Systems for activating electronic devices for operation with athletic equipment

• US 9,844,698 B2
• Filed: 12/09/2016
• Issued: 12/19/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 04/20/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nike, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Nike, Inc.
• Inventors: Case, Jr., Charles W.
• Primary Examiner(s): RENWICK, REGINALD A
• Application Number:
  US15/374,284
• Publication Number:
  US 20170087413A1
• Time in Patent Office: 375 Days
• CPC Class Codes: A41D 1/002 adapted to accommodate electronic equipment patients' garments for medical monitoring A41D13/1281; luminous ornaments A41D27/085
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 3/34 with electrical or electronic arrangements
• 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 60/46 Measurement devices associated with golf clubs, bats, rackets or the like for measuring physical parameters relating to sporting activity, e.g. baseball bats with impact indicators or bracelets for measuring the golf swing
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 71/06 Indicating or scoring devices for games or players , or for other sports activities
• CPC Class Codes: A63C 2203/18 Measuring a physical parameter, e.g. speed, distance
• CPC Class Codes: A63C 2203/22 Radio waves emitting or receiving, e.g. remote control, RFID
• CPC Class Codes: A63C 2203/24 Processing or storing data, e.g. with electronic chip
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 17/40 Data acquisition and logging for input to computer G06F3/00
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 17/02 using a radio link
• CPC Class Codes: G16Z 99/00 Subject matter not provided for in other main groups of this subclass

Abstract

Articles of clothing or pieces of athletic equipment include modules, e.g., for sensing physical and/or physiological characteristics associated with use of the clothing or athletic equipment or for performing other functions. Such systems and methods may use physical or other interaction(s) between the module and the article of clothing or piece of athletic equipment for activating and/or deactivating the module and/or sensing devices included with the module, for confirming whether the module and clothing or piece of athletic equipment are authorized for use with one another, and/or for automatic data algorithm selection methods. Additionally, such systems and methods also may use the activation and/or authentication systems for data input to the module. Some examples of such systems and methods may utilize magnets and magnetic sensing systems and/or light (or other radiation) sources and sensing systems for activation, authentication, data input, and/or algorithm selection.

Claims

1. A method of activating an electronic module, comprising:

sensing, by an activation system, an interaction between an electronic module and a module securing element of a piece of athletic equipment at a first orientation, wherein the electronic module comprises a sensor that senses one or more characteristics associated with use of the piece of athletic equipment; and

activating the electronic module or at least a first function of the electronic module in response to the sensed interaction.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the piece of athletic equipment includes at least a first portion of an activation system for activating the electronic module or the first function of the electronic module.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein the activating takes place in response to output from a magnetic sensor system.

4. The method according to claim 3, wherein a first portion of the magnetic sensor system is included with the piece of athletic equipment and a second portion of the magnetic sensor system is included with the electronic module.

5. The method according to claim 1, further comprising:

wirelessly receiving data into the electronic module when the electronic module is within a proximity relative to the module securing element.

6. The method according to claim 5, wherein the data is wirelessly received, at least in part, via magnetic pulses.

7. The method according to claim 1, further comprising:

in response to detecting that the electronic module is engaged with the module securing element, sensing, by the sensor of the electronic module, at least one physiological characteristic associated with use of the piece of athletic equipment.

8. The method according to claim 1, further comprising:

deactivating the electronic module or at least the first function of the electronic module when the electronic module is determined to be engaged with the module securing element in a second orientation.

9. The method according to claim 1, further comprising:

disabling a second function of the electronic module when the electronic module is determined to be engaged with the module securing element in a second orientation.

10. The method according to claim 1, further comprising:

maintaining the module or at least the first function of the module in an inactive state when the module is determined to be engaged with the module securing element in an orientation other than the first orientation.

11. The method according to claim 1, further comprising:

deactivating the module or at least the first function of the module when the module and the piece of athletic equipment are determined to be not authorized for operation with one another.

12. The method according to claim 1, further comprising:

maintaining the module or at least the first function of the module in an inactive state when the module and the piece of athletic equipment are determined to be not authorized for operation with one another.

13. A computer readable medium storing executable instructions that, when executed, cause an apparatus at least to:

sense an interaction between an electronic module and a module securing element of a piece of athletic equipment at a first orientation, wherein the electronic module comprises a sensor that senses one or more characteristics associated with use of the piece of athletic equipment; and

activate the electronic module or at least a first function of the electronic module in response to the sensed interaction.

14. The computer readable medium recited in claim 13, wherein the piece of athletic equipment includes at least a first portion of an activation system that activates the electronic module or at least the first function of the electronic module.

15. The computer readable medium recited in claim 13, wherein the executable instructions, when executed, further cause the apparatus to:

wirelessly receive data into the electronic module when the electronic module is within a proximity relative to the module securing element.

16. The computer readable medium recited in claim 13, wherein the executable instructions, when executed, further cause the apparatus to:

in response to detecting that the electronic module is engaged with the module securing element, sense, with the sensor of the electronic module, at least one physiological characteristic associated with use of the piece of athletic equipment.

17. The computer readable medium recited in claim 13, wherein the executable instructions, when executed, further cause the apparatus to:

deactivate the electronic module or at least the first function of the electronic module when the electronic module is determined to be engaged with the module securing element in a second orientation.

18. The computer readable medium recited in claim 13, wherein the executable instructions, when executed, further cause the apparatus to:

maintaining the module or at least the first function of the module in an inactive state when the module is determined to be engaged with the module securing element in an orientation other than the first orientation.

19. The computer readable medium recited in claim 13, wherein the executable instructions, when executed, further cause the apparatus to:

deactivate the module or at least the first function of the module when the module and the piece of athletic equipment are determined to be not authorized for operation with one another.

20. The computer readable medium recited in claim 13, wherein the executable instructions, when executed, further cause the apparatus to:

maintain the module or at least the first function of the module in an inactive state when the module and the piece of athletic equipment are determined to be not authorized for operation with one another.