Multi-mode acceleration-based athleticism measurement system

• US 8,128,410 B2
• Filed: 09/28/2007
• Issued: 03/06/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 09/29/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nike, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Nike, Inc.
• Inventors: Prstojevich, Michael
• Primary Examiner(s): Thai, Xuan
• Assistant Examiner(s): Utama, Robert J
• Application Number:
  US11/864,438
• Publication Number:
  US 20080249736A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,621 Days
• Field of Search: 434/247, 482 1- 4
• US Class Current: 434/247
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2503/10 Athletes
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2562/0219 Inertial sensors, e.g. accelerometers, gyroscopes, tilt switches
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/112 Gait analysis
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/1123 Discriminating type of movement, e.g. walking or running A61B5/1116, A61B5/112 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2024/0065 Evaluating the fitness, e.g. fitness level or fitness index
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2024/0078 Exercise efforts programmed as a function of time
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2071/0625 Emitting sound, noise or music
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/17 Counting, e.g. counting periodical movements, revolutions or cycles, or including further data processing to determine distances or speed
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/40 Acceleration
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/803 Motion sensors
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/836 Sensors arranged on the body of the user
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2225/20 with means for remote communication, e.g. internet or the like
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2225/50 Wireless data transmission, e.g. by radio transmitters or telemetry
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 23/0458 Step exercisers without moving parts with movable steps A63B22/04
• 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 24/0062 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 69/0028 for running, jogging or speed-walking movable endless bands A63B22/02
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 71/06 Indicating or scoring devices for games or players , or for other sports activities
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 71/0686 Timers, rhythm indicators or pacing apparatus using electric or electronic means
• CPC Class Codes: G01P 15/00 : Measuring acceleration; Measuring deceleration; Measuring shock, i.e. sudden change of acceleration
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 19/0038 : Sports

Abstract

A multi-mode athleticism movement measurement system includes an athlete-borne acceleration sensor and an athleticism processing device to determine athleticism information based upon one or more timing measurements from the athlete-borne acceleration sensor, the athleticism information corresponding to any of multiple athleticism measurement modes available on athleticism processing device and selectable by a user. A data link between the athlete-borne acceleration sensor and the athleticism rating processing device transmits the one or more timing measurements from the athlete-borne acceleration sensor to the athleticism rating processing device.

Claims

1. A multi-mode athleticism movement measurement system, comprising:

an athleticism processing device configured to determine athleticism information based upon one or more timing measurements from a user-borne acceleration sensor, the athleticism information corresponding to any of plural athleticism measurement modes available on the athleticism processing device and selectable by a user, the plural athleticism measurement modes including a first athleticism mode corresponding to a first athletic test involving a first type of athletic movement and a second athleticism mode corresponding to a second athletic test involving a second type of athletic movement; and

a data link device configured to provide a data link between the user-borne acceleration sensor and the athleticism rating processing device and to transmit the one or more timing measurements from the user-borne acceleration sensor to the athleticism rating processing device,

wherein the athleticism processing device is further configured to;

generate a first set of audible cues instructing the user to perform the first type of athletic movement at a specified time during the first athletic test when the first athleticism mode is selected;

generate a second set of audible cues, different from the first set of audible cues, instructing the user to perform the second type of athletic movement at a specified time during the second athletic test when the second athleticism mode is selected;

process the data received from the user-borne acceleration sensor to generate a first set of one or more performance metrics when the first athleticism mode is selected; and

generate a second set of one or more performance metrics when the second athleticism mode is selected, wherein a first type of performance metric included in the first set is different from each type of metric included in the second set and a second type of performance metric included in the second set is different from each type of metric included in the first set.

2. The system of claim 1 in which the data link is a wireless data link.

3. The system of claim 1 in which the athleticism rating processing device includes a wireless athlete timing system.

4. The system of claim 1 in which the athleticism rating processing device is borne by the athlete.

5. The system of claim 1 in which the athleticism rating processing device provides real-time feedback of athletic performance to an athlete during a timing measurement from the user-borne acceleration sensor.

6. The system of claim 5 in which the real-time feedback includes an indication whether the athletic performance meets a predefined performance threshold.

7. The system of claim 5 in which the real-time feedback includes an indication whether the athletic performance meets a predefined cadence cue when the first athleticism mode is selected.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the athleticism processing device is further configured to generate an athleticism rating of athletic performance using the first and second types of performance metrics, wherein the athleticism rating comprises a single athleticism value generated based on athletic performances in the plural athleticism measurement modes.

9. A multi-mode athleticism movement measurement method, comprising:

receiving, by an athleticism processing device, a selection of an athleticism measurement mode from among a plurality of athleticism measurement modes available on the athleticism processing device, each of the plurality of athleticism measurement modes corresponding to a different athletic test comprising a different type of athletic movement;

generating, by the athleticism processing device, a first set of audible cues instructing the user to perform a first type of athletic movement at a specified time during a first athletic test when a first athleticism measurement mode is selected;

generating, by the athleticism processing device, second set of audible cues, different from the first set of audible cues, instructing the user to perform a second type of athletic movement at a specified time during a second athletic test when a second athleticism measurement mode is selected;

receiving, by the athleticism processing device, acceleration data from a user-borne acceleration sensor according to the selected athleticism measurement mode and correlating the acceleration data with timing data;

generating, by the athleticism processing device, a first set of one or more performance metrics based on the acceleration data when the selected athleticism measurement mode is the first athleticism measurement mode corresponding to the first athletic test involving the first type of athletic movement; and

generating, by the athleticism processing device, a second set of one or more performance metrics based on the acceleration data when the selected athleticism measurement mode is the second athleticism measurement mode corresponding to the second athletic test involving the second type of athletic movement,

wherein a first type of performance metric included in the first set is different from each type of metric included in the second set and a second type of performance metric included in the second set is different from each type of metric included in the first set.

10. The method of claim 9 further comprising providing real-time feedback of athletic performance to an athlete while obtaining the acceleration data.

11. The method of claim 10 in which the real-time feedback includes an indication whether the athletic performance meets a predefined performance threshold.

12. The method of claim 10 in which the real-time feedback includes an indication whether the athletic performance meets a predefined cadence cue.

13. The method of claim 10 further comprising incorporating the athleticism information into an athleticism rating of athletic performance.

14. One or more non-transitory computer readable media storing computer readable instructions that, when executed, cause an apparatus to:

receive a selection of an athleticism measurement mode from among a plurality of athleticism measurement modes available on the athleticism processing device, each of the plurality of athleticism measurement modes corresponding to a different athletic test involving different types of athletic movement;

generate first set of audible cues instructing the user to perform a first type of athletic movement at a specified time during a first athletic test when a first athleticism measurement mode is selected;

generate second set of audible cues, different from the first set of audible cues, instructing the user to perform a second type of athletic movement at a specified time during a second athletic test when a second athleticism measurement mode is selected;

receive acceleration data from a user-borne acceleration sensor according to the selected athleticism measurement mode and correlating the acceleration data with timing data;

generate a first set of one or more performance metrics based on the acceleration data when the selected athleticism measurement mode is the first athleticism measurement mode corresponding to the first type of athletic movement; and

generate a second set of one or more performance metrics based on the acceleration data when the selected athleticism measurement mode is the second athleticism measurement mode corresponding to the second type of athletic movement,

wherein a first type of performance metric included in the first set is different from each type of metric included in the second set and a second type of performance metric included in the second set is different from each type of metric included in the first set.

15. The one or more non-transitory computer readable media of claim 14, wherein the first type of performance metric includes an indication of asymmetry between a stride of a user'"'"'s right leg and a stride of the user'"'"'s left leg.