Location determining system

• US 7,813,887 B2
• Filed: 11/17/2006
• Issued: 10/12/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 11/21/1994
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Nike, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Nike, Inc.
• Inventors: Darcy, Dennis, Vock, Curtis A., Flentov, Peter
• Primary Examiner(s): Lau; Tung S
• Assistant Examiner(s): SUN, XIUQIN
• Application Number:
  US11/601,406
• Publication Number:
  US 20070067128A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,425 Days
• Field of Search: 702/94, 702/1, 702/127, 702/150, 702/155, 702/158, 702/166, 702/182, 202/158, 342/357, 342/357.06, 342/357.08, 342/357.14, 340/988, 340/995.1, 340/995.14, 340/995.27, 340/995.28, 701/200, 701/201, 701/206, 701/207, 701/208, 701/213
• US Class Current: 702/94
• 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 location measurement system comprises: a GPS receiver for attachment to a person and for determining earth location of the person; a display for attachment to the person; memory for storing map data; a processor configured to process earth location and the map data to instruct display the person'"'"'s current location with a map on the display.

Claims

1. A location measurement system, comprising:

a GPS receiver configured for attachment to a person and for determining earth location of the person;

at least one of a display and an audio feedback that is attachable to the person;

memory storing map data wherein the map data includes 3-D topographical information; and

a processor configured to

process the earth location and the map data to instruct display of a person'"'"'s current location with a map on the display,

detect contact with ground based upon movement of the person over the ground,

determine vertical drop of the person based upon the movement of the person over the ground during at least one time interval in which lack of contact with the ground is detected followed by subsequent detection of contact with the ground; and

compare the vertical drop of the person to a vertical drop determined for another person;

wherein the comparison of the vertical drop of the person to the vertical drop determined for another person is configured for output to the at least one of the display and the audio feedback.

2. The system of claim 1, the GPS receiver, memory and processor being configured within a watch wherein the display is the display of the watch.

3. The system of claim 1, the GPS receiver further configured to determine speed of the person, the processor configured to instruct output of speed to the person on the at least one of the display and the audio feedback.

4. The system of claim 1, the GPS receiver configured to determine distance traveled of the person, the processor further configured to instruct output of distance traveled to the person on the at least one of the display and the audio feedback.

5. The system of claim 1, further comprising a vibrational sensor configured to determine the contact and the lack of contact with the ground.

6. A location determining system, comprising:

a housing configured for attachment to a person;

a GPS receiver configured with the housing for determining earth location;

memory configured with the housing and storing map data wherein the map data includes 3-D topographical information;

at least one of a display and an audio feedback con figured for attachment to the person; and

a processor configured with the housing to process earth location and the map data to determine location of the person, to detect contact with ground based upon movement of the person over the ground, to determine a vertical drop of the person based upon movement of the person over ground during at least one time interval in which lack of contact with the ground is detected followed by subsequent detection of contact with the ground, and to instruct display of the person'"'"'s location on a map, wherein the processor is further configured to compare the vertical drop of the person to a vertical drop of another person;

wherein the comparison of the vertical drop of the person to the vertical drop of the another person is output to the at least one of the display and the audio feedback.

7. The system of claim 6, wherein the location determining system comprises at least one display, and wherein the display is positioned proximate to or integral with the housing.

8. The system of claim 6, further comprising an altimeter for determining altitude of the housing.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein the location determining system comprises at least one display, and wherein the display includes a watch for displaying one or both of the person'"'"'s location and the altitude.

10. The system of claim 6, the processor configured to determine speed associated with movement of the housing.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein the location determining system comprises at least one display and wherein the display includes a watch for displaying one or both of the person'"'"'s location and the speed.

12. The system of claim 6, further comprising a wireless transmitter configured with the housing to transmit data indicative of location to a remote location.

13. A performance measurement system, comprising:

a first GPS receiver configured for attachment to a first person and for determining performance data for the first person, wherein the performance data of the first person comprises a vertical drop determined based upon movement of the first person over ground during at least one time interval in which lack of contact with the ground is detected followed by subsequent detection of contact with the ground;

a memory for storing performance data for a plurality of people, including at least the first person;

a processor coupled to the first GPS receiver, the processor configured to process the performance data for the first person and compare the performance data of the first person with performance data of at least one other person within the plurality of people; and

at least one of a display and an audio feedback for attachment to the first person;

wherein the comparison of the performance data of the first person with the performance data of the at least one other person is output to the at least one of the display and the audio feedback.

14. The performance measurement system recited in claim 13, wherein the performance data includes at least one of vertical drop, power, speed, drop distance, location, acceleration, and energy.

15. The performance measurement system recited in claim 13, wherein the memory is a server that is remote from the first GPS receiver.

16. The performance measurement system recited in claim 15, further comprising a second GPS receiver for attachment to a second person and for determining performance data for the second person, and a second at least one of a display and an audio feedback for attachment to the second person, and wherein the processor is further configured to process the performance data for the second person and compare the performance data of the second person with performance data of at least the first person;

wherein the comparison of the performance data of the second person with performance data of at least the first person is output to the second at least one of the display and the audio feedback.