Relative directional energy expenditure

• US 10,384,098 B1
• Filed: 11/18/2016
• Issued: 08/20/2019
• 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:
  US15/355,412
• Time in Patent Office: 1,005 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 one or more vertical motion parameters of a user during a user motion activity comprising utilizing a sensor system;

monitoring one or more horizontal motion parameters of the user during the user motion activity comprising utilizing one or more sensor outputs;

generating during the user motion activity at an electronic device a relative directional energy expenditure parameter comprising utilizing both a vertical motion parameter in the one or more vertical motion parameters and a horizontal motion parameter in the one or more horizontal motion parameters; and

providing a real-time feedback of the relative directional energy expenditure parameter at a device user interface during the user motion activity.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the one or more horizontal motion parameters comprise a velocity.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein monitoring the one or more horizontal motion parameters of the user comprising utilizing the one or more sensor outputs comprises monitoring the velocity with a sensor output from a global positioning system unit, the sensor output in the one or more sensor outputs.

4. The method of claim 3, further comprising:

providing real-time feedback of the velocity at the device user interface.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the one or more vertical motion parameters comprises a vertical displacement and the one or more horizontal motion parameters comprises a horizontal displacement, and wherein the relative directional energy expenditure parameter utilizes both the vertical displacement and the horizontal displacement.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the horizontal displacement comprises a stride length.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the one or more vertical motion parameters comprise one or more of a displacement and an acceleration.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the one or more horizontal motion parameters comprise one or more of a velocity, an acceleration, and a displacement.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the sensor system is mounted on a user torso and comprises an inertial sensor.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the one or more sensor outputs comprise an inertial sensor output or a global positioning system unit output.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein monitoring one or more horizontal motion parameters of the user comprising utilizing one or more sensor outputs comprises detecting a foot strike event utilizing an inertial sensor output.

12. The method of claim 1, further comprising correlating the relative directional energy expenditure parameter to a data stored prior to a start of the user motion activity.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein correlating the relative directional energy expenditure parameter to the data stored prior to the start of the user motion activity comprises comparing the relative directional energy expenditure parameter to a data derived from a prior motion activity.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein the relative directional energy expenditure parameter indicates a motion in a vertical direction relative to a motion in a horizontal direction.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the motion in the vertical direction comprises a vertical displacement and the motion in the horizontal direction comprises a stride length.

16. The method of claim 1, wherein the relative directional energy expenditure parameter comprises a comparison of the vertical motion parameter to the horizontal motion parameter.

17. The method of claim 1, wherein monitoring the one or more horizontal motion parameters of the user comprising utilizing the one or more sensor outputs comprises correlating the one or more sensor outputs to a motion of a user foot.

18. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

identifying a relative energy efficient user motion utilizing the relative directional energy expenditure parameter and a data stored prior to a start of the user motion activity; and

outputting an indication of the relative energy efficient user motion at the device user interface or a second device user interface.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein the data stored prior to the start of the user motion activity utilizes data determined utilizing measurements of prior motion activity.

20. The method of claim 18, wherein the data stored prior to the start of the user motion activity comprises a stored value determined utilizing measurements of prior motion activity.

21. The method of claim 1, further comprising determining an average of the relative directional energy expenditure parameter and outputting the average at the device user interface, wherein the average of the relative directional energy expenditure parameter is a first average over a time or a second average over a distance.

22. The method of claim 1, comprising determining a user step cadence utilizing the sensor system or the one or more sensor outputs and determining a user speed or pace utilizing the sensor system or the one or more sensor outputs.

23. A method 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 horizontal motion parameter data;

determining at an electronic device a relative directional energy expenditure parameter comprising utilizing both the torso vertical displacement parameter data in the first data and the user horizontal motion parameter data in the second data; and

outputting the relative directional energy expenditure parameter at an electronic device user interface.

24. The method of claim 23, wherein the user horizontal motion parameter data comprises a velocity data.

25. The method of claim 24, wherein the velocity data is output from a global positioning system device.

26. The method of claim 23, wherein the user horizontal motion parameter data comprises a stride length data.

27. The method of claim 23, wherein receiving utilizing electronic communications the first data associated with the running activity comprises receiving an electronic sensor output from a torso mounted sensor.

28. The method of claim 23, wherein outputting the relative directional energy expenditure parameter at the electronic device user interface comprises outputting the relative directional energy expenditure parameter in real-time during the running activity at the electronic device user interface, wherein the electronic device user interface is viewable by a user performing the running activity.

29. A system comprising:

one or more first motion sensors providing one or more first sensor electronic outputs operable to track one or more vertical motion parameters during a user motion activity;

one or more second motion sensors providing one or more second sensor electronic outputs operable to track one or more horizontal motion parameters during the user motion activity;

one or more user interfaces;

one or more processors; and

one or more memories comprising computer-executable instructions stored thereon which, when executed by one or more computers, cause the one or more computers to perform operations comprising generating a relative directional energy expenditure parameter during the user motion activity comprising utilizing both the one or more first sensor electronic outputs operable to track the one or more vertical motion parameters and the one or more second sensor electronic outputs operable to track the one or more horizontal motion parameters, the operations further comprising providing a real-time feedback of the relative directional energy expenditure parameter at the one or more user interfaces during the user motion activity.

30. The system of claim 29, wherein the one or more second motion sensors comprise a global positioning system unit and the one or more horizontal motion parameters comprise a user speed, and wherein the operations further comprise providing real-time feedback of the user speed at the one or more user interfaces.

31. The system of claim 29, wherein the one or more vertical motion parameters comprise a vertical displacement and the one or more horizontal motion parameters comprise a horizontal displacement, and wherein the relative directional energy expenditure parameter utilizes both the vertical displacement and the horizontal displacement.

32. The system of claim 31, wherein the horizontal displacement comprises a stride length.