Athletic performance monitoring with overstride detection

• US 8,460,001 B1
• Filed: 03/27/2012
• Issued: 06/11/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 04/14/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Thomas C. Chuang
• Original Assignee: Thomas C. Chuang
• Inventors: Chuang, Thomas C.
• Primary Examiner(s): Utama, Robert J
• Application Number:
  US13/431,744
• Time in Patent Office: 441 Days
• Field of Search: 434/247, 434/255, 600/595, 600/592
• US Class Current: 434/247
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 24/00 Electric or electronic controls for exercising apparatus of preceding groups; Controlling or monitoring of exercises, sportive games, training or athletic performances
• 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: G09B 19/0038 Sports

Abstract

Methods and apparatuses for athletic performance monitoring are disclosed. In one example, a system includes an inertial sensor configured to measure an acceleration in a moving direction of a user foot of a user during locomotion and output an acceleration signal, a memory storing a stride acceleration motion profile, and a processing system configured to process the acceleration signal and the stride acceleration motion profile to identify a reduced user overstride.

Claims

1. A system for athletic training comprising:

a first inertial foot sensor operable for coupling to a first portion of a user foot and configured to generate a first output signal corresponding to a first portion motion, the first portion motion comprising a rearward upward kick and a forward motion in the air in a direction of locomotion;

a second inertial foot sensor operable for coupling to a second portion of the user foot and configured to generate a second output signal corresponding to a second portion motion, the second portion motion comprising a rearward upward kick and a forward motion in the air in the direction of locomotion; and

a processing system configured to compare the first output signal corresponding to the first portion motion to the second output signal corresponding to the second portion motion to identify a desirable stride characteristic or an undesirable stride characteristic.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the desirable stride characteristic or the undesirable stride characteristic is a reduction in user overstride.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the desirable stride characteristic or the undesirable stride characteristic is a user overstride during running.

4. The system of claim 3, wherein the processing system is further configured to determine a percentage of user strides which are overstrides over a given time period.

5. The system of claim 4, further comprising a user interface in communication with the processing system, the user interface configured to output an alert if the percentage of user overstrides exceeds a tolerance.

6. The system of claim 3, further comprising a user interface in communication with the processing system, the user interface configured to output a vibrate indication of the user overstride.

7. The system of claim 3, wherein the processing system is further configured to process the first output signal to identify a user speed or distance travelled.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the desirable stride characteristic or the undesirable stride characteristic is a user stride improvement.

9. A method comprising:

generating a first sensor output signal responsive to a takeoff rearward kick of a user foot and a landing of a first portion of the user foot in a direction of locomotion;

generating a second sensor output signal responsive to a takeoff rearward kick of the user foot and a landing of a second portion of the user foot in the direction of locomotion; and

analyzing the first sensor output signal and the second sensor output signal to identify a user overstride.

10. The method of claim 9, further comprising processing the first sensor output signal or the second sensor output signal to determine a user speed or distance travelled.

11. The method of claim 9, further comprising analyzing the first sensor output signal and the second sensor output signal to identify a reduction in user overstride.

12. The method of claim 9, further comprising determining a percentage of user strides which are overstrides over a given time period.

13. The method of claim 9, wherein analyzing the first sensor output signal and the second sensor output signal to identify a user overstride comprises comparing the first sensor output signal and the second sensor output signal to stored motion profiles.

14. A system comprising:

an inertial sensor configured to measure an acceleration in a moving direction of a user foot of a user during locomotion and output an acceleration signal responsive to the acceleration;

a memory storing an undesired stride acceleration motion profile; and

a processing system configured to process the acceleration signal and the undesired stride acceleration motion profile to identify a reduced user overstride.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein the undesired stride acceleration motion profile is generated from a prior locomotion by the user.

16. The system of claim 14, wherein the undesired stride acceleration motion profile corresponds to a normal running motion of the user.

17. The system of claim 14, wherein the processing system processes the acceleration signal to calculate an average cadence and an average stride length for a same speed.

18. The system of claim 14, wherein the memory further stores a plurality of acceleration motion profiles associated with the user, and wherein the processing system matches the acceleration signal with an acceleration motion profile in the plurality of acceleration motion profiles to identify a user stride motion.

19. The system of claim 14, wherein the memory further stores a goal stride acceleration motion profile generated from a prior locomotion by the user.

20. The system of claim 19, wherein the goal stride acceleration motion profile is generated responsive to a user prompt instructing the user to run with a goal stride motion.