Systems and methods for activity determination based on human frame

• US 10,218,399 B2
• Filed: 11/11/2016
• Issued: 02/26/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 06/06/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Zebra Technologies Corporation
• Original Assignee: Zebra Technologies Corporation
• Inventors: Stelfox, Jill, Wohl, Michael A., O'Hagan, James J., Traeger, Cynthia
• Primary Examiner(s): Bee, Andrew W
• Application Number:
  US15/349,606
• Publication Number:
  US 20170056721A1
• Time in Patent Office: 837 Days
• CPC Class Codes: A41D 1/002 adapted to accommodate electronic equipment patients' garments for medical monitoring A41D13/1281; luminous ornaments A41D27/085
• CPC Class Codes: A41D 1/005 with embedded cable or connector
• CPC Class Codes: A41D 1/04 Vests, jerseys, sweaters or the like
• CPC Class Codes: A41D 2600/10 for sport activities
• CPC Class Codes: A42B 3/30 Mounting radio sets or communication systems
• 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 2024/0056 for statistical or strategic analysis
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/12 Absolute positions, e.g. by using GPS
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/40 Acceleration
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/836 Sensors arranged on the body of the user
• 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 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 24/0021 Tracking a path or terminating locations
• 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 16/951 Indexing; Web crawling techniques
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/9537 Spatial or temporal dependent retrieval, e.g. spatiotemporal queries
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/955 using information identifiers, e.g. uniform resource locators [URL]
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/9554 : by using bar codes
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10227 : loading programming parameters or programs into the interrogator, e.g. for configuring the interrogator
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10297 : arrangements for handling protocols designed for non-contact record carriers such as RFIDs NFCs, e.g. ISO/IEC 14443 and 18092 cryptographic protocols H04L9/00; network security protocols H04L63/00; real-time communication protocols in data switching networks H04L65/00; network protocols for data switching network services H04L67/00
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10306 : ultra wide band
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10366 : the interrogation device being adapted for miscellaneous applications
• CPC Class Codes: G06N 5/02 : Knowledge representation; Symbolic representation
• CPC Class Codes: G06N 7/01 : Probabilistic graphical models, e.g. probabilistic networks
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 90/00 : Systems or methods specially adapted for administrative, commercial, financial, managerial or supervisory purposes, not involving significant data processing
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 40/23 : Recognition of whole body movements, e.g. for sport training
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 17/02 : using a radio link
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 19/0038 : Sports
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 40/67 : for remote operation
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 50/30 : for calculating health indices; for individual health risk assessment
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 50/50 : for simulation or modelling of medical disorders
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/1036 : with automatic suppression of narrow band noise or interference, e.g. by using tuneable notch filters H04B1/123 takes precedence; filter circuits H03H
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/7097 : Interference-related aspects
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/71635 : Transmitter aspects H04B1/7174 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/71637 : Receiver aspects H04B1/7183 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/719 : Interference-related aspects
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/04 : Processing captured monitoring data, e.g. for logfile generation
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 9/00 : Arrangements in telecontrol or telemetry systems for selectively calling a substation from a main station, in which substation desired apparatus is selected for applying a control signal thereto or for obtaining measured values therefrom
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/02 : Services making use of location information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/029 : Location-based management or tracking services

Abstract

Systems and related methods providing for determining activities of individuals are discussed herein. Circuitry may be configured to wirelessly receive tag signals from a plurality of RF location tags. Two or more of the RF location tags may be positioned on an individual, such as at positions that may at least partially define a human frame. The circuitry may be configured to correlate the two or more RF location tags with the individual. Location data for each of the two or more RF location tags may be determined based on the received tag signals. An activity of the individual may be determined based on the location data. In some embodiments, one or more activities involving multiple individuals may be determined based on RF location tags and sensors positioned on each of the multiple individuals. Furthermore, sensor data from the sensors may be communicated over the UWB channel.

Claims

1. Apparel structured for wearing by an individual, the apparel comprising:

a RF location tag supported by a first portion of the apparel associated with a first body position desirable for body motion kinetics information, the RF location tag configured to transmit blink data to at least one receiver, the blink data including first tag placement data indicative of placement of the RF location tag at the first body position, wherein the at least one receiver is configured to locate the RF location tag in a monitored area based on the blink data; and

a proximity sensor supported by a second portion of the apparel associated with a second body position desirable for proximity information indicative of proximity to an object, the proximity sensor to transmit proximity data including a second indication of the second body position.

2. The apparel of claim 1, wherein:

the first portion of the apparel corresponds to a first body joint;

the second portion of the apparel corresponds to a hand; and

the object is a ball associated with a game involving the ball being carried by the hand.

3. The apparel of claim 1, wherein:

the first portion of the apparel corresponds to a shoulder;

the second portion of the apparel corresponds to a appendage; and

the object is a ball with which the appendage interacts during a game.

4. The apparel of claim 1, wherein:

the apparel is a uniform;

the first portion of the apparel is a helmet; and

the second portion of the apparel is a glove.

5. The apparel of claim 1, wherein:

the apparel is a uniform;

the first portion of the apparel is a helmet; and

the second portion of the apparel comprises a sleeve.

6. The apparel of claim 1, wherein:

the apparel is a uniform;

the first portion of the apparel is a helmet; and

the second portion of the apparel is an appendage article.

7. The apparel of claim 1, further comprising a power supply disposed in electrical communication with the RF location tag and the proximity sensor by a wired connection, which is at least partially sewn into the apparel.

8. The apparel of claim 1, further comprising an electrically conductive fabric configured to dispose a power supply in electrical communication with the RF location tag and the proximity sensor.

9. The apparel of claim 1, wherein the RF location tag is configured to transmit the blink data to the at least one receiver over a UWB communications channel.

10. The apparel of claim 9, wherein the blink data comprises time of arrival timing pulses that are used by the at least one receiver to determine tag location data.

11. A system comprising:

a RF location tag structured for wearing by an individual, the RF location tag configured to transmit blink data to at least one receiver of a monitored area, the blink data including first tag placement data indicative of placement of the RF location tag at a first body position desirable for body motion kinetics information;

a first proximity sensor structured for wearing by the individual in an article of apparel such that the first proximity sensor is positioned on the individual at a second body position desirable for proximity information indicative of the first proximity sensor being near an object of interest, wherein the object of interest includes a second proximity sensor, the first proximity sensor configured to detect proximity to the object of interest via the second proximity sensor, the first proximity sensor configured to transmit proximity data including second tag placement data indicative of placement of the first proximity sensor at the second body position.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein the RF location tag, the first proximity sensor, and a power supply are supported by the article of apparel.

13. The system of claim 11, wherein the article of apparel comprises an electrically conductive fabric configured to dispose a power supply in electrical communication with at least one of the RF location tag and the first proximity sensor.

14. The system of claim 11, wherein at least one of the RF location tag or the first proximity sensor receive power from heat generated by the individual.