Athletic-wear having integral measuring sensors

• US 9,456,785 B1
• Filed: 10/10/2014
• Issued: 10/04/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 04/24/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Mayfonk Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Mayfonk Incorporated
• Inventors: Matak, Martin, Spaleta, Jef
• Primary Examiner(s): PATEL, DHARTI HARIDAS
• Application Number:
  US14/511,873
• Time in Patent Office: 725 Days
• Field of Search: 340/870.07
• US Class Current: 1/1
• 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 connectible 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;

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; and

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

2. A system for tracking athletic movements comprising:

a 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;

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; and

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.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein the one or more external personal computing device is wearable.

4. The system of claim 2, wherein the display component includes an electronic visual display.

5. The system of claim 2, wherein the display component is wearable.

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

providing a computing unit 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.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the 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 movements prior to transmitting said electrical signals to said at least one external personal computing device wherein said conditioning includes at least obtaining a peak performance quantity.

8. The method of claim 6, including the additional step of:

providing software for 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 movements; and

conditioning by said computing unit said electrical signals prior to transmitting to the at least one specifically paired external personal computing device, wherein said conditioning includes at least obtaining a peak performance quantity.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein said software for use on said plurality of external personal computing devices additionally provides at least one visual user interface on said external personal computing devices, wherein said conditioned electrical signals are useable by said visual user interface.

10. The method of claim 6, including the additional step of

providing a server connected to a computer network and configured to provide real time automated storage of electrical signals relating to the physical movement or orientation of said sensors acquired by a plurality of computing units.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein in said server is configured to provide software updates to one or more of said external personal computing devices.

12. The method of claim 6, including the additional steps of:

providing a server connected to said network; and

configuring said server to store said selectively transmitted electrical signals relating to athletic performance parameters.

13. The method of claim 12, including the additional step of:

transmitting said stored electrical signals relating to athletic performance parameters to one or more external personal computing devices.

14. The method of claim 12, including the additional step of:

displaying said stored electrical signals relating to athletic performance on a visual user interface connected to the network.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the visual user interface includes an electronic visual display.

16. The method of claim 14, wherein the visual user interface is wearable.

17. The method of claim 12, including the additional step of:

providing software for use on at least one external personal computing device not sufficiently paired to said computing device which enables said external personal computing device to request receipt of said stored electrical signals relating to athletic performance parameters.

18. The method of claim 12, including the additional step of:

enabling the server to provide updates to the software on the plurality of external personal computing devices.

19. The method of claim 6, including the additional step of:

displaying said selectively transmitted electrical signals relating to athletic performance on a visual user interface connected to the network.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein the visual user interface includes an electronic visual display.

21. The method of claim 19, wherein the visual user interface is wearable.

22. The method of claim 6, wherein the one or more external personal computing device is wearable.

23. The method of claim 6, additionally including the steps of:

providing at least one visual user interface;

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; and

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.

24. The method of claim 23, wherein the visual user interface includes an electronic visual display.

25. The method of claim 23, wherein the visual user interface is wearable.

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

a plurality of measurement apparatus, each having a 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 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 data through a personal computing client software application;

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 data through the uploading of activity programs and commands to reconfigure operation to said computing units; and

wherein the one or more personal processing unit is wearable.

27. A system for tracking athletic movements comprising:

one or more sensors configured to generate electrical signals relating to athletic performance parameters from physical movement, wherein at least one of said sensors is specifically paired to an external personal computing device adapted to receive and process electrical signals relating to athletic performance parameters in real time;

wherein the specific pairing of the sensors and the external personal computer device is defined by at least one of a wired serial connection and wireless bonding which enables the sensors to authenticate the identity of the external personal computer device prior to communicating electrical signals therewith; and

software for use on said external personal computing devices, wherein said software enables said specifically paired at least one external personal computing device to connect to, and communicate over, a network and causes the at least one specifically paired external personal computing device to selectively transmit, via said network, electrical signals relating to athletic performance parameters to at least one personal computing device which is not specifically paired to the sensors.

28. The system of claim 27, wherein

said software 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.

29. The system of claim 28, wherein the display component includes an electronic visual display.

30. The system of claim 28, wherein the display component is wearable.

31. The system of claim 27, wherein the one or more external personal computing device is wearable.

32. The system of claim 27, wherein said one or more 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.

33. The system of claim 32, wherein

said one or more sensors are integrated with a shoe;

and

electrical signals are generated by vertical displacement of said shoe.

34. The system of claim 27, further comprising

an antenna unit sufficiently paired with the at least one specifically paired external personal computing device to facilitate the real time transmission of electrical signals generated by the one or more sensors between the antenna units and the at least one external personal computing device;

and

said antenna unit is configured to transmit or receive electrical signals wirelessly.

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

providing one or more sensors configured to generate electrical signals relating to athletic performance parameters from physical movement, wherein said sensors;

generating by said sensors electrical signals relating to athletic performance parameters from physical movement in real time;

providing software for use on a plurality of external personal computing devices, wherein said external personal computing devices are connectable to a network and adapted to receive electrical signals relating to athletic performance parameters in real time;

specifically pairing at least one of said sensors to at least one of said external personal computing devices, wherein said specific pairing is defined by at least one of a wired serial connection and wireless bonding which enables the sensors to authenticate the identity of the external personal computing devices prior to communicating electrical signals therewith; and

transmitting, by said at least one specifically paired sensor said electrical signals relating to athletic performance to said at least one specifically paired external personal computing device;

enabling by said software said specifically paired at least one external personal computing device to connect to, and communicate over, a network and to cause the specifically paired at least one external personal computing device to selectively transmit via said network said electrical signals relating to athletic performance parameters to at least one external personal computing device which is not specifically paired with the said at least one sensor.

36. The method of claim 35, including the additional steps of:

enabling at least one visual user interface on the at least one specifically paired external personal computing device; and

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

37. The method of claim 35, wherein said one or more 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 clothing.

38. The method of claim 37, wherein:

said one or more sensors are integrated with a shoe; and

electrical signals are generated by vertical displacement of said shoe.

39. The method of claim 35, including the additional steps of:

providing a server connected to said network; and

configuring said server to store said selectively transmitted electrical signals relating to athletic performance parameters.

40. The method of claim 39, including the additional step of:

transmitting said stored electrical signals relating to athletic performance parameters to one or more external personal computing devices.

41. The method of claim 39, including the additional step of:

displaying said stored electrical signals relating to athletic performance on a visual user interface connected to the network.

42. The method of claim 41, wherein the visual user interface includes an electronic visual display.

43. The method of claim 41, wherein the visual user interface is wearable.

44. The method of claim 39, including the additional step of:

providing software for use on at least one external personal computing device not sufficiently paired to said computing device which enables said external personal computing device to request receipt of said stored electrical signals relating to athletic performance parameters.

45. The method of claim 39, including the additional step of:

enabling the server to provide updates to the software on the plurality of external personal computing devices.

46. The method of claim 35, including the additional step of:

displaying said stored electrical signals relating to athletic performance on a visual user interface connected to the network.

47. The method of claim 46, wherein the visual user interface includes an electronic visual display.

48. The method of claim 46, wherein the visual user interface is wearable.

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

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

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

a means for interacting with a network for the transmission of athletic statistics to the means for sharing and reception of athletic statistics from the means for sharing.

50. The networking system of claim 49, wherein said network is the Internet.

51. The networking system of claim 49, wherein the means for interacting communicates with the means for controlling.

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

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

a means for controlling a sensor or plurality of sensors;

a means for interacting with a network for the transmission of athletic statistics to the means for sharing and reception of athletic statistics from the means for sharing; and

a means for communicating between the means for controlling and the means for interacting.