Audible or visual content with athletic training information

• US 8,188,877 B2
• Filed: 07/15/2011
• Issued: 05/29/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 05/31/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nike, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Nike, Inc.
• Inventors: Shum, Albert, Vissia, Gregory
• Primary Examiner(s): HOFSASS, JEFFERY A
• Application Number:
  US13/183,882
• Publication Number:
  US 20110268294A1
• Time in Patent Office: 319 Days
• Field of Search: 340/539.1, 340/0.11, 340/0.12, 340/692, 340/573.1, 377/182, 702/182, 482/3, 482/8, 482/9
• US Class Current: 340/692
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2071/0625 Emitting sound, noise or music
• 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 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

Abstract

An audible playback device that allows an athlete, such as a runner, to conveniently listen to audible content and receive athletic performance information. A device may be employed to both playback audible content and provide monitored performance information to a user. The performance information may be provided to a user audibly, so that the user does not need to move the monitoring device'"'"'s user interface to a viewable position, or visually. For example, if the user does not wish to interrupt the audible content, the user may elect to view athletic information visually on a display.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

playing audible content at an audio playback device;

receiving, by the audio playback device, training information from an athletic performance monitor different from the audio playback device, wherein the athletic training information received from the athletic performance monitor includes at least one measure of athletic activity;

determining whether the athletic training information is to be provided audibly or visually;

in response to determining that the athletic training information is to be provided audibly;

converting at least a portion of the athletic training information into audible athletic training information, and

providing, by the audio playback device, a user with the audible athletic training information; and

in response to determining that the athletic training information is to be provided visually;

displaying one or more images including at least a portion of the athletic training information while continuing to play the audible content.

2. The method recited in claim 1, further comprising, in response to determining that the athletic training information is to be provided audibly:

lowering the volume of the audible content from a first volume to a second volume; and

resuming playing the audible content at the first volume after providing the user with the audible athletic training information.

3. The method recited in claim 1, wherein receiving the training information from the athletic monitor is performed in response to receiving user input prompting the audio playback device to obtain the training information from the athletic performance monitor.

4. The method recited in claim 3, wherein the audible content is music played back from a storage device of the audio playback device.

5. The method recited in claim 3, further comprising:

determining, after receiving the athletic training information from the athletic monitor, an interval at which to provide the received athletic training information to the user, wherein providing the user with the audible athletic training information is performed after determining the interval.

6. The method recited in claim 1, wherein the audible content is voice content.

7. The method recited in claim 6, wherein the audible content is voice content played back from a storage device.

8. The method recited in claim 6, wherein the audible content is voice content played from a wireless transmission.

9. The method recited in claim 1, wherein the training information includes biometric information for the user.

10. The method recited in claim 1, wherein the training information includes positional information.

11. The method recited in claim 1, wherein the training information includes temporal information.

12. The method of claim 1, further comprising, in response to determining that the athletic training information is to be provided audibly:

pausing playback of the audible content; and

resuming playing the audible content after providing the user with the audible athletic training information.

13. An apparatus comprising:

a processor; and

memory storing computer readable instructions that, when executed, cause the apparatus to;

play audible content;

receive training information from an athletic performance monitor different from the apparatus, wherein the athletic training information received from the athletic performance monitor includes at least one measure of athletic activity;

determine whether the athletic training information is to be provided audibly or visually;

in response to determining that the athletic training information is to be provided audibly;

convert at least a portion of the athletic training information into audible athletic training information, and

provide a user with the audible athletic training information; and

in response to determining that the athletic training information is to be provided visually;

display one or more images including at least a portion of the athletic training information while continuing to play the audible content.

14. The apparatus of claim 13, the memory further storing instructions for, in response to determining that the athletic training information is to be provided audibly:

lowering the volume of the audible content from a first volume to a second volume; and

resuming playing the audible content at the first volume after providing the user with the audible athletic training information.

15. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein receiving the training information from the athletic monitor is performed in response to receiving user input prompting the apparatus to obtain the training information from the athletic performance monitor.

16. The apparatus of claim 13, the memory further storing instructions for:

determining, after receiving the athletic training information from the athletic monitor, an interval at which to provide the received athletic training information to the user, wherein providing the user with the audible athletic training information is performed after determining the interval.

17. The apparatus of claim 13, the memory further storing instructions for, in response to determining that the athletic training information is to be provided audibly:

pause playback of the audible content; and

resume playing the audible content after providing the user with the audible athletic training information.

18. One or more non-transitory computer readable media storing computer readable instructions that, when executed, cause an apparatus to:

play audible content;

receive training information from an athletic performance monitor different from the apparatus, wherein the athletic training information received from the athletic performance monitor includes at least one measure of athletic activity;

determine whether the athletic training information is to be provided audibly or visually;

in response to determining that the athletic training information is to be provided audibly;

convert at least a portion of the athletic training information into audible athletic training information, and

provide a user with the audible athletic training information; and

in response to determining that the athletic training information is to be provided visually;

display one or more images including at least a portion of the athletic training information while continuing to play the audible content.

19. The one or more computer readable media of claim 18, further comprising instructions for:

determining, after receiving the athletic training information from the athletic monitor, an interval at which to provide the received athletic training information to the user, wherein providing the user with the audible athletic training information is performed after determining the interval.

20. The one or more computer readable media of claim 18, further comprising instructions for, in response to determining that the athletic training information is to be provided audibly:

pause playback of the audible content; and

resume playing the audible content after providing the user with the audible athletic training information.