Monitoring and tracking athletic activity

• US 8,825,445 B2
• Filed: 08/12/2010
• Issued: 09/02/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 09/04/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nike, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Nike, Inc.
• Inventors: Hoffman, Michael T., Crankson, Kwamina, Nims, Jason
• Primary Examiner(s): Kundu, Sujoy
• Assistant Examiner(s): CHOWDHURY, HARUN UR R
• Application Number:
  US12/855,304
• Publication Number:
  US 20110098928A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,482 Days
• Field of Search: 702/5, 702/96, 702/130, 702/127, 702/160, 702/182, 482/1, 482/8, 434/247
• 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 2071/0625 Emitting sound, noise or music
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2071/0647 Visualisation of executed movements
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2071/065 Visualisation of specific exercise parameters
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2071/0661 arranged on the user
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2071/0663 worn on the wrist, e.g. wrist bands
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 22/0056 the pivoting movement being in a vertical plane, e.g. steppers with a horizontal axis platforms for rocking motion about a horizontal axis A63B22/16
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 22/0076 Rowing machines for conditioning the cardio-vascular system seats moving during exercise A63B22/0087; training appliances for rowing or sculling on boats A63B69/06
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 22/02 with movable endless bands , e.g. treadmills other training appliances for running on the spot A63B69/0028
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 22/0605 performing a circular movement, e.g. ergometers
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 22/0664 performing an elliptic movement
• 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 2220/17 Counting, e.g. counting periodical movements, revolutions or cycles, or including further data processing to determine distances or speed
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/20 Distances or displacements
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/30 Speed
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/34 Angular speed
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/40 Acceleration
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/51 Force
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/56 : Pressure
• 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 2225/15 : with identification means that can be read by electronic means
• 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 2225/54 : Transponders, e.g. RFID
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2230/00 : Measuring physiological parameters of the user
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2230/04 : heartbeat characteristics, e.g. ECG, blood pressure modulations
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2230/207 : P-O2, i.e. partial O2 value
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2230/75 : calorie expenditure
• 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 24/0084 : Exercising apparatus with means for competitions, e.g. virtual races
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 69/0028 : for running, jogging or speed-walking movable endless bands A63B22/02
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 71/0622 : Visual, audio or audio-visual systems for entertaining, instructing or motivating the user
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 71/0697 : Reservation devices
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1626 : with a single-body enclosure integrating a flat display, e.g. Personal Digital Assistants [PDAs]
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/163 : Wearable computers, e.g. on a belt
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1632 : External expansion units, e.g. docking stations
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1698 : the I/O peripheral being a sending/receiving arrangement to establish a cordless communication link, e.g. radio or infrared link, integrated cellular phone details of antennas disposed inside a computer H01Q1/2266
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/01 : Social networking
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 20/30 : relating to physical therapies or activities, e.g. physiotherapy, acupressure or exercising

Abstract

Athletic activity may be tracked and monitored while providing encouragement and maintaining an individual'"'"'s interest in continuing to perform athletic activity. For example, a themed workout plan may be implemented to motivate the individual and maintain the individual'"'"'s interest. The theme may include geographic locations, food items, technology, sports and the like and may include multiple categories or groupings of goals. For example, the categories may correspond to geographic locations. In each category, multiple goals may be defined. The goals may further be represented by real-world objects such as buildings, food items, technology products, sports equipment and the like. A user may progress through each category by completing each of the goals within that category. Other individuals (e.g., friends) may also be displayed on an interface through which a user'"'"'s progress is tracked. This may allow the user to also view the other individuals'"'"' progress in the same workout plan.

Claims

1. An apparatus comprising:

a processor; and

memory operatively coupled to the processor and storing computer readable instructions that, when executed, cause the apparatus to;

receive input identifying one or more parameters of an activity challenge;

receive physical activity data for one or more users;

display a plurality of geographic locations in an interface, each of the plurality of geographic locations including at least one athletic activity goal;

receive a user selection of a first geographic location from the plurality of locations; and

in response to receiving the selection, generate a geographic progress map of the first geographic location, the geographic progress map comprising a plurality of athletic activity goals, and wherein the geographic progress map provides a representation of an amount of athletic activity required for the first geographic location and includes a plurality of geographic sub-locations within the first geographic location,

wherein generating the geographic progress map includes visually updating, based on the received physical activity data, an appearance of a first virtual object representing the activity challenge in accordance with a progress of the one or more users toward completing the activity challenge.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the plurality of geographic sub-locations includes a physical landmark located in and unique to the first geographic location, and wherein a second virtual object is represented by an appearance of the physical landmark.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein a user'"'"'s progress in completing at least one of the athletic activity goals in the first geographic location is visually represented by at least one of the geographic sub-locations.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein a second geographic location is locked from user selection prior to completion of a threshold amount of athletic activity required for the first geographic location.

5. The apparatus of claim 4, wherein the threshold amount of athletic activity required for the first geographic location includes an amount of athletic activity required to complete each of the plurality of athletic activity goals and an amount of athletic activity required to progress between the plurality of athletic activity goals.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein a number of athletic activity goals defined for the first geographic location corresponds to at least one of:

a physical size of the first geographic location and a population of the first geographic location.

7. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the computer readable instructions, when executed, further cause the apparatus to display an indicator in the geographic progress map, the indicator identifying a location a user and a progress of the user in completing the amount of athletic activity required for the first geographic location.

8. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the computer readable instructions, when executed, further cause the apparatus to:

determine if an amount of athletic activity performed by a user is greater than or equal to an amount of athletic activity required to reach a geographic sub-location corresponding to a first athletic activity goal in the progress map; and

in response to determining that the amount of athletic activity performed by the user is greater or equal to an amount of athletic activity required to reach the geographic sub-location, prompting the user to initiate the first athletic activity goal.

9. A method comprising:

receiving input identifying one or more parameters of an activity challenge;

receiving, by a computing device, physical activity data one or more users;

displaying, by a computing device, a plurality of geographic locations in an interface, each of the plurality of geographic locations including at least one athletic activity goal;

receiving, by the computing device, a user selection of a first geographic location from the plurality of locations; and

in response to receiving the selection, generating, by the computing device, a geographic progress map of the first geographic location, the geographic progress map comprising a plurality of athletic activity goals, and wherein the geographic progress map provides a representation of an amount of athletic activity required for the first geographic location and includes a plurality of geographic sub-locations within the first geographic location,

wherein generating the geographic progress map includes visually updating, based on the received physical activity data, an appearance of a first virtual object representing the activity challenge in accordance with a progress of the one or more users toward completing the activity challenge.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the plurality of geographic sub-locations includes a physical landmark located in and unique to the first geographic location, and wherein a second virtual object is represented by an appearance of the physical landmark.

11. The method of claim 9, wherein a user'"'"'s progress in completing at least one of the athletic activity goals in the first geographic location is visually represented by at least one of the geographic sub-locations.

12. The method of claim 9, wherein a second geographic location is locked from user selection prior to completion of a threshold amount of athletic activity required for the first geographic location.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the threshold amount of athletic activity required for the first geographic location includes an amount of athletic activity required to complete each of the plurality of athletic activity goals and an amount of athletic activity required to progress between the plurality of athletic activity goals.

14. The method of claim 9, wherein a number of athletic activity goals defined for the first geographic location corresponds to at least one of:

a physical size of the first geographic location and a population of the first geographic location.

15. A non-transitory computer readable medium storing computer readable instructions that, when executed, cause an apparatus to:

receive input identifying one or more parameters of an activity challenge;

receive physical activity data for one or more users;

display a plurality of geographic locations in an interface, each of the plurality of geographic locations including at least one athletic activity goal;

receive a user selection of a first geographic location from the plurality of locations; and

in response to receiving the selection, generating a geographic progress map of the first geographic location, the geographic progress map comprising a plurality of athletic activity goals, and wherein the geographic progress map provides a representation of an amount of athletic activity required for the first geographic location and includes a plurality of geographic sub-locations within the first geographic location,

wherein generating the geographic progress map includes visually updating, based on the received physical activity data, an appearance of a virtual object representing the activity challenge in accordance with a progress of the one or more users toward completing the activity challenge.

16. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 15, wherein the computer readable instructions, when executed, further cause the apparatus to display an indicator in the progress map, the indicator identifying a location of a user and a progress the user in completing the amount of athletic activity required for the first geographic location.

17. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 15, wherein the computer readable instructions, when executed, further cause the apparatus to:

determine if an amount of athletic activity performed by a user is greater than or equal to an amount of athletic activity required to reach a geographic sub-location corresponding to a first athletic activity goal in the progress map; and

in response to determining that the amount of athletic activity performed by the user is greater or equal to an amount of athletic activity required to reach the geographic sub-location, prompting the user to initiate the first athletic activity goal.

18. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 15, wherein a threshold amount of athletic activity required for the first geographic location includes an amount of athletic activity required to complete each of the plurality of athletic activity goals and an amount of athletic activity required to progress between the plurality of athletic activity goals.