Athletic activity user experience and environment

• US 9,940,682 B2
• Filed: 08/11/2010
• Issued: 04/10/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 08/11/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nike, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Nike, Inc.
• Inventors: Hoffman, Michael T., Lakovic, Tomislav, Engelberg, Richard J.
• Primary Examiner(s): NGUYEN, THUY-VI THI
• Application Number:
  US12/854,276
• Publication Number:
  US 20120041767A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,799 Days
• 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 2071/063 Spoken or verbal instructions
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2071/0641 with a marker advancing in function of the exercise
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2071/0663 worn on the wrist, e.g. wrist bands
• 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 2220/40 Acceleration
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/53 Force of an impact, e.g. blow or punch
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/806 Video cameras
• 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 2225/20 with means for remote communication, e.g. internet or the like
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2225/50 Wireless data transmission, e.g. by radio transmitters or telemetry
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2225/54 Transponders, e.g. RFID
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2230/04 heartbeat characteristics, e.g. ECG, blood pressure modulations
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2230/06 : heartbeat rate only
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2230/207 : P-O2, i.e. partial O2 value
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2230/75 : calorie expenditure
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2243/0025 : Football American football A63B2243/007
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2243/0037 : Basketball
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2243/007 : American football
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2244/09 : Weight-lifting
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2244/18 : Skating
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2244/19 : Skiing
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2244/20 : Swimming
• 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 43/00 : Balls with special arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 69/0028 : for running, jogging or speed-walking movable endless bands A63B22/02
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 69/06 : for rowing or sculling
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 71/0616 : Means for conducting or scheduling competition, league, tournaments or rankings
• 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: A63B 71/0622 : Visual, audio or audio-visual systems for entertaining, instructing or motivating the user
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 71/12 : for the body or the legs , e.g. for the shoulders A63B71/081 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/00 : Administration; Management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06 : Resources, workflows, human or project management; Enterprise or organisation planning; Enterprise or organisation modelling
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/20 : Education
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 1/22 : in connection with sports or games
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 20/30 : relating to physical therapies or activities, e.g. physiotherapy, acupressure or exercising

Abstract

User activity including both athletic activity (e.g., running, walking, etc.) and non-athletic activity (shopping, reading articles, etc.) may be monitored and tracked by an athletic monitoring and tracking device and service. The user activity may be used to award a user with an amount of virtual currency to encourage the user to continue various activities. In one example, users may use the virtual currency to purchase or otherwise acquire various products, services, discounts and the like. A user may track an amount currency earned and/or needed relative to an amount required to acquire a desired product or service. Additionally or alternatively, a visual appearance of a user device (e.g., a watch or athletic activity band) may change based on the user'"'"'s activity level, an amount of virtual currency earned and the like.

Claims

1. A system comprising:

an activity monitoring device including a sensor arrangement and a display, the sensor arrangement comprising a pair of accelerometers configured to measure an acceleration in two orthogonal directions, the activity monitoring device configured to;

activate the sensor arrangement to measure at least one physical activity parameter as a user performs a physical activity;

provide, to the display, a visual representation of a total activity unit amount of the user; and

store physical activity information corresponding to the physical activity performed by the user including the at least one physical activity parameter; and

an activity monitoring and tracking system remote from the activity monitoring device and configured to;

receive a first set of physical activity information of the user and device information from the activity monitoring device;

determine a type of device corresponding to the device information, including determining whether the activity monitoring device is a certified device or a non-certified device;

select a conversion rate from a plurality of conversion rates for determining an amount of activity unit to award the user based on the first set of physical activity information, wherein selecting the conversion rate is selected based on a type of device corresponding to the activity monitoring device and includes;

selecting a first conversion rate in response to determining the activity monitoring device is a certified device, wherein the first conversion rate is configured to convert physical activity information into a first type of activity unit; and

selecting a second conversion rate in response to determining the activity monitoring device is a non-certified device, wherein the second conversion rate is configured to convert physical activity information into a second type of activity unit having a lower value than the first type of activity unit;

determine the amount of activity unit to award to the user based on the selected conversion rate;

modify the total activity unit amount of the user to include the determined amount of activity unit, wherein modifying the total activity unit amount includes;

adding the determined amount of activity unit to a first activity unit pool when the first conversion rate is selected; and

adding the determined amount of activity unit to a second activity unit pool different from the first activity unit pool when the second conversion rate is selected;

modify at least one visual aspect of the visual representation on the display of the activity monitoring device in response to modifying the total activity unit amount; and

responsive to receiving a user reward selection, modifying at least one other visual aspect of the visual representation to show a listing of rewards available based on the total activity unit.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the conversion rate is the first conversion rate and the determined amount of activity unit corresponds to the first type of activity unit and wherein the activity monitoring and tracking system is further configured to:

receive a second set of physical activity information; and

determine an additional amount of activity unit to award the user for the second set of physical activity information using the second conversion rate.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the activity monitoring device is further configured to convert the first set of physical activity information into an estimated amount of activity unit.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the activity monitoring device is further configured to detect athletic and non-athletic activity.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein determining the amount of the first type of the activity unit to award the user is performed further based on a type of activity corresponding to the first set of physical activity information.

6. The system of claim 4, wherein the activity monitoring and tracking system is further configured to customize the display based on the physical activity information and detected non-athletic activity.

7. The system of claim 6, wherein the customization of the display includes:

determining one or more user interests based on one or more of the athletic and non-athletic activity; and

selecting content to be displayed based on the one or more user interests.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the activity monitoring device is further configured to:

determine a goal defined for the user, wherein the goal corresponds to a goal amount of activity unit;

determine whether a total amount of accumulated activity unit of the user meets a first threshold, wherein the first threshold is defined relative to the goal amount of activity unit; and

modify at least one visual aspect of the display of the activity monitoring device in response to determining that the total amount of accumulated activity unit of the user meets the first threshold.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein the activity monitoring device is further configured to:

determine whether the total amount of accumulated activity unit of the user meets a second threshold; and

modify the at least one visual aspect of the display in response to determining that the total amount of accumulated activity unit of the user meets the second threshold.

10. The system of claim 8, wherein the at least one visual aspect of the display includes a color of at least a portion of a display interface.

11. The system of claim 8, wherein the at least one visual aspect includes a font size of text displayed in the display.

12. A method comprising:

storing, by an activity monitoring device, a first conversion rate for converting activity information into a first type of activity unit and a second conversion rate configured to convert the activity information into a second type of activity unit different than the first type of activity unit;

activating, by the activity monitoring device, a sensor arrangement of the activity monitoring device to measure at least one physical activity parameter as a user performs a physical activity, the sensor arrangement comprising a shoe sensor configured to measure a first type of physical activity parameter;

a heart rate sensor configured to measure a second type of physical activity parameter and a wearable or handheld device in communication with the shoe sensor and heart rate sensor;

receiving, from the sensor arrangement, source information and a first set of activity information of a user, wherein the first set of activity information includes the at least one physical activity parameter of the user;

providing, to a display of the activity monitoring device, a visual representation of a total activity unit amount of the user;

determining, by the activity monitoring device, a source of the first set of activity information based on the source information, wherein the source is selected from one of;

the shoe sensor, the heart rate sensor, and the wearable or handheld device;

selecting, by the activity monitoring device, the first conversion rate from the stored first and second conversion rates based on the determined source of the first set of activity information;

determining, by the activity monitoring device, a first amount of activity unit to award to the user using the selected first conversion rate;

modifying, by the activity monitoring device, the total activity unit amount of the user to include the determined first amount of activity unit, wherein modifying the total activity unit amount with the determined first amount of activity unit includes adding the determined first amount of activity unit to a first activity unit pool, and wherein the first activity unit pool is different than a second activity unit pool to which activity unit is added when the second conversion rate is selected;

modifying at least one visual aspect of the visual representation on the display of the activity monitoring device in response to modifying the total activity unit amount; and

responsive to receiving a user reward selection, modifying at least one other visual aspect of the visual representation to show a listing of rewards available based on the total activity unit.

13. The method of claim 12, further comprising:

receiving a second set of activity information from the sensor arrangement;

selecting the second conversion rate based a determined source of the second set of activity information from the sensor arrangement, wherein the determined source is selected from one of;

the shoe sensor, the heart rate sensor, and the wearable or handheld device; and

determining a second amount of activity unit to award the user for the second set of activity information using the second conversion rate.

14. The method of claim 12, wherein determining the source includes determining whether the activity monitoring device is a certified device, a non-certified device or manual user entry, and

wherein selecting the first conversion rate includes determining that the activity monitoring device is the certified device.

15. The method of claim 12, wherein the activity monitoring device is further configured to convert the first set of activity information into an estimated amount of activity unit.

16. The method of claim 12, further comprising:

determining whether the user has completed an athletic activity goal; and

in response to determining that the user has completed the athletic activity goal, awarding the user with a second amount of activity unit.

17. The method of claim 12, further comprising:

receiving non-athletic activity information for the user;

selecting the second conversion rate from the first and second conversion rates, wherein the second conversion rate corresponds to non-athletic activity and the first conversion rate corresponds to athletic activity; and

determining a second amount of activity unit to award the user using the second conversion rate.

18. The method of claim 14, further comprising:

receiving a second set of activity information from the sensor arrangement;

determining that a source of the second set of activity information is a non-certified device;

selecting the second conversion rate upon determining that the source of the second set of activity information is a non-certified device; and

determining a second amount of activity unit to award the user for the second set of activity information using the second conversion rate, wherein the second type of activity unit has a lower value than the first type of activity unit.

19. An apparatus comprising:

a sensor arrangement comprising a shoe sensor configured to measure a first type of physical activity parameter;

a heart rate sensor configured to measure a second type of physical activity parameter and a wearable or handheld device in communication with the shoe sensor and heart rate sensor;

a processor;

a display; and

memory storing computer readable instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the apparatus to;

activate the sensor arrangement to measure at least one physical activity parameter as a user performs a physical activity;

provide, on the display, a visual representation of a total activity unit amount of the user;

receive, from the sensor arrangement, device information and activity information for the physical activity performed by the user, the activity information including the at least one physical activity parameter;

determine a type of device of the sensor arrangement corresponding to the device information, wherein the type of device is selected from one of;

the shoe sensor and the heart rate sensor;

select a conversion rate for determining an amount of activity unit to award the user based on the determined type of device, wherein selecting the conversion rate includes;

selecting a first conversion rate in response to determining the type of device corresponds to the shoe sensor, wherein the first conversion rate is configured to convert the received activity information into a first type of activity unit; and

selecting a second conversion rate in response to determining the type of device corresponds to the heart rate sensor, wherein the second conversion rate is configured to convert the received activity information into a second type of activity unit different than the first type of activity unit;

determine the amount of activity unit to award to the user based on the selected conversion rate;

modify the total activity unit amount of the user to include the determined amount of activity unit, wherein modifying the total activity unit amount includes;

adding the determined amount of activity unit to a first activity unit pool when the first conversion rate is selected; and

adding the determined amount of activity unit to a second activity unit pool different from the first activity unit pool when the second conversion rate is selected;

modify at least one visual aspect of the visual representation on the display of the apparatus in response to modifying the total activity unit amount; and

responsive to receiving a user reward selection, modify at least one other visual aspect of the display to show a listing of available rewards based on the total activity unit.

20. The apparatus of claim 19,

wherein selecting the conversion rate includes determining whether the type of device is a certified device, a non-certified device or manual user entry,

wherein the first conversion rate is selected when the type of device corresponds to the shoe sensor and is a certified device,

wherein a third conversion rate is selected when the type of device corresponds to the shoe sensor and is a non-certified device, and

wherein the third conversion rate has a lower value than the first conversion rate.