SYSTEMS FOR ACTIVATING ELECTRONIC DEVICES FOR OPERATION WITH ATHLETIC EQUIPMENT

• US 20140009258A1
• Filed: 09/09/2013
• Published: 01/09/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 04/20/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nike, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Nike, Inc.
• Inventors: Case, Charles W. Jr.
• Granted Patent: US 9,555,285 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/5.2
• CPC Class Codes: A41D 1/002 adapted to accommodate electronic equipment patients' garments for medical monitoring A41D13/1281; luminous ornaments A41D27/085
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 3/34 with electrical or electronic arrangements
• 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 60/46 Measurement devices associated with golf clubs, bats, rackets or the like for measuring physical parameters relating to sporting activity, e.g. baseball bats with impact indicators or bracelets for measuring the golf swing
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 71/06 Indicating or scoring devices for games or players , or for other sports activities
• CPC Class Codes: A63C 2203/18 Measuring a physical parameter, e.g. speed, distance
• CPC Class Codes: A63C 2203/22 Radio waves emitting or receiving, e.g. remote control, RFID
• CPC Class Codes: A63C 2203/24 Processing or storing data, e.g. with electronic chip
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 17/40 Data acquisition and logging for input to computer G06F3/00
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 17/02 using a radio link
• CPC Class Codes: G16Z 99/00 Subject matter not provided for in other main groups of this subclass

Abstract

Articles of clothing or pieces of athletic equipment include modules, e.g., for sensing physical and/or physiological characteristics associated with use of the clothing or athletic equipment or for performing other functions. Such systems and methods may use physical or other interaction(s) between the module and the article of clothing or piece of athletic equipment for activating and/or deactivating the module and/or sensing devices included with the module, for confirming whether the module and clothing or piece of athletic equipment are authorized for use with one another, and/or for automatic data algorithm selection methods. Additionally, such systems and methods also may use the activation and/or authentication systems for data input to the module. Some examples of such systems and methods may utilize magnets and magnetic sensing systems and/or light (or other radiation) sources and sensing systems for activation, authentication, data input, and/or algorithm selection.

Claims

1. A method of authenticating an electronic module, comprising:

sensing, by an authentication system, that an electronic module provided on at least one of;

a watch, ring, bracelet, article of clothing, or peripheral device is within a proximity relative to a module securing element of an article of footwear; and

determining whether the article of footwear and the electronic module are authorized for operation with one another based on the sensed proximity.

2. The method according to claim 1, further comprising:

enabling at least a first function of the electronic module in response to sensing that the electronic module is within the proximity of the module securing element.

3. A method according to claim 2, further comprising wirelessly receiving data into the electronic module.

4. A method according to claim 1, wherein the electronic module is provided on at least one of:

a watch, ring, or bracelet.

5. The method according to claim 1, further comprising:

preventing activation of at least a first function of the electronic module in response to sensing that the electronic module is outside a second proximity of the module securing element.

6. The method according to claim 1, wherein the determining is based, at least in part, on sensing whether plural magnets are arranged at predetermined locations with respect to one another or with respect to the electronic module.

7. The method according to claim 1, further comprising determining a type of footwear based, at least in part, on a position of a magnet with respect to a magnetic sensor.

8. A method of activating an electronic module, comprising:

sensing an interaction between an electronic module and a module securing element of an article of footwear at a first orientation; and

activating the electronic module or at least a first function of the electronic module in response to the sensed interaction.

9. A method according to claim 8, wherein the article of footwear includes at least a first portion of an activation system for activating the electronic module or the first function of the electronic module.

10. A method according to claim 8, wherein the activating takes place in response to output from a magnetic sensor system.

11. A method according to claim 10, wherein a first portion of the magnetic sensor system is included with the article of footwear and a second portion of the magnetic sensor system is included with the electronic module.

12. A method according to claim 8, further comprising:

wirelessly receiving data into the electronic module when the electronic module is within a proximity relative to the module securing element.

13. A method according to claim 12, wherein the data is wirelessly received, at least in part, via magnetic pulses.

14. A method according to claim 8, further comprising:

sensing, with a sensing element of the electronic device, at least one physical or physiological characteristic associated with activity taking place while the article of footwear is worn.

15. A method according to claim 8, further comprising:

deactivating the electronic module or at least the first function of the electronic module when the electronic module is determined to be engaged with the module securing element in a second orientation.

16. A computer readable medium storing executable instructions that, when executed, cause an apparatus at least to perform:

sensing an interaction between an electronic module and a module securing element of an article of footwear at a first orientation; and

activating the electronic module or at least a first function of the electronic module in response to the sensed interaction.

17. The computer readable medium recited in claim 16, wherein the article of footwear includes at least a first portion of an activation system for activating the electronic module or the first function of the electronic module.

18. The computer readable medium recited in claim 16, wherein the executable instructions, when executed, further cause the apparatus to wirelessly receive data into the electronic module when the electronic module is within a proximity relative to the module securing element.

19. The computer readable medium recited in claim 16, wherein the executable instructions, when executed, further cause the apparatus to sense, with a sensing element of the electronic device, at least one physical or physiological characteristic associated with activity taking place while the article of footwear is worn.

20. The computer readable medium recited in claim 16, wherein the executable instructions, when executed, further cause the apparatus to deactivate the electronic module or at least the first function of the electronic module when the electronic module is determined to be engaged with the module securing element in a second orientation.