Athletic performance monitoring systems and methods in a team sports environment

• US 10,173,101 B2
• Filed: 09/04/2015
• Issued: 01/08/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 12/05/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nike, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Nike, Inc.
• Inventors: Molyneux, James, Weast, Aaron B., Burroughs, Brandon S.
• Primary Examiner(s): Thanh, Loan H
• Assistant Examiner(s): Abyan, Shila Jalalzadeh
• Application Number:
  US14/845,993
• Publication Number:
  US 20150375044A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,222 Days
• Field of Search: 482 1, 482 8- 9
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 1/0054 provided with magnets, magnetic parts or magnetic substances
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 3/34 with electrical or electronic arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 5/00 Footwear for sporting purposes non-skid devices, e.g. ice-spurs or studs for football shoes, A43C15/00
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 5/02 Football boots or shoes, i.e. for soccer, football or rugby
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2024/0025 Tracking the path or location of one or more users, e.g. players of a game
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2024/0028 Tracking the path of an object, e.g. a ball inside a soccer pitch
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2024/0071 Distinction between different activities, movements, or kind of sports performed
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2071/065 Visualisation of specific exercise parameters
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2071/1258 for the shin, e.g. shin guards
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2102/02 Tennis
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2102/14 Lacrosse
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2102/18 Baseball, rounders or similar games
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2102/20 Cricket
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2102/22 Field hockey
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2102/24 Ice hockey
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2102/32 Golf
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/12 Absolute positions, e.g. by using GPS
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/13 Relative positions
• 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 2220/56 : Pressure
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/58 : Measurement of force related parameters by electric or magnetic means
• 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 2220/89 : Field sensors, e.g. radar systems
• 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 2243/0025 : Football American football A63B2243/007
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2243/0066 : Rugby; American football
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2243/007 : American football
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2243/0095 : Volleyball
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 24/0021 : Tracking a path or terminating locations
• 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 71/06 : Indicating or scoring devices for games or players , or for other sports activities
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 71/0605 : Decision makers and devices using detection means facilitating arbitration
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 71/0622 : Visual, audio or audio-visual systems for entertaining, instructing or motivating the user
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 71/081 : fluid-filled, e.g. air-filled
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 71/1225 : for the legs, e.g. thighs, knees, ankles, feet
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/34 : using transmission of continuous, frequency-modulated waves while heterodyning the received signal, or a signal derived therefrom, with a locally-generated signal related to the contemporaneously transmitted signal
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/751 : wherein the responder or reflector radiates a coded signal
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/82 : wherein continuous-type signals are transmitted
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 20/30 : relating to physical therapies or activities, e.g. physiotherapy, acupressure or exercising
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 40/67 : for remote operation
• CPC Class Codes: G16Y 10/65 : Entertainment or amusement; Sports
• CPC Class Codes: G16Y 20/10 : relating to the environment, e.g. temperature; relating to location
• CPC Class Codes: G16Y 40/10 : Detection; Monitoring
• CPC Class Codes: G16Z 99/00 : Subject matter not provided for in other main groups of this subclass
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 482/901 : having computer circuitry

Abstract

Systems and methods for sensing and monitoring various athletic performance metrics, e.g., during the course of a game, a practice, a training session, training drills, and the like, are described. These systems and methods can provide useful metrics for players and coaches relating to athletic performances in various sports, including various team sports.

Claims

1. An athletic performance monitoring system, comprising:

a sensor system that monitors an athletic performance of a first player, the sensor system including at least one or more foot-based sensors and an on-body sensor;

a data storage system that stores data collected by the sensor system;

a receiver programmed and adapted to receive data collected by at least one of the sensor system and a gameball sensor;

a processor system; and

memory storing computer readable instructions, wherein, when executed, the processor system is configured to;

receive a first set of athletic activity data obtained from the on-body sensor;

generate a first set of athletic performance metrics based on data collected by the on-body sensor;

receive a second set of athletic activity data obtained by the one or more foot-based sensors;

utilize the second set of athletic activity data to adjust an accuracy of one or more athletic performance metrics in the first set of athletic performance metrics;

receive ball contact data, collected by the gameball sensor, from one or more transmitters within a gameball;

determine one or more ball impact times based on the received ball contact data;

determine a corresponding acceleration vector for each of the one or more ball impact times; and

output a kick zone distribution information, to a computing device, for a surface of the first player'"'"'s foot based on the determined acceleration vectors.

2. An athletic performance monitoring system according to claim 1, wherein a first foot-based sensor, of the one or more, foot based sensors, is mounted to a set of shin guards.

3. An athletic performance monitoring system according to claim 2, wherein the receiver includes:

a display device programmed and adapted to output real time information relating to at least the data collected by the sensor system.

4. An athletic performance monitoring system according to claim 2, wherein the receiver further comprises:

a transmission system programmed and adapted to transmit data, collected by the sensor system, to one or more remote computing devices.

5. An athletic performance monitoring system according to claim 2, wherein the sensor system is programmed and adapted to:

detect a first direction of movement for the first player; and

initiate a first data processing algorithm based on the detected first direction of movement.

6. An athletic performance monitoring system according to claim 1, wherein the memory further comprises computer readable instructions, wherein, when executed, the processor system is further configured to:

generate a second set of athletic performance metrics based on the ball contact data; and

utilize the second set of athletic activity data to adjust an accuracy of the second set of athletic performance metrics.

7. An athletic performance monitoring system according to claim 6, wherein the second set of athletic performance metrics comprises a change in a velocity of the gameball.

8. An athletic performance monitoring system according to claim 1, wherein the memory further comprises computer readable instructions, wherein, when executed, the processor system is further configured to:

determine whether the first player is in possession of the gameball during the athletic performance.

9. An athletic performance monitoring system according to claim 1, wherein the memory further comprises computer readable instructions, wherein, when executed, the processor system is further configured to:

detect, by the sensor system, one or more initial ball contacts between the first player and the gameball; and

after detecting an initial ball contact, determine possession of the gameball by the first player based on data obtained by a proximity sensor of the sensor system and ball contact data for at least a second player.