Systems and methods for determining performance data

• US 20050021292A1
• Filed: 08/19/2004
• Published: 01/27/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 12/12/1996
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: PhatRat Technology LLC (PhatRat Technology)
• Inventors: Flentov, Peter, Darcy, Dennis, Vock, Curtis A., Burke, Shawn
• Granted Patent: US 7,092,846 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 702/182
• 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 5/6804 Garments; Clothes
• 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 2220/12 Absolute positions, e.g. by using GPS
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/13 Relative positions
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/14 Geo-tagging, e.g. for correlating route or track location data with specific information related to that specific location
• 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 2220/62 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 2220/808 Microphones
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/833 : Sensors arranged on the exercise apparatus or sports implement
• 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 69/182 : for cross-country-skiing A63B23/0417, A63B69/0022 take precedence
• 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 2203/18 : Measuring a physical parameter, e.g. speed, distance
• CPC Class Codes: A63C 5/06 : with special devices thereon, e.g. steering devices
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/10 : by using measurements of speed or acceleration G01C21/24, G01C21/26 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/20 : Instruments for performing navigational calculations G01C21/24, G01C21/26 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01P 1/08 : Arrangements of scales, pointers, lamps or acoustic indicators, e.g. in automobile speedometers
• 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: G01S 19/19 : Sporting applications
• CPC Class Codes: G04F 8/08 : Means used apart from the time-piece for starting or stopping same

Abstract

The invention determines performance data during activity of a person. A microprocessor and a sensor, such as a GPS sensor, attach to the person or to a vehicle ridden by the person. The sensor and microprocessor may integrate in clothing or in a watch worn by the person. Wireless signals may be generated to a remote base station or to a watch. Performance data may for example include speed, drop distance, airtime and power.

Claims

1. A system for determining performance data of a moving person, comprising a monolithic water-tight housing for attachment to the moving person or to a non-motorized vehicle ridden by the person, one or more sensors configured with the housing for generating signals indicative movement, a microprocessor configured within the housing for processing the signals to determine the performance data, and a wireless transmitter configured with the housing for generating wireless signals indicative of the performance data.

2. A system of claim 1, further comprising a battery configured within the housing for generating power to the sensor, microprocessor and wireless transmitter.

3. A system of claim 1, the sensors comprising one or more of an accelerometer, a pressure sensor, an altimeter, a microphone and a piezoelectric foil, the microprocessor configured to determine, from the signals, one or more of drop distance, height, speed, distance traveled and airtime, as performance data of the moving person.

4. A system of claim 1, the sensors comprising a GPS sensor for determining earth location, the microprocessor configured to determine, from the signals, performance data including speed of the moving person.

5. A system of claim 4, the microprocessor further configured to determine, from signals of the GPS sensor, one or more of drop distance, airtime, distance traveled and height, as performance data of the moving person.

6. A system of claim 4, the GPS sensor and microprocessor configured to receive and process differential GPS information enhance accuracy in determining the speed, drop distance, height, airtime and distance traveled.

7. A system of claim 4, further comprising random access memory configured within the housing for storing position information processed by the microprocessor and read only memory configured with the housing for storing a program used by the processor in processing the signals.

8. A system of claim 7, the read only memory storing at least one map, the microprocessor configured to identify terrain features near to the person and based on the map.

9. A system of claim 4, the GPS sensor and microprocessor being configured within a watch worn by the person.

10. A system of claim 4, further comprising means configured within the housing for generating a warning indicating a location of the person to a base station.

11. A system of claim 4, the GPS sensor being configured to generate periodic signal measurements, the microprocessor being configured to calculate a distance traveled between each periodic signal measurements and for integrating successive distance traveled calculations to determine one or more of distance traveled, speed, and height off the ground, as the performance data.

12. A system of claim 1, the vehicle comprising one or more of a skateboard, a snowboard, a ski, a surf board, and a skate.

13. A system of claim 1, further comprising a watch having a wireless receiver for receiving the wireless signals and for displaying the performance data to the person.

14. A system of claim 1, the microprocessor being configured to determine, from the signals, one or more of speed, peak speed and an average speed as the performance data, the watch having memory for storing data representative of the speed, peak speed and average speed and having a user interface for accessing the data selectively.

15. A method for determining the performance data associated with a moving person, comprising sensing movement of the moving person via one or more sensors attached to the person, processing the signals via a processor attached to the moving person to determine the performance data, and wirelessly communicating the performance data to a remote receiver.

16. A method of claim 15, further comprising attaching a microprocessor and one or more of a GPS sensor and accelerometer, as the sensors, to the person or to a non-motorized vehicle ridden by the person.

17. A method of claim 15, the step of processing comprising processing the signals to determine one or more of drop distance, speed, height, distance traveled and airtime, as the performance data of the moving person.

18. A method of claim 15, the step of wirelessly communicating comprising generating wireless signals at a first location about the person and receiving wireless signals on a watch worn at a second location about the person to display the performance data to the person.

19. A method of claim 18, further comprising the steps of determining one or more of a speed, peak speed and an average speed as the performance data, and storing data representative of the speed, peak speed and average speed in the watch.

20. A wearable sensor system, comprising at least one sensor integrated with an article of clothing for generating a signal indicative of movement of a person wearing the article of clothing, a processor integrated with the article of clothing for processing the signal to determine one or more performance data, and a wireless transmitter integrated with the clothing for generating wireless signals indicative of the performance data.

21. A system of claim 20, the article of clothing comprising a shoe, the sensor being integrated within a tongue of the shoe.

22. A system of claim 20, the article of clothing comprising a pant, the sensor being responsive to bending of the pant.

23. A system of claim 20, the sensor comprising one or more of a FSR, an accelerometer, and a strain gauge.

24. A system of claim 20, further comprising a watch worn by the person for receiving the wireless signals to display the performance data selectively.