Providing athletic training information

• US 8,502,693 B2
• Filed: 05/22/2012
• Issued: 08/06/2013
• 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:
  US13/477,728
• Publication Number:
  US 20120232680A1
• Time in Patent Office: 441 Days
• Field of Search: 340/539.1, 340/11, 340/12, 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 by a playback device;

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

determining, by the playback device, 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 playback device, a user with the audible athletic training information while lowering a volume of or pausing the audible content; and

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

displaying at least a portion of the athletic training information.

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 during provision of the audible athletic training information; 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 athletic training information from the athletic monitor is performed in response to receiving user input prompting the playback device.

4. The method recited in claim 1, further comprising determining an interval at which to provide the athletic training information to the user.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the interval corresponds to at least one of:

a distance interval and a time interval.

6. The method recited in claim 4, wherein determining the interval at which to provide the athletic training information to the user is performed after receiving the athletic training information from the athletic monitor.

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

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

9. The method recited in claim 1, wherein the audible content is obtained through a wireless transmission.

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

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

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

13. An apparatus comprising:

a processor; and

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

play audible content;

receive athletic training information from an athletic performance monitor different from the apparatus, wherein the 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 while lowering a volume of or pausing the audible content; and

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

display at least a portion of the athletic training information.

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 athletic training information from the athletic performance monitor is performed in response to receiving user input prompting the apparatus to obtain the athletic 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 performance monitor, an interval at which to provide the received athletic training information to the user.

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 during provision of the audible athletic training information; 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 athletic training information from an athletic performance monitor different from the apparatus, wherein the 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 while lowering a volume of or pausing the audible content; and

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

display at least a portion of the athletic training information.

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.

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:

pausing playback of the audible content during provision of the audible athletic training information; and

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