System and method for counting swimming laps

• US 8,696,420 B2
• Filed: 07/16/2010
• Issued: 04/15/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 07/17/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Kyle Doerksen, Neal Mueller
• Original Assignee: Kyle Doerksen, Neal Mueller
• Inventors: Mueller, Neal, Doerksen, Kyle
• Primary Examiner(s): Elisca, Pierre E
• Application Number:
  US12/837,920
• Publication Number:
  US 20120245714A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,369 Days
• Field of Search: 463/4, 700/91, 700/141, 702/162
• US Class Current: 463/4
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2071/0663 worn on the wrist, e.g. wrist bands
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2071/0666 worn on the head or face, e.g. combined with goggles or glasses
• 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 2220/89 Field sensors, e.g. radar systems
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2225/50 Wireless data transmission, e.g. by radio transmitters or telemetry
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2244/20 Swimming
• 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 71/06 Indicating or scoring devices for games or players , or for other sports activities

Abstract

The invention can be worn by the swimmer and comprises a sensor module, preferably with a digital compass and accelerometer, preferably worn under a swim cap or attached to goggles, and a human interaction device, preferably integrated into or worn as wrist watch, for displaying laps. The sensor module and the human interaction device are in communication with each other, preferably via wireless communication. A microprocessor with software is included in either the sensor module, watch or both. The microprocessor/software interprets data from a digital compass and digital accelerometer within the sensor to determine when the swimmer has changed directions and thereby count the number of laps. The watch can then display the number of laps.

Claims

1. A lap-counting device worn by a swimmer comprising:

a sensor comprising a compass having a magnetometer that generates a heading output and an accelerometer that generates a gravity vector, the sensor being wearable by a user;

a human interface device in communication with the sensor, the human interface device comprising a display and being wearable by the user; and

a controller integrated into the sensor or human interface device, the controller being in communication with both the sensor and human interface device, the controller generating a compensated heading output by using the gravity vector from the accelerometer to adjust the heading output of the compass, the controller calculates a lap count based on the compensated heading output, wherein the lap count is communicated to the display.

2. The lap-counting device according to claim 1 wherein the accelerometer is a multi-axis accelerometer or a multi-axis gyroscope.

3. The lap-counting device according to claim 1 wherein the controller uses the gravity vector from the accelerometer to adjust for the tilt of the compass during.

4. The lap-counting device according to claim 1 wherein the controller uses the gravity vector from the accelerometer to adjust for the roll/pitch of the compass during swimming.

5. The lap-counting device according to claim 1 wherein the controller filters using a sliding window median filter.

6. The lap-counting device according to claim 1 wherein the human interface device is integrated into a wrist watch.