Athletic peformance and technique monitoring

• US 9,669,259 B1
• Filed: 12/12/2016
• Issued: 06/06/2017
• 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:
  US15/375,524
• Time in Patent Office: 176 Days
• 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 comprising:

monitoring a torso vertical displacement parameter of a user torso during a running activity utilizing an electronic sensor output;

monitoring a user stride length parameter during the running activity utilizing an electronic device;

electronically determining a ratio parameter utilizing the torso vertical displacement parameter and the user stride length parameter; and

outputting an indication of the ratio parameter utilizing the torso vertical displacement parameter and the user stride length parameter at a device user interface.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the electronic sensor output is received on an electronic communications link from a torso mounted sensor.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising outputting a second indication at a device user interface resulting from a comparison of the ratio parameter utilizing the torso vertical displacement parameter and the user stride length parameter to a data stored prior to the running activity.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the data stored prior to the running activity utilizes data determined utilizing measurements of other runners.

5. The method of claim 3, wherein the data stored prior to the running activity comprises a stored value determined utilizing measurements of other runners.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising comparing the ratio parameter utilizing the torso vertical displacement parameter and the user stride length parameter to a data determined from data of other runners.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein outputting the indication of the ratio parameter utilizing the torso vertical displacement parameter and the user stride length parameter at the device user interface occurs during the running activity.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising determining an average of the ratio parameter utilizing the torso vertical displacement parameter and the user stride length parameter and outputting the average at the device user interface.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the average of the ratio parameter utilizing the torso vertical displacement parameter and the user stride length parameter comprises an average of the ratio parameter utilizing the torso vertical displacement parameter and the user stride length parameter over a distance.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the ratio parameter utilizing the torso vertical displacement parameter and the user stride length parameter comprises a ratio of the torso vertical displacement parameter to the user stride length parameter.

11. The method of claim 1, comprising determining a user step cadence utilizing the electronic sensor output or the electronic device and determining a user speed or pace utilizing the electronic sensor output or the electronic device.

12. A system comprising:

a first sensor to provide a first sensor output during a user running motion;

a second sensor to provide a second sensor output during the user running motion;

one or more device user interfaces;

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 determine a user torso vertical displacement parameter comprising by use of the first sensor output or the second sensor output and configured to determine a user stride length parameter comprising by use of the first sensor output or the second sensor output, the one or more application programs further configured to determine a ratio parameter utilizing the user torso vertical displacement parameter and the user stride length parameter.

13. The system of claim 12, further comprising a global positioning system unit configured to monitor a user speed or pace during the user running motion.

14. The system of claim 12, wherein the first sensor output or the second sensor output are operable to indicate a user step cadence, and the first sensor output or the second sensor output are operable to indicate a user speed or pace.

15. The system of claim 12, wherein the first sensor is arranged to be worn on a first body part and the second sensor is arranged to be worn on a second body part, and wherein the first body part or the second body part is a user torso.

16. The system of claim 12, wherein the first sensor or the second sensor comprises a speed sensor comprising a global positioning system unit operable to monitor a user speed or pace during the user running motion.

17. The system of claim 12, wherein the ratio parameter utilizing the user torso vertical displacement parameter and the user stride length parameter comprises a ratio of the user torso vertical displacement parameter to the user stride length parameter.

18. The system of claim 12, wherein the one or more application programs are further configured to output an indication at the one or more device user interfaces resulting from a comparison of the ratio parameter utilizing the user torso vertical displacement parameter and the user stride length parameter to a data value determined from data of other runners.

19. The system of claim 12, wherein the one or more application programs are further configured to compare the ratio parameter utilizing the user torso vertical displacement parameter and the user stride length parameter to a data determined from data of other runners.

20. The system of claim 12, wherein the one or more application programs are configured to determine a user step cadence parameter comprising use of the first sensor output or the second sensor output and the one or more application programs are configured to determine a user speed or pace parameter comprising use of the first sensor output or the second sensor output.

21. The system of claim 12, wherein the one or more application programs are further configured to output the ratio parameter utilizing the user torso vertical displacement parameter and the user stride length parameter in real time at the one or more device user interfaces.

22. The system of claim 12, wherein the one or more application programs are further configured to determine an average of the ratio parameter utilizing the user torso vertical displacement parameter and the user stride length parameter over a distance interval.

23. The system of claim 12, wherein the one or more application programs are further configured to determine an average of the ratio parameter utilizing the user torso vertical displacement parameter and the user stride length parameter.

24. 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 utilizing electronic communications a first data associated with a running activity, the first data comprising a torso vertical displacement parameter data;

receiving utilizing electronic communications a second data associated with the running activity, the second data comprising a user stride length parameter data;

determining at an electronic device utilizing the first data and the second data a ratio comprising a torso vertical displacement and a user stride length; and

outputting the ratio comprising the torso vertical displacement and the user stride length at an electronic device user interface.

25. The one or more non-transitory computer-readable storage media of claim 24, the operations further comprising outputting an indication at a device user interface resulting from comparing the ratio comprising the torso vertical displacement and the user stride length and a data determined from data of other runners.

26. The one or more non-transitory computer-readable storage media of claim 24, the operations further comprising comparing the ratio comprising the torso vertical displacement and the user stride length to a data determined from data of other runners.

27. The one or more non-transitory computer-readable storage media of claim 24, the operations further comprising determining an average of the ratio comprising the torso vertical displacement and the user stride length and outputting the average at a device user interface.

28. The one or more non-transitory computer-readable storage media of claim 24, wherein the user stride length parameter data comprises data operable to determine a user stride length.

29. The one or more non-transitory computer-readable storage media of claim 24, wherein the ratio comprising the torso vertical displacement and the user stride length comprises a ratio of the torso vertical displacement to the user stride length.

30. The one or more non-transitory computer-readable storage media of claim 24, the operations comprising determining a user step cadence utilizing the first data or the second data and determining a user speed or pace utilizing the first data or the second data.