Athletic performance and technique monitoring

• US 9,533,182 B1
• Filed: 06/01/2012
• Issued: 01/03/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 03/18/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Thomas C. Chuang
• Original Assignee: Thomas C. Chuang
• Inventors: Chuang, Thomas C.
• Primary Examiner(s): MUSSELMAN, TIMOTHY A
• Application Number:
  US13/487,024
• Time in Patent Office: 1,677 Days
• Field of Search: 36/83, 702/141, 734/88, 434/247, 434/255, 607/48, 377/24.2, 600/509, 600/592, 600/595, 482 1- 9, 482 51- 52, 482/54, 482900-902, 345/156, 345/158, 701/201, 701/207
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2560/0242 adapted to measure environmental factors, e.g. temperature, pollution
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0002 Remote monitoring of patients using telemetry, e.g. transmission of vital signals via a communication network A61B5/07 takes precedence; transmission systems for measured values G08C; transmission H04B; transmission of digital information H04L; wireless communication networks H04W
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/1112 Global tracking of patients, e.g. by using GPS
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/112 Gait analysis
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/681 Wristwatch-type devices
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 1/00 Horizontal bars
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/12 Absolute positions, e.g. by using GPS
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/16 Angular positions
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/20 Distances or displacements
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/22 Stride length
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/40 Acceleration
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/833 Sensors arranged on the exercise apparatus or sports implement
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/836 Sensors arranged on the body of the user
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2230/06 heartbeat rate only
• 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 24/0003 Analysing the course of a movement or motion sequences during an exercise or trainings sequence, e.g. swing for golf or tennis
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 24/0006 Computerised comparison for qualitative assessment of motion sequences or the course of a movement
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 24/0021 Tracking a path or terminating locations
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 69/0028 for running, jogging or speed-walking movable endless bands A63B22/02
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 71/0619 Displays, user interfaces and indicating devices, specially adapted for sport equipment, e.g. display mounted on treadmills
• CPC Class Codes: A63C 2203/18 : Measuring a physical parameter, e.g. speed, distance
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2800/52 : Predicting or monitoring the response to treatment, e.g. for selection of therapy based on assay results in personalised medicine; Prognosis
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2800/54 : Determining the risk of relapse
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 33/57415 : of breast
• CPC Class Codes: G01P 13/00 : Indicating or recording presence, absence, or direction, of movement electric switches H01H; counting moving objects G06M7/00
• CPC Class Codes: G01P 3/00 : Measuring linear or angular speed; Measuring differences of linear or angular speeds G01P5/00 - G01P11/00 take precedence; direction and speed indication G01P13/045; counting mechanisms G06M
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/19 : Sporting applications
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/52 : Determining velocity
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 18/2193 : based on specific statistical tests
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2207/10056 : Microscopic image
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2207/30024 : Cell structures in vitro; Tissue sections in vitro
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 7/0012 : Biomedical image inspection
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 7/11 : Region-based segmentation
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 7/12 : Edge-based segmentation
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 20/698 : Matching; Classification
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 40/23 : Recognition of whole body movements, e.g. for sport training
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 19/00 : Teaching not covered by other main groups of this subclass teaching or practice apparatus for gun-aiming or gun-laying F41G3/26
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 19/0038 : Sports
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 50/30 : for calculating health indices; for individual health risk assessment
• CPC Class Codes: G16Z 99/00 : Subject matter not provided for in other main groups of this subclass

Abstract

Methods and apparatuses for athletic performance and technique monitoring are disclosed. In one example, a sensor output is received associated with a movement of a user torso during a running motion. The sensor output is analyzed to identify an undesirable torso motion.

Claims

1. A method for monitoring a user athletic motion comprising:

monitoring a first user motion parameter during an athletic motion with a first sensor device;

monitoring a second user motion parameter associated with the athletic motion with a second sensor device; and

determining at an electronic device whether the first user motion parameter exceeds a threshold value, the threshold value dependent on the second user motion parameter.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the second user motion parameter comprises a user horizontal displacement during the athletic motion.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the first user motion parameter comprises a user vertical displacement.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the second user motion parameter comprises a user speed during the athletic motion and the second sensor device comprises a speed sensor.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the threshold value is adjusted upward when the user speed increases and is adjusted downward when the user speed decreases.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising outputting an indication the first user motion parameter exceeds the threshold value.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the first user motion parameter is associated with a user arm motion, a user foot motion, or a user torso motion.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the first sensor device and the second sensor device are disposed at a smartphone.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the first sensor device and the second sensor device are disposed at a wrist-worn device.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the first sensor device is a first body worn device worn at a first body location and the second sensor device is a second body worn device worn at a second body location.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the first sensor device and the second sensor device are body worn devices worn at a same body location.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the first sensor device is disposed at a wrist-worn device and the second sensor device is disposed at a smartphone, or the first sensor device is disposed at a smartphone and the second sensor device is disposed at a wrist-worn device.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein the threshold value is adjusted during the athletic motion responsive to monitoring the second user motion parameter.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein the second sensor device comprises a navigation device.

15. A system comprising:

a first sensor to provide a first sensor output associated with a movement of a user body part during a user activity;

a second sensor to provide a second sensor output;

one or more processors; and

one or more memories storing one or more application programs executable by the one or more processors, the one or more application programs configured to monitor a value of a parameter indicative of athletic form or technique utilizing the first sensor output and determine during the user activity a variable threshold value for the parameter indicative of athletic form or technique, the one or more application programs further configured to analyze the first sensor output to identify an undesirable motion of the user body part or a desirable motion of the user body part utilizing the value of the parameter indicative of athletic form or technique and the variable threshold value for the parameter determined during the user activity.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein the user body part comprises a user torso and the undesirable motion is an undesirable torso stride angle, an undesirable vertical displacement, undesirable vertical acceleration, or undesirable torso rotation.

17. The system of claim 15, wherein the variable threshold value is dependent on the second sensor output.

18. The system of claim 15, wherein the user body part comprises a user arm, a user foot, or a user torso.

19. The system of claim 15, wherein the one or more application programs are further configured to provide an output indicating the undesirable motion of the user body part or the desirable motion of the user body part.

20. The system of claim 15, wherein the one or more application programs are further configured to output an indication if the variable threshold value is exceeded by the value of the parameter indicative of athletic form or technique.

21. The system of claim 15, wherein the second sensor comprises a global positioning system unit configured to monitor a user speed, wherein the variable threshold value is dependent on the user speed.

22. The system of claim 15, wherein the variable threshold value is specific to a user performing the user activity.

23. The system of claim 15, wherein the first sensor or the second sensor are disposed at a smartphone.

24. The system of claim 15, wherein the first sensor and the second sensor are disposed at a smartphone.

25. The system of claim 15, wherein the first sensor is disposed at a wrist-worn device and the second sensor is disposed at a smartphone, or the first sensor is disposed at a smartphone and the second sensor is disposed at a wrist-worn device.

26. One or more non-transitory computer-readable storage media having computer-executable instructions stored thereon which, when executed by one or more computers, cause the one more computers to perform operations comprising:

receiving a sensor output associated with a movement of a user body part during an athletic activity, the sensor output received on an electronic communications link from a sensor device;

monitoring a value of a parameter indicative of athletic form or technique utilizing the sensor output received on the electronic communications link from the sensor device;

determining at an electronic device during the athletic activity a variable threshold value for the parameter indicative of athletic form or technique; and

identifying an undesirable motion of the user body part or a desirable motion of the user body part comprising utilizing the value of the parameter indicative of athletic form or technique and the variable threshold value for the parameter determined during the athletic activity.

27. The one or more non-transitory computer readable storage media of claim 26, wherein the undesirable motion of the user body part comprises a torso stride angle, a torso vertical displacement, a torso vertical acceleration, or a torso rotation in excess of the variable threshold value.

28. The one or more non-transitory computer readable storage media of claim 27, the operations further comprising receiving a user speed data, wherein the variable threshold value is dependent on a user speed.

29. The one or more non-transitory computer readable storage media of claim 28, wherein the variable threshold value is adjusted upward when the user speed increases and is adjusted downward when the user speed decreases.

30. The one or more non-transitory computer readable storage media of claim 26, wherein the operations further comprise receiving a second sensor output, wherein the variable threshold value is dependent on the second sensor output.

31. The one or more non-transitory computer readable storage media of claim 26, wherein the sensor device comprises an inertial sensor.

32. The one or more non-transitory computer readable storage media of claim 26, wherein the user body part comprises a user arm.

33. The one or more non-transitory computer readable storage media of claim 26, wherein the user body part comprises a user foot.

34. The one or more non-transitory computer readable storage media of claim 26, wherein the user body part comprises a user torso.

35. The one or more non-transitory computer readable storage media of claim 26, wherein the variable threshold value is associated with the movement of the user body part.

36. The one or more non-transitory computer readable storage media of claim 26, wherein monitoring the value of the parameter indicative of athletic form or technique utilizing the sensor output comprises determining a direction.

37. The one or more non-transitory computer readable storage media of claim 26, wherein monitoring the value of the parameter indicative of athletic form or technique utilizing the sensor output comprises determining a distance.

38. The one or more non-transitory computer readable storage media of claim 26, wherein monitoring the value of the parameter indicative of athletic form or technique utilizing the sensor output comprises determining a velocity.

39. The one or more non-transitory computer readable storage media of claim 26, wherein monitoring the value of the parameter indicative of athletic form or technique utilizing the sensor output comprises detecting an impact.

40. The one or more non-transitory computer readable storage media of claim 26, wherein monitoring the value of the parameter indicative of athletic form or technique utilizing the sensor output comprises determining a rotation.

41. The one or more non-transitory computer readable storage media of claim 26, wherein monitoring the value of the parameter indicative of athletic form or technique utilizing the sensor output comprises determining a relationship of two parameters.

42. The one or more non-transitory computer readable storage media of claim 26, wherein monitoring the value of the parameter indicative of athletic form or technique utilizing the sensor output comprises processing an output from a navigation device.

43. The one or more non-transitory computer-readable storage media of claim 42, wherein the output from the navigation device comprises a user speed, current location, previous location, bearing, heading, or altitude.

44. The one or more non-transitory computer readable storage media of claim 26, wherein the sensor device is disposed at a wrist-worn device.

45. The one or more non-transitory computer readable storage media of claim 26, wherein the sensor device is disposed at a smartphone.

46. The one or more non-transitory computer readable storage media of claim 26, wherein the sensor device is disposed at an equipment.

47. The one or more non-transitory computer-readable storage media of claim 26, wherein the operations further comprise:

monitoring a user location data with a navigation device.

48. The one or more non-transitory computer-readable storage media of claim 26 wherein the operations further comprise:

monitoring a user heart rate data with a heart rate monitoring device.

49. The one or more non-transitory computer-readable storage media of claim 26, wherein the operations further comprise:

outputting a user prompt at a user interface of a device worn on a user body indicating the undesirable motion of the user body part or the desirable motion of the user body part.

50. The one or more non-transitory computer-readable storage media of claim 26, wherein the operations further comprise:

determining whether a user parameter falls within an acceptable parameter range.

51. One or more non-transitory computer-readable storage media having computer-executable instructions stored thereon which, when executed by one or more computers, cause the one more computers to perform operations comprising:

monitoring a first parameter during a user motion with a first data output from a first sensor device;

monitoring a second parameter associated with the user motion with a second data output from a second sensor device; and

determining at an electronic device whether the first parameter exceeds a threshold value, the threshold value dependent on the second parameter.

52. The one or more non-transitory computer-readable storage media of claim 51, wherein the second parameter comprises a user horizontal displacement during the user motion.

53. The one or more non-transitory computer-readable storage media of claim 51, wherein the first parameter comprises a user vertical displacement.

54. The one or more non-transitory computer-readable storage media of claim 51, wherein the second parameter comprises a user speed during the user motion.

55. The one or more non-transitory computer-readable storage media of claim 54, wherein the threshold value is adjusted upward when the user speed increases and is adjusted downward when the user speed decreases.

56. The one or more non-transitory computer-readable storage media of claim 51, wherein the operations further comprise:

outputting an indication the first parameter exceeds the threshold value.

57. The one or more non-transitory computer-readable storage media of claim 51, wherein the first parameter is associated with a user arm motion, a user foot motion, or a user torso motion.

58. The one or more non-transitory computer-readable storage media of claim 51, wherein the first sensor device is worn at a first body location and the second sensor device is worn at a second body location.

59. The one or more non-transitory computer-readable storage media of claim 51, wherein the first parameter and the second parameter are monitored by a same device.

60. The one or more non-transitory computer-readable storage media of claim 51, wherein the threshold value is adjusted during the user motion responsive to monitoring the second parameter.

61. The one or more non-transitory computer-readable storage media of claim 60, wherein the threshold value is adjusted by an amount specific to a user performing the user motion.

62. The one or more non-transitory computer-readable storage media of claim 51, wherein the threshold value is user defined.

63. The one or more non-transitory computer-readable storage media of claim 51, wherein the second sensor device comprises a navigation device.

64. The one or more non-transitory computer-readable storage media of claim 63, wherein the navigation device outputs a user speed, current location, previous location, bearing, heading, or altitude.

65. The one or more non-transitory computer-readable storage media of claim 51, wherein the second sensor device comprises an inertial sensor.

66. The one or more non-transitory computer-readable storage media of claim 51, wherein monitoring the second parameter comprises receiving an output from the second sensor device.

67. The one or more non-transitory computer-readable storage media of claim 51, wherein the second is worn on a user torso.

68. The one or more non-transitory computer-readable storage media of claim 51, wherein the second sensor device is worn on a user arm.

69. The one or more non-transitory computer-readable storage media of claim 51 wherein the second sensor device is worn on a user foot.

70. The one or more non-transitory computer-readable storage media of claim 51, wherein the second sensor device is configured to output a physiological data.

71. The one or more non-transitory computer-readable storage media of claim 70, wherein the physiological data comprises a heart rate data.

72. The one or more non-transitory computer-readable storage media of claim 51, wherein monitoring the second parameter comprises determining a direction.

73. The one or more non-transitory computer-readable storage media of claim 51, wherein monitoring the second parameter comprises determining a distance.

74. The one or more non-transitory computer-readable storage media of claim 51, wherein monitoring the second parameter comprises determining a velocity.

75. The one or more non-transitory computer-readable storage media of claim 51, wherein monitoring the second parameter comprises detecting an impact.

76. The one or more non-transitory computer-readable storage media of claim 51, wherein the first parameter comprises a first user motion parameter and the second parameter comprises a second user motion parameter.

77. The one or more non-transitory computer-readable storage media of claim 51, wherein the first parameter comprises a motion parameter.

78. The one or more non-transitory computer-readable storage media of claim 51, wherein monitoring the first parameter comprises receiving an output from the first sensor device.

79. The one or more non-transitory computer-readable storage media of claim 51, wherein the first sensor device is worn on a user torso.

80. The one or more non-transitory computer-readable storage media of claim 51, wherein the first sensor device is worn on a user arm.

81. The one or more non-transitory computer-readable storage media of claim 51, wherein the first sensor device is configured to output a physiological data.

82. The one or more non-transitory computer-readable storage media of claim 81, wherein the physiological data comprises a heart rate data.

83. The one or more non-transitory computer-readable storage media of claim 51, wherein monitoring the first parameter comprises determining a direction.

84. The one or more non-transitory computer-readable storage media of claim 51, wherein monitoring the first parameter comprises determining a distance.

85. The one or more non-transitory computer-readable storage media of claim 51, wherein monitoring the first parameter comprises determining a velocity.

86. The one or more non-transitory computer-readable storage media of claim 51, wherein monitoring the first parameter comprises detecting an impact.

87. The one or more non-transitory computer-readable storage media of claim 51, wherein monitoring the first parameter comprises determining a rotation.

88. The one or more non-transitory computer-readable storage media of claim 51, wherein monitoring the first parameter comprises determining a relationship of two parameters.

89. The one or more non-transitory computer-readable storage media of claim 51, wherein the operations further comprise:

monitoring a user speed data with a global positioning system navigation unit.

90. The one or more non-transitory computer-readable storage media of claim 51, wherein the operations further comprise:

monitoring a user location data with a global positioning system navigation unit.

91. The one or more non-transitory computer-readable storage media of claim 51, wherein the operations further comprise:

monitoring a user heart rate data with a heart rate monitoring device.

92. The one or more non-transitory computer-readable storage media of claim 51, wherein the operations further comprise:

outputting a user prompt at a user interface of a device worn on a user body, the user prompt responsive to determining at the electronic device whether the first parameter exceeds the threshold value.

93. The one or more non-transitory computer-readable storage media of claim 51, wherein the operations further comprise:

determining whether a user parameter falls within an acceptable parameter range.