Adjustable fitness arena

• US 8,506,370 B2
• Filed: 05/24/2011
• Issued: 08/13/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 05/24/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nike, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Nike, Inc.
• Inventors: Homsi, Kristopher L.
• Primary Examiner(s): Elisca, Pierre Eddy
• Assistant Examiner(s): Kamal, Shahid
• Application Number:
  US13/114,467
• Publication Number:
  US 20120302301A1
• Time in Patent Office: 812 Days
• Field of Search: 463/2, 463/15, 463/16, 463/25, 463/40
• US Class Current: 463/2
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2063/002 variable in size
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2071/0625 Emitting sound, noise or music
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2102/18 Baseball, rounders or similar games
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2102/22 Field hockey
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/30 Speed
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/40 Acceleration
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/50 Force related parameters
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/53 Force of an impact, e.g. blow or punch
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/56 Pressure
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/80 Special sensors, transducers or devices therefor
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/803 Motion sensors
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2225/50 Wireless data transmission, e.g. by radio transmitters or telemetry
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2225/54 Transponders, e.g. RFID
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2225/74 with powered illuminating means, e.g. lights
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2230/00 Measuring physiological parameters of the user
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2230/06 heartbeat rate only
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2230/42 rate
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2230/50 temperature
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2243/0025 Football
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2243/0037 Basketball
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2243/0066 : Rugby; American football
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 24/0021 : Tracking a path or terminating locations
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 24/0059 : Exercising apparatus with reward systems
• 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: A63B 24/0084 : Exercising apparatus with means for competitions, e.g. virtual races
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 63/00 : Targets or goals for ball games golf cups A63B57/40
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 63/007 : Target zones without opening defined on a substantially horizontal surface
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 69/002 : for football American-football dummies A63B69/34
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 69/0053 : Apparatus generating random stimulus signals for reaction-time training involving a substantial physical effort
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 71/0686 : Timers, rhythm indicators or pacing apparatus using electric or electronic means
• CPC Class Codes: A63C 19/02 : Shaping of the surface of courts according to the necessities of the different games surface construction E01C
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 19/0038 : Sports

Abstract

Aspects of this disclosure relate to systems and methods for conducting sport-specific activities. Illustrated systems may be adjustable to permit a performance of different sport-specific activities. Further aspects relate to using sensor data to evaluate a user'"'"'s performance and determine sport-specific fitness parameters. Various fitness parameters may measure reactive agility and/or the physiological state of the user, such as when in an exhausted state. Illustrated systems may have structures with an output device and a sensor. The structure may include a vertically-arranged planar surface to form a wall. Several structures may be configured to form a boundary. The boundary may be automatically adjustable, for example, depending on one or more specific fitness routines to be implemented. Calculated fitness parameters may be visually mapped on the structures of the system.

Claims

1. An apparatus comprising:

a plurality of structures configured to form a boundary of vertically-extending walls defining an inner region, wherein the plurality of the structures each comprise;

a first surface facing the interior region of the apparatus;

a first display device on or in proximity to the first surface, such as to be displayable to a user within the interior region; and

a sensor operatively connected to the first display device configured to detect an impact force;

a processor; and

a non-transitory computer-readable medium comprising computer-executable instructions that when executed by the processor, cause the processor to perform;

operating at least one of the display devices to instruct a first user to perform a first fitness activity configured to simulate a first sporting action of a specific sport;

detecting an impact force from a sporting device contacting a location of the first surface of a structure and measuring impact parameters corresponding to the detected impact force;

receiving physiological data from a physiological sensor;

determining a sport-specific fitness parameter by using detected impact forces from at least one sporting device contacting at least a portion of the first surfaces of the structures; and

operating at least one of the display devices to instruct a first user to perform a second fitness activity configured to simulate a second sporting action of the specific sport.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the physiological data is selected from the group consisting of:

heart rate, respiration, temperature, velocity, acceleration, sweat content, blood content, and combinations thereof.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the impact parameters are selected from the group consisting of:

velocity, direction, force units, and combinations thereof.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the instructions, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to further perform:

determining that the first user is in an exhaustive state.

5. The apparatus of claim 4, wherein determining that the first user in an exhaustive state is based upon at least one of:

the physiological data, a detected impact force, and a measured impact parameter.

6. The apparatus of claim 4, wherein determining that the first user in an exhaustive state is based upon at least two impact parameters.

7. The apparatus of claim 4, wherein the instructions, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to further perform:

selecting a fitness activity to be the second fitness activity based upon the determination that the user is in an exhaustive state.

8. The apparatus of claim 4, wherein the operating of the at least one of the display devices to instruct a first user to perform a second fitness activity configured to simulate a second sporting action of the specific sport is initiated in response to a determination that the user is in a exhausted state.

9. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the instructions, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to further perform:

using at least a portion of the display devices, visually mapping the location of the detected impact forces.

10. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the visual mapping utilizes different colors to represent different values of an impact parameter.

11. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the visual mapping is configured to utilize different visual representations based upon different values of physiological data.

12. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the instructions, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to further perform:

during the first time frame, altering the operational state of at least one display device to instruct a second user to perform a second fitness activity configured to simulate a sporting action of the specific sport, wherein a combination of instructional cues to the first user and the instructional cues to the second user are configured replicate interaction of the first user and the second user during a sporting event of the specific sport.

13. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein a dimension of the perimeter is adjustable based upon the specific sporting action to be simulated.

14. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the instructions, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to further perform:

automatically adjusting a dimension of the perimeter based, at least in part, according to a fitness activity to be implemented.

15. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the dimension of the perimeter is selected from the group consisting of:

height, circumference, shape, and combinations thereof.