Systems and methods for determining energy experienced by a user and associated with activity

• US 20010037179A1
• Filed: 06/21/2001
• Published: 11/01/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 11/21/1994
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Curtis A. Vock, Dennis M. Darcy, Peter Flentov
• Inventors: Darcy, Dennis, Vock, Curtis A., Flentov, Peter
• Granted Patent: US 6,498,994 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 702/44
• CPC Class Codes: A42B 3/0433 Detecting, signalling or lighting devices
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2562/0219 Inertial sensors, e.g. accelerometers, gyroscopes, tilt switches
• 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 5/6807 Footwear
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6895 Sport equipment
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2024/0071 Distinction between different activities, movements, or kind of sports performed
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2069/185 for ski-jumping
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2071/065 Visualisation of specific exercise parameters
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2071/0663 worn on the wrist, e.g. wrist bands
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/13 Relative positions
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/16 Angular positions
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/30 Speed
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/40 Acceleration
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/44 Angular acceleration
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/51 Force
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/53 Force of an impact, e.g. blow or punch
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/62 Time or time measurement used for time reference, time stamp, master time or clock signal
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/64 Frequency, e.g. of vibration oscillation
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/801 Contact switches
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/803 Motion sensors
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/808 : Microphones
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/833 : Sensors arranged on the exercise apparatus or sports implement
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2225/50 : Wireless data transmission, e.g. by radio transmitters or telemetry
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2230/75 : calorie expenditure
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2244/19 : Skiing
• 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 5/00 : Apparatus for jumping mats for jumping A63B6/00; for racing or riding sports, e.g. hurdles A63K
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 69/0093 : for surfing, i.e. without a sail; for skate or snow boarding
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 69/16 : for cycling , i.e. arrangements on or for real bicycles
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 69/18 : for skiing
• 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 71/10 : for the head A63B71/081 takes precedence ; in the form of caps or hats A42B1/08; helmets A42B3/00
• CPC Class Codes: A63C 11/00 : Accessories for skiing or snowboarding fittings on vehicles for carrying skis B60R9/12
• CPC Class Codes: A63C 2203/18 : Measuring a physical parameter, e.g. speed, distance
• CPC Class Codes: A63C 2203/24 : Processing or storing data, e.g. with electronic chip
• CPC Class Codes: A63C 5/03 : Mono skis; Snowboards
• CPC Class Codes: A63C 5/06 : with special devices thereon, e.g. steering devices
• CPC Class Codes: G01L 5/00 : Apparatus for, or methods of, measuring force, work, mechanical power, or torque, specially adapted for specific purposes
• CPC Class Codes: G01P 1/16 : for erasable recording, e.g. magnetic recording
• CPC Class Codes: G01P 15/00 : Measuring acceleration; Measuring deceleration; Measuring shock, i.e. sudden change of acceleration
• CPC Class Codes: G01P 15/0891 : with indication of predetermined acceleration values G01P15/135 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01P 3/42 : Devices characterised by the use of electric or magnetic means G01P3/66 takes precedence; measuring electric or magnetic values in general G01R
• CPC Class Codes: G01P 3/50 : for measuring linear speed G01P3/56 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 11/14 : using ultrasonic, sonic, or infrasonic waves
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 15/60 : wherein the transmitter and receiver are mounted on the moving object, e.g. for determining ground speed, drift angle, ground track
• CPC Class Codes: G04F 8/08 : Means used apart from the time-piece for starting or stopping same

Abstract

The invention detects the loft time and/or speed of a vehicle, such as a sporting vehicle, during activities of moving and jumping. A loft sensor detects when the vehicle leaves the ground and when the vehicle returns to the ground. A microprocessor subsystem converts the sensed information to determine a loft time. A display shows the recorded loft time to a user of the system. In addition, a speed sensor can detect the vehicle'"'"'s speed for selective display to the user. The invention is particularly well-suited to sporting activities such as snowboarding where users loft into the air on ski jumps and catch “air” time but have no quantitative measure of the actual time lapse in the air. Therefore, users in skiing can use invention to record, store, and playback selected information relating to their sporting day, including the total amount of “air” time for the day and information such as dead time, i.e., time not spent on the slopes.

Claims

1. A method for determining energy experienced by a person during activity over ground, comprising the steps of:

determining forces of acceleration in a direction generally perpendicular to the ground;

processing signals representative of the forces of acceleration over a time interval defined by the activity to determine the energy; and

reporting the energy to the person.

2. A method of

claim 1

, wherein the step of processing signals comprises averaging the signals.

3. A method of

claim 1

, wherein the step of processing signals comprises integrating the signals.

4. A method of

claim 1

, wherein the step of processing signals comprises averaging and integrating the signals.

5. A method of

claim 1

, wherein the step of determining forces of acceleration comprises determining the forces substantially at a waist location of the person.

6. A method of

claim 1

, wherein the step of determining forces of acceleration comprises determining the forces on a vehicle ridden on by the person.

7. A method of

claim 6

, wherein the step of determining forces on a vehicle comprise determining forces on one of a snowboard, ski, bicycle, and motorcycle.

8. A method of

claim 1

, wherein the step of processing signals comprises high pass filtering the signals.

9. A method of

claim 1

, wherein the step of processing signals comprises low pass filtering the signals.

10. A method of

claim 1

, wherein the step of processing signals of the forces of acceleration over a time interval defined by the activity comprises processing the signals during the activity of one of football, hockey, jogging and aerobics.

11. A method of

claim 1

, wherein the step of processing signals of the forces of acceleration over a time interval comprises processing signals over a time interval of up to about one day.

12. A method of

claim 1

, wherein the step of processing signals of the forces of acceleration over a time interval comprises processing signals over a time interval between about one half second and eight hours.

13. A method of

claim 1

, wherein the step of reporting comprises wirelessly transmitting data indicative of the energy to a remote receiver.

14. A method of

claim 13

, wherein the step of wireless transmitting comprises transmitting the data to a watch worn by the person.

15. A method of

claim 1

, wherein the step of determining forces of acceleration comprises determining forces of acceleration at at least two different locations about the person, and wherein the step of processing the signals comprises ratioing the energy from each of the locations, and wherein the step of reporting the energy comprises reporting a ratio of the energy from each of the locations.

16. A method of

claim 1

, wherein the step of processing signals comprises converting the analog data to digital data by an A-D converter.

17. A method of

claim 1

, wherein the steps of determining forces and processing signals occur within a common unit attached to the person.

18. A method for evaluating shoes worn by a person for activity on ground, comprising the steps of:

determining forces of acceleration experienced by the person in a direction generally perpendicular to the ground;

processing signals representative of the forces of acceleration over a time interval to determine energy experienced by the person while wearing the shoes; and

reporting the energy to the person.

19. A method of

claim 18

, wherein the step of reporting comprises wirelessly transmitting data indicative of the energy to a remote receiver.

20. A method of

claim 19

, wherein the step of wireless transmitting comprises transmitting the data to a watch worn by the person.

21. A method of

claim 18

, wherein the step of processing signals comprises processing the forces of acceleration over a time interval of up to about one day.

22. A method evaluating stresses experienced by a person during physical fitness on a surface, comprising the steps of:

determining forces of acceleration in a direction generally perpendicular to the surface;

processing signals representative of the forces of acceleration over a time interval defined by the physical fitness to determine the energy; and

reporting the energy to the person.

23. A method of

claim 22

, wherein the step of determining forces of acceleration comprises determining forces of acceleration at at least two different locations about the person.

24. A method of

claim 22

, wherein the step of reporting comprises wirelessly transmitting data indicative of the energy to a remote receiver.

25. A method of

claim 24

, wherein the step of wireless transmitting comprises transmitting the data to a watch worn by the person.