Athletic performance sensing and/or tracking systems and methods

• US 9,643,071 B2
• Filed: 05/28/2015
• Issued: 05/09/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 09/07/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nike, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Nike, Inc.
• Inventors: Riley, Raymond W., Hoffer, Kevin W., Berner, William E., Schrock, Allan M., Niegowski, James A., Rauchholz, William F.
• Primary Examiner(s): GANESAN, SUNDHARA M
• Application Number:
  US14/724,476
• Publication Number:
  US 20150258379A1
• Time in Patent Office: 712 Days
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2503/10 Athletes
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/1118 Determining activity level
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/74 Details of notification to user or communication with user or patient indicating measured values G01D7/00; user input means input or output arrangements for computers G06F3/00
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/7405 using sound
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2024/0065 Evaluating the fitness, e.g. fitness level or fitness index
• 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 2024/0071 Distinction between different activities, movements, or kind of sports performed
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2071/0625 Emitting sound, noise or music
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2071/0694 Visual indication, e.g. Indicia
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/00 Measuring of physical parameters relating to sporting activity
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/12 Absolute positions, e.g. by using GPS
• 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 2220/836 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 2230/06 heartbeat rate only
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 24/0006 Computerised comparison for qualitative assessment of motion sequences or the course of a movement
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 24/0059 Exercising apparatus with reward systems
• 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 24/0087 : Electric or electronic controls for exercising apparatus of groups A63B21/00 - A63B23/00, e.g. controlling load
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 69/0028 : for running, jogging or speed-walking movable endless bands A63B22/02
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 69/16 : for cycling , i.e. arrangements on or for real bicycles
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 71/06 : Indicating or scoring devices for games or players , or for other sports activities
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 71/0616 : Means for conducting or scheduling competition, league, tournaments or rankings
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 71/0622 : Visual, audio or audio-visual systems for entertaining, instructing or motivating the user
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 71/0686 : Timers, rhythm indicators or pacing apparatus using electric or electronic means
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 15/02 : electric
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/4387 : by the use of playlists
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/68 : Retrieval characterised by using metadata, e.g. metadata not derived from the content or metadata generated manually
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/165 : Management of the audio stream, e.g. setting of volume, audio stream path
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/0639 : Performance analysis of employees; Performance analysis of enterprise or organisation operations
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 5/02 : with visual presentation of the material to be studied, e.g. using film strip
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 5/04 : with audible presentation of the material to be studied sound recording or reproducing G11B
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 20/30 : relating to physical therapies or activities, e.g. physiotherapy, acupressure or exercising
• CPC Class Codes: G16Z 99/00 : Subject matter not provided for in other main groups of this subclass

Abstract

Athletic performance sensing and/or tracking systems include components for measuring or sensing athletic performance data and/or for storing and/or displaying desired information associated with the athletic performance to the user (or others). Such systems can allow users a wide variety of options in creating workouts, selecting and presenting media content during the athletic performance, etc., e.g., to help keep users entertained and motivated. In some instances, user feedback may be used, optionally in combination with objective data relating to a workout, to control features of the workout routine, to control the music or other media content selected and/or presented, and/or to control features of future workout routines and/or the presented media content.

Claims

1. A method performed by an athletic performance tracking system comprising:

providing, at a processor associated with a user device of the athletic performance tracking system, playback of first motivational content to a first user as the first user is performing an activity;

receiving, at the processor, first athletic performance data from a sensor of the athletic performance tracking system measuring performance of the first user as the first user is performing the activity;

analyzing, at the processor, the first athletic performance data to determine a first performance metric specific to playback of the first motivational content;

determining, at the processor, whether the first performance metric is lower than a performance threshold, wherein the performance threshold is determined from past performances of the activity;

based on determining the first performance metric is lower than the performance threshold, identifying, at the processor, a second beat associated with second motivational content, wherein the second beat is higher than a first beat of the first motivational content;

providing, at the processor, playback of the second motivational content to the first user as the first user continues to perform the activity; and

responsive to receiving a user display request, providing an activity level display to the user device showing the first performance metric of the first user specific to playback of the first motivational content.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the first motivational content and the second motivational content comprise motivational songs.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the first motivational content and the second motivational content are part of a motivational content library associated with the first user.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the second beat more closely matches a third beat of the first user as the first user is performing the activity.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the activity comprises running on a treadmill.

6. The method of claim 4, wherein the activity comprises cycling.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the second motivational content is selected from a second motivational content library, the second motivational content library including motivational content associated with a genre, wherein the genre of the second motivational content library is different than a genre associated with the first motivational content.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the second motivational content is selected from a second motivational content library, the second motivational content library including motivational content associated with an artist, wherein the artist of the second motivational content library is different than an artist associated with the first motivational content.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the second motivational content is associated with a higher first performance metric than the first performance metric specific to playback of the first motivational content.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining, at the processor, whether the first performance metric is higher than a second performance threshold; and

based on determining the first performance metric is higher than the second performance threshold, identifying, at the processor, a third beat associated with third motivational content, wherein the third beat is lower than the first beat of the first motivational content.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein providing the activity level display further comprises showing the first performance metric of the first user specific to playback of the second motivational content.

12. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

responsive to receiving a second user display request, providing a second activity level display to the user device showing the first performance metric of the first user specific to playback of the second motivational content.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein the second motivational content is selected from a motivational content library associated with the first user.