Athletic-wear having integral measuring sensors

• US 8,860,584 B1
• Filed: 08/22/2012
• Issued: 10/14/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 04/24/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Mayfonk Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Mayfonk Incorporated
• Inventors: Matak, Martin
• Primary Examiner(s): PATEL, DHARTI HARIDAS
• Application Number:
  US13/591,895
• Time in Patent Office: 783 Days
• Field of Search: 340/870.07
• US Class Current: 340/870.07
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6807 Footwear
• CPC Class Codes: G01L 5/0095 measuring work or mechanical power
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 17/00 Digital computing or data processing equipment or methods, specially adapted for specific functions information retrieval, database structures or file system structures therefor G06F16/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2209/75 by polling or interrogating the sub-stations
• 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

A performance measuring system integrated with an article of clothing, the system has a computing unit for coordinating, processing and transmission of sensor data connected to a bus and an antenna. A sensor for measuring performance characteristics is connected to the bus; the bus facilitates transmission and reception of control and data values between the computing unit and the sensor. Also, an antenna is connected to the computing unit for communicating with other computing devices and transmission of sensor data. The other computing devices display the sensor data to a user or forward the sensor data onto another communication media such as the internet or interactive television. A social networking system sharing athletic statistics using a webservice, a personal processing unit connectable to the webservice, and a computing unit having an activity program for at least one sensor. This system has an activity update service integrally associated with the webservice.

Claims

1. A social networking system for the sharing of athletic statistics, comprising:

a means for sharing stats by uploading and downloading stats during live athletic competition;

a means for controlling a sensor or array of sensors; and

a means for interacting with the Internet for the manual as well as automatic reception and transmission of athletic statistics from the means for sharing and for the communication with the means for controlling.

2. The social networking system of claim 1, additionally comprising:

a means for updating software on the means for interacting, wherein said means for updating is associated with said means for sharing.

3. A system for tracking athletic movements comprising:

computing unit configured to transmit and receive electrical signals relating to athletic performance parameters;

at least one sensor configured to generate electrical signals relating to athletic performance parameters from physical movement, wherein said at least one sensor and said computing unit are communicatively connected to enable the computing unit to receive electrical signals generated by said at least one sensor in real time;

at least one external computing device configured to communicate electrical signals relating to athletic performance parameters with said computing unit, wherein said at least one external computing device and said computing unit are specifically paired, defined by at least one of a wired serial connection and wireless bonding which enables the computing unit to authenticate the identity of the external computing device prior to communicating electrical signals therewith; and

a remote server communicatively connected to said external computing device through a computer network, wherein said external computing device is operable to automatically upload activity data, defined as data generated from electrical signals relating to athletic performance parameters from the physical movement of the at least one sensors, over said network and said server stores said activity data, enabling interactive subscriber communication whereby uploaded activity data can be retrieved over the computer network.

4. The system of claim 3, wherein:

said computing unit conditions in real time electrical signals relating to one or more athletic performance parameters generated by said sensors into data corresponding to units of measurement for physical movement which is useable by a display component; and

said conditioning includes at least obtaining a peak performance quantity.

5. The system of claim 3, wherein said external computing device is configured to provide software updates received from said server to said computing unit.

6. The system of claim 3, wherein said external computing device conditions in real time electrical signals relating to one or more athletic performance parameters generated by said sensors into data corresponding to units of measurement for physical movement which is useable by a display component and said conditioning includes at least obtaining a peak performance quantity.

7. The system of claim 3, wherein said sensors are integrated with an article of clothing such that electrical signals corresponding to athletic performance parameters are generated by physical movement of the article of clothing.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein:

said sensors are integrated with a shoe; and

electrical signals are generated by vertical displacement of said shoe.

9. The system of claim 3, further comprising:

an antenna unit communicatively connected with the computing unit to facilitate the real time transmission of electrical signals between the antenna unit and computing unit; and

said antenna unit is configured to transmit electrical signals wirelessly.

10. The system of claim 3, wherein said external computing device additionally includes a client software application containing instructions which enables the external computing device to configure the specifically paired computing unit to control the at least one sensor connected thereto.

11. The system of claim 3, wherein said external computing device additionally includes a client software application containing instructions which enable the external computing device to access uploaded activity data on said server.

12. A method for measuring and tracking athletic movements over a computer network, comprising the steps of:

providing a computing units configured to transmit and receive electrical signals relating to athletic performance parameters;

providing at least one sensor wherein said at least one sensor and said computing unit are communicatively connected to enable the real time transmission of electrical signals between them;

providing at least one external computing device configured to communicate electrical signals relating to athletic performance parameters with said computing unit, wherein said at least one external computing device and said computing unit are specifically paired, defined by at least one of a wired serial connection and wireless bonding which enables the computing unit to authenticate the identity of the external computing device prior to communicating electrical signals therewith;

providing a remote server communicatively connected to said external computing device through the computer network;

generating by said sensors electrical signals relating to athletic performance parameters from the physical movement thereof;

transmitting by said computing unit said electrical signals relating to athletic performance parameters to the specifically paired external computing device;

uploading by said external computing device activity data, defined as data generated from electrical signals relating to athletic performance parameters from the physical movement of the at least one sensors, wherein said external computing device is operable to automatically upload said activity data, over said network; and

storing by said server uploaded activity data, enabling interactive subscriber communication whereby uploaded activity data can be retrieved over the computer network.

13. The method of claim 12, additionally including the steps of:

providing at least one visual user interface; and

conditioning by said computing unit in real time electrical signals relating to one or more athletic performance parameters generated by said sensors into data corresponding to units of measurement for physical movement which is useable by said visual user interface, wherein said conditioning includes at least obtaining a peak performance quantity.

14. The method of claim 12, wherein said external computing device is configured to provide software updates received from said server to said computing unit.

15. The method of claim 13, additionally including the step of conditioning by said external computing device in real time electrical signals relating to one or more athletic performance parameters generated by said sensors into data corresponding to units of measurement for physical movement which is useable by said visual user interface, wherein said conditioning includes at least obtaining a peak performance quantity.

16. The method of claim 12, wherein said sensors are integrated with an article of clothing such that electrical signals corresponding to athletic performance parameters are generated by the physical movement of the article of clothing.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein:

said sensors are integrated with a shoe; and

electrical signals are generated by vertical displacement of said shoe.

18. The method of claim 12, additionally including the step of transmitting by an antenna unit communicatively connected with the computing unit electrical signals therefrom wirelessly.

19. The method of claim 12, wherein said external computing device includes a client software application containing instructions which enables the external computing device to configure the specifically paired computing unit to control the at least one sensor connected thereto.

20. The method of claim 12, wherein said external computing device additionally includes a client software application containing instructions which enable the external computing device to access uploaded activity data on said server.

21. A social networking system for the sharing of athletic statistics comprising:

a plurality of measurement apparatus, each a having computing unit which is associated with one or more sensors, wherein said computing unit is configured to control the operation of associated sensors and acquire athletic statistic data defined as electrical signals relating to the physical movement or orientation of associated sensors;

a server connected to a computer network, wherein said service is configured to provide for real time automated storage of athletic statistic data acquired by a plurality of computing units and retrieval;

at least one personal processing unit configured to receive athletic statistic data relating to a plurality of measurement apparatus from the server over the computer network, wherein the at least one personal processing unit is configured to receive stored athletic statistic data through a personal computing client software application; and

wherein the personal computing client software application additionally enables the at least one personal processing unit to be operable to configure at least one of said computing units to control the operation of associated sensors and acquire athletic statistic data through the uploading of activity programs to said computing units.

22. The social networking system of claim 21, wherein the server is additionally configured to provide activity programs to said personal processing unit for loading to one or more computing units.

23. The social networking system of claim 21, wherein the uploading of activity programs from the at least one personal processing unit to one of said computing units links that personal processing unit with that computing unit, enabling the receipt of data telemetry from the linked computing unit to the linked personal processing unit.

24. The social networking system of claim 23, wherein:

the social networking system includes a plurality of personal processing units having the personal computing client software application; and

the personal computing client software application enables said personal processing units to receive athletic statistic data relating to at least one of said measurement apparatus directly from the server.

25. The social networking system of claim 21, wherein the server is additionally configured to provide for manual storage of athletic statistic data entered through a user interface.

26. The social networking system of claim 21, wherein the computer network is the Internet.

27. The social networking system of claim 21, wherein the personal processing unit additionally includes a display interface.