Exercise tracking and analysis systems and related methods of use

• US 9,135,347 B2
• Filed: 04/25/2014
• Issued: 09/15/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 12/18/2013
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Assess2Perform, LLC
• Original Assignee: Assess2Perform, LLC
• Inventors: Damman, Scott Robert, O'Neill, George David, Kim, Ivan H.
• Primary Examiner(s): Liddle, Jay
• Assistant Examiner(s): Hsu, Ryan
• Application Number:
  US14/261,848
• Publication Number:
  US 20150170530A1
• Time in Patent Office: 508 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 37/00 Solid balls; Rigid hollow balls; Marbles heavy throwing balls A63B65/06
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/951 Indexing; Web crawling techniques
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/10 Office automation; Time management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/10 Services
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 19/0038 Sports
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 5/00 Electrically-operated educational appliances working with questions and answers G09B7/00; simulators G09B9/00; advertising or displaying in general G09F

Abstract

A method for assessing physical performance may include receiving first performance data relating to an activity performed by a user, and generating a first performance profile. The method also may include generating a first comparison by comparing the first performance data to a second performance profile relating to the activity, and generating feedback based on the first comparison by indicating whether the first performance profile deviated from the second performance profile.

Claims

1. A method for assessing physical performance of a user with a weighted exercise implement, the method comprising:

wirelessly receiving, at a wireless electronic device, first performance data sensed by a sensor coupled to the weighted exercise implement when a user performs a movement with the weighted exercise implement, the sensor including one or more of an accelerometer, a magnetometer, and a gyroscope;

the weighted exercise implement further including therein at least a wireless transmitter for sending the first performance data to the wireless electronic device, and a rechargeable power source, wherein the first performance data includes acceleration, rate of rotation, force, power, direction, and angle of motion, for both a concentric phase and an eccentric phase of the user'"'"'s movement;

wherein the weighted exercise implement is a weighted medicine ball;

analyzing, at a first processor, the first performance data to determine one or more of an accuracy of the user'"'"'s movement and a smoothness of the user'"'"'s movement;

wherein the accuracy of the user'"'"'s movement is determined by comparing an actual path of the user'"'"'s movement to an ideal path of the user'"'"'s movement, and wherein the smoothness of the user'"'"'s movement is determined by comparing an actual smoothness of the user'"'"'s movement to an ideal smoothness of the user'"'"'s movement;

generating feedback based on the determined one or more of the accuracy of the user'"'"'s movement and the smoothness of the user'"'"'s movement by making a recommendation to the user regarding a subsequent movement; and

displaying the generated feedback on a display of the wireless electronic device.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the wireless electronic device is a touchscreen enabled device.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the wireless electronic device syncs to the first sensor before receiving the first performance data.

4. The method of claim 1, further including displaying a plurality of exercises on a display prior to receiving the first performance data.

5. The method of claim 4, further including receiving a selection of one of the plurality of exercises displayed on the display prior to receiving the first performance data.

6. The method of claim 1, further including simultaneously displaying the peak watts, speed, and force of the movement on the wireless electronic device.

7. The method of claim 1, further including receiving a workout goal from the user.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the method further includes generating feedback based on the workout goal received from the user.

9. A method for assessing physical performance of a user using a first medicine ball and a second medicine ball, the method comprising:

displaying a plurality of exercises on a touchscreen display of an interface device;

receiving, from the user, a selection of a throw from the plurality of exercises displayed on the touchscreen display;

receiving, from the user, a workout goal of the user;

after receiving from the user a selection of a throw, displaying a representation of an ideal path of a medicine ball during a throw on the display of the interface device;

displaying a representation of a throw from multiple angles such that the user may ascertain the proper tempo of a throwing motion to be performed by the user;

wirelessly syncing the interface device with the first medicine ball having a first sensor embedded within the first medicine ball, the first medicine ball having;

a first weight;

a wireless transmitter;

a rechargeable power source;

a covering that is laced shut to secure the first sensor to the first medicine ball;

an accelerometer;

a three axis gyroscope;

a magnetometer; and

two elastic handles that are mounted on opposite sides of the first medicine ball that are each configured to stretch away from the outer surface of the first medicine ball to allow a user to hold the first medicine ball at arms length without using muscles to squeeze the first medicine ball;

after receiving the selection of a throw from the plurality of exercises and after syncing the interface device with the first ball, receiving first performance data sensed by the first sensor during performance of a first throw by the user with the first medicine ball, wherein the first performance data includes acceleration, rate of rotation, force, power, direction, and angle of motion, for both a concentric phase and an eccentric phase of the first throw;

generating a first performance profile based on the first performance data for both the concentric phase and the eccentric phase of the first throw, the first performance profile including peak watts, speed, and force of the selected exercise performed by the user with the first medicine ball;

analyzing, at a first processor, the first performance data to determine the accuracy of the first throw;

wherein the accuracy of the first throw is determined by comparing an actual path of the first medicine ball during the first throw to an ideal path of the first medicine ball during the first throw;

determining a form of the first throw by analyzing the speed, angle, dwell, jerkiness, the accuracy of the first throw, a linearity of the first throw as compared to an ideal linearity, and a tempo of the first throw as compared to an ideal tempo;

providing a real-time indication to the user that the user'"'"'s form during the first throw is incorrect and that the first throw should be stopped, wherein the real-time indication is an audio tone, blinking light, or vibration;

simultaneously displaying a representation of the actual path of the first medicine ball during the first throw with the representation of the ideal path of a medicine ball;

simultaneously displaying, on the interface device, the peak watts, speed, and force of the first throw performed by the user with the first medicine ball;

wirelessly syncing the interface device with the second medicine ball having a second sensor embedded into the second medicine ball, the second medicine ball having;

a second weight that is different than the first weight;

a wireless transmitter;

a rechargeable power source;

a covering that that is laced shut to secure the second sensor to the second medicine ball;

an accelerometer;

a three axis gyroscope;

a magnetometer; and

two elastic handles that are mounted on opposite sides of the second medicine ball that are each configured to stretch away from the outer surface of the second medicine ball to allow a user to hold the second medicine ball at arms length without using muscles to squeeze the second medicine ball;

after syncing the interface device with the second medicine ball, receiving second performance data sensed by the second sensor during performance of a second throw by the user with the second medicine ball, wherein the second performance data includes acceleration, rate of rotation, force, power, direction, and angle of motion, for both a concentric phase and an eccentric phase of the first throw;

generating a second performance profile for both the concentric phase and the eccentric phase of the second throw based on the second performance data, the second performance profile including peak watts, speed, and force of the second throw performed by the user with the second medicine ball;

analyzing, at the first processor, the second performance data to determine the accuracy of the second throw;

wherein the accuracy of the second throw is determined by comparing an actual path of the second medicine ball during the second throw to an ideal path of the second medicine ball during the second throw;

determining a form of the second throw by analyzing the speed, angle, dwell, jerkiness, the accuracy of the second throw, a linearity of the second throw as compared to an ideal linearity, and a tempo of the second throw as compared to an ideal tempo;

providing a real-time indication to the user that the user'"'"'s form during the second throw is incorrect and that the second throw should be stopped, wherein the real-time indication is an audio tone, blinking light, or vibration;

simultaneously displaying a representation of the actual path of the second medicine ball during the second throw with the representation of the ideal path of the second medicine ball during the second throw;

simultaneously displaying, on the interface device, the peak watts, speed, and force of the second throw performed by the user with the second medicine ball;

comparing the first performance profile with the second performance profile based on the form of the user during the first throw with the first medicine ball or during the second throw with the second medicine ball; and

generating feedback based on the comparison and the workout goal received from the user by making a recommendation to the user to subsequently perform a future throw with the first medicine ball or the second medicine ball based on the comparison, and adjusting a future workout recommendation based on the comparison, and displaying a form correction recommendation for a future throw to the user.

10. The method of claim 9, further including charging the rechargeable power source of the first medicine ball via a USB connection.

11. The method of claim 9, wherein the first and second throws are each rotational throws.