Sensing systems for sports, and associated methods

• US 8,600,699 B2
• Filed: 07/13/2012
• Issued: 12/03/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 11/21/1994
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Nike, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Nike, Inc.
• Inventors: Darcy, Dennis, Flentov, Peter, Vock, Curtis A
• Primary Examiner(s): Raymond, Edward
• Application Number:
  US13/548,344
• Publication Number:
  US 20120277892A1
• Time in Patent Office: 508 Days
• Field of Search: 702182-185, 702/188, 702/150
• US Class Current: 702/150
• CPC Class Codes: A42B 3/046 Means for detecting hazards or accidents
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2562/0219 Inertial sensors, e.g. accelerometers, gyroscopes, tilt switches
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/11 Measuring movement of the entire body or parts thereof, e.g. head or hand tremor, mobility of a limb for measuring pulse A61B5/02 ;A61B5/1038 takes precedence; motion detection to correct for motion artifacts in physiological signals A61B5/721
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6804 Garments; Clothes
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/681 Wristwatch-type devices
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6895 Sport equipment
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2069/185 for ski-jumping
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/40 Acceleration
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/62 Time or time measurement used for time reference, time stamp, master time or clock signal
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/74 Atmospheric pressure
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 69/18 for skiing
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 71/0605 Decision makers and devices using detection means facilitating arbitration
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 71/10 for the head A63B71/081 takes precedence ; in the form of caps or hats A42B1/08; helmets A42B3/00
• CPC Class Codes: A63C 2203/18 Measuring a physical parameter, e.g. speed, distance
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 9/00 Measuring inclination, e.g. by clinometers, by levels
• CPC Class Codes: G01L 1/00 Measuring force or stress, in general measuring force due to impact G01L5/00
• CPC Class Codes: G01P 15/00 Measuring acceleration; Measuring deceleration; Measuring shock, i.e. sudden change of acceleration
• CPC Class Codes: G01P 15/0891 with indication of predetermined acceleration values G01P15/135 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01P 3/50 for measuring linear speed G01P3/56 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 11/14 using ultrasonic, sonic, or infrasonic waves
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 15/60 : wherein the transmitter and receiver are mounted on the moving object, e.g. for determining ground speed, drift angle, ground track
• CPC Class Codes: G04F 8/08 : Means used apart from the time-piece for starting or stopping same

Abstract

A system determines athletic performance. A pressure sensor senses change in elevation. A microprocessor processes signals from the pressure sensor to determine speed corresponding to the change in elevation. A display reports the speed to a user.

Claims

1. A system comprising:

a data storage device storing athletic performance data obtained from a plurality sensing units, each of the sensing units being configured for attachment to a person and for generating the athletic performance data; and

a server operatively connected to the storage device, wherein the server is configured to provide a comparison of the athletic performance data;

wherein the comparison is a quantitative comparison of airtime of a first user at a first geographical location and airtime of a second user at a second geographical location that is different from the first geographical location, and the comparison is used to determine a winner of an athletic competition.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the athletic performance data comprises at least one of speed data, distance data, acceleration data, pace data, power data, energy data, and/or location data.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the athletic performance data is generated at different geographic locations.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the athletic performance data is tagged to particular users.

5. The system of claim 4, wherein tagging associates a code identifying a particular user or one of the sensing units.

6. The system of claim 5, wherein the server is configured to receive a request specifying a tag of the particular user or the one of the sensing units and provide athletic performance data associated with the tag.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the server is a web site server.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the comparison comprises a quantitative comparison of speed and/or distance of a first user at a first geographical location and speed and/or distance of a second user at a second geographical location.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein the comparison comprises a quantitative comparison of distance traveled by a first user at a first geographical location and distance traveled by a second user at a second geographical location.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein the comparison comprises a quantitative comparison of power of a first user at a first geographical location and power of a second user at a second geographical location.

11. A method comprising:

receiving at a server, athletic performance data stored by a data storage device, wherein the athletic performance data is obtained from a plurality sensing units, each of the sensing units being configured for attachment to a person and for measuring the athletic performance data;

performing at microprocessor a quantitative comparison of airtime of a first user at a first geographical location and airtime of a second user at a second geographical location that is different from the first geographical location; and

determining a winner of an athletic competition based on the comparison of airtime.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the athletic performance data comprises at least one of speed data, distance data, acceleration data, pace data, power data, energy data, and/or location data.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein the athletic performance data is generated at different geographic locations.

14. The method of claim 11, wherein the athletic performance data is tagged to particular users, wherein tagging associates a code identifying a particular user or one of the sensing units.

15. The method of claim 14, further comprising:

receiving a request specifying a tag of the particular user or the one of the sensing units; and

providing athletic performance data associated with the tag.