Multi-sensor monitoring of athletic performance

• US 20060136173A1
• Filed: 12/17/2004
• Published: 06/22/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 12/17/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nike, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Nike, Inc.
• Inventors: Case, Charles Whipple Jr., Martin, Jason P.
• Granted Patent: US 7,254,516 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 702/182
• 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 2024/0068 Comparison to target or threshold, previous performance or not real time comparison to other individuals
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/12 Absolute positions, e.g. by using GPS
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/18 Inclination, slope or curvature
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/20 Distances or displacements
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/30 Speed
• 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 2220/72 Temperature
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/73 Altitude
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/75 Humidity
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/76 Wind conditions
• 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 2230/04 heartbeat characteristics, e.g. ECG, blood pressure modulations
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2230/08 other bio-electrical signals
• 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 24/0021 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 24/0075 Means for generating exercise programs or schemes, e.g. computerized virtual trainer, e.g. using expert databases
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 71/0686 : Timers, rhythm indicators or pacing apparatus using electric or electronic means
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 22/006 : Pedometers
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/323 : wherein the player is informed, e.g. advertisements, odds, instructions
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 19/003 : Repetitive work cycles; Sequence of movements
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 5/02 : with visual presentation of the material to be studied, e.g. using film strip

Abstract

Athletic performance monitoring systems and methods, many of which utilize, in some manner, global positioning satellite (“GPS”) data, provide data and information to athletes and/or to equipment used by athletes during an athletic event. Such systems and methods may provide route information to athletes and/or their trainers, e.g., for pre-event planning, goal setting, and calibration purposes. Such systems and methods optionally may provide real time information to the athlete while the event takes place, e.g., to assist in reaching the pre-set goals. Additionally, data and information collected by such systems and methods may assist in post-event analysis for athletes and their trainers, e.g., to evaluate past performances and to assist in improving future performances.

Claims

1. An athletic performance monitoring system, comprising:

a global positioning satellite receiver that obtains data relating to a series of time-stamped position points;

a first athletic performance monitor that measures physical data relating to an athlete'"'"'s performance; and

means for generating calibration data for the first athletic performance monitor based on data obtained via the global positioning satellite receiver.

2. An athletic performance monitoring system according to claim 1, wherein the first athletic performance monitor provides data relating to a distance moved by the athlete.

3. An athletic performance monitoring system according to claim 1, wherein the first athletic performance monitor provides data relating to a movement speed of the athlete.

4. An athletic performance monitoring system according to claim 1, wherein the means for generating calibration data generates a plurality of correction factors for use under different athletic performance conditions.

5. An athletic performance monitoring system, comprising:

a global positioning satellite receiver that obtains data relating to a series of time-stamped position points;

a first athletic performance monitor that provides data relating to at least one of a speed or a distance moved by an athlete;

a second athletic performance monitor that provides data relating to a direction in which the athlete moves; and

means for storing data relating to the athlete'"'"'s performance, wherein the means for storing stores data collected via the first athletic performance monitor and the second athletic performance monitor when global positioning satellite reception is not available.

6. An athletic performance monitoring system, comprising:

an altitude measuring system that obtains data relating to an altitude at an athlete'"'"'s location as an athletic performance is taking place;

a first athletic performance monitor that provides data relating to at least one of a speed or a distance moved by the athlete;

a second athletic performance monitor that provides data relating to physiological data relating to the athlete'"'"'s performance;

means for storing data relating to the athlete'"'"'s performance, wherein the means for storing stores at least some data collected via the altitude measuring system, the first athletic performance monitor, and the second athletic performance monitor; and

means for displaying at least some data collected via the altitude measuring system, the first athletic performance monitor, and the second athletic performance monitor in a time correlated manner.

7. An athletic performance monitoring system, comprising:

a global positioning satellite receiver that obtains data relating to a series of time-stamped position points;

a first athletic performance monitor that provides data relating to at least one of a speed or a distance moved by an athlete during an athletic performance;

means for storing data relating to the athletic performance collected via the global positioning satellite receiver and the first athletic performance monitor;

means for displaying information associated with the athletic performance during the performance using data collected via the first athletic performance monitor and not using data collected via the global positioning satellite receiver; and

means for analyzing and displaying information associated with the athletic performance when the performance is no longer taking place, wherein the means for analyzing and displaying information uses at least data collected via the global positioning satellite receiver.

8. An athletic performance monitoring system, comprising:

a global positioning satellite receiver that obtains data relating to a series of time-stamped position points encountered during an athletic performance; and

means for determining whether a route covered during the athletic performance corresponds to a route covered during a previous athletic performance based on data obtained via the global positioning satellite receiver during the athletic performance.

9. An athletic performance monitoring system according to claim 8, further comprising:

means for correlating at least some data collected via the global positioning satellite receiver to the athlete'"'"'s location along the route covered during the athletic performance.

10. An athletic performance monitoring system, comprising:

a global positioning satellite receiver that obtains data relating to a series of time-stamped position points encountered during an athletic performance; and

means for assigning a route difficulty rating to a route used during the athletic performance, at least in part based on at least one of;

route length;

elevation changes over the route;

altitude of the route;

temperature during the athletic performance;

humidity during the athletic performance;

wind speed during the athletic performance;

and wind direction during the athletic performance.

11. An athletic performance monitoring system according to claim 10, wherein the means for assigning a route difficulty rating assigns the route difficulty rating for the route based, at least in part, on a comparison of data associated with the route against data associated with one or more other routes taken by the athlete during one or more previous athletic performances.

12. An athletic performance monitoring system, comprising:

a global positioning satellite receiver that obtains data relating to a series of time-stamped position points encountered during an athletic performance;

means for storing data associated with one or more routes utilized by an athlete during a plurality of athletic performances; and

means for suggesting a new route for a future athletic performance, wherein the means for suggesting the new route determines the new route, at least in part, by comparing data associated with the new route'"'"'s location with the stored data associated with the routes utilized by the athlete during at least some of the plurality of athletic performances.

13. An athletic performance monitoring system according to claim 12, wherein the data stored at least in part relates to:

a length of the routes used during the plurality of athletic performances;

elevation changes over the routes used during the plurality of athletic performances;

altitude of the routes used during the plurality of athletic performances;

temperature during the plurality of athletic performances;

humidity during the plurality of athletic performances;

wind speed during the plurality of athletic performances; and

wind direction during the plurality of athletic performances.

14. An athletic performance monitoring system, comprising:

a global positioning satellite receiver that obtains data relating to a series of time-stamped position points encountered during an athletic performance; and

means for controlling an audio device during the athletic performance based, at least in part, on data obtained via the global positioning satellite receiver.

15. An athletic performance monitoring system according to claim 14, wherein the means for controlling the audio device adjusts at least one feature of content played by the audio device based on approaching route conditions as determined using data obtained via the global positioning satellite receiver.

16. An athletic performance monitoring system according to claim 14, wherein the means for controlling the audio device adjusts at least one feature of content played by the audio device when data obtained via the global positioning satellite receiver indicates that an athlete has fallen behind a predetermined pace.

17. An athletic performance monitoring system according to claim 14, wherein the means for controlling the audio device adjusts at least one feature of content played by the audio device based on a location approached by an athlete as determined via the global positioning satellite receiver.

18. An athletic performance monitoring system, comprising:

means for receiving input data relating to an athletic performance; and

means for displaying information relating to the athletic performance, wherein the information displayed correlates at least one physical characteristic of the athletic performance to time, distance, or location along a route used during the athletic performance, and wherein the information displayed correlates at least one physiological characteristic of the athletic performance to time, distance, or location along the route used during the athletic performance.

19. An athletic performance monitoring system, comprising:

means for receiving input data relating to a route to be used during an athletic event, wherein the input data includes information for producing an actual or animated view of the route;

means for receiving input data relating to an athletic performance during the athletic event; and

means for simultaneously displaying information from the input data relating to the route and from the input data relating to the athletic performance so as to provide data play back of the athletic performance during the athletic event over the route of the athletic event.

20. An athletic performance monitoring system, comprising:

means for receiving input data relating to a route to be used during an athletic event, wherein the input data includes at least distance and route difficulty data relating to the route;

means for receiving input data relating to a target time or timing goal for all or a portion of the athletic event; and

means for calculating plural time goals along the route or for portions of the route using the input data relating to the route and the input data relating to the target time or timing goal so that the user will meet the input target time or timing goal for the athletic event if the time goals are met.