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 24/0084 : Exercising apparatus with means for competitions, e.g. virtual races
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 69/0028 : for running, jogging or speed-walking movable endless bands A63B22/02
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 71/06 : Indicating or scoring devices for games or players , or for other sports activities
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 71/0622 : Visual, audio or audio-visual systems for entertaining, instructing or motivating the user
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 71/0697 : Reservation devices
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 22/006 : Pedometers
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1626 : with a single-body enclosure integrating a flat display, e.g. Personal Digital Assistants [PDAs]
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 1/22 : in connection with sports or games
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 20/30 : relating to physical therapies or activities, e.g. physiotherapy, acupressure or exercising
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 40/67 : for remote operation
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/724094 : Interfacing with a device worn on the user's body to provide access to telephonic functionalities, e.g. accepting a call, reading or composing a message
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72412 : using two-way short-range wireless interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72442 : for playing music files

Abstract

Systems and techniques for the collection and display of athletic information. Athletic data relating to a single person or group of people is collected at a central location, and subsequently displayed at a desired remote location so that the person or people can review and critique their performance. In addition, athletic data for multiple persons can be collected at a central location, and subsequently displayed to a user at a desired remote location, so that the user can compare his or her athletic activities to others.

Claims

1. A method of processing athletic data, comprising:

receiving, at a computing device having at least one processor, data specifying a user-defined athletic challenge including a user-defined goal to be achieved, identification of at least two participants in the athletic challenge, and a user-defined duration of the challenge, wherein the user-defined duration is defined by at least one of a user-defined start time and user-defined end time of the athletic challenge, wherein the identification of the at least two participants includes a user identifier unique to a first participant, wherein the received data defines the at least two participants as competitors against one another in the athletic challenge, and wherein receiving the data includes;

generating, by the computing device, a first user interface including a plurality of user-selectable challenge types;

receiving, by the computing device, a user selection of one of the user-selectable challenge types; and

overlaying, by the computing device, a second user interface over a portion of the first user interface, wherein the second user interface overlays a graphical element corresponding to the selected challenge type and wherein another portion of the first user interface including at least a non-selected challenge type remains visible when the second user interface is overlaid on the portion of the first user interface;

transmitting, by the computing device, an electronic invitation to participate in the athletic challenge to a first remote device of the first participant after receiving the data specifying the user-defined goal to be achieved, and the user-defined duration of the challenge, wherein the electronic invitation is addressed to the first participant using the unique user identifier;

receiving, by the computing device, a response from the first participant accepting the invitation;

remotely monitoring and collecting, by the computing device, athletic performance data of the at least two participants through the duration of the challenge in accordance with the at least one of the user-defined start time and the user-defined end time of the athletic challenge; and

determining, by the computing device, a winner of the athletic challenge upon expiration of the challenge based on the collected performance data.

2. The method recited in claim 1, further comprising:

analyzing the athletic performance data to obtain analysis results; and

displaying the analysis results with the athletic performance data.

3. The method recited in claim 2, wherein the analysis results include a mean or median of values in the athletic performance data.

4. The method recited in claim 3, wherein the analysis results include a mean of speed data values in the athletic performance data.

5. The method recited in claim 2, wherein the analysis results are displayed at intervals along the graph.

6. The method recited in claim 1, wherein the athletic performance data includes one or more types of data selected from the group consisting of:

time data, speed data, distance data, and caloric data.

7. The method recited in claim 6, wherein

a first type of data included in the athletic performance data is speed data, and

a second type of data included in the athletic performance data is time data.

8. The method recited in claim 6, wherein:

a first type of data included in the athletic performance data is distance data, and

a second type of data included in the athletic performance data is time data.

9. The method recited in claim 1, wherein the athletic performance data is received over a network.

10. The method recited in claim 9, wherein the network is the Internet.

11. The method recited in claim 1, further comprising transmitting the athletic performance data to a remote storage device through a network.

12. The method recited in claim 11, wherein the network is the Internet.

13. The method recited in claim 1, wherein the athletic performance data is generated by one or more measurement devices selected from the group consisting of:

a pedometer, a bicycle monitor, a heart rate monitor, and a blood-oxygen content monitor.

14. The method recited in claim 1, wherein remotely monitoring and collecting athletic performance data includes receiving the athletic performance data from one or more electronic devices selected from the group consisting of:

a digital music player, a telephone, a watch, a personal digital assistant, a pedometer, a bicycle monitor, a heart rate monitor, and a blood-oxygen content monitor.

15. The method recited in claim 1, further comprising generating a graph of the athletic performance data including rendering the graph incrementally over time.

16. The method recited in claim 1, further comprising displaying a graph of the athletic performance data, wherein displaying the graph includes transmitting graphical data for rendering the graph to a remote display device through a network.

17. The method of claim 1, wherein receiving data defining the user-generated athletic challenge includes receiving a user-defined name for the athletic challenge.

18. The method of claim 1, wherein receiving the data defining the user-defined athletic challenge further includes:

generating the second user interface including one or more fields configured to receive user input defining the goal to be achieved and the duration of the athletic challenge; and

generating a third user interface, upon receiving the user input through the second user interface, including one or more fields configured to receive user input specifying the first participant.

19. An apparatus comprising:

at least one processor; and

memory operatively coupled to the at least one processor and storing computer readable instructions that, when executed, cause the apparatus to;

receive data specifying a user-defined athletic challenge including a user-defined goal to be achieved, identification of at least two participants in the athletic challenge, and a user-defined duration of the challenge, wherein the user-defined duration is defined by at least one of a user-defined start time and a user-defined end time of the athletic challenge, wherein the identification of the at least two participants includes a user identifier unique to a first participant, wherein the received data defines the at least two participants as competitors against one another in the athletic challenge, and wherein receiving the data includes;

generating a first user interface including a plurality of user-selectable challenge types;

receiving a user selection of one of the user-selectable challenge types; and

overlaying a second user interface over a portion of the first user interface, wherein the second user interface overlays a graphical element corresponding to the selected challenge type and wherein another portion of the first user interface including at least a non-selected challenge type remains visible when the second user interface is overlaid on the portion of the first user interface;

transmit an electronic invitation to participate in the athletic challenge to a first remote device of the first participant after receiving the data specifying the user-defined goal to be achieved, and the user-defined duration of the challenge, wherein the electronic invitation is addressed to the first participant using the unique user identifier;

receive a response from the first participant accepting the invitation;

remotely monitor and collect performance data for athletic activity performed by each of the at least two participants through the duration of the challenge; and

determine a winner of the athletic challenge upon expiration of the challenge based on the collected performance data.

20. The apparatus of claim 19, wherein the duration of the challenge is defined by the user-defined start time and the end time of the challenge.

21. The apparatus of claim 20, wherein the computer readable instructions, when executed, further cause the apparatus to transmit performance updates of the first participant to a second participant prior to the end time of the challenge.

22. The apparatus of claim 19, wherein the data defining the athletic challenge includes a user-specified message and wherein the user-specified message is included in the invitation.

23. The apparatus of claim 22, wherein the invitation further includes a prompt providing a plurality of options for responding to the invitation.

24. The apparatus of claim 19, the computer readable instructions, when executed, further cause the apparatus to:

notify a second participant that the first participant has accepted the invitation.

25. The apparatus of claim 19, wherein monitoring performance data of the at least two participants includes receiving the performance data from the first remote device through a data network and wherein collecting the performance data includes aggregating data from a plurality of athletic activity sessions of the first participant.

26. The apparatus of claim 19, wherein the data defining the athletic challenge is received from a second remote device of a second participant and wherein the user identifier is specified by the second participant.

27. The apparatus of claim 19, wherein each of the first and second remote devices includes an athletic performance monitoring device configured to detect athletic activity.