Multi-sensor monitoring of athletic performance

• US 8,112,251 B2
• Filed: 09/02/2009
• Issued: 02/07/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 12/17/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nike, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Nike, Inc.
• Inventors: Case, Charles Whipple Jr., Martin, Jason P.
• Primary Examiner(s): Bui, Bryan
• Application Number:
  US12/552,958
• Publication Number:
  US 20090319230A1
• Time in Patent Office: 888 Days
• Field of Search: 702/95, 702/97, 702/142, 702/150, 702/182, 702/188, 342/357.01, 342/357.06, 342/367, 342/385, 482/4, 482/7, 482/8
• US Class Current: 702/182
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2024/0025 Tracking the path or location of one or more users, e.g. players of a game
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2024/0068 Comparison to target or threshold, previous performance or not real time comparison to other individuals
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/12 Absolute positions, e.g. by using GPS
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/18 Inclination, slope or curvature
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/20 Distances or displacements
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/30 Speed
• 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 2220/72 Temperature
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/73 Altitude
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/75 Humidity
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/76 Wind conditions
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/836 Sensors arranged on the body of the user
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2225/50 Wireless data transmission, e.g. by radio transmitters or telemetry
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2230/04 heartbeat characteristics, e.g. ECG, blood pressure modulations
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2230/08 other bio-electrical signals
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 24/00 Electric or electronic controls for exercising apparatus of preceding groups; Controlling or monitoring of exercises, sportive games, training or athletic performances
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 24/0003 Analysing the course of a movement or motion sequences during an exercise or trainings sequence, e.g. swing for golf or tennis
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 24/0021 Tracking a path or terminating locations
• 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 24/0075 Means for generating exercise programs or schemes, e.g. computerized virtual trainer, e.g. using expert databases
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 71/0686 : Timers, rhythm indicators or pacing apparatus using electric or electronic means
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 22/006 : Pedometers
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/323 : wherein the player is informed, e.g. advertisements, odds, instructions
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 19/003 : Repetitive work cycles; Sequence of movements
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 5/02 : with visual presentation of the material to be studied, e.g. using film strip

Abstract

Athletic performance monitoring systems and methods, many of which utilize, in some manner, global positioning satellite (“GPS”) data, provide data and information to athletes and/or to equipment used by athletes during an athletic event. Such systems and methods may provide route information to athletes and/or their trainers, e.g. for pre-event planning, goal setting, and calibration purposes. Such systems and methods optionally may provide real time information to the athlete while the event takes place, e.g., to assist in reaching the pre-set goals. Additionally, data and information collected by such systems and methods may assist in post-event analysis for athletes and their trainers, e.g., to evaluate past performances and to assist in improving future performances.

Claims

1. An athletic performance monitoring system, comprising:

an altitude measuring system that obtains data relating to an altitude at an athlete'"'"'s location along a route used for an athletic performance as the athletic performance is taking place;

a first athletic performance monitor that provides data relating to at least one of a speed or a distance moved by the athlete during the athletic performance;

a second athletic performance monitor that provides data relating to a physiological characteristic of the athlete during the athletic performance;

means for storing data relating to the athletic performance, wherein the means for storing stores at least some data collected during the athletic performance via the altitude measuring system, the first athletic performance monitor, and the second athletic performance monitor; and

means for displaying at least some data collected during the athletic performance via the altitude measuring system, the first athletic performance monitor, and the second athletic performance monitor in a time correlated manner, wherein, after the athletic performance has been completed, the means for displaying simultaneously displays at least some of the data relating to the altitude, at least some of the data relating to the speed or distance moved by the athlete, and at least some of the data relating to the physiological characteristic in the time correlated manner, and wherein the means for displaying displays a representation of the route on a map along with at least some of the data collected during the athletic performance via the altitude measuring system, the first athletic performance monitor, and the second athletic performance monitor.

2. An athletic performance monitoring system according to claim 1, further comprising:

a user input system that allows the user to select a first location along the route displayed on the means for displaying.

3. An athletic performance monitoring system according to claim 2, wherein the means for displaying displays data relating to the altitude, data relating to the speed or distance moved by the athlete, and data relating to the physiological characteristic corresponding to the first location in response to user selection of the first location.

4. An athletic performance monitoring system according to claim 2, wherein the user input system allows the user to position a cursor at a second location on the route displayed by the means for displaying without selecting the second location, wherein the second location is different from the first location.

5. An athletic performance monitoring system according to claim 4, wherein the means for displaying temporarily displays data relating to the altitude, data relating to the speed or distance moved by the athlete, and data relating to the physiological characteristic corresponding to the second location in response to user positioning of the cursor at the second location.

6. An athletic performance monitoring system according to claim 1, further comprising:

a user input system that allows the user to position a cursor at a first location on the route displayed by the means for displaying without selecting the first location.

7. An athletic performance monitoring system according to claim 6, wherein the means for displaying temporarily displays data relating to the altitude, data relating to the speed or distance moved by the athlete, and data relating to the physiological characteristic corresponding to the first location in response to user positioning of the cursor at the first location.

8. An athletic performance monitoring system according to claim 1, wherein the means for displaying provides a display of an icon automatically movable along the display of the route.

9. An athletic performance monitoring system according to claim 8, wherein the means for displaying changes the displayed data relating to the altitude, the displayed data relating to the speed or distance moved by the athlete, and the displayed data relating to the physiological characteristic as the icon moves along the display of the route.

10. An athletic performance monitoring system according to claim 8, wherein the means for displaying changes:

(a) the displayed data relating to the altitude, (b) the displayed data relating to the speed or distance moved by the athlete, and (c) the displayed data relating to the physiological characteristic, as the icon moves along the display of the route so as to correspond the displayed data to a position of the icon along the route.

11. An athletic performance monitoring system according to claim 1, wherein the data generated by the first athletic performance monitor includes data generated by a global positioning satellite system.

12. An athletic performance monitoring system according to claim 1, wherein the first athletic performance monitor includes a global positioning satellite receiver that obtains data relating to a series of time-stamped position points encountered during the athletic performance.

13. An athletic performance monitoring system, comprising:

means for receiving input data relating to an athletic performance, wherein the input data relating to the athletic performance includes data relating to movement of an athlete along a route including data relating to at least one physical characteristic measured during the athletic performance and data relating to at least one physiological characteristic measured during the athletic performance; and

means for displaying information relating to the athletic performance after the athletic performance has been completed, wherein the information displayed correlates at least one physical characteristic of the athletic performance to time, distance, or location along the route used during the athletic performance, wherein the information displayed correlates at least one physiological characteristic of the athletic performance to time, distance, or location along the route used during the athletic performance, wherein the means for displaying simultaneously displays at least some of the data relating to the physical characteristic and at least some of the data relating to the physiological characteristic correlated to time, distance, or location along the route, and wherein the means for displaying displays a representation of the route on a map along with at least some of the data relating to the physical characteristic and at least some of the data relating to the physiological characteristic collected during the athletic performance.

14. An athletic performance monitoring system according to claim 13, further comprising:

a user input system that allows the user to select a first location along the route displayed on the means for displaying.

15. An athletic performance monitoring system according to claim 14, wherein the means for displaying displays data relating to at least one physical characteristic and data relating to at least one physiological characteristic corresponding to the first location in response to user selection of the first location.

16. An athletic performance monitoring system according to claim 14, wherein the user input system allows the user to position a cursor at a second location on the route displayed by the means for displaying without selecting the second location, wherein the second location is different from the first location.

17. An athletic performance monitoring system according to claim 16, wherein the means for displaying temporarily displays data relating to at least one physical characteristic and data relating to at least one physiological characteristic corresponding to the second location in response to user positioning of the cursor at the second location.

18. An athletic performance monitoring system according to claim 13, further comprising:

a user input system that allows the user to position a cursor at a first location on the route displayed by the means for displaying without selecting the first location.

19. An athletic performance monitoring system according to claim 18, wherein the means for displaying temporarily displays data relating to at least one physical characteristic and data relating to at least one physiological characteristic corresponding to the first location in response to user positioning of the cursor at the first location.

20. An athletic performance monitoring system according to claim 13, wherein the means for displaying provides a display of an icon automatically movable along the display of the route.

21. An athletic performance monitoring system according to claim 20, wherein the means for displaying changes the displayed data relating to at least one physical characteristic and the displayed data relating to at least one physiological characteristic as the icon moves along the display of the route.

22. An athletic performance monitoring system according to claim 20, wherein the means for displaying changes:

(a) the displayed data relating to at least one physical characteristic and (b) the displayed data relating to at least one physiological characteristic, as the icon moves along the display of the route so as to correspond the displayed data to a position of the icon along the route.

23. An athletic performance monitoring system according to claim 13, wherein the data generated by the first athletic performance monitor includes data generated by a global positioning satellite system.

24. An athletic performance monitoring system according to claim 13, wherein the first athletic performance monitor includes a global positioning satellite receiver that obtains data relating to a series of time-stamped position points encountered during the athletic performance.

25. An athletic performance monitoring system, comprising:

a global positioning satellite receiver that obtains data relating to a series of time-stamped position points encountered by an athlete during an athletic performance, wherein the athletic performance includes movement of the athlete along a route;

means for determining data relating to at least one of a speed or a distance moved by the athlete along the route during the athletic performance based, at least in part, on the data from the global positioning satellite receiver;

means for determining whether the route used during the athletic performance corresponds to a route used during a previous athletic performance based on data obtained via the global positioning satellite receiver during the athletic performance;

means for comparing the data relating to at least one of the speed or the distance moved by the athlete during the athletic performance with data relating to the speed or the distance moved during the previous athletic performance when the route used during the athletic performance is determined to have corresponded to the route used during the previous athletic performance; and

means for displaying information relating to at least one of the speed or the distance moved by the athlete during the athletic performance and information relating to at least one of the speed or the distance moved during the previous athletic performance, wherein the means for displaying displays the information along with a representation of the route on a map.

26. An athletic performance monitoring system according to claim 25, further comprising:

means for correlating at least some data collected via the global positioning satellite receiver to the athlete'"'"'s location along the route used during the athletic performance.

27. An athletic performance monitoring system according to claim 25, wherein the data relating to the athletic performance and the data relating to the previous athletic performance were generated during athletic performances performed by a single individual.

28. An athletic performance monitoring system according to claim 25, wherein the data relating to the athletic performance was generated by a first individual and the data relating to the previous athletic performance was generated by a second individual.

29. An athletic performance monitoring system according to claim 25, wherein the means for displaying simultaneously displays the information relating to at least one of the speed or the distance moved by the athlete during the athletic performance and the information relating to at least one of the speed or the distance moved during the previous athletic performance along with the representation of the route on the map.

30. An athletic performance monitoring system according to claim 25, wherein the means for displaying provides a display of a first icon automatically movable along the display of the route to represent the athletic performance and a display of a second icon automatically movable along the display of the route to represent the previous athletic performance.

31. An athletic performance monitoring system according to claim 30, wherein the means for displaying changes:

(a) the displayed information relating to at least one of the speed or the distance moved by the athlete during the athletic performance as the first icon moves along the display of the route and (b) the displayed information relating to at least one of the speed or the distance moved during the previous athletic performance as the second icon moves along the display of the route.

32. An athletic performance monitoring system according to claim 31, wherein the means for displaying simultaneously moves the first icon and the second icon on the display.

33. An athletic performance monitoring system according to claim 31, wherein the means for displaying moves the first icon and the second icon on the display so as to display a virtual race.