Athletic performance sensing and/or tracking systems and methods

• US 9,662,560 B2
• Filed: 09/16/2013
• Issued: 05/30/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 09/07/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nike, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Nike, Inc.
• Inventors: Riley, Raymond W., Schrock, Allan M., Niegowski, James A., Rauchholz, William F., Berner, Jr., William E., Hoffer, Kevin W.
• Primary Examiner(s): GANESAN, SUNDHARA M
• Application Number:
  US14/027,616
• Publication Number:
  US 20140018946A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,352 Days
• Field of Search: 482 1- 9, 600587, 600595
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2503/10 Athletes
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/1118 Determining activity level
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/74 Details of notification to user or communication with user or patient indicating measured values G01D7/00; user input means input or output arrangements for computers G06F3/00
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/7405 using sound
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2024/0065 Evaluating the fitness, e.g. fitness level or fitness index
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2024/0068 Comparison to target or threshold, previous performance or not real time comparison to other individuals
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2024/0071 Distinction between different activities, movements, or kind of sports performed
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2071/0625 Emitting sound, noise or music
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2071/0694 Visual indication, e.g. Indicia
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/00 Measuring of physical parameters relating to sporting activity
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/12 Absolute positions, e.g. by using GPS
• 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 2220/30 Speed
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/836 Sensors arranged on the body of the user
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2225/20 with means for remote communication, e.g. internet or the like
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2230/06 heartbeat rate only
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 24/0006 Computerised comparison for qualitative assessment of motion sequences or the course of a movement
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 24/0059 Exercising apparatus with reward systems
• 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 24/0075 : Means for generating exercise programs or schemes, e.g. computerized virtual trainer, e.g. using expert databases
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 24/0087 : Electric or electronic controls for exercising apparatus of groups A63B21/00 - A63B23/00, e.g. controlling load
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 69/0028 : for running, jogging or speed-walking movable endless bands A63B22/02
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 69/16 : for cycling , i.e. arrangements on or for real bicycles
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 71/06 : Indicating or scoring devices for games or players , or for other sports activities
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 71/0616 : Means for conducting or scheduling competition, league, tournaments or rankings
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 71/0622 : Visual, audio or audio-visual systems for entertaining, instructing or motivating the user
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 71/0686 : Timers, rhythm indicators or pacing apparatus using electric or electronic means
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 15/02 : electric
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/4387 : by the use of playlists
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/68 : Retrieval characterised by using metadata, e.g. metadata not derived from the content or metadata generated manually
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/165 : Management of the audio stream, e.g. setting of volume, audio stream path
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/0639 : Performance analysis of employees; Performance analysis of enterprise or organisation operations
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 5/02 : with visual presentation of the material to be studied, e.g. using film strip
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 5/04 : with audible presentation of the material to be studied sound recording or reproducing G11B
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 20/30 : relating to physical therapies or activities, e.g. physiotherapy, acupressure or exercising
• CPC Class Codes: G16Z 99/00 : Subject matter not provided for in other main groups of this subclass

Abstract

Athletic performance sensing and/or tracking systems include components for measuring or sensing athletic performance data and/or for storing and/or displaying desired information associated with the athletic performance to the user (or others). Such systems can allow users a wide variety of options in creating workouts, selecting and presenting media content during the athletic performance, etc., e.g., to help keep users entertained and motivated. In some instances, user feedback may be used, optionally in combination with objective data relating to a workout, to control features of the workout routine, to control the music or other media content selected and/or presented, and/or to control features of future workout routines and/or the presented media content.

Claims

1. A method performed by an athletic performance tracking system comprising:

outputting, by a first computing device of the athletic performance tracking system having at least one processor, a plurality of media content items to a first user while the first user is performing a first physical activity;

receiving, by the first computing device, a first set of athletic performance data from a first sensor measuring athletic performance of the first user for the first physical activity including a first portion of data received when the first computing device is outputting a first media content item of the plurality of media content items and a second portion of data received when the first computing device is outputting a second media content item of the plurality of media content items;

determining, by the first computing device, that the first portion of data is indicative of a more desired performance metric than the second portion of data;

selecting, by the first computing device, the first media content item in response to the determining;

receiving, by a second computing device of the athletic performance tracking system having at least one processor, a second set of athletic performance data from a second sensor measuring athletic performance of a second user for a second physical activity performed by the second user, wherein the second user is a different user than the first user;

determining, by the second computing device, whether the second set of athletic performance data satisfies a predetermined condition, wherein the predetermined condition is one of;

the second user is approaching a predetermined goal;

the second user is approaching a personal best in a particular activity metric;

the second user is approaching a portion of the second physical activity having a high intensity;

the second user is approaching a predetermined time, distance, or location in the second physical activity;

the second user has fallen behind a predetermined pace; and

the second user is approaching a predetermined milestone;

in response to determining that the second set of athletic performance data satisfies the predetermined condition, outputting the first media content item to the second user; and

in response to receiving a user display request, causing display of the second set of athletic performance data on a display of the second computing device.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising adding the first media content item to a library of media content items.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the selecting is based on determining that a performance metric during the first portion of data is a predetermined percentage higher than the performance metric during the second portion of data.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising outputting, by the second computing device, the first media content item in response to receiving user-input during the second physical activity.

5. One or more non-transitory computer readable media storing computer readable instructions that, when executed, cause one or more athletic performance tracking devices to:

output a plurality of media content items to a first user while the first user is performing a first physical activity;

receive a first set of athletic performance data from a first sensor measuring athletic performance of the first user for the first physical activity including a first portion of data received when the one or more athletic performance tracking devices is outputting a first media content item of the plurality of media content items and a second portion of data received when the one or more athletic performance tracking devices is outputting a second media content item of the plurality of media content items;

determine that the first portion of data is indicative of a more desired performance metric than the second portion of data;

select the first media content item in response to the determining;

receive a second set of athletic performance data from a first sensor measuring athletic performance of a second user for a second physical activity performed by the second user, wherein the second user is a different user than the first user;

determine whether the second set of athletic performance data satisfies a predetermined condition, wherein the predetermined condition is one of;

the second user is approaching a predetermined goal;

the second user is approaching a personal best in a particular activity metric;

the second user is approaching a portion of the second physical activity having a high intensity;

the second user is approaching a predetermined time, distance, or location in the second physical activity;

the second user has fallen behind a predetermined pace; and

the second user is approaching a predetermined milestone;

in response to determining that the second set of athletic performance data satisfies the predetermined condition, output the first media content item to the second user; and

in response to receiving a user display request, cause display of the second set of athletic performance data on a display of at least one of the one or more athletic performance tracking devices.

6. The one or more non-transitory computer readable media of claim 5 storing further computer readable instructions that, when executed, cause the apparatus to add the first media content item to a library of media content items.

7. The one or more non-transitory computer readable media of claim 5, wherein the selecting is based on determining that a performance metric during the first portion of data is a predetermined percentage higher than the performance metric during the second portion of data.

8. The one or more non-transitory computer readable media of claim 5 storing further computer readable instructions that, when executed, cause the apparatus to output the first media content item in response to receiving user-input during the second physical activity.