Wearable athletic activity monitoring systems

• US 9,737,261 B2
• Filed: 03/12/2013
• Issued: 08/22/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 04/13/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Adidas AG
• Original Assignee: Adidas AG
• Inventors: Coza, Aurel, Dibenedetto, Christian, Munson, Ian Michael
• Primary Examiner(s): Chan, Allen
• Application Number:
  US13/797,274
• Publication Number:
  US 20130274587A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,624 Days
• Field of Search: 700 91, 482 8, 463 36
• 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 5/002 Monitoring the patient using a local or closed circuit, e.g. in a room or building A61B5/0017 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0022 Monitoring a patient using a global network, e.g. telephone networks, internet
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/11 Measuring movement of the entire body or parts thereof, e.g. head or hand tremor, mobility of a limb for measuring pulse A61B5/02 ;A61B5/1038 takes precedence; motion detection to correct for motion artifacts in physiological signals A61B5/721
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/242 Detecting biomagnetic fields, e.g. magnetic fields produced by bioelectric currents
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6804 Garments; Clothes
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/20 Distances or displacements
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/0639 Performance analysis of employees; Performance analysis of enterprise or organisation operations
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 19/0038 Sports
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 40/67 for remote operation

Abstract

A sensor garment for monitoring an individual engaged in an athletic activity includes a garment formed of textile material, and a sensor module inseparably coupled to the textile material of the garment. The sensor module includes a single-purpose sensor configured to sense a single characteristic, and a radio antenna configured to transmit data generated by the single-purpose sensor. The sensor module includes no external port.

Claims

1. A sensor garment for monitoring an individual engaged in an athletic activity, the sensor garment comprising:

a garment formed of textile material; and

a sensor module inseparably coupled to the textile material of the garment,

wherein the sensor module comprises a sensor,

wherein the sensor module comprises a radio antenna configured to transmit data generated by the sensor,

wherein an exterior of the sensor module is portless, and

wherein the sensor module comprises a flexible printed circuit board.

2. The sensor garment of claim 1, wherein the sensor module comprises and is powered by one of a thin-film battery and a super capacitor.

3. The sensor garment of claim 1, wherein the sensor module comprises a near field communication circuit.

4. The sensor garment of claim 1, wherein the sensor module comprises and is powered by one of a solar cell, a kinetic energy conversion unit, and a thermoelectric generator.

5. The sensor garment of claim 1, wherein the sensor is a single-purpose sensor configured to sense a single characteristic.

6. The sensor garment of claim 5, wherein the sensor module comprises no sensor in addition to the single-purpose sensor.

7. The sensor garment of claim 1, wherein the sensor module is sewn, laser welded, or adhered to the garment.

8. The sensor garment of claim 1, wherein the sensor is an acceleration sensor.

9. The sensor garment of claim 1, wherein the sensor is a magnetic field sensor.

10. The sensor garment of claim 1, wherein the sensor module is sealed within a waterproof membrane.

11. The sensor garment of claim 1, wherein the sensor module is sealed between two layers of thermoformable film or membrane.

12. The sensor garment of claim 11, wherein the two layers are films of thermoplastic polyurethane.

13. The sensor garment of claim 1, wherein the sensor module comprises a power source configured to be charged by inductive charging.

14. The sensor garment of claim 1, wherein the sensor module is configured to receive power through a near field communication radio transmission.

15. The sensor garment of claim 1, comprising an external component removably coupled to the textile material of the garment and configured to electronically connect with the sensor module.

16. The sensor garment of claim 15, wherein the external component comprises at least one of an external memory device, an external power source, and an external radio antenna.

17. A sensor garment for monitoring an individual engaged in an athletic activity, the sensor garment comprising:

a garment formed of textile material;

a sensor module inseparably coupled to the textile material of the garment; and

an external component removably coupled to the textile material of the garment and configured to electronically connect with the sensor module,

wherein the sensor module comprises a sensor,

wherein the sensor module comprises a radio antenna configured to transmit data generated by the sensor, and

wherein the sensor module comprises and is powered by one of a thin-film battery and a capacitor.

18. The sensor garment of claim 17, wherein the sensor module comprises and is powered by the capacitor, and

wherein the capacitor is a super capacitor.

21. The sensor garment of claim 17, wherein the external component comprises at least one of an external memory device, an external power source, and an external radio antenna.

19. A sensor garment for monitoring an individual engaged in an athletic activity, the sensor garment comprising:

a garment formed of textile material; and

a sensor module inseparably coupled to the textile material of the garment,

wherein the sensor module comprises a sensor,

wherein the sensor module comprises a radio antenna configured to transmit data generated by the sensor,

wherein the sensor module comprises a near field communication circuit,

wherein the sensor is a single-purpose sensor configured to sense a single characteristic, and

wherein the sensor module comprises no sensor in addition to the single-purpose sensor.

20. The sensor garment of claim 19, wherein the sensor module is a flexible printed circuit board.