Adaptive training system

• US 7,658,694 B2
• Filed: 04/30/2007
• Issued: 02/09/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 04/30/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nike, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Nike, Inc.
• Inventors: Ungari, Joseph L.
• Primary Examiner(s): Mathew; Fenn C
• Assistant Examiner(s): Tecco; Andrew M
• Application Number:
  US11/742,216
• Publication Number:
  US 20080269017A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,016 Days
• Field of Search: 482/1, 482/4, 482/8, 482/9, 482/901, 700/253, 700/255, 700/257, 700/258, 700/259, 700/302, 700 91- 93, 701/26, 901/46, 901/47, 180/167, 180/169, 434247-255, 434/258
• US Class Current: 482/1
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2225/50 Wireless data transmission, e.g. by radio transmitters or telemetry
• 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 69/0053 Apparatus generating random stimulus signals for reaction-time training involving a substantial physical effort
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 69/34 Tackling, blocking or grappling dummies, e.g. boxing or wrestling or American- football dummies
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 71/0686 Timers, rhythm indicators or pacing apparatus using electric or electronic means
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0094 involving pointing a payload, e.g. camera, weapon, sensor, towards a fixed or moving target

Abstract

A mobile unit configured to train an athlete is disclosed. The mobile unit includes multiple sensors, communication devices and a mobility system. The mobile unit executes one or more training paths to simulate chasing associated with various sports. The mobile unit is capable of determining its own location and the location of the athlete throughout a training session, as well as other information. The mobile unit is configured to adapt the training path to stress weaknesses of the athlete with respect to various types of athletic skills.

Claims

1. A mobile unit configured to train an athlete, comprising:

a control unit configured to receive information about a first position of the athlete during a first training session;

the control unit configured to make a first adjustment of the motion of the mobile unit based on the first position of the athlete;

the control unit including a mass storage device including expected performance information pre-programmed into the mass storage device, wherein the expected performance information relates to at least two athletic skills;

a processor associated with the control unit that retrieves the information associated with the athlete from the storage device and determines a weakest skill of the athlete by comparing the information associated with the athlete with the expected performance information;

wherein the control unit prepares a new training path based upon the weakest skill of the athlete and,

wherein the control unit adjusts the motion of the mobile unit in a manner that stresses the weakest athletic skill of the user.

2. The mobile unit according to claim 1, wherein the mobile unit includes an optical device configured to receive optical information associated with the athlete.

3. The mobile unit according to claim 2, wherein the control unit includes a GPS antenna port configured to receive GPS information.

4. The mobile unit according to claim 3, wherein the control unit includes an RFID port configured to receive RFID information.

5. The mobile unit according to claim 4, wherein the mobile unit includes at least one device configured to transmit or receive information from a sensor system associated with the athlete.

6. The mobile unit according to claim 5, wherein the mobile unit determines the relative location of the athlete using information received from the sensor system and optical information associated with the athlete.

21. The mobile unit according to claim 1, wherein the mobile unit moves at a speed associated with a high performance athlete.

22. The mobile unit according to claim 21, wherein the mobile unit moves at a speed between about 10 meters per second and about 13 meters per second.

7. A mobile unit configured to train an athlete, comprising:

a control unit including a first port configured to receive information from a transmitter associated with an athlete;

wherein the control unit uses the information received through the first port to calculate a position and speed of the athlete; and

a group of possible training paths pre-programmed into the control unit, wherein each training path in the group targets a different athletic skill;

expected performance information pre-programmed into the control unit;

a processor associated with the control unit that receives the information from a transmitter associated with the athlete and determines a weakest skill of the athlete by comparing the information from a transmitter associated with the athlete with the expected performance information; and

wherein the control unit creates a new training path based upon the weakest skill of the athlete by selecting one of the group of possible training paths stored in the storage device and,

wherein the control unit adjusts the motion of the mobile unit in a manner that stresses the weakest athletic skill of the user.

8. The mobile unit according to claim 7, wherein the first port is associated with an RFID receiver.

9. The mobile unit according to claim 7, wherein a second port is associated with a video camera.

10. The mobile unit according to claim 7, wherein the first port is associated with a wireless network.

11. The mobile unit according to claim 7, wherein the position and the speed of the athlete is stored in a database associated with mobile unit.

12. The mobile unit according to claim 11, wherein the control unit determines an athlete'"'"'s weakest athletic skills by analyzing the stored positions and speeds of the athlete.

13. The mobile unit according to claim 7, wherein the control unit modifies the motion of the mobile unit according to the athlete'"'"'s weakest athletic skills.

14. A mobile unit configured to train an athlete, comprising:

a set of ports that receive information associated with an athlete;

the set of ports communicating with at least one sensor associated with a control unit for monitoring the athlete and gathering the information associated with the athlete;

a storage device associated with the control unit;

expected performance information pre-programmed into the storage device, wherein the expected performance information relates to at least two athletic skills, wherein the athletic skills comprise at least one of turning speed, banking speed, linear speed, and linear acceleration;

a communications link for transferring the information associated with the athlete from the at least one sensor to the storage device;

a processor associated with the control unit that retrieves the information associated with the athlete from the storage device and determines a weakest skill of the athlete by comparing the information associated with the athlete with the expected performance information; and

wherein the control unit prepares a new training path based upon the weakest skill of the athlete and,

wherein the control unit adjusts the motion of the mobile unit in a manner that stresses the weakest athletic skill of the user.

15. The mobile unit according to claim 14, wherein the control unit includes an optical port configured to receive optical information.

16. The mobile unit according to claim 14, wherein the control unit includes an RFID port configured to receive RFID information.

17. The mobile unit according to claim 14, wherein the control unit includes a GPS antenna port configured to receive GPS information.

18. The mobile unit according to claim 14, wherein the information associated with the athlete is stored in a database.

19. The mobile unit according to claim 17, wherein the set of ports receives information associated with the location of the mobile unit.

20. The mobile unit according to claim 19, wherein the mobile unit always moves away from the athlete.

23. The mobile unit according to claim 14, wherein the control unit includes a processor that determines the weakest athletic skill by analyzing the information associated with the athlete with a pattern recognition algorithm.

24. The mobile unit according to claim 14, wherein the weakest athletic skill is selected from the group consisting of turning speed, banking speed, linear speed, and linear acceleration.

25. The mobile unit according to claim 14, wherein

the storage device associated with the control unit includes expected performance information related to at least one athletic skill.

26. The mobile unit according to claim 14, wherein the athletic skills comprise at least one other athletic skill different from turning speed, banking speed, linear speed, and linear acceleration.