Portable apparatus with performance monitoring and audio entertainment features

• US 6,853,955 B1
• Filed: 12/13/2002
• Issued: 02/08/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 12/13/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Garmin Limited
• Original Assignee: Garmin Limited
• Inventors: Burrell, Jonathan C., Lovitt, John H., Conrad, John C.
• Primary Examiner(s): Bui, Bryan
• Application Number:
  US10/319,208
• Time in Patent Office: 788 Days
• Field of Search: 702/176, 702/177, 702/182, 702/187, 702/188, 702150-153, 701/200, 701/213, 482/8, 482/900, 482/902
• US Class Current: 702/182
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2024/0078 Exercise efforts programmed as a function of time
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2071/063 Spoken or verbal instructions
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/12 Absolute positions, e.g. by using GPS
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/30 Speed
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2230/06 heartbeat rate only
• 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 69/0028 for running, jogging or speed-walking movable endless bands A63B22/02
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 71/0622 Visual, audio or audio-visual systems for entertaining, instructing or motivating the user
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 71/0686 Timers, rhythm indicators or pacing apparatus using electric or electronic means

Abstract

A portable apparatus (10) providing both substantially automated performance monitoring and audio entertainment features. In a preferred embodiment the apparatus (10) broadly comprises a portable housing (12); an attachment mechanism (14); a GPS component (16); a heart rate monitor component (17); an audio component (18); a user interface (20); a processor (26); and a power supply (30). The housing (12) may include a headset (1112a) wherein the GPS component (16) is located, and a second housing component (1112b) wherein the processor (26) is located, wherein the GPS component (16) communicates with the processor (26) in a wireless manner. The apparatus (10) is adapted to determine a number of laps or a distance, to provide an elapsed time, and to determine a speed.

Claims

1. A portable apparatus adapted to both monitor performance and provide audio entertainment, the portable apparatus comprising:

a location determining component adapted to determine a geographic location of the portable apparatus;

an audio component adapted to provide audio entertainment;

an interface including an output portion adapted to communicate an output and an input portion adapted to receive an input; and

a processor adapted to receive a starting geographic location identified by the input and a current geographic location from the location determining component, to compare the starting geographic location and the current geographic location, and to provide the output to the output portion of the interface, wherein the output relates to performance and is provided when the current geographic location corresponds to the starting geographic location to thereby indicate completion of a lap.

2. The portable apparatus as set forth in claim 1, wherein the location determining component is based on a global positioning system.

3. The portable apparatus as set forth in claim 1, wherein the audio component is an MP3 player adapted to store and play digitally pre-recorded programming.

4. The portable apparatus as set forth in claim 1, further including a portable lightweight housing adapted to protectively house at least the location determining component, the audio component, the processor, and the interface.

5. The portable apparatus as set forth in claim 4, wherein the portable lightweight housing is at least substantially resistant to water.

6. The portable apparatus as set forth in claim 1, further including a portable lightweight housing including a headset adapted to be worn on a user'"'"'s head.

7. The portable apparatus as set forth in claim 6, wherein the portable lightweight housing is at least substantially resistant to water.

8. The portable apparatus as set forth in claim 6, further including a second housing component, wherein the location determining component and the audio component are housed in the headset and the processor and the interface are housed in the second housing component, and the location determining component and the processor communicate with each other in a wireless manner.

9. The portable apparatus as set forth in claim 1, wherein the portable apparatus is adapted to be carried by a user and further includes an attachment mechanism adapted to removably attach the portable apparatus to the user.

10. The portable apparatus as set forth in claim 1, further including a heart rate monitor component adapted to determine heart rate information for a user of the portable apparatus.

11. The portable apparatus as set forth in claim 1, further including an audio jack and a personal listening device removably connectable thereto for communicating the audio entertainment provided by the audio component.

12. The portable apparatus as set forth in claim 1, wherein the input identifies a desired distance, such that the output is provided when the current geographic location corresponds to the portable apparatus having traveled the desired distance from the starting geographic location.

13. The portable apparatus as set forth in claim 1, wherein the output is communicated both visually and audibly.

14. The portable apparatus as set forth in claim 1, further including a clock providing a time to the processor, wherein the processor receives the time and determines a speed based on the time and a distance corresponding to a difference between the starting geographic location and the current geographic location.

15. The portable apparatus as set forth in claim 1, further including a computer connection port adapted to allow for electrically connecting the processor to another computing device for transferring information therebetween.

16. A portable apparatus adapted to both monitor performance and provide audio entertainment, the portable apparatus comprising:

a location determining component based on a global positioning system and adapted to determine a geographic location of the portable apparatus;

an audio component including an MP3 player adapted to provide audio entertainment;

an interface including an input portion adapted to receive an input and an output portion adapted to communicate an output;

a processor adapted to receive a starting geographic location identified by the input and a current geographic location from the location determining component, to compare the starting geographic location and the current geographic location, and to provide the output to the output portion of the interface, wherein the output is communicated both visually and audibly, relates to performance, and is provided when the current geographic location corresponds to the starting geographic location to thereby indicate completion of a lap;

a clock providing a time to the processor, wherein the processor receives the time and determines a speed based on the time and a distance corresponding to a difference between the starting geographic location and the current geographic location; and

a headset and a second housing component, wherein the location determining component and the audio component are housed in the headset and the processor and the interface are housed in the second housing component, and the location determining component and the processor communicate with each other in a wireless manner; and

an attachment mechanism adapted to removably attach the second housing component to a user.

17. The portable apparatus as set forth in claim 16, wherein the input identifies a desired distance, such that the output is provided when the current geographic location corresponds to the portable apparatus having traveled the desired distance from the starting geographic location.

18. The portable apparatus as set forth in claim 16, wherein the headset and the second housing component are each at least substantially resistant to water.

19. The portable apparatus as set forth in claim 16, further including a heart rate monitor component adapted to determine heart rate information for a user of the portable apparatus.

20. The portable apparatus as set forth in claim 16, further including a computer connection port adapted to allow for electrically connecting the processor to another computing device for transferring information therebetween.

21. A method of both monitoring performance and providing audio entertainment, the method comprising the steps of:

(a) providing selectable audio entertainment;

(b) determining a starting geographic location;

(c) determining a current geographic location;

(d) comparing the starting geographic location to the current geographic location, and communicating completion of a lap if the starting geographic location is substantially identical to the current geographic location;

(e) communicating an elapsed time; and

(f) calculating an actual speed based on the elapsed time and a distance difference between the starting geographic location and the current geographic location.

22. The method as set forth in claim 21 further including the steps of:

(a) receiving an input indicating a desired target speed; and

(b) comparing the desired target speed to the actual speed and communicating a difference if the actual speed is different from the desired target speed.

23. The method as set forth in claim 21 further including the step (g) of transferring the actual speed, the elapsed time, and the distance difference to a computing device for storage.

24. The method as set forth in claim 21 further including the step of (g) determining and communicating a heart rate of a user.

25. A method of both monitoring performance and providing audio entertainment, the method comprising the steps of:

(a) providing selectable audio entertainment;

(b) receiving and storing a desired distance;

(c) determining a starting geographic location and storing the starting geographic location as a previous geographic location;

(d) setting a total distance to 0;

(e) determining a current geographic location;

(f) calculating an actual distance as a difference between the previous geographic location and the current geographic location;

(g) adding the actual distance to the total distance;

(h) storing the current geographic location as the previous geographic location;

(i) comparing the total distance to the desired distance, and

if the total distance is substantially identical to the desired distance, communicating completion of the desired distance, and

if the total distance is less than the desired distance, repeating steps (e) through (i);

(j) communicating an elapsed time; and

(k) calculating an actual speed based on the elapsed time and the total distance.

26. The method as set forth in claim 25, further including the steps of:

(l) receiving an input indicating a desired target speed; and

(m) comparing the desired target speed to the actual speed and communicating a difference if the actual speed is different than the desired target speed.

27. The method as set forth in claim 25, further including the step (n) of transferring the actual speed, the elapsed time, and the distance difference to a computing device for storage.

28. The method as set forth in claim 25, further including the step of (o) determining and communicating a heart rate of a user.