Footwear products including data transmission capabilities

• US 8,461,979 B2
• Filed: 08/01/2012
• Issued: 06/11/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 04/20/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nike, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Nike, Inc.
• Inventors: Case, Charles W Jr.
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen, Phung
• Application Number:
  US13/564,100
• Publication Number:
  US 20120293326A1
• Time in Patent Office: 314 Days
• Field of Search: 340/539.1, 340/539.11, 340/539.15, 340/10.52, 455/562.1, 702/160
• US Class Current: 340/539.1
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 3/34 with electrical or electronic arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 5/00 Footwear for sporting purposes non-skid devices, e.g. ice-spurs or studs for football shoes, A43C15/00
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0261 based on user location
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0631 Item recommendations
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0639 Item locations
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 1/24 Race time-recorders
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 1/08 using electric transmission ; transformation of alarm signals to electrical signals from a different medium, e.g. transmission of an electric alarm signal upon detection of an audible alarm signal
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/22 responsive to presence or absence of persons
• CPC Class Codes: G16Y 10/65 Entertainment or amusement; Sports
• CPC Class Codes: G16Y 20/10 relating to the environment, e.g. temperature; relating to location
• CPC Class Codes: G16Y 40/10 Detection; Monitoring
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2209/47 using RFID associated with sensors
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2209/84 Measuring functions
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 9/00 Arrangements in telecontrol or telemetry systems for selectively calling a substation from a main station, in which substation desired apparatus is selected for applying a control signal thereto or for obtaining measured values therefrom

Abstract

Footwear systems include an article of footwear and a data transmission system engaged with the article of footwear. The transmission system transmits data to a remote system, such as a display system, another data transmission system, a processing system, etc. Such footwear systems further may include activation systems for activating the transmission and/or display systems. The transmitted data may be used for various purposes, such as: (a) identifying a user of the article of footwear; (b) activating targeted advertising or product information; (c) confirming the user'"'"'s presence at a specific location and/or at a specific time; (d) determining start, finish, and/or intermediate split times for specific user; (e) confirming athletic equipment usage; (f) providing data for a game or reward program; (g) registering the user for an event or competition; or the like.

Claims

1. A footwear system, comprising:

an article of footwear including an upper member and a sole member engaged with the upper member; and

a data transmission system engaged with the article of footwear, wherein the data transmission system transmits location data from the article of footwear for receipt by a remote system, wherein the data transmitted includes footwear user identification data, wherein data transmitted by the data transmission system is configure to be used to register the user for an athletic event or completion.

2. The footwear system according to claim 1, further including a GPS module that generates the location data.

3. The footwear system according to claim 1, further including an activation system engaged with the article of footwear for activating the transmission system and wherein the data transmission system and the activation system together constitute a radio frequency identification system.

4. The footwear system according to claim 1, further including an activation system engaged with the article of footwear for activating the transmission system and wherein the activation system activates the data transmission system in response to contact between the sole member and a surface.

5. The footwear system according to claim 4, wherein the contact between the sole member and the surface occurs as a result of a user'"'"'s step or a user'"'"'s stomping action while wearing the article of footwear.

6. The footwear system according to claim 1, wherein at least the data transmission system is engaged with the sole member.

7. The footwear system according to claim 1, wherein at least the data transmission system is engaged with the upper member.

8. The footwear system according to claim 1, further comprising:

a tag member engaged with the article of footwear, wherein at least one of the data transmission system and an activation system is included with the tag member.

9. The footwear system according to claim 1, wherein the activation system includes an input system, wherein input received via the input system initiates the activation system to activate the data transmission system.

10. The footwear system according to claim 9, wherein the input system includes at least one member selected from the group consisting of:

a wireless receiver;

a radio antenna;

a magnetic sensor; and

a sensor for sensing contact between the sole member and a surface.

11. The footwear system according to claim 1, wherein data transmitted by the data transmission system provides data for performing at least one function selected from the group consisting of:

correlating the user to a specific location at a specific time;

determining a race or event start time for the user;

determining a race or event finish time for the user; and

determining an intermediate race or event split time for the user.

12. The footwear system according to claim 1, wherein data transmitted by the data transmission system is used in a game or reward program.

13. The footwear system according to claim 1, wherein data transmitted by the data transmission system confirms the user'"'"'s presence at a specific location.

14. The footwear system according to claim 13, wherein the specific location is on a specific piece of workout equipment.

15. The footwear system according to claim 13, wherein the specific location is a specific gym or exercise facility.

16. The footwear system according to claim 13, wherein the specific location is a specific retail sales location.

17. The footwear system according to claim 1, wherein the data transmission system further transmits footwear product identification data.

18. The footwear system according to claim 17, wherein the footwear product identification data includes data identifying a model or style of the article of footwear.