Shoes and garments employing one or more of accelerometers, wireless transmitters, processors, altimeters, to determine information such as speed to persons wearing the shoes or garments

• US 20060265187A1
• Filed: 07/28/2006
• Published: 11/23/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 11/21/1994
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nike, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Nike, Inc.
• Inventors: Darcy, Dennis, Vock, Curtis A., Flentov, Peter
• Granted Patent: US 7,457,724 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

A shoe is improved by including: at least one accelerometer for generating acceleration signals and a processor configured to process the acceleration signals to determine one or both of speed and distance traveled of a person wearing the shoe. A shoe and a garment are provided with a wireless transmitter, to provide information about the shoe/garment or a person wearing same.

Claims

1. In a shoe, the improvement comprising:

at least one accelerometer for generating acceleration signals and a processor configured to process the acceleration signals to determine one or both of speed and distance traveled of a person wearing the shoe.

2. In the shoe of claim 1, the further improvement comprising a wireless transmitter configured to transmit information indicative at least one of the speed and distance traveled.

3. A system for determining one or both of speed and distance traveled of a moving person, comprising:

a shoe;

at least one accelerometer configured within the shoe for generating acceleration signals;

a processor configured within the shoe to process the acceleration signals to determine at least one of the speed and distance traveled of a person wearing the shoe;

a wireless receiver to be worn or operated by the person; and

a wireless transmitter configured within the shoe to transmit information indicative at least one of the speed and distance traveled to the wireless receiver, to provide at least one of speed and distance traveled to the person.

4. The system of claim 3, further comprising a housing, the accelerometer, processor and wireless transmitter being integrated within the housing, the housing being integrated within the shoe.

5. The system of claim 3, wherein the shoe forms a housing around at least partially around the accelerometer, processor and wireless transmitter.

6. The system of claim 3, the wireless receiver comprising a watch to be worn by the person, wherein the watch provides at least one of the speed and distance traveled to the person via a display of the watch.

7. The system of claim 3, the wireless receiver comprising a musical device to be operated by the person, wherein the musical device provides music to the person as well as audible information including one or both of the speed and distance traveled to the person.

8. In a shoe, the improvement comprising:

a wireless transmitter for transmitting information about the shoe, or about a person wearing the shoe, to a remote location.

9. In the shoe of claim 8, further comprising at least one accelerometer and a processor, the processor processing data from the accelerometer to determine the information.

10. In the shoe of claim 9, the information comprising one or both of speed and distance traveled.

11. In the shoe of claim 8, further comprising an altimeter to determine altitude of the shoe, the information comprising the altitude.

12. In the shoe of claim 8, further comprising a temperature sensor, the information comprising temperature.

13. In a garment to be worn by a person, the improvement comprising a wireless transmitter for transmitting information about the garment, or a person wearing the garment, to a remote location.

14. In the garment of claim 13, further comprising at least one accelerometer and a processor, the processor processing data from the accelerometer to determine the information.

15. In the garment of claim 14, the information comprising one or both of speed and distance traveled.

16. In the garment of claim 13, further comprising an altimeter to determine altitude of the garment, the information comprising the altitude.

17. In the garment of claim 13, further comprising a temperature sensor, the information comprising temperature.