Classifications

• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A63—SPORTS; GAMES; AMUSEMENTS
  • A63B—APPARATUS FOR PHYSICAL TRAINING, GYMNASTICS, SWIMMING, CLIMBING, OR FENCING; BALL GAMES; TRAINING EQUIPMENT
  • A63B24/00—Electric or electronic controls for exercising apparatus of preceding groups; Controlling or monitoring of exercises, sportive games, training or athletic performances
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• • G—PHYSICS
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  • A61B5/0002—Remote monitoring of patients using telemetry, e.g. transmission of vital signals via a communication network
  • A61B5/0015—Remote monitoring of patients using telemetry, e.g. transmission of vital signals via a communication network characterised by features of the telemetry system
  • A61B5/0022—Monitoring a patient using a global network, e.g. telephone networks, internet
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• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
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• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
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• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
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• • H—ELECTRICITY
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• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
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• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
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Definitions

• This invention relates generally to athletic performance sensing and/or tracking systems and methods.
• Such systems may include components for sensing athletic performance data and/or for storing and displaying desired information ⁇ e.g., athletic performance information) to the user.
• Systems in accordance with at least some aspects of this invention facilitate transfer of athletic performance data from the performance sensing system to a processing system and/or a display device, e.g., to enable data input, storage, analysis, and/or display on or by an electronic display device, including on or by conventional electronic display devices that are known and commercially available ⁇ e.g., including devices that are not typically designed and adapted for displaying athletic performance data, such as portable music and/or other audio/video display or playback devices).
• Systems and methods according to at least some examples of this invention allow much user control of and/or variation in entertainment, motivational, and other audio/video content presented to the user via an electronic device during an athletic performance.
• Modern technology has given rise to a wide variety of different electronic and/or communication devices that keep users in touch with one another, entertained, and informed.
• portable electronic devices are available for these purposes, such as: cellular telephones; personal digital assistants ("PDAs"); pagers; beepers; MP3 or other audio playback devices; radios; portable televisions, DVD players, or other video playing devices; watches; GPS systems; etc.
• PDAs personal digital assistants
• radios portable televisions, DVD players, or other video playing devices
• watches GPS systems; etc.
• Many people like to carry one or more of these types of devices with them when they exercise and/or participate in athletic events for example, to keep them in contact with others (e.g. , in case of inclement weather, injuries; or emergencies; to contact coaches or trainers; etc.), to keep them entertained, to provide information (e.g., time, direction, location, etc.), and the like.
• information e.g., time, direction, location, etc.
• aspects of this invention relate to athletic performance sensing and/or tracking systems and/or methods.
• Such systems and methods may 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).
• Additional aspects of this invention relate to user interfaces for operating athletic performance sensing and/or tracking systems and performing athletic performance sensing and/or tracking methods (such as operating systems and/or performing methods of the types described above).
• Such user interfaces may be presented on a display device, such as a display device of a computer and/or a display device of a portable electronic device, e.g., a device carried by the user during the athletic performance.
• User interfaces may use common interface interaction elements, features, and/or functions, such as elements, features, and/or functions found in commercially available user interfaces for computers and/or electronic devices, such as elements, features, and/or functions found in the graphical user interfaces for WINDOWS ® based computer systems (available from Microsoft Corporation of Redmond, Washington), MACINTOSH ® based computer systems (available from Apple Computer, Inc. of Cupertino, California), etc.; elements, features, and/or functions found in graphical user interfaces for commercially available cellular telephones, personal digital assistances, and/or electronic audio/video playback devices, such as IPOD ® systems (available from Apple Computer, Inc. of Cupertino, California).
• WINDOWS ® based computer systems available from Microsoft Corporation of Redmond, Washington
• MACINTOSH ® based computer systems available from Apple Computer, Inc. of Cupertino, California
• Figure 2 illustrates an example electronic interface/output or display device combination in accordance with at least some examples of this invention
• Figure 4 illustrates a schematic diagram showing components provided in one example of an athletic performance sensing system in accordance with this invention
• Figure 6 illustrates an example of electronic communications between athletic performance sensing systems in accordance with at least some examples of this invention and external equipment
• Figure 7 illustrates an example of electronic communications between athletic performance sensing systems in accordance with at least some examples of this invention and remote systems, e.g., systems for storing, tracking, and/or analyzing the performance data and/or systems for providing workout routines and/or other data; and
• FIGS 8-19 illustrate various example features that may be provided in and/or controlled by user interfaces of athletic performance sensing systems according to at least some examples of this invention.
• aspects of the present invention relate generally to systems and devices used for athletic performance sensing, e.g., to measure, process, store, and/or output physical and/or physiological data associated with an athletic event, an exercise routine, or other physical or athletic performance
• athletic performance and “workout routine” are used in this specification to generically refer to any type of athletic event, exercise, training, routine, or the like, including events performed as training exercises, events performed as part of actual competitions, etc.
• Some more specific aspects of this invention relate to systems and methods for providing athletic performance data to electronic devices, to enable display, further processing, output, and/or storage of the athletic performance information and/or data.
• the electronic output device may be (and/or may include at least some functions of) a conventional and commercially available electronic audio, video, and/or alphanumeric display or output device (such as a cellular telephone, watch, PDA, pager, MP3 player, audio player, radio, portable television, portable DVD player, video playing device, or the like).
• a conventional and commercially available electronic audio, video, and/or alphanumeric display or output device such as a cellular telephone, watch, PDA, pager, MP3 player, audio player, radio, portable television, portable DVD player, video playing device, or the like.
• At least some examples of systems and methods according to this invention may include or utilize an "adapter" or other interface system or device: (a) for receiving data from an athletic performance sensing system and (b) for transmitting data to the output device, optionally with some intervening data processing to place the data in a desired form or format, e.g., for immediate output on the output device, for storage, for retransmission, etc.
• the interface system or device when present and/or necessary, may physically plug into an existing port or jack (such as a universal serial bus port, a serial port, a parallel port, or other data or power/recharger input port) provided in the output device, including into conventional ports known and used in commercially available electronic devices.
• This optional feature has advantages in that it provides owners of conventional electronic devices (e.g., of the types described above) the ability to display, store, output, and/or retransmit physical or physiological data collected during an athletic performance (e.g., during walking, running, biking, rowing, etc., a user could view performance data (e.g., speed, distance, heart rate, etc.) on an MP3 audio playback device display or other electronic device display and/or receive audio information via headphones connected to the MP3 player or other device with audio capabilities, or the like).
• the electronic device may be capable of receiving and/or processing the performance data directly, in which case the interface device may be omitted.
• Such systems may include, for example: (a) a display system that presents workout information to a user (e.g., a display screen, an audio/video output system, etc.), wherein the workout information includes information relating to content of a user's workout routine; (b) a user interface system that prompts the user for a first input relating to a desired workout intensity parameter for the workout routine, wherein the user interface system prompts the user for the first input after the workout routine has begun; (c) an input system for receiving the first input; and (d) a processing system programmed and adapted to perform at least one function selected from the group of: (i) evaluating the workout routine in view of the first input, (ii) providing a revised workout routine based at least in part on the first input, and/or (iii) modifying at least one parameter of the workout routine
• the user interface system may prompt the user for the first input at any desired time during an athletic performance.
• the user interface system may prompt the user for the first input (e.g., requesting an indication of the desired workout intensity level) during an initial workout activity of an overall workout routine (e.g., during an initial warm-up time period, within a first 5 to 10% of the overall workout routine time period, within a first 5 to 10% of an individual workout activity within the overall workout routine, etc.).
• the user interface system may prompt the user for the first input toward the end of a workout activity included in the workout routine and/or toward the end of the overall workout routine (e.g., if a user's workout results up to that time have placed the user in a position at which they may achieve a personal best, achieve a goal or milestone level, etc.; toward the end of a warm-up period; immediately before beginning a new activity in the workout routine; etc.).
• the user interface system may ask for user input indicating whether a workout activity (or an overall workout routine) should be extended (e.g., by a certain time period, by adding one or more songs to an existing workout routine or activity, etc.).
• the processing system may provide a revised workout routine or modify at least one parameter of the existing workout routine in a wide variety of different ways.
• the workout routine may be revised or modified by: increasing a time period associated with at least one workout activity in the workout routine; decreasing a time period associated with at least one workout activity in the workout routine; increasing a resistance level associated with use of a piece of exercise equipment for at least one workout activity in the workout routine; decreasing a resistance level associated with use of a piece of exercise equipment for at least one workout activity in the workout routine; increasing workout speed associated with use of at least one piece of exercise equipment used in the workout routine; decreasing workout speed associated with use of at least one piece of exercise equipment used in the workout routine; increasing a hill climb, step count goal, or elevation change parameter associated with use of at least one piece of exercise equipment used in the workout routine; decreasing a hill climb, step count goal, or elevation change parameter associated with use of at least one piece of exercise equipment used
• Additional aspects of the invention relate to methods for tracking and/or controlling workout routines or activities included in athletic performances (e.g., methods performed by the various systems described above, such as methods performed in or by one or more of the user's portable equipment (e.g., carried during the workout routine) and/or one or more personal computers and/or remote computers to which the user's portable equipment may be connected and send data and/or from which the user's portable equipment may receive data). Examples of such methods and steps included therein are described above in terms of operating the example systems described above, and they also are described in more detail below.
• Still additional aspects of this invention relate to user interfaces used to operate the athletic performance tracking and/or control systems, receive user input, and/or perform athletic performance tracking and/or control methods, e.g., including the systems and methods described above.
• User interfaces in accordance with at least some examples of this invention may be provided on one or more of the user's portable equipment (e.g., carried during the workout routine) and/or one or more personal computers and/or remote computers to which the user's portable equipment may be connected and send data and/or from which the user's portable equipment may receive data.
• Such user interfaces and example components and features thereof generally are described above in terms of operating the systems and performing the methods described above, and they also are described in more detail below.
• Systems according to at least some examples of this invention further may include a storage system that stores data relating to plural workout routines performed by the user and/or stores the user input ranking or characterizing the intensity or difficulty of the respective workout routine.
• Such storage systems may constitute part of the user's portable equipment ⁇ e.g., equipment carried by the user and/or used during the course of a workout routine), or they may be provided as part of a remote system, such as a user's personal computer and/or a remote networked computer (optionally a computer to which at least some portion of the user's portable equipment may be connected or from which at least some portion of the user's portable equipment will ultimately send and/or receive data).
• Athletic performance tracking systems further may include a workout routine design system for designing future workout routines based, at least in part, on the user input ranking or characterizing the intensity or difficulty of a workout routine. For example, for workouts ranked as "too hard” or “too intense,” systems according to at least some examples of the invention may design future workouts to be somewhat less difficult or intense ⁇ e.g., to help prevent soreness, overtraining, discouragement, etc.). On the other hand, for workouts ranked as "too easy,” systems according to at least some examples of this invention may design future workouts to be somewhat more difficult, e.g., to help the user better or more quickly improve their fitness and/or achieve their fitness goals.
• Additional aspects of the invention relate to methods for tracking athletic performances ⁇ e.g., methods performed by the various systems described above, such as methods performed in or by one or more of the user's portable equipment ⁇ e.g., carried during the workout routine) and/or one or more personal computers and/or remote computers to which the user's portable equipment may be connected and send data and/or from which the user's portable equipment may receive data). Examples of such methods and steps included therein are described above in terms of operating the example systems described above, and they also are described in more detail below.
• Another aspect of this invention relates to athletic performance sensing systems that include media content presentation, e.g. , as part of a workout routine (optionally, with media content data or data identifying desired media content included as an integral part of data providing or setting forth a desired workout routine).
• Users may create their own workout routines or download existing routines, and they may further control (or "mix") the media content to be played or presented during the course of the workout routine.
• the data providing or setting forth the workout routine information additionally may include the data for presenting the desired media content or data pointing to memory location (optionally from an external source) and/or allowing retrieval or presentation of the desired media content.
• the user input may be used, at least in part, to control future disposition of die media content (e.g., increasing its playback frequency, decreasing its playback frequency, eliminating it from the play library, elevating it to a "motivational song” or an "ultimate motivational song,” etc.).
• the processing system in at least some examples of this aspect of the invention further may be programmed and adapted to: (a) correlate features of the presented media content with at least one physical or physiological parameter associated with the user's performance during the workout routine, and/or (b) display objective data including information relating to this parameter.
• users before changing the status of and/or future disposition of media content, users also can look at the objective data relating to their workout to see how, if at all, the media content affected their performance (e.g. , did performance improve during play of that media content, etc.).
• Additional aspects of the invention relate to methods for sensing athletic performance data (e.g., methods performed by the various systems described above, such as methods performed in or by one or more of the user's portable equipment (e.g., carried during the workout routine) and/or one or more personal computers and/or remote computers to which the user's portable equipment may be connected and send data and/or from which the user's portable equipment may receive data). Examples of such methods and steps included therein are described above in terms of operating the example systems described above, and they also are described in more detail below.
• Fig. 1 illustrates example systems and an environment in which various aspects of the present invention may be used.
• a person 100 involved in an athletic performance or workout activity may have one or more sensing devices 102(a), 102(b), 102(c), and 102(d) included on their person, their clothing, their footwear, their equipment, etc.
• These sensing devices may sense data associated with the athletic performance, including, for example, physical or physiological data associated with the athletic performance.
• data associated with the athletic performance including, for example, physical or physiological data associated with the athletic performance.
• sensors 102(a) and/or 102(b) may sense step count and data associated with such activities ⁇ e.g., for pedometer type speed and/or distance measuring), GPS data (e.g., location and/or altitude data, time data, etc.), step impact force data (e.g., for active impact attenuation control), jump height data, or the like.
• Sensor 102(c) may sense pulse rate, body temperature, blood pressure, hydration levels, or the like, and sensor 102(d) may sense heart rate, EKG data, and the like.
• any number of sensors may be provided, and such sensors may sense any desired type of athletic performance information (e.g., one or more physical or physiological parameters) without departing from this invention.
• Additional examples of potential types of data relating to an athletic performance include, but are not limited to: route data; ambient temperature data; ambient humidity data; barometric pressure data; sole member compression data; air intake rate or volume data; air expel rate or volume data; EEG data; blood gas content data; and the like.
• users 100 of systems and methods according to examples of this invention may be involved in a wide variety of different athletic performance and/or workout activities, including, for example: various activities using training machines (e.g., in a gym), such as treadmills, spinning machines, elliptical training machines, stationary bicycles, stair climbing machines, cross-country ski simulating machines, weight lifting machines, rowing machines, etc.; and various athletic activities that may or may not directly involve the use of training machines or other equipment, such as running, walking, yoga, dance, pilates, stretching, weight lifting (with free weights), martial arts training, tae bo, boxing, wrestling, crew, rowing, kayaking, team based sports (such as baseball, softball, basketball, football, soccer, etc.), athletic track and field events, etc.
• training machines e.g., in a gym
• training machines e.g., in a gym
• training machines e.g., in a gym
• training machines e.g., in a gym
• training machines e
• the various sensors may be portable and carried by the person 100 in any desired manner without departing from this invention.
• one or more sensors may be mounted in or on an article of footwear 104 ⁇ e.g., like sensors 102(a) and 102(b) in this illustrated example), provided in or on an article of athletic apparel (e.g., like arm band 106 in this example, which includes sensor 102(c), in a shirt, shorts, pants, socks, headband, etc.), and/or carried along on a piece of athletic equipment (e.g., like a bicycle, bat, racket, club, vehicle, ball, etc.).
• a sensing device 102(d) may be mounted directly on the athlete's 100 body, e.g., by adhesives, bands, hooks, other mechanical connectors, or the like.
• the sensing systems and/or devices 102(a) through 102(d), as well as any data transfer systems associated therewith may be mounted on and/or in articles of footwear, clothing, athletic equipment, adhesive substrates, or the like in any desired manner, e.g., via clips, clamps, adhesives, sewing, in pockets, in suitable receptacles, via hook- and-loop fasteners, via other fasteners or mechanical structures, etc.
• the sensing systems or devices 102(a) through 102(d) may be integrally formed with and/or included as part of an article of footwear, an article of clothing, a piece of athletic equipment, etc. without departing from the invention (e.g. , mounted therein, optionally in a permanent or freely removable manner, etc.)
• one or more sensing devices and its/their associated data transfer system(s) 108 may be included as part of a single structure, e.g. , mounted in a common housing and/or on a common printed circuit board, connected to one another, etc., without departing from this invention.
• the housing may be equipped with an ON/OFF switch; with operation lights (e.g., LEDs, etc.) or other indicators, e.g., to indicate power status (e.g., on/off), power source status (e.g., charging v. battery operation), remaining battery life, data reception and/or processing status (e.g., standby v. receiving v. transmitting v. processing, etc.), charge or recharging level status, etc.; etc.
• operation lights e.g., LEDs, etc.
• other indicators e.g., to indicate power status (e.g., on/off), power source status (e.g., charging v. battery operation), remaining battery life, data reception and/or processing status (e.g., standby v. receiving v. transmitting v. processing, etc.), charge or recharging level status, etc.; etc.
• physical or physiological data associated with an athletic performance may be collected by the various sensing devices (e.g., devices 102(a) through 102(d)) and transmitted to an output device 1 10 for display or other output (and optionally storage, further processing, etc.).
• Any type of output device 110 may be used without departing from the invention, including, for example, conventional or "off the shelf output devices 1 10.
• suitable output devices 1 10 include: electronic devices with a display screen, such as an LED, LCD, or plasma display screen; watches; portable audio or other media content storage and/or playback devices with an audio output, visual display, or other output, such as radios, tape players, CD players, MP3 players, handheld computing devices, and the like; alphanumeric display devices, such as beepers, pagers, and the like; portable video or audio/video display devices, such as portable televisions, DVD players, and the like; portable communication devices, such as cellular telephones, radios, and the like; portable computing systems, such as PDAs, hand top or palm top computing systems, and the like.
• a display screen such as an LED, LCD, or plasma display screen
• watches portable audio or other media content storage and/or playback devices with an audio output, visual display, or other output, such as radios, tape players, CD players, MP3 players, handheld computing devices, and the like
• alphanumeric display devices such as beepers, pagers, and the like
• the output device 1 10 includes an audio or other media content playback device (such as an IPOD ® (commercially available from Apple Computer, Inc., of Cupertino, California)) that the user 100 has engaged with his belt or clothing so as to be readily carried and used during the athletic performance.
• IPOD ® commercially available from Apple Computer, Inc., of Cupertino, California
• the use of this type of arrangement is advantageous in at least some situations because the athletic performance data may be displayed on the display system of the device 1 10 and/or transmitted to the user 100 via the headphones 140 or other audio output device, and thus the user need not obtain and/or carry an independent display device to enable display or transmission of the athletic performance data (thereby reducing weight, expense, and handling difficulties).
• systems and methods in accordance with at least some examples of this invention may include an electronic interface device 112 that physically plugs into the electronic device 110 (e.g., in a releasable manner) and is carried along with the electronic device 110 during the athletic performance. As shown in more detail in Fig.
• the electronic interface device 112 may receive signals from one or more external sources, such as the various sensing devices 102(a) through 102(d), e.g., transmitted via data transfer systems 108 included with the sensing devices 102(a) through 102(d) to a data receiving device or system 118 provided in or with the interface device 112 (e.g., a wireless receiver or transceiver device, a radio transceiver, infrared receiver, light source receiver, etc.).
• a wireless receiver or transceiver device e.g., a wireless receiver or transceiver device, a radio transceiver, infrared receiver, light source receiver, etc.
• the interface devices 112 may be programmed at a later time to operate with a wide variety of different electronic devices 110, e.g., by downloading display or device driver and/or format data for specific electronic devices 1 10 from the internet, from disk, or from another source, etc.
• the interface device 112 may be equipped with similar external ports to ports 126 and/or 128, and internal circuitry may be provided in the interface device 112 to enable the user to plug the same additional devices into the interface device 112 as they might plug into the electronic device 1 10 and still take advantage of the same functions (e.g., to thereby allow the necessary data, signals, power, and/or information to pass through the interface device 112 to the user, to another output, and/or to the electronic device 1 10).
• Fig. 3 includes a schematic diagram of various example components that may be included in an electronic interface device 112 in accordance with at least some examples of this invention.
• the interface device 112 may include a connection system 114 for physically connecting to an electronic device, and a data transmission and/or reception system 118 (e.g., a wireless data receiver or transceiver, an infrared receiver, RFID receiver, etc.) for receiving input data from an external source, such as a sensor for sensing athletic performance data, a computer, network, or other processing system, etc.
• the interface device 1 12 may include an input system 122 for receiving user input, e.g., via keys, buttons, touch screen, digitizer, voice input, stylus input, rotary dial input, trackball or roller ball input, mouse input, switches, etc.
• [5OJ Fig. 4 illustrates a schematic diagram of an overall athletic performance sensing or tracking system 400 in accordance with at least some examples of this invention.
• an electronic interface device 402 is physically plugged into a portable electronic device 404 via a mechanical connection system 406 that holds the two devices together, e.g., in a secure but releasable manner (e.g., via a friction fit, via detents or retaining elements, via spring elements, etc.).
• other independent securing elements may be provided to at least partially help hold the interface device 402 with the portable electronic display device 404 (e.g., hooks, straps, snaps, clips, clamps, clasps, retaining elements, etc.).
• the sensing system 408 may send at least some portion of its data (e.g., raw data directly from one or more of the sensors, data derived at least in part from the raw data, etc.) to the electronic interface device 402, e.g., for eventual output to a user via electronic device 404.
• This may be accomplished, for example, as shown in Fig. 4, via a wireless data transmission system (e.g., from wireless data transfer or transmission element 410 in the sensing system 408 to wireless data receiving element 412 in the electronic interface device 402) or in any other desired manner without departing from this invention.
• a wireless data transmission system e.g., from wireless data transfer or transmission element 410 in the sensing system 408 to wireless data receiving element 412 in the electronic interface device 402
• Any desired wireless protocol, broadcast protocol, or other data transmission protocol may be used without departing from this invention.
• Fig. 5 illustrates an example system and environment 500 in which an athletic performance sensing module 502 is mounted in an article of athletic footwear 504.
• the module 502 may include, for example, one or more athletic performance data sensors, a data transfer system, processing capabilities, a power supply, and/or the like (e.g., like the system 408 shown in Fig. 4).
• reference number 604 may represent or include an input device through which a user can enter information regarding the athletic or training activities he/she has done or plans to do, such as track and/or field training or events, team sporting events, free weight lifting, etc.
• Reference number 604 also may relate to a physical or physiological parameter measuring system, such as a scale, heart rate monitor, blood pressure measuring system, body temperature measuring system, etc. Using systems, like those illustrated in Fig. 6, users can use element 604 to produce input for tracking any desired type of athletic or training activity with which they are involved and/or physical or physiological parameter relating to their training.
• the equipment 604 may be designed to send information to the user's equipment (e.g., via transmission/reception system 606) relating to the workout parameters of an individual workout or training exercise, such as: data detectable or sensed by gym or workout equipment, such as distance traveled, speed, elevation changes, number of steps, number of floors climbed, overall time, speed or other data as a function of time, calories burned, revolutions per minute, number of rotations, resistance settings, hill or incline information, amount of weight lifted, number of repetitions, weight machines used, etc.
• data detectable or sensed by gym or workout equipment such as distance traveled, speed, elevation changes, number of steps, number of floors climbed, overall time, speed or other data as a function of time, calories burned, revolutions per minute, number of rotations, resistance settings, hill or incline information, amount of weight lifted, number of repetitions, weight machines used, etc.
• the sensing system to measure or detect data and information relating to the user's cadence, rhythm, or "beat" associated with the athletic performance activity (e.g., steps, rotations, foot movement direction changes, arm movement direction changes, etc., with respect to time, such as steps per second, revolutions per minute, stair-stepper steps per second, rowing strokes per minute, etc.).
• An accelerometer and/or direction change sensor may be used in determining cadence.
• cadence information also may be useful in systems and methods according to at least some examples of this invention for selection of motivational, inspirational, performance enhancing, or other media content during the athletic performance (e.g., for song selection and the like), as will be described in more detail below.
• workout information downloaded from a workout routine stored in or available through the portable equipment may be used to control various features of the workout, such as: weight machine settings, resistance settings, incline (or hill level) settings, target distance (or other overall time length or duration) settings, target calorie burn (or other physiological based parameter) settings, treadmill speed or incline settings, etc.
• the user's portable equipment may send workout identification information (e.g., Workout 12) to the exercise equipment or other workout or athletic performance setting 604, which then may use this identification . . information to provide the desired settings for the identified workout from information stored in memory.
• Data collected as a workout progresses also may be used, if desired, to control the exercise equipment or other workout or athletic performance devices (e.g., to set or change intensity or resistance levels, to shorten or lengthen workout times, etc.).
• other information also may be transmitted from the user's portable equipment to element 604.
• the user's portable equipment e.g., module 502, interface device 506, and/or electronic device 508 may be programmed and adapted to send information to the exercise equipment 604, e.g., for display by the exercise equipment 604, for transmission to a remote source (e.g., via a network maintained at the gym or spa, etc.), etc.
• the input panel or other portion of the exercise equipment 604 may be programmed and adapted to receive user input controlling the playback features of the media content (e.g. , to skip songs or other content, replay songs or other content, select songs or other content for presentation, etc.).
• This arrangement 700 may allow for more convenient storage, maintenance, retrieval, and further processing of the collected athletic performance data (e.g., as compared to limiting the user interface, data processing, and/or computational capabilities of the overall system to operations performed through the electronic device 508 and/or interface 506).
• this arrangement 700 allows downloading of data and information from one or more remote systems 704 to the user, e.g., to the PC or other equipment 702 and/or to. the portable device 508 (optionally through the interface device 506). Data also may originate in the PC or other equipment 702 (without the use of a remote computer 704) and be sent to the user's portable equipment 506 and/or 508.
• One feature of systems and methods according to at least some examples of this invention relates to the ability to sense and track information relating to a wide variety of types of athletic performance activities. Data relating to athletic performances can be entered into systems and methods according to the invention automatically, semi- automatically, and/or manually. More specific examples follow.
• the room may include a wireless transmission system (optionally activated by an individual user, e.g., by pressing a button, turning on a light, signing in, signing out, opening the door, etc.) that sends data indicating, for example, the room identification, the type of activity to be conducted at that time in the room (e.g., karate class, etc.), user entry time, user exit time, etc.
• This transmitted data may be received, for example, by the module 502, interface 506, and/or electronic device 508 and stored.
• this example interface 810 includes a panel 802 through which the type of activity to be conducted may be selected from a listing and another panel 804 through which the type of activity may be entered (e.g., optionally activities not found in the panel 802).
• this user interface 810 includes "start,” “stop,” and “pause” buttons that allow users to record time and/or timing information associated with the workout or activity, if desired.
• the sensor included with the module 502 is able to detect at least some data associated with these types of workouts, such as step count, heart rate, pulse rate, or other data, this data may be collected, sent to the electronic device 508, stored, presented on display screen 800, and/or associated with the specific workout. Collection of data in this manner can be useful to provide at least some information for the user indicating his/her complete workout history (e.g., workout dates, attendance, workout lengths, etc.), even when little or no actual workout data from the available sensors can be produced or made available.
• his/her complete workout history e.g., workout dates, attendance, workout length
• any desired data information or content may be requested and/or entered through the user interface 810 without departing from this invention.
• data input can be requested and/or provided on a more granular level than that described above in conjunction with Fig. 8.
• more detailed information regarding timing, duration, intensity, or other features of the activity may be requested via interface 810, e.g., depending on the activity type, user settings, etc.
• the user interface 810 may request entry of additional information, such as type of lifting performed ⁇ e.g., squats, dead lift, bench press, military press, curls, etc.); number of sets performed; number of repetitions per set; amount of weight lifted per set; etc.
• type of lifting performed e.g., squats, dead lift, bench press, military press, curls, etc.
• number of sets performed e.g., number of sets performed; number of repetitions per set; amount of weight lifted per set; etc.
• the downloaded and/or presented information on electronic device 508 is not limited to workout information.
• the electronic device 508 also can provide warnings or reminders (e.g., proper warm-up or cool-down reminders, particularly when abrupt changes in activity are sensed (e.g., by module 502), etc.; over-training warnings (e.g., by comparing workouts on consecutive or recent dates); nutritional reminders; etc).
• warnings or reminders e.g., proper warm-up or cool-down reminders, particularly when abrupt changes in activity are sensed (e.g., by module 502), etc.
• over-training warnings e.g., by comparing workouts on consecutive or recent dates
• nutritional reminders e.g., etc.
• systems and methods according to at least some examples of the invention can store information regarding workouts performed by a user over time, they can recognize a user's preferences and provide customized workouts or suggest certain workouts or portions thereof, so that the user's workout routine will change (to help prevent boredom) and help
• the characteristics or parameters of the workout may be varied widely, depending at least in part on the selected workout level. For example, if desired, the types of activities included as part of the workout may be changed, depending on the selected workout level. As another example, the time duration(s) of one or more of the activities may be changed, depending on the selected workout level.
• These prompts may occur automatically at various different times during a workout or activity, e.g., at predetermined intervals; at predetermined times into a workout or activity; when the system senses excessive user difficulty in "keeping up” with the workout; when the system senses that the user is too easily keeping up with the workout (e.g., based on pulse or heart rate data, etc.); when a user potentially could exceed his/her personal best, reach a goal or milestone, etc.; etc.
• Such features can help motivate users and help them more quickly increase their fitness level and/or reach their fitness goals while helping to avoid soreness and overtraining (and potentially discouraging ) the user.
• different workouts or parts thereof may include and use different trigger or activation events, optionally, events selected and determined by the user.
• potential triggers for coach/motivator content include: falling behind a predetermined pace (e.g., slowing below an actual trigger pace level, slowing a certain percentage below a base or average pace, etc.); approaching a personal best (or a personal worst); working out for a predetermined elapsed time; reaching a predetermined distance or location; reaching a predetermined number of sets or repetitions; approaching a difficult or intense portion of the workout; falling pulse or heart rate; etc.
• systems and methods according to at least some examples of this invention may have automatic or default triggers, optionally triggers that activate in addition to user selected activation triggers.
• the system need not be designed to trigger coach or motivator content during each triggering event experience, e.g., if doing so would result in over exposure to the coach/motivator content.
• systems and methods according to at least some examples of this invention may prompt the user to increase his/her effort and/or extend his/her workout in an effort to reach a pre-determined goal or milestone and/or to set a personal best. Users may be informed of the presence of this prompt on the screen, if desired, using an audio and/or visual indicator, such as a beep, a flashing light or icon, etc.
• an audio and/or visual indicator such as a beep, a flashing light or icon, etc.
• music or other audio, video, textual, or alphanumeric content
• area 1504 of the interface 1500 advises the user that he/she is approaching some goal or milestone.
• one aspect of systems and methods according to at least some examples of this invention relates to providing entertainment, motivational, and/or reward content ⁇ e.g., audio, video, or other media content, alphanumeric or textual content, etc.) to users, e.g., in an effort to keep users from becoming bored and/or to drive users to improve their fitness, achieve their goals, etc.
• entertainment, motivational, and/or reward content e.g., audio, video, or other media content, alphanumeric or textual content, etc.
• Systems and methods according to at least some examples of this invention may provide additional features relating to motivational songs and/or motivational song libraries.
• systems and methods according to at least some examples of this invention may connect to a remote system (e.g., system 704 from Fig. 7), for example, over the internet or another networked connection.
• a remote system e.g., system 704 from Fig. 7
• systems and methods according to examples of this invention may suggest or recommend media content to one user (e.g., motivational song content) based on motivational song information supplied by other users. For example, upon selection of a motivational song for one's motivation song library (as shown in Fig.
• systems and methods according to at least some examples of this invention may provide different functionality to the module and/or the overall athletic performance sensing and/or tracking system based on the manner in which the module is mounted, the equipment to which it is mounted, the manner in which it is used, the items or arrangement with which it was purchased or obtained, etc.
• the distance data may be presented as an indication of the distance traveled in the "real world.”
• the distance traveled data may be presented as a map of a relevant area (e.g., a user's local area, a state map, a U.S. map, a world map, etc.) showing the distance traveled by the user on the map.
• a presentation tool can help provide motivation and/or help users better define and visualize goals.
• a user may have a "goal" of running on a treadmill or riding a stationary bicycle a distance "across their home state" within a specific time period (e.g., a month) or "across the U.S.” within a specific time period (e.g., a year).
• Presenting such user's progress on a map can help them easily visualize their goals and current progress and/or provide motivation to continue working toward the goal in the future.
• Multiple users, optionally users involved in a virtual race, competing with one another, and/or striving to achieve a common goal, may be shown on a single map, e.g., for further motivational purposes.
• Other measured workout parameters also may be usefully expressed in "real world” terms, e.g., for entertainment, motivational, and/or goal-driven purposes.
• information relating to workout intensity data ⁇ e.g. , such as calories burned, METs, etc.
• “caloric” data and information may be presented ⁇ e.g., before a workout as a goal, during a workout, and/or in a post-workout analysis) in real world terms as being equivalent to certain foods or beverages.
• the display may present any desired food or beverages to the user without departing from this invention.
• any desired way of presenting and/or changing the pictures or icons may be used without departing from this invention, such as: changing the color of the icon or picture (optionally in portions as the workout progresses); causing an increasing portion of the icon or picture to fade, gray, or disappear, etc.; causing an increasing portion of the icon or picture to colorize or appear; "X"-ing out the icon or picture (e.g., slowly superimposing an "X,” "No” symbol, or similar character or icon over the food or drink icon or picture, etc.); etc.
• calorie burn data and information after the workout may be displayed (e.g., on the exercise equipment, on the electronic device 508, on a post-workout analysis computer (such as computer 702 in Fig. 7), etc.) as the equivalent food, drink, and/or meal pictures or icons.
• the color may change over the visible spectrum ⁇ e.g., purple (for light/resting/beginning physical or physiological parameters, such as resting heart rate) changing to red (for heavy/intense/ending physical or physiological parameters, such as heart rate approaching a dangerous or desired maximum level), optionally with intermediate changes through one or more of blue, green, yellow, orange, etc. to indicate intermediate levels for the physical or physiological parameters).
• purple for light/resting/beginning physical or physiological parameters, such as resting heart rate
• red for heavy/intense/ending physical or physiological parameters, such as heart rate approaching a dangerous or desired maximum level
• intermediate changes through one or more of blue, green, yellow, orange, etc. to indicate intermediate levels for the physical or physiological parameters.
• any numbers of colors, color combinations, color change schemes, and the like including gray-scaling, cross-hatching or shading, line or font types/characteristics, etc. may be used without departing from this invention.

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