Athletic or other performance sensing systems

• US 8,965,732 B2
• Filed: 08/23/2013
• Issued: 02/24/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 04/02/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nike, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Nike, Inc.
• Inventors: Robinette, Christopher A., Moll-Carrillo, Hector, Capozzi, Matt, Hoffman, Michael T., Lakovic, Tomislav
• Primary Examiner(s): Thanh, Loan H
• Assistant Examiner(s): GANESAN, SUNDHARA M
• Application Number:
  US13/974,716
• Publication Number:
  US 20130337978A1
• Time in Patent Office: 550 Days
• Field of Search: 482/1, 482/3, 482/4, 482/7, 482/8, 482/9, 235/105, 702/160
• US Class Current: 702/160
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/1118 Determining activity level
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/4866 Evaluating metabolism A61B5/083 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2071/0663 worn on the wrist, e.g. wrist bands
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/17 Counting, e.g. counting periodical movements, revolutions or cycles, or including further data processing to determine distances or speed
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/20 Distances or displacements
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/34 Angular speed
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2225/02 Testing, calibrating or measuring of equipment
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 24/00 Electric or electronic controls for exercising apparatus of preceding groups; Controlling or monitoring of exercises, sportive games, training or athletic performances
• 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 69/0028 for running, jogging or speed-walking movable endless bands A63B22/02
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 22/00 Measuring distance traversed on the ground by vehicles, persons, animals or other moving solid bodies, e.g. using odometers, using pedometers
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 22/006 Pedometers

Abstract

A wearable device has a carrier having an aperture. A device has a USB connection and a protrusion wherein the protrusion is received in the aperture to connect the device to a wristband. The device is a USB type device having athletic functionality. The device may further be configured to receive calibration data such that a measured distance may be converted to a known distance based on athletic activity performed by a user.

Claims

1. An athletic performance monitoring system for a user wherein the user utilizes a shoe-based sensor, the system comprising:

a device having a USB connector, the device connected to a carrier configured to be worn by the user, the device having a controller configured to communicate with the sensor to record an athletic performance of the user, the athletic performance recording including measuring a distance traversed by the user;

a calibration module operably associated with the device, the calibration module configured to display the measured distance traversed by the user wherein the user can compare the measured distance to a known distance associated with the athletic performance and adjust the measured distance to correspond to the known distance, wherein the known distance is determined by the calibration module based on an average of distances traversed during a plurality of prior athletic performances.

2. The system of claim 1 wherein the device measures a distance walked by the user as the measured distance.

3. The system of claim 1 wherein the device measures a distance run by the user as the measured distance.

4. The system of claim 3 wherein the user runs at a pace corresponding to a pace to be run during a race.

5. The system of claim 1 wherein the known distance is generally between 0.25 miles and 1.25 miles.

6. The system of claim 1 wherein the calibration module is located on a computer, the device being connected to the computer via the USB connector, wherein the measured distance traversed is transferred from the device to the computer and wherein the computer displays the measured distance traversed.

7. The system of claim 6 wherein calibration module is configured to receive user adjustments to the measured distance traversed via the computer.

8. The system of claim 1 wherein the calibration module is located on a remote website, the device being connected to a computer via the USB connector wherein the computer is in communication with the remote website, wherein the measured distance traversed is transferred from the device to the computer and to the website and wherein the website displayed the measured distance traversed on the computer.

9. The system of claim 8 wherein the calibration module is configured for the user to adjust the measured distance traversed via the computer.

10. The system of claim 8 wherein in response to plugging the device into the computer, the measured distance traversed is automatically uploaded to the calibration module.

11. The system of claim 1 wherein the known distance is further determined based on one or more distances determined by a web-based mapping service.

12. A calibration system for use with an athletic performance monitoring device for a user wherein the user utilizes a shoe-based sensor in communication with the device, the device having a controller configured to communicate with the sensor to record an athletic performance of the user, the athletic performance recording including measuring a distance traversed by the user, the system comprising:

a calibration module configured to be operably associated with the device, the calibration module configured to display the measured distance traversed by the user wherein the user can compare the measured distance to a known distance associated with the athletic performance and adjust the measured distance to correspond to the known distance, wherein the calibration module is further configured to determine the known distance based on an average of distances traversed during a plurality of prior athletic performances.

13. The calibration system of claim 12, wherein the adjustment of the measured distance to correspond to the known distance is performed based on an adjustment formula and wherein the calibration module is further configured to modify the adjustment formula based on one or more additional athletic performances of the user.