Exercise band with removable modules

Abstract

To provide a garment that incorporates an electronic device held within the garment that can be partially viewed from outside the garment.SOLUTION: A performance monitoring system includes an athletic band worn by a user 124 or other garments. A pocket defining a cavity includes a sensor opening that extends through an inner wall of the pocket and an access opening that provides access to the cavity. The system includes an electronic module that can be received in the cavity, allowing modules 112, 126 and 128 to be inserted through the access opening into the cavity and removed therefrom. The module includes a protrusion disposed below the electronic module and sensors 130a and 130b mounted on top of the protrusion. The protrusion is configured so as to extend through the sensor opening when the electronic module is received in the cavity, and to dispose the sensor near a skin of the user so that the sensor detects a physiological parameter of the user.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] (CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS) This application is a non-provisional application claiming priority to U.S. Provisional Application No. 62 / 082,113, filed November 19, 2014, U.S. Provisional Application No. 62 / 100,782, filed January 7, 2015, U.S. Provisional Application No. 62 / 146,029, filed April 10, 2015, U.S. Provisional Application No. 62 / 168,357, filed May 29, 2015, U.S. Provisional Application No. 62 / 168,502, filed May 29, 2015, and U.S. Provisional Application No. 62 / 215,497, filed September 8, 2015, which prior applications are incorporated herein by reference and made a part hereof.

[0002] (Technical field) The present invention relates to apparel, and more particularly to apparel incorporating electronic devices that are carried within the apparel but are still functional and may be partially visible from outside the apparel. [Background technology]

[0003] When engaging in physical activities such as running, athletes want to maintain focus on the activity. Although many mobile devices may be updated to include "applications" or modules that provide exercise or fitness related information, they are often ineffective for many athletes, including those involved in strenuous physical activities. Removing an electronic device, such as a cell phone or music player, from a pocket and manipulating the device may be distracting to an athlete. In addition, an athlete may drop the device while fumbling to remove it from a pocket or replace it. Furthermore, many athletes, including but not limited to professional, semi-professional, and league players, are bound by rules and regulations that may greatly limit the equipment worn by an athlete during a game or tournament. Unfortunately, apparel permitted in the past was not designed to allow reliable reception of motion sensing devices. The present disclosure addresses these and other shortcomings of the prior art. Summary of the Invention [Means for solving the problem]

[0004] Aspects of the present disclosure include an article of apparel, such as an armband, wristband, shirt, or jacket, configured to hold an electronic module, the article of apparel having a pocket with an opening to allow for insertion and removal of the electronic module.

[0005] Aspects of the disclosure relate to a performance monitoring system that includes an article of apparel configured to be worn by a user, with a pocket supported by the article of apparel, the pocket having an inner wall and an outer wall, with a cavity defined between the inner wall and the outer wall, the pocket having a sensor opening extending through the inner wall of the pocket and an access opening providing access to the cavity. The system also includes an electronic module received in the cavity such that the electronic module is configured to be inserted and removed from the cavity through the access opening. The electronic module has a protrusion on an underside of the electronic module and a sensor (e.g., an optical heart rate sensor) mounted on the protrusion, the protrusion extending through the sensor opening when the electronic module is received in the cavity and configured to position the sensor in close proximity to the skin of the user, such that the sensor is configured to sense a physiological parameter of the user.

[0006] According to one aspect, an access opening is defined in an interior wall of the pocket and the sensor opening is separate from the access opening.

[0007] According to another aspect, the electronic module includes a casing defining a protrusion, a computing device housed within the casing and in communication with the sensor, and an interface defined at a top side of the casing and configured to receive user input for operation of the computing device. The electronic module may also include a connector configured for connection to an external device, and the band may include a protective shell positioned within the cavity, the protective shell receiving the connector therein when the electronic module is received in the cavity.

[0008] According to a further aspect, the article of apparel is a band including a tubular body configured to be worn by a user, the tubular body of the band having a wider end and a narrower end and configured to be worn on the arm of the user, the access opening may be located at the end of the pocket closest to the narrower end of the tubular body in one configuration, or at the end of the pocket closest to the wider end of the tubular body in another configuration.

[0009] According to yet another aspect, the garment is formed from an elastic fabric material, the elastic fabric material of the garment at least partially defining an inner wall of the pocket and an outer wall of the pocket such that the pocket is integrally formed with the tubular body. The inner and outer walls of the pocket may be heat pressed with a bonding material such that the elastic fabric material defining the inner and outer walls of the pocket has a lower elasticity than the elastic fabric material defining the tubular body.

[0010] According to still further aspects, the article of clothing includes a housing formed from a polymeric material and connected to the article of clothing, the housing defining a pocket cavity. The article of clothing may be formed from an elastic fabric material, the polymeric material of the housing having increased stiffness relative to the elastic fabric material of the article of clothing.

[0011] According to an additional aspect, the band further includes a movable securing member that secures the module within the cavity.

[0012] An additional aspect of the present disclosure relates to a band including a tubular body having an inner surface and an outer surface and defining an axially extending central passage between first and second opposing ends, the tubular body being configured to be worn on a user's body such that a portion of the user's body is received in the central passage. The tubular body has an inner portion at least partially defining the inner surface and an outer portion at least partially defining the outer surface, the inner portion and the outer portion each including a layer of elastic fabric material, the tubular body further including a bonding material between the inner portion and the outer portion to bond the inner portion to the outer portion. The bonding material is arranged along a plurality of axially extending lines, the lines being spaced apart from one another in a direction perpendicular to the axial direction. The lines may be curved or straight, or a combination of the two, in various configurations.

[0013] According to one embodiment, each of the lines of bonding material is a dashed line including a plurality of line segments separated by a plurality of gaps. In one configuration, the gaps of each line are staggered relative to the gaps of each adjacent line. More specifically, a first line may be offset from a gap of a second line adjacent to the first line such that the gaps of the first line are aligned with the line segments of the second line and the gaps of the second line are aligned with the line segments of the first line.

[0014] According to another aspect, the band further includes a pocket supported by the tubular body, the pocket having an inner wall located on the inner surface of the tubular body and an outer wall located on the outer surface of the tubular body, the cavity being defined between the inner and outer walls, the pocket having a sensor opening extending through the inner wall of the pocket and an access opening providing access to the cavity.

[0015] According to a further aspect, the inner and outer portion layers are part of a single sheet of elastic fabric material having two opposing edges, which is folded along a fold line and the two opposing edges are connected to one another to form the inner and outer portion layers.

[0016] A further aspect of the present disclosure relates to a band including a tubular body having an inner surface and an outer surface and defining a central passageway, the tubular body being configured to be worn on a user's body such that a portion of the user's body is received in the central passageway, and a pocket supported by the tubular body. The pocket has an inner wall located on the inner surface of the tubular body and an outer wall located on the outer surface of the tubular body, with a cavity defined between the inner and outer walls. The pocket also has a sensor opening extending through the inner wall of the pocket and an access opening providing access to the cavity. The pocket is configured to removably receive an electronic module in the cavity through the access opening such that the sensor opening is configured to allow a sensor of the electronic module to be positioned in close proximity to the user's skin.

[0017] According to one aspect, the access opening and the sensor opening are formed together as a single opening.

[0018] According to another aspect, an access opening is defined in an interior wall of the pocket, and the sensor opening is separate from the access opening.

[0019] According to a further aspect, the tubular body is formed from an elastic fabric material, the elastic fabric material of the band at least partially defining inner and outer walls of the pocket such that the pocket is integrally formed with the tubular body.

[0020] According to yet a further aspect, the band includes an adjustment mechanism connected to the tubular body and configured for manipulation by a user to adjust the circumference of the tubular body and the size of the central passageway.

[0021] According to yet a further aspect, the band includes a housing formed from a polymeric material and connected to the tubular body, the housing defining a pocket cavity.

[0022] According to a further aspect, the tubular body has first and second opposing ends such that the central passage extends between the first and second ends, and a slope of the tubular body defined between the first and second ends is between 0 and 0.75.

[0023] A still further aspect of the present disclosure relates to an electronic module including a casing having a top side and a bottom side, the casing having a protrusion on the bottom side, the module also including a sensor (e.g., an optical heart rate sensor) mounted on the protrusion configured to sense a physiological parameter of a user, a computing device contained within the casing and in communication with the sensor, and an interface defined on the top side of the casing and configured to receive user input for operation of the computing device.

[0024] According to one aspect, the electronic module further comprises a connector positioned at one end of the casing and adapted to connect to the computing device, the connector configured for connection to an external device.

[0025] Other aspects of the present disclosure may include any feature or combination of the features described above.

[0026] Still further features and advantages of the present disclosure will become apparent from the following specification taken in conjunction with the following drawings. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0027] [Figure 1] 1 illustrates an example system that may be configured to provide personal training and / or obtain data from a user's physical movements, according to an example embodiment. [Diagram 2] 2 illustrates an example computing device that may be part of or in communication with the system of FIG. 1. [Diagram 3] 1 illustrates an example sensor assembly that may be worn by a user, according to an example embodiment. [Figure 4]1 illustrates another example sensor assembly that may be worn by a user, according to an example embodiment. [Diagram 5] 13A-13C show example locations for sensory input that may include body sensors located on / in the user's clothing and / or may be based on identifying a relationship between two moving body parts of the user. [Figure 6] 13 shows a chart comparing the average sensor output with different exercises based on different movements. [Figure 7] 1 is a flowchart that may be used to create and modify a heart rate measurement protocol, in accordance with certain embodiments. [Figure 8] 1 is a chart correlating performance score with body mass index (BMI) in a total population sample, according to various embodiments disclosed herein. [Figure 9] 9 is a chart correlating performance score and BMI among male individuals of the population sample of FIG. 8 according to various embodiments disclosed herein. [Figure 10] 9 is a chart correlating performance score and BMI among female individuals of the population sample of FIG. 8 according to various embodiments disclosed herein. [Figure 11] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of one embodiment of a band according to aspects of the present disclosure. [Figure 12] FIG. 12 is a top view of the band of FIG. [Figure 13A] FIG. 13 is a perspective view of another embodiment of a band according to aspects of the present disclosure, turned inside out. [Figure 13B] FIG. 13 is a perspective view of another embodiment of a band according to aspects of the present disclosure, turned inside out. [Figure 14] FIG. 13 is a top view of another embodiment of a band according to aspects of the present disclosure. [Figure 15A] 13A-13C are perspective and side views of another embodiment of a band according to aspects of the present disclosure. [Figure 15B] 13A-13C are perspective and side views of another embodiment of a band according to aspects of the present disclosure. [Figure 16]13A-13D show two cross-sectional views of two further embodiments of a band according to aspects of the present disclosure. [Figure 17] 13A-13C are top and side views of another embodiment of a band according to aspects of the present disclosure. [Figure 18] FIG. 1 is a top view of components for manufacturing a band according to aspects of the present disclosure. [Figure 19] FIG. 1 is a top view of components for manufacturing a band according to aspects of the present disclosure. [Figure 20] FIG. 1 is a top view of components for manufacturing a band according to aspects of the present disclosure. [Figure 21] FIG. 1 is a top view of components for manufacturing a band according to aspects of the present disclosure. [Figure 22] FIG. 1 is a top view of components for manufacturing a band according to aspects of the present disclosure. [Diagram 23] FIG. 1 is a top view of components for manufacturing a band according to aspects of the present disclosure. [Figure 24] FIG. 1 is a top view of components for manufacturing a band according to aspects of the present disclosure. [Diagram 25] FIG. 1 is a top view of components for manufacturing a band according to aspects of the present disclosure. [Figure 26] FIG. 1 is a top view of components for manufacturing a band according to aspects of the present disclosure. [Figure 27] FIG. 1 is a top view of components for manufacturing a band according to aspects of the present disclosure. [Figure 28] FIG. 1 is a top view of components for manufacturing a band according to aspects of the present disclosure. [Figure 29] FIG. 1 is a top view of components for manufacturing a band according to aspects of the present disclosure. [Diagram 30] FIG. 1 is a top view of components for manufacturing a band according to aspects of the present disclosure. [Diagram 31] FIG. 31 is a plan view that illustrates a schematic diagram of a method for manufacturing a band according to an embodiment of the present disclosure using the components of FIGS. 18 to 30. [Diagram 32]FIG. 31 is a plan view that illustrates a schematic diagram of a method for manufacturing a band according to an embodiment of the present disclosure using the components of FIGS. 18 to 30. [Diagram 33] FIG. 31 is a plan view that illustrates a schematic diagram of a method for manufacturing a band according to an embodiment of the present disclosure using the components of FIGS. 18 to 30. [Diagram 34] FIG. 31 is a plan view that illustrates a schematic diagram of a method for manufacturing a band according to an embodiment of the present disclosure using the components of FIGS. 18 to 30. [Diagram 35] FIG. 31 is a plan view that illustrates a schematic diagram of a method for manufacturing a band according to an embodiment of the present disclosure using the components of FIGS. 18 to 30. [Diagram 36] FIG. 31 is a plan view that illustrates a schematic diagram of a method for manufacturing a band according to an embodiment of the present disclosure using the components of FIGS. 18 to 30. [Figure 37] FIG. 31 is a plan view that illustrates a schematic diagram of a method for manufacturing a band according to an embodiment of the present disclosure using the components of FIGS. 18 to 30. [Figure 38] FIG. 31 is a plan view that illustrates a schematic diagram of a method for manufacturing a band according to an embodiment of the present disclosure using the components of FIGS. 18 to 30. [Figure 39A] 13A-13C are top and side views of another embodiment of a band according to aspects of the present disclosure. [Figure 39B] 13A-13C are top and side views of another embodiment of a band according to aspects of the present disclosure. [Figure 40A] FIG. 1 is a top view of another embodiment of a band according to aspects of the present disclosure, and some of the components used in the manufacture of the band. [Figure 40B] FIG. 1 is a top view of another embodiment of a band according to aspects of the present disclosure, and some of the components used in the manufacture of the band. [Diagram 41] 1A-1D show top and bottom perspective views of one embodiment of a module according to aspects of the present disclosure. [Diagram 42] FIG. 13 is a top view of another embodiment of a module according to aspects of the present disclosure. [Diagram 43] 1A-1D show, from left to right, a bottom perspective view, a top perspective view, a top view, and a bottom view of another embodiment of a module according to aspects of the present disclosure. [Diagram 44] 1A-1D show, from left to right, a bottom perspective view, a top perspective view, a top view, and a bottom view of another embodiment of a module according to aspects of the present disclosure. [Diagram 45] 1A-1D show, from left to right, a bottom perspective view, a top perspective view, a top view, and a bottom view of another embodiment of a module according to aspects of the present disclosure. [Figure 46] 1A-1D show, from left to right, top and bottom perspective views of another embodiment of a module according to aspects of the present disclosure. [Figure 47] 1A-1D show, from left to right, top and bottom perspective views of another embodiment of a module according to aspects of the present disclosure. [Figure 48] 1A-1D show, from left to right, top and bottom perspective views of another embodiment of a module according to aspects of the present disclosure. [Figure 49] 1A-1D show, from left to right, top and bottom perspective views of another embodiment of a module according to aspects of the present disclosure. [Figure 50] 1A-1D show, from left to right, top and bottom perspective views of another embodiment of a module according to aspects of the present disclosure. [Figure 51] 1A-1D show, from left to right, top and bottom perspective views of another embodiment of a module according to aspects of the present disclosure. [Figure 52] 1A-1D show, from left to right, top and bottom perspective views of another embodiment of a module according to aspects of the present disclosure. [Diagram 53] 1A-1D show, from left to right, top and bottom perspective views of another embodiment of a module according to aspects of the present disclosure. [Figure 54] 1A-1D show, from left to right, top and bottom perspective views of another embodiment of a module according to aspects of the present disclosure. [Figure 55] 1A-1D show, from left to right, top and bottom perspective views of another embodiment of a module according to aspects of the present disclosure. [Figure 56] 1A-1D show, from left to right, top and bottom perspective views of another embodiment of a module according to aspects of the present disclosure. [Figure 57] FIG. 13 is a top perspective view of another embodiment of a module according to aspects of the present disclosure. [Figure 58] FIG. 13 is a top perspective view of another embodiment of a module according to aspects of the present disclosure. [Figure 59] FIG. 59 is a front view of the module of FIG. 58. [Figure 60] FIG. 13 is a top perspective view of another embodiment of a module according to aspects of the present disclosure. [Figure 61] FIG. 61 is a bottom perspective view of the module of FIG. [Figure 62] FIG. 61 is a side view of the module of FIG. [Figure 63] FIG. 61 is a bottom perspective view of the module of FIG. 60, where the retention structure is connected to the module. [Figure 64] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of one embodiment of a mold for manufacturing a band according to aspects of the present disclosure. [Figure 65] FIG. 65 is a cross-sectional view of the mold of FIG. 64 taken along the longitudinal axis. [Figure 66] FIG. 65 is a cross-sectional view of the mold of FIG. 64 taken along the horizontal axis. [Figure 67] FIG. 67 is an enlarged view of a portion of the mold shown in FIG. [Figure 68] FIG. 13 is a top view of another embodiment of a band according to aspects of the present disclosure. [Figure 69] FIG. 69 is a top view of the band of FIG. 68 turned inside out. [Figure 70A] FIG. 69 is a top view of the band of FIG. 68 turned inside out. [Figure 70B] FIG. 69 is a top view of the band of FIG. [Figure 70C] FIG. 69 is a bottom view of the band of FIG. [Figure 71] FIG. 70C is a top view of components for manufacturing the band shown in FIGS. 68-70C. [Figure 72] FIG. 70C is a top view of components for manufacturing the band shown in FIGS. 68-70C. [Figure 73] FIG. 70C is a top view of components for manufacturing the band shown in FIGS. 68-70C. [Figure 74] FIG. 70D is a top view of the housing of the band shown in FIGS. 68 to 70C. [Figure 75] FIG. 75 is a bottom view of the housing of FIG. 74. [Figure 76] FIG. 70C is a top view of additional components for producing the band shown in FIGS. 68-70C. [Figure 77] FIG. 70C is a top view of additional components for producing the band shown in FIGS. 68-70C. [Figure 78] FIG. 75 is a side view of the housing of FIG. 74. [Figure 79] FIG. 75 is a bottom perspective view of the housing of FIG. 74. [Figure 80] FIG. 75 is a bottom perspective view of the housing of FIG. 74. [Figure 81] FIG. 75 is a top perspective view of the housing of FIG. 74. [Figure 82] FIG. 75 is a side view of the housing of FIG. 74. [Figure 83] FIG. 83 is a plan view that illustrates a schematic diagram of a method for manufacturing a band according to an embodiment of the present disclosure using the components and housings of FIGS. [Figure 84] FIG. 83 is a plan view that illustrates a schematic diagram of a method for manufacturing a band according to an embodiment of the present disclosure using the components and housings of FIGS. [Figure 85] FIG. 83 is a plan view that illustrates a schematic diagram of a method for manufacturing a band according to an embodiment of the present disclosure using the components and housings of FIGS. [Figure 86] FIG. 83 is a plan view that illustrates a schematic diagram of a method for manufacturing a band according to an embodiment of the present disclosure using the components and housings of FIGS. [Figure 87] FIG. 83 is a plan view that illustrates a schematic diagram of a method for manufacturing a band according to an embodiment of the present disclosure using the components and housings of FIGS. [Figure 88] FIG. 83 is a plan view that illustrates a schematic diagram of a method for manufacturing a band according to an embodiment of the present disclosure using the components and housings of FIGS. [Figure 89] FIG. 83 is a plan view that illustrates a schematic diagram of a method for manufacturing a band according to an embodiment of the present disclosure using the components and housings of FIGS. [Figure 90] FIG. 83 is a plan view that illustrates a schematic diagram of a method for manufacturing a band according to an embodiment of the present disclosure using the components and housings of FIGS. [Figure 91] FIG. 83 is a plan view that illustrates a schematic diagram of a method for manufacturing a band according to an embodiment of the present disclosure using the components and housings of FIGS. [Figure 92] FIG. 1 is a top view of another embodiment of a band according to aspects of the present disclosure, with a portion of the band shown in greater detail in the inset; [Figure 93] FIG. 1 is a top view of another embodiment of a band according to aspects of the present disclosure, with a portion of the band shown in greater detail in the inset; [Figure 94] FIG. 93 is a perspective view showing, in schematic form, one embodiment of a mold for heat pressing a portion of a band according to an aspect of the present disclosure together with the housing of FIG. 74 that can be used in conjunction with the method of FIGS. 83-91. [Figure 95] FIG. 95 is a perspective view showing the use of the mold of FIG. 94 in operation. [Figure 96] FIG. 13 is a bottom view of another embodiment of a band in accordance with aspects of the present disclosure showing certain physical dimensions of the band. [Figure 96A] 1 is a schematic diagram of one embodiment of a band in accordance with aspects of the present disclosure illustrating a calculation of the band's slope; [Figure 97] FIG. 13 is a top perspective view of another embodiment of a housing usable in the manufacture of a band according to aspects of the present disclosure. [Figure 98] FIG. 98 is a bottom perspective view of the housing of FIG. 97. [Figure 99] FIG. 98 is a top perspective view of the housing of FIG. 97. [Figure 100] FIG. 13 is a bottom perspective view of another embodiment of a housing usable in the manufacture of a band according to aspects of the present disclosure. [Figure 101] FIG. 101 is a top perspective view of the housing of FIG. [Figure 102] FIG. 13 is a bottom perspective view of one embodiment of a housing and additional input devices usable in connection with the band and module according to aspects of the present disclosure. [Figure 103]FIG. 103 is a top perspective view of the housing and additional input device of FIG. 102. [Figure 104] FIG. 13 is a bottom perspective view of one embodiment of a housing and additional input devices usable in connection with the band and module according to aspects of the present disclosure. [Figure 105] FIG. 105 is a top perspective view of the housing and additional input device of FIG. 104. [Fig. 106] FIG. 103 is a bottom perspective view of the housing of FIG. 102 and the module of FIG. 60 inserted into the housing. [Figure 107] 13A-13C are perspective and exploded perspective views of another embodiment of an additional input device and module in accordance with aspects of the present disclosure, showing connections between the additional input device and the module; [Figure 108] 13A-13C are perspective and exploded perspective views of another embodiment of an additional input device and module in accordance with aspects of the present disclosure, showing connections between the additional input device and the module; [Fig. 109] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of one embodiment of a band having an additional input device connected to the band in accordance with aspects of the present disclosure. [Figure 110] FIG. 13 is a schematic perspective view of another embodiment of a module, additional input device, and band in accordance with aspects of the present disclosure, showing the module connected to the additional input device and then connected to the band. [Figure 111] 1 is a schematic diagram illustrating another embodiment of the band, in which an additional input device is connected to the band and the band is worn on a user's wrist, the additional input device communicating with one or more external devices. [Figure 112] 1 is a flow chart illustrating one embodiment of a method of operation that may be used in connection with an external device and additional input device according to aspects of the present disclosure. [Figure 113] 11 is a flow chart illustrating another embodiment of a method of operation that may be used in connection with an external device and additional input device according to aspects of the present disclosure. [Fig. 114] 1 illustrates one embodiment of a display of an external device operated in conjunction with an additional input device according to aspects of the present disclosure. [Figure 115] 1 illustrates another embodiment of a display of an external device operated in conjunction with an additional input device according to an aspect of the present disclosure. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0028] Aspects of the present disclosure involve acquiring, storing, and / or processing athletic data relating to an athlete's physical movements. The athletic data may be actively or passively sensed and / or stored in one or more non-transitory storage media. Still further aspects relate to using the athletic data to generate outputs, such as, for example, calculated athletic attributes, feedback signals for providing coaching, and / or other information. These and other aspects are discussed in conjunction with the following illustrative example of a personal training system.

[0029] In the following description of various embodiments, reference is made to the accompanying drawings, which form a part hereof and which show by way of illustration various embodiments in which aspects of the present disclosure may be practiced. It is to be understood that other embodiments may be utilized and structural and functional changes may be made without departing from the scope and spirit of the present disclosure. Further, headings within this disclosure should not be construed as limiting aspects of the present disclosure, and example embodiments are not limited to the example headings.

[0030] I. Exemplary Personal Training System A. Exemplary Network Aspects of the present disclosure relate to systems and methods that may be utilized over multiple networks. In this regard, certain embodiments may be configured to adapt to dynamic network environments. Further embodiments may be capable of functioning in different separate network environments. FIG. 1 illustrates an example of a personal training system 100 according to an exemplary embodiment. The exemplary system 100 may include one or more interconnected networks, such as an exemplary body area network (BAN) 102, a local area network (LAN) 104, and a wide area network (WAN) 106. As illustrated in FIG. 1 (and described throughout this disclosure), one or more networks (e.g., BAN 102, LAN 104, and / or WAN 106) may overlap with or include each other. Those skilled in the art will appreciate that the exemplary networks 102-106 are logical networks that may each include one or more different communication protocols and / or network architectures, yet may be configured to have gateways to each other or other networks. For example, each of BAN 102, LAN 104, and / or WAN 106 may be operatively connected to the same physical network architecture, such as cellular network architecture 108 and / or WAN architecture 110. For example, portable electronic device 112, which may be considered a component of both BAN 102 and LAN 104, may include a network adapter or network interface card (NIC) configured to convert data and control signals to / from network messages in accordance with one or more communication protocols, such as Transmission Control Protocol (TCP), Internet Protocol (IP), and User Datagram Protocol (UDP), throughout one or more of architectures 108 and / or 110. These protocols are well known in the art and thus will not be discussed in detail herein.

[0031] Network architectures 108 and 110 may include one or more information distribution network(s) of any type(s) or topology(s), such as, for example, cable, fiber, satellite, telephone, cellular, wireless, etc., alone or in combination(s), and thus may be variously configured to have one or more wired or wireless communication channels (including, but not limited to, WiFi, Bluetooth, Near-Field Communication (NFC) and / or ANT technologies). Thus, any device in the network of FIG. 1 (such as portable electronic device 112 or any other device described herein) may be considered to be included in one or more of the different logical networks 102-106. With the above in mind, exemplary configurations of exemplary BANs and LANs (which may be coupled to WAN 106) may be configured in various ways. The elements are described.

[0032] 1. Example Local Area Network LAN 104 may include one or more electronic devices, such as, for example, computing device 114. Computing device 114 or any other component of system 100 may include a mobile terminal, such as a phone, a music player, a tablet, a netbook, or any handheld device. In other embodiments, computing device 114 may include a media player or recorder, a desktop computer, a server(s), a game console, such as, for example, a Microsoft® XBOX®, a Sony® Playstation, and / or a Nintendo® Wii game console. Those skilled in the art will appreciate that these are merely example devices for illustrative purposes and that the present disclosure is not limited to any console or computing device.

[0033] Those skilled in the art will appreciate that the design and structure of computing device 114 may vary depending on several factors, such as its intended purpose. One exemplary implementation of computing device 114 is provided in FIG. 2, which shows a block diagram of computing device 200. Those skilled in the art will appreciate that the disclosure of FIG. 2 can be applied to any device disclosed herein. Device 200 may include one or more processors, such as processors 202-1 and 202-2 (generally referred to herein as “processors 202” or “processor 202”). Processors 202 may communicate with each other or other components via an interconnection network or bus 204. Processor 202 may include one or more processing cores, such as cores 206-1 and 206-2 (generally referred to herein as “cores 206” or more generally “core 206”), which may be implemented on a single integrated circuit (IC) chip.

[0034] Core 206 may include a shared cache 208 and / or a private cache (e.g., caches 210-1 and 210-2, respectively). One or more caches 208 / 210 may locally cache data stored in a system memory, such as memory 212, for faster access by components of processor 202. Memory 212 may be in communication with processor 202 via chipset 216. Cache 208 may be part of system memory 212 in certain embodiments. Memory 212 may include, but is not limited to, random access memory (RAM), read-only memory (ROM), including one or more of solid-state memory, optical or magnetic storage devices, and / or any other medium that may be used to store electronic information. Still other embodiments may omit system memory 212.

[0035] System 200 may include one or more I / O devices, such as I / O devices 214-1 through 214-3, each generally referred to as an I / O device 214. I / O data from one or more of I / O devices 214 may be stored in one or more caches 208, 210, and / or system memory 212. Each of I / O devices 214 may be permanently or temporarily configured to be in operative communication with components of system 100 using any physical or wireless communication protocol.

[0036] Returning to FIG. 1 , four exemplary I / O devices (shown as elements 116-122) are shown in communication with computing device 114. Those skilled in the art will appreciate that one or more of devices 116-122 may be standalone devices or may be associated with another device other than computing device 114. For example, one or more of the I / O devices may be associated with or interact with components of BAN 102 and / or WAN 106. The I / O devices 116-122 may include, but are not limited to, athletic data acquisition units, such as sensors. One or more of the I / O devices may be configured to sense, detect, and / or measure athletic parameters from a user, such as user 124. Examples include, but are not limited to, accelerometers, gyroscopes, position determining devices (e.g., GPS), light (including non-visible light) sensors, temperature sensors (including ambient and / or body temperature), sleep pattern sensors, heart rate monitors, image capture sensors, moisture sensors, force sensors, compasses, angular velocity sensors, and / or combinations thereof, among others.

[0037] In further embodiments, I / O devices 116-122 may be used to provide output (e.g., audio, visual, or tactile cues) and / or receive input, such as user input from athlete 124. Illustrative uses for these exemplary I / O devices are provided below, although one of ordinary skill in the art will appreciate that such discussion is merely an illustration of some of the many options within the scope of this disclosure. Additionally, reference to any data acquisition unit, I / O device, or sensor shall be construed as disclosing an embodiment that may have one or more I / O devices, data acquisition units, and / or sensors (either individually or in combination) disclosed herein or known in the art.

[0038] Information from one or more devices (over one or more networks) may be used to provide (or may be utilized in the formation of) a variety of different parameters, metrics, or physiological characteristics, including, but not limited to, motion parameters such as speed, acceleration, distance, steps taken, direction, relative motion of a particular body part or object relative to another, or other motion parameters that may be expressed as angular velocity, linear velocity, or combinations thereof; physiological parameters such as calories, heart rate, sweat detection, force exertion, oxygen consumption, oxygen kinetics, and other metrics that may fall into one or more categories, such as pressure, impact force, height, weight, age, demographic information, and combinations thereof.

[0039] The system 100 may be configured to transmit and / or receive athletic data, including parameters, metrics, or physiological characteristics, collected within or provided to the system 100. As an example, the WAN 106 may include a server 111. The server 111 may include one or more components of the system 200 of FIG. 2. In one embodiment, the server 111 includes at least a processor and a memory, such as a processor 206 and a memory 212. The server 111 may be configured to store computer-executable instructions on a non-transitory computer-readable medium. The instructions may include athletic data, such as raw data or processed data, collected within the system 100. The system 100 may be configured to transmit data, such as energy expenditure points, to a social networking website or to host such a site. The server 111 may be utilized to enable one or more users to access and / or compare athletic data. Accordingly, the server 111 may be configured to transmit and / or receive notifications based on the athletic data or other information.

[0040] Returning to the LAN 104, the computing device 114 is shown in functional communication with a display device 116, an image capture device 118, a sensor 120, and an exercise device 122, which are discussed below with reference to example embodiments. In one embodiment, the display device 116 may provide audiovisual cues for the athlete 124 to perform a particular athletic movement. The audiovisual cues may be provided in response to computer-executable instructions executed on the computing device 114 or any other device, including devices in the BAN 102 and / or the WAN. The display device 116 may be a touch screen or may be configured to receive user input.

[0041] In one embodiment, data may be obtained from other sensors, such as image capture device 118 and / or sensor 120, or stored information, that may be used to detect (and / or measure) athletic parameters, either alone or in combination with other devices. Image capture device 118 and / or sensor 120 may comprise a transceiver device. In one embodiment, sensor 128 may comprise an infrared (IR), electromagnetic (EM), or acoustic transceiver. For example, image capture device 118 and / or sensor 120 may transmit waveforms into the environment, including toward the athlete 124, and receive "reflections" or detect changes in those emitted waveforms. Those skilled in the art will readily appreciate that signals corresponding to a number of different data spectra may be utilized in accordance with various embodiments. In this regard, device 118 and / or 120 may detect waveforms emitted from an external source (e.g., not system 100). For example, device 118 and / or 120 may detect heat being emitted from user 124 and / or the surrounding environment. As such, image capture device 126 and / or sensor 128 may comprise one or more thermal imaging devices. In one embodiment, image capture device 126 and / or sensor 128 may comprise an IR device configured to perform range phenomenology.

[0042] In one embodiment, the exercise device 122 may be any device configurable to enable or facilitate the athlete 124 to perform a physical movement, such as, for example, a treadmill, step machine, etc. The device need not be stationary. In this regard, wireless technology allows portable devices to be utilized, and thus, a bicycle or other mobile exercise device may be utilized in accordance with certain embodiments. Those skilled in the art will appreciate that the device 122 may be or may include an interface for accepting an electronic device that includes athletic data performed remotely from the computing device 114. For example, the user may use the sports device (described below in connection with the BAN 102) and upon returning home or to the location of the device 122, download the athletic data to the element 122 of the system 100 or any other device. Any of the I / O devices disclosed herein may be configured to receive activity data.

[0043] 2. Body Area Network The BAN 102 may include two or more devices (including passive devices) configured to receive, transmit, or otherwise facilitate the collection of athletic data. Exemplary devices may include devices known in the art or disclosed herein, including, but not limited to, one or more data acquisition units, sensors, or I / O devices 116-122. Two or more components of the BAN 102 may communicate directly, while in other embodiments, communication may be performed through a third device, which may be part of the BAN 102, LAN 104, and / or WAN 106. One or more components of the LAN 104 or WAN 106 may form part of the BAN 102. In certain implementations, whether a device, such as the portable device 112, is part of the BAN 102, LAN 104, and / or WAN 106 may depend on the athlete's proximity to an access point to enable communication with the mobile cellular network architecture 108 and / or WAN architecture 110. User activities and / or preferences may also influence whether one or more components are utilized as part of BAN 102. Example embodiments are provided below.

[0044] A user 124 may be associated with (e.g., may own, carry, wear, and / or interact with) any number of devices, such as a portable device 112, a shoe-mounted device 126, a wrist-worn device 128, and / or sensing locations, such as sensing location 130, which may include physical devices or locations used to collect information. One or more of the devices 112, 126, 128, and / or 130 may not be specifically designed for fitness or athletic purposes. Indeed, aspects of the present disclosure relate to utilizing data from multiple devices, some of which are not fitness devices to collect, detect, and / or measure athletic data. In certain embodiments, one or more devices of the BAN 102 (or any other network) may include fitness or sports devices that are specifically designed for a particular sports application. As used herein, the term "sports device" includes any physical object that may be used or involved during a particular sports or fitness activity. Exemplary sports devices may include, but are not limited to, golf balls, basketballs, baseballs, soccer balls, footballs, power balls, ice hockey pucks, weights, bats, sticks, paddles, mats, and combinations thereof. In further embodiments, exemplary fitness devices may include objects within the sports environment in which a particular sport occurs, including the environment itself, such as goal nets, hoops, backboards, portions of the playing field, such as midlines, outer boundary markers, bases, and combinations thereof.

[0045] In this regard, one skilled in the art will appreciate that one or more sports devices may also be part of (or form) the structure, and vice versa, the structure may comprise or be configured to interact with one or more sports devices. For example, a first structure may comprise a basketball hoop and a backboard, which may be removable and may be replaced with a goal post. In this regard, the one or more sports devices may comprise one or more sensors, such as one or more of the sensors discussed above in connection with Figures 1-3, that may provide information to be utilized, either independently or in conjunction with other sensors, such as one or more sensors associated with the one or more structures. For example, the backboard may comprise a first sensor configured to measure the force and direction of force by a basketball on the backboard, and the hoop may comprise a second sensor for detecting the force. Similarly, a golf club may comprise a first sensor configured to detect grip characteristics on the shaft and a second sensor configured to measure impact with a golf ball.

[0046] Turning to an exemplary portable device 112, it may be a multi-purpose electronic device such as a telephone or digital music player, including, for example, IPOD®, IPAD®, or iPhone®, brand devices available from Apple, Inc. (Cupertino, California), or Zune® or Microsoft® Windows devices available from Microsoft (Redmond, Washington). As is known in the art, a digital media player can act as an output device, an input device, and / or a storage device for a computer. The device 112 may be configured as an input device to receive raw or processed data collected from one or more devices in the BAN 102, LAN 104, or WAN 106. In one or more embodiments, the portable device 112 may comprise one or more components of a computing device 114. For example, portable device 112 may include a display 116, an image capture device 118, and / or one or more data acquisition devices, such as any of the I / O devices 116-122 discussed above, with or without additional components to comprise a mobile terminal.

[0047] a. Exemplary Clothing / Accessories Sensors In certain embodiments, the I / O devices may be formed within or associated with clothing or jewelry of the user 124, including watches, armbands, wristbands, necklaces, shirts, shoes, and the like. These devices may be configured to monitor the user's athletic movements. It is to be understood that they may detect athletic movements during the user's 124 interaction with the computing device 114 and / or operate independently of the computing device 114 (or any other device disclosed herein). For example, one or more devices in the BAN 102 may be configured to function as an all-day activity monitor, measuring activity regardless of the user's proximity or interaction with the computing device 114. Furthermore, it is to be understood that the sensory system 302 shown in FIG. 3 and the device assembly 400 shown in FIG. 4 (each of which is described in the following paragraphs) are merely illustrative examples.

[0048] i. Shoe-mounted devices In a particular embodiment, the device 126 shown in FIG. 1 may include footwear that may include one or more sensors, including but not limited to sensors disclosed herein and / or known in the art. FIG. 3 illustrates one example embodiment of a sensor system 302 providing one or more sensor assemblies 304. The assembly 304 may comprise one or more sensors, such as, for example, an accelerometer, a gyroscope, a position determining component, a force sensor, and / or any other sensor disclosed herein or known in the art. In the illustrated embodiment, the assembly 304 incorporates multiple sensors, which may include a force sensitive resistor (FSR) sensor 306. However, other sensor(s) may be utilized. A port 308 may be positioned within a sole structure 309 of the shoe and is generally configured for communication with one or more electronic devices. The port 308 may optionally be provided in communication with an electronic module 310, which may optionally include a housing 311 or other structure for receiving the module 310. The sensor system 302 may also include a number of leads 312 connecting the FSR sensor 306 to the port 308 to enable communication with the module 310 and / or another electronic device through the port 308. The module 310 may be housed within a well or cavity in the sole structure of the shoe, and the housing 311 may be positioned within the well or cavity. In one embodiment, at least one gyroscope and at least one accelerometer are provided within a single housing, such as the module 310 and / or the housing 311. In at least one further embodiment, one or more sensors are provided that are configured to provide orientation information and angular rate data during operation. The port 308 and the module 310 include complementary interfaces 314, 316 for connection and communication.

[0049] In certain embodiments, at least one force-sensitive resistor 306 shown in FIG. 3 may contain first and second electrodes or electrical contacts 318, 320 and a force-sensitive resistive material 322 disposed between the electrodes 318 and 320 to electrically connect the electrodes 318, 320 together. When pressure is applied to the force-sensitive material 322, the resistivity and / or conductivity of the force-sensitive material 322 changes, changing the electrical potential between the electrodes 318 and 320. The change in resistance may be detected by the sensor system 302 to detect the force applied to the sensor 316. The force-sensitive resistive material 322 may change resistance under pressure in a variety of ways. For example, the force-sensitive material 322 may have an internal resistance that decreases when the material is compressed. Further embodiments may utilize "volume-based resistance" that may be implemented through "smart materials." As another example, the material 322 may change resistance by changing the amount of surface-to-surface contact, such as between two pieces of the force sensitive material 322, or between the force sensitive material 322 and one or both electrodes 318, 320. In some circumstances, this type of force sensitive resistance behavior may be described as "contact-based resistance."

[0050] ii. Wrist-worn devices As shown in FIG. 4, device 400 (which may resemble or include sensory device 128 shown in FIG. 1) may be configured to be worn by user 124, such as around the wrist, arm, ankle, neck, etc. Device 400 may include an input mechanism, such as a depressible input button 402 configured to be used during operation of device 400. Input button 402 may be operably connected to controller 404 and / or any other electronic components, such as one or more of the elements discussed with respect to computing device 114 shown in FIG. 1. Controller 404 may be embedded or may be part of a housing 406. Housing 406 may be formed from one or more materials, including an elastic component, and may include one or more indicators, such as indicator 408. The indicators may be considered illuminatable portions of device 400. Indicator 408 may include a series of individual lighting elements or lighting members, such as LED lights 410. The lights may be formed in an array and operably connected to controller 404. The device 400 may include an indicator system 412, which may also be considered a portion or component of the overall display 408. The indicator system 412 may operate and illuminate in conjunction with the display 408 (which may have pixel members 414) or may be completely separate from the display 408. The indicator system 412 may also include a number of additional lighting elements or members, which may also take the form of LED lights in the illustrated embodiment. In certain embodiments, the indicator system may provide a visual indication of a goal, such as by illuminating a portion of the lighting members of the indicator system 412 to represent progress toward one or more goals. The device 400 may be configured to display, through either the display 408 and / or the indicator system 412, data expressed in units of activity points or currency earned by a user based on the user's activity.

[0051] The fastening mechanism 416 may be disengaged, the device 400 may be positioned around the wrist or portion of the user 124, and the fastening mechanism 416 may then be placed in an engaged position. In one embodiment, the fastening mechanism 416 may comprise an interface, including but not limited to a USB port, for functional interaction with devices such as the computing device 114 and / or devices 120 and / or 112. In certain embodiments, the fastening members may comprise one or more magnets. In one embodiment, the fastening members may have no moving parts and rely entirely on magnetic forces.

[0052] In certain embodiments, device 400 may include a sensor assembly (not shown in FIG. 4). The sensor assembly may include a number of different sensors, including sensors disclosed herein and / or known in the art. In an exemplary embodiment, the sensor assembly may include or allow for functional connection to any sensor disclosed herein or known in the art. Device 400 and / or its sensor assembly may be configured to receive data obtained from one or more external sensors.

[0053] iii. Clothing and / or body position sensing Element 130 in FIG. 1 illustrates an example sensory location that may be associated with a physical instrument such as a sensor, data acquisition unit, or other device. In yet other embodiments, it may be a specific location of a body part or area monitored via an image capture device (e.g., image capture device 118), or the like. In certain embodiments, element 130 may include sensors, such as elements 130a and 130b may be sensors integrated into clothing, such as athletic clothing. Such sensors may be placed at any desired location on the body of user 124. Sensors 130a / b may communicate (e.g., wirelessly) with one or more devices (including other sensors) of BAN 102, LAN 104, and / or WAN 106. In certain embodiments, a passive sensing surface may reflect a waveform, such as infrared light, emitted by image capture device 118 and / or sensor 120. In one embodiment, a passive sensor located on the clothing of user 124 may comprise a generally spherical structure made of glass or other transparent or translucent surface that may reflect a waveform. Different types of apparel may be utilized, with a given type of apparel having particular sensors configured to be located proximate to particular portions of the body of the user 124 when properly worn. For example, golf apparel may include one or more sensors positioned on the apparel in a first configuration, while soccer apparel may include one or more sensors positioned on the apparel in a second configuration.

[0054] FIG. 5 illustrates exemplary locations for sensory input (see, e.g., sensor locations 130a-130o). In this regard, the sensors may be body sensors located on / in the user's clothing, and in yet other embodiments, the sensor locations 130a-130o may be based on identifying a relationship between two moving body parts. For example, the sensor location 130a may be determined by identifying the movement of the user 124 using an image capture device, such as the image capture device 118. Thus, in certain embodiments, the sensor may not be physically located at a particular location (such as one or more of the sensor locations 130a-130o), but is configured to sense characteristics of that location, such as other sensor data collected from the image capture device 118 or other locations. In this regard, the overall shape or portion of the user's body may enable the identification of a particular body part. Whether an image capture device and / or body sensors located on the user 124 are utilized and / or data from other devices (such as sensory system 302) are utilized, the sensors may sense the current position of the body part and / or track the movement of the body part, whether the device assembly 400 and / or any other device or sensor disclosed herein or known in the art are utilized. In one embodiment, sensory data related to location 130m may be utilized in determining the user's center of gravity (aka center of mass). For example, the relationship between location 130a and location(s) 130f / 130l relative to one or more of location(s) 130m-130o may be utilized to determine whether the user's center of gravity is rising along a vertical axis (such as during a jump) or whether the user is attempting to "fake" a jump by flexing and contracting the knees. In one embodiment, sensor location 1306n may be located around the sternum of the user 124. Similarly, sensor location 130o may be located proximate to the navel of user 124. In certain embodiments, data from sensor locations 130m-130o may be utilized (alone or in combination with other data) to determine a center of gravity for user 124.In further embodiments, relationships between multiple sensor locations, such as sensor locations 130m-130o, may be utilized in determining orientation of user 124 and / or rotational forces, such as twisting of the torso of user 124. Additionally, one or more locations, such as location(s), may be utilized as (or approximate) a center of moment location. For example, in one embodiment, one or more of location(s) 130m-130o may serve as a point relative to a center of moment location of user 124. In another embodiment, one or more locations may serve as a center of moment for a particular body part or region.

[0055] II. Exercise Bands with Removable Modules Aspects of the present disclosure relate to systems that may measure one or more attributes of a user (e.g., physiological, biomedical, athletic (with the understanding that these may be overlapping examples)) during a physical movement. In one embodiment, the systems and methods may measure one or more attributes of a user while performing an intense physical exercise or movement. For example, the user may be participating in a professional sporting activity, including, but not limited to, American football, soccer, basketball, swimming, or a combination thereof. In one embodiment, the systems and methods may provide measurements from a user constantly exercising, with the system experiencing magnitudes of impact forces and / or accelerations typically found during an intense activity such as involvement in a professional sport.

[0056] Certain aspects relate to a modular system that may hold or maintain at least one sensor securely against the user's skin during vigorous physical activity. In one embodiment, the system may be configured to hold a heart rate sensor against the user's skin during vigorous physical activity in a manner that allows for accurate measurements during the activity. The band may further secure the at least one sensor against the skin and allow for less than 1 mm movement of the sensor against the user's skin during the athletic activity or during movements generally associated with the average force and / or acceleration magnitude of a particular athletic activity. In yet another embodiment, the band may be configured for the removable sensor to move less than 0.5 mm relative to the surface of the user's skin during the athletic activity. The system may include a band 920 configured to be secured against the user's skin or clothing. In one embodiment, the band is configured to be an armband, but may be configured as a wristband, waistband, or other configuration. In one embodiment, the band 920 is configured to be worn between the user's elbow and wrist. In another embodiment, the band is configured to be worn at a position between the elbow and shoulder.

[0057] The band 920 may be any suitable article of clothing that may be attached to the body, such as, but not limited to, bands such as arm bands, wrist bands, leg bands, belts, etc. Additionally, the article of clothing may be any suitable article of clothing that may be worn on the body, such as shirts, jackets, coats, sweatshirts, vests, shorts, and pants, as well as various other articles of clothing.

[0058] In one embodiment, the band 920 may be configured without fasteners configured to hold the band around the arm. In one embodiment, the band may exhibit an elastic modulus that allows the band to be held around a user's appendage (e.g., arm) in a manner that does not require fasteners to secure the band 920 to the appendage in order to obtain accurate sensor measurements during what may be vigorous athletic activity. In yet another embodiment, fasteners may be utilized to connect at least a portion or portions of the band together for attachment to the appendage. Any suitable fasteners may be used, such as Velcro, snaps, buttons, buckles, and zippers, as is within the skill of one of ordinary skill in the art.

[0059] In another aspect of the invention, as shown in the drawings herein, the wristband or armband may be a continuous tubular band made of an elastic material that can be pulled and worn on the wrist or arm. As discussed below, a pocket (e.g., pocket 940) may be attached to or integrally formed with the band 920. As discussed further below, the band 920 may be configured to include a "pocket" configured to hold an electronic module. In this regard, the band may form a seal or other surface around a portion of the user's skin in a manner that distributes a force such that at least a portion of the band 920 is held against the user's skin with less force per unit area when the user is wearing the band 920 compared to any surface of the electronic module 930 held in the pocket 940 being pressed against the covering. The band 920 may be further configured to block certain portions of ambient light from contacting the user's skin under the band 920. In this regard, the band 920 may block light in one or more specific areas and / or over the entire area covered by the band during normal use. In one embodiment, at least 75% of ambient light is blocked from reaching the area of ​​the band immediately adjacent to where the sensor extends from the opening in the band and contacts the surface of the user's skin.

[0060] In general, the device includes a band 920 configured to be worn by a user or attached to the user's body to be worn by or attached to the user, and a module 930 configured to be connected to the band 920. The band 920 may be an armband in one embodiment as shown in Figures 11 and 12 configured to be worn on the user's upper forearm just below the elbow. Figures 39A and 39B also show an embodiment similar to that of Figures 11 and 12. The band 920 in this embodiment includes a tubular body 921 defining a central passageway 922 such that the user's arm is received through the passageway 922 and the tubular body 921 wraps around the arm. The tubular body 921 is somewhat frusto-conical in the embodiment shown, with a wider top end 923 configured to be positioned closer to the elbow and an opposite narrower bottom end 924 configured to be positioned closer to the wrist where the arm is typically smaller. The frusto-conical shape of the tubular body 921 may help resist slipping of the band 920 when worn on a user's forearm during activity. Without being bound to a particular theory, evidence indicates that the tendency of the band 920 to slip decreases with decreasing proportional difference between the size of the apex end 923 and the size of the bottom end 924 (e.g., the "slope" of the cross section of the tubular body 921). FIG. 96 shows how the slope of the edge 994 of the tubular body 921 may be determined with respect to the axis X. In other words, the closer the size of the bottom end 924 is to the size of the apex end 923, the less likely slippage will occur (within limits). Evidence also indicates that a larger sized band 920 is more likely to slip than a smaller sized band 920. Thus, the larger sized band 920 may be provided with a smaller difference between the diameter of the apex end 923 and the diameter of the bottom end 924 compared to the diameter of the smaller sized band 920 of an embodiment to reduce slippage in the larger sized band 920.

[0061] Various different "tilts" defined on the tubular body 921 may relate to the degree of slippage of the band 920. FIG. 96 shows several different tilts that may be calculated relative to an axis X that is perpendicular to the top and bottom ends 923, 924, using the reference point height H in the tilt calculation. Height H represents a circumferential line that is parallel to the ends 923, 924 of the band 920 and is located at approximately 70% of the distance between the bottom end 924 and the top end 923, i.e., the approximate location of the sensor 932 when the module 930 is positioned within the housing 963. It is understood that the reference point height H may be located differently if the band 920 is configured differently to create different sensor 932 locations. It has been found that the overall tilt of the tubular body 921 and the tilt B (between the bottom end 924 and the height H) have the greatest effect on slippage, and as these tilts approach zero, the reported incidence of slippage is reduced. 96, slope A and slope B are equal to each other and to the overall slope of the tubular body 921. In other embodiments, slope A and slope B may differ from each other, and one or both of slope A and slope B may differ from the overall slope of the tubular body 921. It is understood that any of these slopes may be an "average" slope, and that the tubular body 921 may have a curved or other non-linear edge profile.

[0062] As mentioned above, the overall tilt of the tubular body 921 may affect the fit and likelihood of slipping of the band 920. The overall (average) tilt of the tubular body 921 may be calculated by drawing an imaginary straight line between the intersection of the axis X and the apex 923 of the band 920 and the end point of the bottom 924 of the band 920, as shown in FIG. 96A. A simplified way to perform this calculation is to use the difference in circumference or diameter between any two points along the height of the tubular body 921 (e.g., between the apex 923 and bottom 924) to determine the tilt. This imaginary line may be considered to be a combination of the lines tilt A and tilt B of FIG. 96, although tilt A and tilt B may be different from each other in other embodiments. Tilt A or tilt B may also affect the fit and likelihood of slipping of the band 920, and these tilts may be calculated as an average in the same manner as above for the overall tilt of the tubular body 921. In one embodiment, the overall slope, slope A, and / or slope B of the tubular body 921 may be between 0 and 0.75, or about 0.65. In another embodiment, the overall slope, slope A, and / or slope B of the tubular body 921 may be between 0 and 0.5, or about 0.4. In further embodiments, the overall slope, slope A, and / or slope B of the tubular body 921 may be between 0 and 0.3 or between 0 and 0.15. For smaller sizes of bands 920 (e.g., maximum diameters of 200 mm or less), the overall slope, slope A, and / or slope B of the tubular body 921 may be closer to zero than for larger sizes. It is understood that when the overall slope of the tubular body 921 is zero, the dimensions of the top and bottom ends 923, 924 may be equal or approximately equal such that the top end 923 is not wider than the bottom end 924.

[0063] In another embodiment, a similarly structured band 920 may be configured to be worn on another part of the body. For example, band 920 may be configured to be worn on another part of the arm, such as the upper arm, wrist, hand, etc. As another example, band 920 may be configured to wrap around different body parts of the user, such as various locations on the leg, neck, torso, head, etc. It will be appreciated that the size and contours of band 920 may be adjusted to wrap around different body parts.

[0064] In one embodiment, the band 920 may be formed from a flexible elastic material, such as, for example, an elastic fabric, that allows the user to wear the band 920 comfortably and that can be stretched to place and remove the band 920 on the user's body. The band 920 may be made from two or more layers of material that are bonded together, or it may be part of a single piece that is folded to create multiple layers. Figures 11 and 12 show one embodiment of the band 920, and Figures 14-17, 39A-39B, and 68-70C show a similar embodiment having some different features as described herein.

[0065] In the embodiment shown in Figures 11-17 and 39A-39B, the band 920 is made from a piece of fabric that is folded over on itself to form two layers and bonded by adhesive applied between the two layers. The adhesive may be formed into a pattern in some embodiments, which provides a visible and unique appearance in the final product. The adhesive pattern may also be functional, such as controlling the maximum degree of stretch of the band 920, controlling the location of stretch or other deformation of the band 920, enhancing the durability of the band 920, and / or other functions. As shown in Figures 12, 14, and 39A-39B, the adhesive is applied in multiple lines 925 that extend axially (i.e., between ends 923 and 924) along the band 920 and are circumferentially spaced from one another. In these configurations, radial stretch of the band 920 occurs between the lines 925, and the lines of adhesive 925 provide a low extensibility range. The bands 920 in Figures 12, 14, and 39A-B have dashed or discontinuous lines 925 (i.e., line segments) of adhesive with one or more gaps 926 along each line 925. Additionally, the gaps 926 in each line 925 in this embodiment are offset or staggered from the gaps 926 in adjacent lines 925. In another embodiment, the bands 920 may have solid lines 925 of adhesive (which may be straight and / or curved) as in Figures 40A-B, or one or more blocks of adhesive. The configuration of the adhesive lines 925 in Figures 12, 14, 39A-B, and 40A-B provides several advantages. First, the axially extending lines 925 allow most of the radial stretch of the band to occur between the lines 925, such that the elastic modulus or elastic response of the elastic material of the band 920 controls the amount of stretch. Additionally, the axially extending lines 925 allow the adhesive in lines 925 to have a more significant effect on the modulus or elastic response of band 920 in the axial direction, thus limiting the amount of axial stretch that occurs.This is beneficial to avoid overstretching when the band 920 is pulled over the user's body (e.g., the forearm) and worn so that it slides as needed, rather than expending energy exerted by the user by stretching the band. The "stagger" of the gaps 926 also helps limit axial stretching. Additionally, the intermittent application of the adhesive lines 925 provides greater breathability, as the fabric of the band material is typically more breathable than the adhesive. In another embodiment, the band 920 is made from a piece of fabric that is folded over on itself to form two layers and joined around the ends 923, 924 by adhesive, stitching, or the like.

[0066] The band 920 is generally configured to hold an electronic module 930, which may be removable from the band 920. In one embodiment, the band 920 has a pocket 940 that defines a cavity 941 configured to receive the module 930 in a removable configuration. In one embodiment, as shown in FIGS. 11 and 12, the pocket 940 is accessible from an inner surface 927 of the band 920 that is configured to face and / or contact the user's body. FIGS. 36-38 similarly illustrate the components of the pocket 940. In this configuration, the pocket 940 has an access opening 942 defined on the inner side 927 of the band 920, through which the module 930 may be inserted and removed. The band 920 may be inverted to facilitate this access. The pocket 940 in each embodiment shown in Figures 11-17 and 36-39A-39B has an outer wall 943 that forms a portion of the outer surface 928 of the band 920 and an inner wall 944 that forms a portion of the inner surface 927 of the band 920, with a cavity 941 defined between the walls 943, 944. The walls 943, 944 in one embodiment are at least somewhat flexible and may be made from a single layer and / or piece, or multiple layers and / or pieces. In other embodiments, the walls 943, 944 may be rigid and may be made from the same material as the rest of the band 920 or a different material. An access opening 942 is defined in the inner wall 944 at one end of the cavity 941, in the embodiment of Figures 11-14 and 36-39A and 39B, such that the module 930 is inserted by inserting one end of the module 930 (in one embodiment, the USB connector 135) into the opening 942 and then pushing the remainder of the module 930 through the opening 942 and into the cavity 941.

[0067] 39A and 39B show an embodiment of a band 920 with a module 930 inserted into a pocket 940. In FIG. 39A, the pocket 940 is configured for insertion of a module 930 having a light 934 and button 933 positioned closer to a top end 923 of the band 920 (i.e., closer to the user's elbow) and a connector 935 positioned closer to a bottom end 924 of the band 920 (i.e., closer to the user's wrist). This is similar to the configuration of FIG. 14. In FIG. 39B, the pocket 940 is configured for insertion of a module 930 having a light 934 and button 933 positioned closer to a bottom end 924 of the band 920 (i.e., closer to the user's wrist) and a connector 935 positioned closer to a top end 923 of the band 920 (i.e., closer to the user's elbow). This is similar to the configuration of FIGS. 11 and 12. It is understood that an access opening 942 (not shown in FIGS. 39A and B) may be located near the top end 923 in FIG. 39A and near the bottom end 924 in FIG. 39B. The configuration of FIG. 39B may provide greater ergonomics and ease of use. For example, seeing the light 934 and pressing the button 933 may require less movement and more natural motion when these components are located closer to the wrist. Also, the force of pressing the button 933 compresses the user's arm, and if the button 933 is closer to the wrist where the bone is closer to the skin, there is less soft tissue that can be compressed under the force of pressing the button. In the configuration of FIG. 39B, a protective shell 948 (described below) protects the connector 935 because it is located in an area that the user can grasp to pull the band 920 on their arm and wear it.

[0068] 13A and 13B show another configuration for inserting a module 930 into a pocket 940 having an access opening 942 on an inner surface 927 of a band 920. In the embodiment shown in FIG.

[0069] The pocket 940 may also include one or more sensor openings 945 configured to allow the sensor(s) 932 of the module 930 an unobstructed path to directly sense the user's body, such as by contacting the user's body (e.g., a heart rate sensor) or by directly interacting with the user's body (e.g., a light, heat, or other radiation-based sensor). In the embodiment shown in FIGS. 36-38, the pocket 940 has a single sensor opening 945 on the interior wall 944 that is separate from the access opening 942. In other embodiments, the sensor opening 945 may be contiguous with the access opening 942 such that only a single opening is defined in the interior wall 944, and / or the pocket 940 may have multiple sensor openings 945. An example of this configuration is shown in FIGS. 68-70C and 78-82.

[0070] The outer wall 943 of the pocket may be configured to cover the module 930 and to allow for reading and / or operation of the module through the outer wall 943. For example, the outer wall 943 may include one or more windows 946 to allow for viewing of an indicator of the module 930. Such a window 946 may be an opening or a transparent or translucent portion of the outer wall 943 through which a light or lighted indicator may be viewed. In the embodiment shown in Figures 11-14, 39A and 39B, and 68-70C, the outer wall 943 has a window 946 to allow for viewing of a single light, and may additionally or alternately have one or more windows 946 configured to allow for viewing of multiple LEDs (i.e., readable indicators) of the module 930. It is understood that the pocket 940 may have one or more windows 946 configured to be complementary to the structure of the module 930.

[0071] As another example, the outer wall 943 may have one or more button portions 947 configured to enable operation of one or more buttons 933 of the module 930 through the outer wall 943. It is understood that a "button" may include a mechanical / electrical button, a touch screen interface, or other manually operable component. The button portion 947 may simply be a flexible portion of the outer wall 943 that enables a user to press the button portion 947 to activate the button 933 of the module 930, as shown in FIGS. 11-14. The outer wall 943 may further have one or more flex zones (not shown) to control flexing of the outer wall 943 and / or portions of the band 920, such as concave or recessed portions having greater flexibility. In another embodiment, the button portion 947 may have a button mechanism (or mechanisms) that activates the button(s) 933 of the module 930. In further embodiments, the button portion 947 may double as the window 946, such as if the module 930 has a button with a light (see FIG. 42) or if the module 930 has an illuminated touch screen display. The exterior wall 943 may further have indicia 947A, such as an indication of the location(s) of the button(s) 933 on the module 930, a logo, instructions, or the like.

[0072] The pocket 940 may further include a protective shell 948 within the cavity 941 to protect at least a portion of the module 930. The shell 948 may be formed from a rigid material, such as a rigid plastic or fiber-reinforced polymer (e.g., thermoplastic polyurethane), a metallic material, or other material. In the embodiment of Figures 11-14, the walls 943, 944 of the pocket 940 are flexible, and the shell 948 is received within the cavity 941 and positioned at the end opposite the access opening 942. In this configuration, the shell 948 receives and protects the USB connector 935 of the module 930. The shell 948 may further have structure for retaining the module 930 once it is inserted, such as a friction fit configuration, a complementary interlocking structure with the module 930, etc. The shell 948 may also have structure for generating an audible and / or tactile indication when the module 930 is fully inserted to indicate to a user that the module 930 is fully inserted. These audio / tactile cues may be used with or without a locking structure and may interact with the connector 935. The shell 948 may be held within the pocket 940 by adhesive or other bonding materials, a friction fit, various mechanical connection techniques, etc. In other embodiments, the shell 948 may cover a greater or lesser percentage of the module 930, or the pocket 940 may not have a shell at all. Figure 16 also shows a protective shell 948 in one configuration.

[0073] In other embodiments shown in Figures 15A-17, the band 920 may have an access opening 942 on the exterior of the band 920. For example, Figure 15A shows an embodiment where the access opening 942 is exposed on the outer surface 928 of the band 920, and the module 930 may be inserted into the cavity 941 through the access opening 942. The module 930 in this embodiment is inserted similarly to the technique above by first inserting an end of the module 930 through the opening 942. As another example, Figure 15B shows an embodiment where the access opening 942 is much larger and is approximately the same size as the cavity 941. In this embodiment, the entire module 930 is pushed downward through the opening 942 into the cavity 941, and then a securing member 949 is used to secure the module 930 within the pocket 940. The securing member 949 in this embodiment is a strap with a releasable connection, such as a hook and loop material, a mechanical fastener (e.g., a snap or button), or other releasable connection. In other embodiments, the securing member 949 may have a different configuration, such as a cap, flap, tab, or other structure. Figure 16 shows a cross-sectional view of both of these embodiments. Figure 17 shows an embodiment in which the module 930 is inserted similarly to the embodiment of Figure 15A.

[0074] The band 920 may be assembled by using a heat pressing operation, where a heat activated film bonds the parts of the band 920 together. Figures 18-38 show one embodiment of a method of assembly / manufacture of the band 920. In this embodiment, the body part 950 is formed (e.g., cut) from an elastic fabric material, as shown in Figure 18, and the fold lines are indicated by dashed lines. The body part 950 has a first hole 950A for the opening 942, a second hole 950B for the sensor opening 945, and a third hole 950C that forms part of the window 946. A central fold line divides the body part 950 into an inner portion 950D that forms the inner surface 927 of the band 920, and an outer portion 950E that forms the outer surface 928 of the band 920. FIG. 19 shows a main joining panel 951 of a heat-activated or adhesive film (referred to as "joining material") on which the lines 925 and gaps 926 are formed by etching or cutting. FIG. 40A and FIG. 40B show an alternative embodiment of the main joining panel 951 and the resulting band 920. FIG. 20 and FIG. 21 show an outer pocket interior part 952 with a light hole 952A forming part of the window 946, and an inner pocket edge joining part 953 with a hole 953A for the opening 942, both made from a joining material. FIG. 22 and FIG. 23 show an inner pocket trim and outer pocket structural part 954 and an inner pocket structural part 955, both made from a fabric material with a backing of a joining material. The inner pocket trim and outer pocket structural part 954 has a light hole 954A and a tongue 954B cut out from its center. Both Figures 24 and 25 show alternative embodiments of the inner pocket trim and outer pocket structure pieces 954. Figure 24 shows the pieces 954 with adhesive or bonding material 954C positioned on tongues 954B to bond to the shell 948 within the pocket 940. Figure 25 shows the pieces 954 with holes for the light positioned differently. The inner pocket structure piece 955 has a first hole 955A for the opening 942 and a second hole 955B for the sensor opening 945. Figures 26 and 27 show the outer pocket trim piece 956 and the pocket edge trim piece 957, both of which are made from a fabric material with a backing of bonding material.FIG. 28 shows a graphic part 958, which may include a logo 958A or other indicia 958B, as well as an optional hole for light that may form part of the window 946. The graphic part 958 may be made from a heat activatable material. FIG. 29 shows a frame part 959, which may be placed around the hole 950B, 955B for the sensor opening 945, which may be made from a polycarbonate material. FIG. 30 shows a bonding material 954C for the shell 948, as also shown in FIG. 24. It is understood that the various parts of the bonding material described herein, including parts 951, 952, 953, etc., may be made from the same or different bonding materials and may have the same or different thicknesses and / or functional properties. It is also understood that the dashed lines in FIGS. 20-25 indicate cutting lines that are made after the parts are placed in place on the band 920 during assembly.

[0075] Assembly of these components may be performed using a heat press to seal the bonding material. Assembly begins with the main bonding panel 950 as shown in FIG. 31. In FIG. 32, the outer pocket interior part 952 is placed on the outer portion 950E of the body panel 950, and the inner pocket structural part 955 is placed on the inner portion 950D of the body panel 950, and a slight tackiness of the bonding material may hold these arrangements in place. A frame part 959 may additionally be placed around the opening 955B in the inner pocket structural part 955 to protect and strengthen the sensor opening 945 after assembly. In another embodiment, the frame part 959 may be replaced by an adhesive border. In FIG. 33, the main bonding panel 951 may be applied to the outer portion 950E of the body part 950 and held by tackiness. As shown alternately in FIG. 35, the main bonding panel 951 may be applied to the inner portion 950D of the body part 950. The main joining panel 951 may be applied to the body part 950 and then removed to leave only the lines 925 of joining material defined by etching / cutting. As shown in FIG. 34, the interior pocket edge joining part 953 is located on the inner part 950D of the body part 950, with the holes 953A appropriately located where the indicators of the module 930 may be. Then, a strip 960 of joining material is placed over the edge of the outer part 950E of the body part, which will join the edges of the inner and outer parts 950D,E together after folding. In FIG. 36, the body part 950 is folded so that the inner and outer parts 950D,E face each other and can be joined together by the main joining panel 951 and the strip 960. FIG. 36 shows both the inner part 950D and the outer part 950E, now on opposite surfaces of the body part 950. An outer portion of the body piece 950 may be cut away and / or folded inwardly to create the final shape of the band 920 at this step as well.

[0076] In Fig. 37, the inner pocket trim and outer pocket structure part 954 is placed on the inner part 950D such that the part 954 is on the outer surface and the tongue 954B extends between the inner part 950D and the outer part 950E of the body part 950 through the opening 942 into the cavity 941. The outer pocket trim part 956 is placed on the outer part 950E as also shown in Fig. 37. The pocket edge trim part 957 is placed along the edge of the access opening 942 as further shown in Fig. 37 such that the part 957 folds over the edge. After this point of assembly, the parts are heat pressed by using a specially designed die. One embodiment of the mold 970 includes a first mold plate or piece 971 in contact with the inner portion 950D and a second mold plate or piece 972 in contact with the outer portion 950E, the plates 971, 972 being pressed together to heat press the assembly and form the pocket 940, as described in more detail below and shown in Figures 64-67. During the heat press, a plug is inserted through the opening 942 to form the inner shape of the pocket 940. During the heat press, a bonding material is heat activated to bond adjacent surfaces together, and may also add some localized stiffness to the structure. This localized stiffness is particularly advantageous for retaining the shape of the pocket 940 and for limiting axial stretching, as described elsewhere herein. In this configuration, the assembled parts 950, 952, 953, 954, 955, 956, 957 define the pocket 940, the cavity 941, the access opening 942, and the sensor opening 945. The inner portion 950D of the body part 950 combines with other parts (e.g., the inner pocket structural part 955) to define the inner wall 944, and the outer portion 950E combines with other parts (e.g., the outer pocket interior part 952 and the tongue 954B) to define the outer wall 943.

[0077] 64-67 show an example embodiment of a mold 970 that may be used to manufacture the band 920 using the components and techniques described herein and shown in FIGS. 18-40B. The mold 970 includes two mold plates 971, 972 that are pressed together around the assembled inner and outer portions 950D,E shown in FIG. 37 such that these components are received in a mold cavity 973 between the mold plates 971 and 972 in an assembled manner. In the configuration shown in FIGS. 64-67, the first plate 971 contacts the inner portion 950D and the second plate 972 contacts the outer portion 950E. The mold plates 971, 972 each have an enlarged portion 974 that creates a secondary cavity 975 within the mold cavity 973 to mold the pocket 940. One or both of the plates 971, 972 may include one or more holes 978 to allow gas to escape during molding. A plug 976 is inserted between the inner portion 950D and the outer portion 950E during heat pressing to form the inner shape of the pocket 940, as shown in FIGS. 65-67. As shown in FIGS. 65 and 67, the plug 976 includes a protrusion 977 that extends through the sensor opening 945 during the molding process. After the heat pressing is completed, the mold plates 971, 972 are separated, the plug 976 is removed from the pocket 940 (such as through opening 942), and the assembled band 920 is removed from the mold 970. Additional manufacturing steps may then be taken, as shown in FIG. 38. It is understood that the structure and configuration of the mold 970 and its components may vary for bands 920 having different sizes, shapes, configurations, etc.

[0078] Once complete, the assembly is removed from the mold and the final structure of the band 920 is assembled as a flat piece, as shown in FIG. 38. The protective shell 948 may be placed in place in the cavity 941 after the heat pressing is completed and may be connected, in one embodiment, by adhesive or bonding material 954C. The graphic piece 958 may be connected to the outer surface 928 of the band 920 by heat pressing, heat sealing, adhesive, or other bonding material, or the like. Additionally, a seam bonding strip 961 is placed along the edges where the folded ends of the inner and outer portions 950D,E meet to cover the edges. A band closure trim strip 962 is used to bond the ends of the body pieces 950 together to form the tubular body 921. It is understood that the sides of the body pieces 950 may be cut or trimmed into shapes, such as an angled shape, to create a "slope" of the band 920 prior to connection to form the tubular body 921. These strips 961, 962 may be connected by heat pressing, heat sealing, adhesive or other bonding material, knitting / stitching, or other techniques. This forms the final structure of the band 920, with the pocket 940 defined on the inner surface 927. The strips 961, 962 may further form effective locations for gripping the band 920 to pull it on the user's arm and wear it, specifically the closure trim strip 962 may provide effective coverage as it has a lower stretch capacity than other locations of the band 920. FIG. 39A shows the band 920 structured as shown in FIGS. 18-38 with the module 940 received in the pocket 940, and FIG. 39B shows a similar band 920 as described elsewhere herein. It will be appreciated that similar processes and components may be used to form bands 920 having different configurations, such as openings 942 on the outer surface 928, pockets 940 in different locations or orientations, bands 920 configured differently for use on different body parts, etc. It is also understood that components described herein as being connected together may in other embodiments be connected by other techniques, such as other types of adhesives / bonding materials, mechanical fasteners, knitting / stitching / sewing, etc.

[0079] Figures 68-70C show another embodiment of a band 920 which, in certain embodiments, may include one or more components in common with the band 920 described elsewhere herein and shown, for example, in Figures 11-17 and 39A-39B. For purposes of illustration of certain embodiments, the reference numbers used in Figures 68-93 correspond to the reference numbers used in connection with Figures 1-67 unless otherwise noted below, and for the sake of brevity, not all reference numbers may be repeated with respect to Figures 68-93. Figure 68 shows the outer side 928 of the band 920 and Figure 69 shows the inner side 927 of the band 920. For example, band 920 has a pocket 940 configured for insertion of a module 930 having an indicator 934 and button 933 positioned closer to a bottom end 924 of band 920 (i.e., closer to the user's wrist) and a connector 935 positioned closer to a top end 923 of band 920 (i.e., closer to the user's elbow), similar to the configuration of FIG. 39B. In another embodiment, pocket 940 may be positioned differently, such as an arrangement similar to the configuration of FIG. 39A. Module 930 is not shown in FIGS. 68-70C. An outer wall 943 of the pocket has a button portion 947 configured to interact with button 933 on module 930 and a window 946 configured to allow light 934 to be viewed through outer wall 943. Pocket 940 has an opening 942 on inner wall 944 configured to extend into cavity 941 and serve as both a sensor opening and an access opening. In other words, the opening 942 is large enough to allow insertion of the module 930 into the cavity 941 through the opening 942, and a portion of the opening 942 allows the protrusion 939 of the module 930 to extend to allow the sensor(s) 932 to be in close proximity to the user's body.

[0080] The band 920 of Figures 68-70C utilizes a housing 963 that is formed separately from the band 920 and connected to the band 920 to form the pocket 940. One embodiment of the housing 963 is shown in Figures 74-75 and 78-82. The housing 963, in one embodiment, may be made from a thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU) material and formed in a single piece (e.g., by injection molding), but in other embodiments may be partially or completely made from other materials, multiple pieces, and / or other techniques. The housing 963 in this embodiment is a moderately rigid shell that completely defines the cavity 941 and defines an opening 942 on the inner wall 944 and a window 946 on the outer wall 943. In one embodiment, the rigidity of the housing 963 may be rigid enough to protect the module 930 and flexible enough to allow operation of the button 933 by pressing the button portion 947 of the band 920. The stiffness of the housing 963 may be greater than the stiffness of the fabric material forming the band 920. The housing 963 may also have a protrusion 987 on the outer wall 943 in one embodiment to facilitate operation of the button 933 and / or to enhance the "feel" of the button 933 by the button portion 947 on the outer surface 928 of the band 920 as shown in FIG. 79. The protrusion 987 may lightly engage or be in close proximity to the button 933 such that operation of the button 933 requires a small amount of movement / flexion of the adjacent portion of the housing 963. The embodiment of FIG. 79 has the protrusion 987 formed as a dome-shaped protrusion formed from an epoxy material applied to the inner surface of the outer wall 943. In other embodiments, the protrusion may be formed differently, such as integrally formed (e.g., molded) with the housing 963, or may be structured or located differently. As shown in FIGS. 78-82, the housing 963 of the illustrated embodiment has a lip 964 that extends inwardly around the opening 942 and serves to retain the module 930 within the pocket 940.78, 80, and 82, the opening 942 has a narrowed portion 965 configured to engage the protrusion 939 of the module 930 to hold the protrusion 939 in place, and the lip 964 has a recessed portion 966 located around the narrowed portion 965. The recessed portion 966 allows the protrusion 939 to extend further outward relative to the lip 964 to have better access to the user's skin. The housing 963 also has a wall 969 configured to form a pocket that surrounds and holds the connector(s) 935 of the module 930.

[0081] 171 In one embodiment, the housing 963 further includes a flange 967 extending outwardly around at least a portion of the periphery of the housing 963 and configured for connection to the band 920. In the embodiment shown in FIGS. 74-75 and 78-82, the flange 967 extends in a generally single plane around the entire periphery of the housing 963. In other embodiments, the flange 967 may have a different configuration (e.g., intermittent) or may not be present. Generally, the exterior surface of the housing 963 shown in FIGS. 74-75 and 78-82 is smoothly contoured for both aesthetics and increased comfort when the housing 963 engages the user's body.

[0082] The window 946 of the housing 963 may be an empty passageway in one embodiment, or may have a clear filler in another embodiment to resist intrusion of material from the outer surface 928 of the band 920. In further embodiments, the window 946 may include light scattering and / or focusing structures to enhance light transmission through the window 946 and make the light from the indicator 934 appear brighter at the outer surface 928 of the band 920 from a wide range of angles. For example, the window 946 may include a clear silicone print aligned with the window 946 in one embodiment. As another example, the window 946 may have a silk screen fabric or finely woven material aligned with the window 946 in another embodiment. As a further example, the window 946 may have a film connected over the window 946, such as a polycarbonate film connected by adhesive or sonic welding in yet another embodiment. It is understood that in various embodiments, these structures may be located within the window 946 and / or across the inner and / or outer surfaces of the window 946. This can be particularly advantageous when used with a housing 963 as shown in Figures 78-82, where the housing may have significant wall thickness between the displays 934, making the light dimmer or more difficult to detect from outer corners.

[0083] 71-91 show one embodiment of a set of components and a method for manufacturing the band 920 shown in FIGS. 68-70C, which may be made from a piece of fabric that is folded over on itself to form two layers and bonded by stitching and / or adhesive applied between the two layers. It is understood that the band 920 may be made from two or more separate pieces bonded together in another embodiment. The band 920 may use a heat pressing operation in the assembly, where a heat activated film bonds the pieces of the band 920 together. The embodiment of the method shown in FIGS. 83-91 utilizes a more localized heat press and does not involve heat pressing the entire band 920 as in the methods of FIGS. 18-38 and 64-67. FIGS. 71-82 show components that may be used in the method shown in FIGS. 83-91, which are described in more detail below with respect to FIGS. 83-91.

[0084] In the embodiment of Figures 71-91, the body part 950 is formed (e.g., cut) from a fabric material (e.g., a polyethylene-based material) having elastic properties, as shown in Figure 83, with fold lines indicated by dashed lines. Graphics 958 may be applied to the outer surface 928 of the band 920, such as by silkscreening, as shown in Figure 84, if desired. The body part 950 has a first hole 950A through which the housing 963 extends through the band 920 and is accessible from the inner surface 927 of the band 920, and a second hole 950B aligned with and / or forming part of the window 946. The holes 950A and B may be formed in the body part 950 by cutting or laser etching, in one embodiment, as shown in Figure 85, and may be formed before or after application of the graphic (if a graphic is applied). The central fold line divides the body part 950 into a first or inner portion 950D forming the inner surface 927 of the band 920, and a second or outer portion 950E forming the outer surface 928 of the band 920, the body part 950 having an inner surface 950F and an outer surface 950G (indicated by shading in Figures 83-91). The outer surface 950G forms the inner and outer surfaces 927, 928 of the band 920 after assembly, the inner surface 950F being folded upon itself during manufacture and not forming part of the inner and outer surfaces 927, 928 of the band 920. It will be appreciated that a graphic 958 configured to be visible on the inner and outer surfaces 927, 928 of the band 920 may be applied to the outer surface 950G of the body part 950.

[0085] As shown in Fig. 86, a frame bond 980 is applied around a first hole 950A on an inner surface 950F of the first portion 950D and is configured for coupling to a flange 967 of the housing 963, and an optically aligned bond 981 is applied around a second hole 950B on an inner surface 950F of the second portion 950E and is configured for coupling to the housing 963 around a window 946. In this configuration, the optically aligned bond 981 covers the window 946 and resists displacement of the hole 950B relative to the window 946 that could block the passage of light. Although the optically aligned bond 981 is shown as being applied in Fig. 86, in one embodiment, the optically aligned bond 981 may be applied at the stage shown in Fig. 89, just prior to folding the inner and outer portions 950D and E together. These bonds 980, 981 may be initially lightly bonded by application of slight heat and pressure in one embodiment to hold the components in place during assembly, and then may be bonded normally later during assembly. A strip 960 of bonding material is also placed across the edge of the inner surface 950F of the outer portion 950E of the body part 950, as shown in Fig. 86, and is configured to bond the edges of the inner and outer sides 950D and E together after folding. Another bonding strip 968 may also be placed on the inner surface 950F along the center fold line to provide additional strength and structural support to the bottom end 924 of the completed band 920, as also shown in Fig. 86.

[0086] The housing 963 may then be connected to the band 920 such that the flange 967 is located around the periphery of the hole 950A and the portion of the housing 963 including the opening 942 protrudes through the hole 950A, as shown in FIG. 87. The flange 967 may be connected to the inner surface 950F of the body part 950, in one embodiment, by sewing around some or all of the flange 967 and / or by bonding with a frame bond 980. As noted above, in one embodiment, the flange 967 may be lightly bonded to the inner surface 950F by the frame bond 980 before sewing and then more strongly bonded later during assembly. After the housing 963 is connected to the band 920, a trim piece 983 may be connected on the outer surface 950G of the inner portion 950D of the body part 950, as shown in FIG. 88. This trim piece 983 forms part of the inner surface 927 of the band 920 and covers the connection between the housing 963 and the body part 950. The trim piece 983 may, in various embodiments, be formed from a heat-activated material as described herein, and in one embodiment may be heat-pressed into place, where the trim piece 983 may be lightly pressed first and then pressed harder at a later point in time, or may be fully pressed first.

[0087] In one embodiment, the support piece 982 shown in FIG. 73 may also be positioned between the housing 963 and the inner surface 950F of the outer portion 950E of the body part 950 prior to folding of the body part 950. The method shown in FIGS. 83-91 does not include this support piece 982, and the support piece 982 (if used) may be connected to the housing 963 and the body part 950 during the steps in FIGS. 88 and 89 in one embodiment. The support piece 982 may be formed from a heat activated material as described herein and may be heat pressed into place. The support piece 982 may have a hole (not shown) cut in line with the window 946. This support piece 982 may be included to resist stretching or distortion of the graphic if the graphic is printed on or around the pocket 940 and the area of ​​the band 920 that spans the housing 963, as in FIGS. 40A and 40B, for example. If the graphic is not printed in this location, the support piece 982 may not be included.

[0088] 97-99 show an embodiment of a housing 963 that can be used to manufacture a band 920 according to various embodiments described herein. FIGS. 100 and 101 show another embodiment of a housing 963 configured in a similar manner as the housing 963 in FIGS. 97-99, and the description herein with respect to FIGS. 97-99 applies equally to FIGS. 100 and 101 unless otherwise stated. The housing 963 in FIGS. 97-99 includes one or more slots 992 that extend through one or more of the walls 993 of the housing 963. It will be understood that the walls 993 of the housing 963 define a cavity 941 and may include an outer wall 943, an inner wall 944, and possibly other walls as well.

[0089] The slots 992 may help to avoid the accumulation of moisture (e.g., sweat) within the housing 963 during use by allowing moisture to easily escape from the housing 963. In one embodiment, the housing 963 may include at least one slot 992 located at an end of the housing 963 positioned closest to the bottom end 924 of the band 920, i.e., the end of the housing 963 configured to be at the bottom when the band 920 is worn on the user's arm in a normal standing position. The housing 963 in Figs. 97-99 has a slot 992 on the bottom end of the outer wall 943 in this position when the housing 963 is placed on the band 920 in the orientation shown in Figs. 69-70A, 91, and 96. In this position, the downward slot 992 promotes increased passage of moisture because gravity tends to direct moisture toward the slot 992. Centrifugal forces generated by swinging the arms during exercise may also direct moisture toward the downward slot 992. The housing 963 may also have one or more additional slots 992 in other locations in various embodiments. For example, the housing 963 may also have slots 992 on one or both of the left and right sides of the interior wall 944, as in the embodiment of Figures 97-99. These side slots 992 may also facilitate increased passage of fluid through gravity and / or centrifugal force, as one of these slots 992 faces downward when a user's arm is bent at a 90° angle, as is common during running and many other exercises.

[0090] The housing 992 may have additional slots 992 and / or slots 992 located in different locations in other embodiments, which may or may not be located in locations where gravity and / or centrifugal forces promote moisture flow. For example, if the housing 963 is positioned in a different direction in another embodiment, e.g., oriented similarly to the embodiment of FIG. 39A, the end of the housing 963 facing downward may be different. In such an embodiment, the slot(s) 992 may be located differently to promote increased moisture passage, e.g., by having slots 992 at opposite ends of the housing 963, as the end slots 992 of FIGS. 97-99. In further embodiments, the housing 963 may have slots 992 located at the bottom left and bottom right corners. Still further configurations may be used in other embodiments.

[0091] The slots 992 in the embodiment of Figures 97-99 are formed in the outer wall 943 of the housing 963. These slots 992 may be considered to be formed at least partially or entirely in a side wall 993A of the housing 963 that forms part of the outer wall 943 and extends laterally to the flange 967. In this position, the slots 992 are located only on the portion of the housing 963 that is located outwardly from the flange 967 (towards the exterior 928 of the band 920). This configuration allows moisture to move from inside the housing 963 to the exterior of the housing and be absorbed by the material of the band 920. In other embodiments, the slots 992 may additionally or alternately be located in other portions. For example, the housing 963 may include one or more slots 992 in the inner wall 944 that allow moisture to move to the exterior of the band 920, or the housing 963 may have other exposed surfaces (such as in a differently configured band 920) that may have slots 992 therein. Additionally, the size(s) of the slot(s) 992 may affect moisture passage characteristics, as larger slots 992 may assist in breaking up any meniscus that may form from moisture accumulation. In one embodiment, the slots 992 at the ends of the housing 963 may be at least 50% of the width of the wall 993 in which they are located (i.e., not including the flange 967), and each slot(s) 992 on the sidewalls 993 of the housing 963 may be at least 20% of the length of the sidewall 993 in which they are located. Additionally, the housing 963 may have a surfactant applied to the inside surface of the housing 963 to enhance the ability of moisture to migrate toward the holes and break up any meniscus that may form. The use of a surfactant may enable the use of smaller slots 992.

[0092] The slots 992 may be formed using any of a number of different forming techniques in various embodiments. For example, in one embodiment, the slot(s) 992 may be formed in the housing 963 after the housing is formed by using laser, mechanical, thermal, or other cutting, machining, or other material removal techniques. In another embodiment, the slot(s) 992 may be formed as part of the forming process, such as by pressing or molding the material of the housing 963 with a tool configured to form the slot(s) 992. For example, the one-piece injection molded TPU housing 963 described above may be injection molded into a cavity that forms the slot(s) 992. Other techniques known in the art may be used as well.

[0093] 94 and 95 show one embodiment of a heat press assembly 988 configured for heat pressing around the flange 967 of the housing 963 after the housing 963 has been connected to the band 920 by, for example, stitching, as described herein with respect to FIG. 87. The heat press assembly 988 shown in FIGS. 94 and 95 includes two opposing mold parts 989, 990 configured for heat pressing around the flange 967 of the housing 963. The band 920 is shown diagrammatically in FIG. 95 to show that the heat press assembly 988 is configured for heat pressing the band 920 with the housing 963. In operation, the first mold part 989 is positioned on the inner surface 950F of the inner portion 950D of the body part 950 and the second mold part 989 is positioned on the outer surface 950G of the inner portion 950D of the body part 950. The die parts 989, 990 are annular in shape and each have an internal opening 991 such that the die parts 989, 990 are configured to press only around the flange 967 of the housing 963. In this configuration, the body of the housing 963 is received within the opening 991, which prevents the die parts 989, 990 from pressing the body of the housing 963 or adjacent portions of the band 920, which localizes the heat application and avoids creating undesirable marks or discoloration on the unpressed portions of the band 920 and housing 963. The trim parts 983 shown in FIG. 88 may, in one embodiment, be applied prior to the operation of the heat press assembly 988, with the shape of the die parts 988, 989 conforming to the shape of the trim parts 983 as shown. The heat press assembly 988 may be applied to the band 920 and housing 963 after the assembly steps shown in FIGS. 87 and 88 and before the band 920 is folded in FIG. 89 (discussed below). Additional pieces of heat sealable material may be used at various locations in relation to the heat press assembly 988. For example, the support piece 982 in FIG. 73 may also be applied prior to operation of the heat press assembly 988, as discussed herein. It is understood that the configuration of the mold pieces 988, 989 may vary depending on the shape and configuration of the housing 963 and trim piece 983 (or other pieces of heat sealable material that may be used).

[0094] The body part 950 is then folded so that the inner and outer portions 950D and E face each other, as shown in Fig. 89. The outer surfaces 950G of the inner and outer portions 950D and E form the inner and outer surfaces 927, 928, respectively, of the band 920, and the inner surface 950F is internally located within the band 920 in this configuration. Seam bonding strips 961 are placed along the edges where the folded ends of the inner and outer portions 950D and E meet to cover the edges, as shown in Fig. 90. In one embodiment, the strips 960, 961, 968, frame bond 980, trim piece 983, optical alignment bond 981, and optionally support piece 982 (if present) may be fully bonded at this point in the process, such as by local bonding techniques. For example, bonding may be accomplished by bonding each piece individually and sequentially, or by heat pressing with a tool surface configured to press the desired pieces at the desired locations and not press other locations of the band 920. The body portion 950 may be cut to size at this point in the process, such as by cutting the ends 950 of the body pieces 950 to form angled edges, as seen in FIG. 91. A band closure trim strip 962 may be used to bond the ends of the body pieces 950 together to form the tubular body 921, as shown in FIG. 91. In one embodiment, the ends of the body pieces 950 are first rolled to form the tubular body 921 and then sewn together along the seam, and then the band closure trim strip 962 is applied to cover the stitching and secure the connection. The band closure trim strip 962 wraps around both the inner and outer surfaces 927, 928 of the band 920 when assembled, and one embodiment of the band closure strip is seen in more detail in FIG. 70C. In one embodiment, the closure trim strip 962 is locally heat pressed, followed by the additional heat pressing operation described above. After stitching and connecting the trim strips 962, the final structure of the band 920 is formed, with the pocket 940 defined on the inner surface 927.

[0095] The band 920 may further comprise an adjustment mechanism in one embodiment to allow the size (i.e., circumference) of the tubular body 921 to be adjustable. Examples of such adjustment mechanisms may include adjustable fastening structures such that the band 920 may be wrapped around a portion of the user's body and fastened to form a tubular shape, or fold-over tabs or flaps that may be fastened at different locations to tighten or loosen the band 920. Fastening structures that may be used for such adjustment mechanisms include hook and loop (i.e., Velcro), snaps, clips, buckles, ties, and the like. Other examples of such adjustment mechanisms include tightening strips or straps, or drawstrings, that may be fastened as described above. Further examples of adjustment mechanisms may be used in other embodiments. FIGS. 92 and 93 show exemplary embodiments of structures that may be used for such adjustment mechanisms. For example, FIG. 92 shows a band 920 with an elastic tab 984 secured at one end adjacent an edge of the band 920 and having a releasable connector 985 (Velcro in this embodiment) at the opposite end. The elastic tabs 984 can be stretched and reconnected to increase compression locally, thereby making the band 920 more securely attached to the user's body. The tabs 984 are connected at the apex 923 of the band 920 in this embodiment, but can be located elsewhere in other embodiments. As another example, FIG. 93 shows a band 920 with an elastic cord or drawstring 986 that extends along most of the length of the band 920, with one end secured near one edge of the band 920 and the other end having a releasable connector 985 (Velcro in this embodiment) near the opposite edge of the band 920. The cord 986 is connected at the apex 923 of the band 920 in this embodiment, but can be located elsewhere in other embodiments. The cord 986 can be stretched and reconnected to increase compression along most of the length of the apex 923 of the band 920. Further different embodiments of the adjustment mechanism can be used in other embodiments.

[0096] FIG. 41 shows a perspective side view of a module 930 that may be used in connection with clothing or other devices, such as being insertable into an armband that may be used during strenuous physical activity. The module 930 may include one or more mechanical, electrical, and / or electromechanical components described elsewhere herein, as well as a casing 931 that forms a structural configuration for the module 930. The module 930 may include at least one of a processor, a non-transitory computer readable medium, a sensor, and / or a transceiver. One or more components may be similar and / or identical to any of the components shown and described above in FIGS. 1-5. Those skilled in the art will appreciate that the module 930 and casing 931 may have multiple different structural configurations and that the illustrations are merely exemplary.

[0097] In the embodiment of FIG. 41, the module 930 has at least one sensor 932, which may be in the form of, for example, a heart rate sensor or other sensor for sensing another physiological parameter of the user. The module 930 may be configured to contact the user's skin while the module 930 is fixed within the band or device. For example, the heart rate sensor 932 in this illustrated embodiment is an optical sensor that works best in contact with or in close proximity to the skin. As shown in FIG. 41, the casing 931 of the module 930 has a protrusion 939 on the underside 936, and the sensor 932 is mounted on the end of the protrusion 939. The protrusion 939 extends the sensor 932 further away from the surrounding surface of the casing 931, allowing for a greater ability to form continuous contact with the user's body. The band 920 may have an opening that allows the front of the protrusion to contact the user's skin, while the remainder of the underside 938 is held within the band 920 or at least separated from the user's skin by at least one layer of material. In one embodiment, the layer of material may be configured to wick moisture (e.g., sweat) away from the sensing surface on the user's skin. In other embodiments, it may be configured to prevent moisture, light, and / or physical materials from contacting the sensing surface or location during physical activity. In one embodiment, it may selectively block certain wavelengths of light. In one particular embodiment, at least 95% of the ambient light is blocked within a location immediately adjacent the sensing surface. In another embodiment, at least 99% of the ambient light is blocked. This may be advantageous for optical sensors, such as optical heart rate sensors. Those skilled in the art will appreciate that other sensors, including those described above in connection with FIGS. 1-5, may be used either alone, in combination with each other or with other sensors without departing from the scope of the present disclosure.

[0098] In one typical embodiment, the module 930 may include one or more user input interfaces, such as, for example, buttons 933, to provide user-actuated input. An exemplary user input interface may consist of a single mechanical button, such as button 933, shown on a top side 937 opposite a bottom side 936. In yet other embodiments, a display feature 934 may be configured as a user input interface. Those skilled in the art will appreciate that one or more user-actuated inputs may also be received through one or more transceivers of the module 930. For example, the system may be configured such that a user may be able to use the button 933 to input user input into an electronic mobile device that may mimic or otherwise perform a different function than that available at a particular instance of the actuation button 933. The module 933 may further comprise one or more display features 934.

[0099] In one embodiment, the pocket 940 of the band or device may be configured to receive a module 930 having a display feature 934 on a surface thereof that provides at least one visual cue to a user. The display feature 934 may be a simple light source, such as a light emitting diode. In certain embodiments, the color, intensity, or illumination pattern of at least one light source in the display feature may be used to provide a visual indication to the user. Those skilled in the art will further appreciate that more complex display devices, such as LEDs, OLEDs, LCDs, etc., may be utilized. Other output mechanisms, such as auditory and tactile, are within the scope of this disclosure.

[0100] Module 930 may further include one or more connectors 935 for loading and / or connection to an external device. In one embodiment, connector 935 may include a serial bus connection, such as one that may conform to one or more Universal Serial Bus (USB) standards. In one embodiment, connector 935 may be configured to provide at least the same electronic information to an external device that may be transmitted via one or more transceivers of module 930.

[0101] When the module 930 of the embodiment of FIG. 41 is received within the pocket 940 shown in FIGS. 11-12 and 36-39B, the connector 935 is received within the shell 948, the bottom side 936 of the casing 931 is positioned in contact with the inner wall 944 of the pocket 940, and the top side 937 of the casing 931 is positioned in contact with the outer wall 943 of the pocket 940. In this arrangement, the protrusion 939 extends through the sensor opening 945 to place the sensor 932 closer to the user's body, the button 933 is positioned adjacent to the button portion 947 on the outer wall 943, and the light 934 is positioned in alignment with the window 946 to allow the light 934 to be viewed through the outer wall 943. The protrusion 939 extending through the sensor opening 945, and in certain embodiments, may help hold the module 930 in place. In this configuration, the end of the module 930 opposite the connector 935 protrudes slightly from the access opening 942 to facilitate grasping for removal of the module 930.

[0102] The casing 931 may have a structural configuration to enhance the comfort of wearing the module 930 in close proximity to the user's skin. For example, the casing 931 may have a flat configuration to create a thin profile so that the module 930 is less noticeable when worn on the user's body. As another example, the casing 931 may have curved contours on the bottom side 936 and top side 937, as well as curved or chamfered edges to enhance comfort.

[0103] 42-59 show several additional embodiments of various modules 930 with differently configured casings 931. For example, FIG. 42 shows a module 930 with a flat-ended casing 931 and a button 933 with a display feature (e.g., light source) 934 thereon. FIG. 43 shows a module 930 with a light 934 near the end opposite a connector 935, a single button 933, and no protrusions at the sensor 932. FIG. 44 shows a module 930 similar to the module of FIG. 43, except for the light 934 surrounding the button 933. FIG. 45 shows a module 930 with lighted buttons 933, 934 located on the end opposite a connector 935, rather than on the top side 937. FIGS. 46-59 show various different embodiments with examples of protrusions 939 shaped, sized, and configured in many different ways. FIG. 57 shows a module 930 with a button 933 recessed from the top side 937. Still further examples of modules having different configurations and arrangements of features are contemplated.

[0104] 60-63 show an additional embodiment of a module 930 having a casing 931 with a protrusion 939 on an underside 936, similar to the embodiment of FIG. 41, with a sensor (e.g., a heart rate sensor) mounted on the end of the protrusion 939. The module 930 includes one or more user input interfaces, such as a button 933 on a top side 937, as seen in FIG. 60. The casing 931 of the module 930 of the embodiment of FIGS. 60-63 has curved or chamfered edges for enhanced comfort. In another embodiment, as shown in FIG. 63, the module 930 may also include a retention structure 935A on the underside of the USB connector 935. This retention structure 935A may help maintain the connector 935 within the pocket 948, for example, by engaging the shell 948. It is understood that this module 930 may be utilized as described herein and may have additional or alternative features as described herein. The housing 963 of the band 920 shown in Figures 68-70 and 78-82 is configured to fit the module 930 shown in Figures 60-63.

[0105] In certain embodiments, computer executable instructions may be used to calibrate a device or system, such as to account for the location, orientation, or configuration of a sensor or group of sensors. As an example, module 930 may include a heart rate sensor. The heart rate sensor may be configured such that when properly oriented on or in the band, the heart rate sensor is located or oriented in a certain direction relative to the user. For example, if the heart rate sensor is an optical heart rate sensor, it may be within a distance range to the skin (for multiple axes and positions). Furthermore, one or more sensors may be configured such that when properly oriented in the band (e.g., placed in a pocket), the sensor contact is configured to be in communication with the user (e.g., the user's skin or the user's clothing). Too much variance in the sensor orientation or position may result in inaccurate and / or unclear data. In certain embodiments, one or more sensor measurements, either raw or calculated, may be utilized to determine the appropriate or preferred orientation(s) or position(s) of the sensor(s).

[0106] The measurements may be based on one or more remote or local sensors on the device being oriented, such as module 930. For example, in certain embodiments, the user's body mass index (BMI) or another parameter may be calculated. The calculation may be based, at least in part, on one or more sensors located on the device being oriented. Based on the sensor measurement(s), a UI, which may be on the device itself, a remote device, and / or a device in electronic communication with the device being oriented (or reoriented), may prompt and / or guide the user to reorient the device. In other embodiments, it may provide a user input device to provide user input for orientation. Unlike prior art devices that may simply detect, for example, weak or unclear values ​​and recommend or request orientation of the sensor or device, the embodiments disclosed herein may use data to intelligently determine problems and / or solutions. In one embodiment, the user's BMI or other data may be used to determine whether the user should wear the device in a different position and / or change its orientation. For example, if a user's BMI is within a normal range (e.g., commonly accepted as 20-25) but heart rate data is utilized in the calculation of a parameter that is below a threshold, in certain embodiments, additional analysis may be performed to consider whether the heart rate sensor should be adjusted. As described in more detail below, further embodiments relate to enhancing the calculation of one or more of the parameters used in the calculation.

[0107] Systems and methods may be implemented to reduce inaccurate and / or imprecise data collection. In one embodiment, the band may be configured to be worn within a range of locations, such as on a user's appendage or limb. With respect to the example of the use of "forearm," the forearm may be considered the distance between the elbow joint and the wrist of the arm or appendage, and may be further logically divided into proximal and distal regions. For example, the proximal region of the forearm includes the portion (e.g., up to half) of the forearm closest to the user's shoulder, and similarly, the distal region includes the portion (e.g., up to the other half) of the forearm that connects to the wrist. In this regard, the band 920 may be configured to be worn at the proximal region of the forearm. In one embodiment, the entire band is configured to be held within the proximal half of the forearm. In one embodiment, the band is configured to be held at a specific location during an athletic activity, such as over a distance of the forearm (or upper arm), and the sensor measurement location is configured to move less than 1% or 0.5% of the distance along the forearm. In yet other embodiments, the band may be configured to move within a certain distance relative to the distance along the forearm, but at least one sensor (such as a sensor of module 930) may be configured to move a smaller distance. For example, in one embodiment, the band 920 may be configured to allow approximately 1 mm of movement along the length of the forearm, but the module or sensing surface of the module may be configured to only allow 0.55 mm of movement along the same axis. As discussed above, one or more measurements may indicate changing this range, the distance from the sensor to the skin, and other position dimensions and / or directions. In one embodiment, the band 920 is configured to hold the sensing surface (or sensing location) of the module at least a predetermined distance from the wrist. This may be due to mechanical properties of the band 920, the module 930, and / or may be a result of the sensor providing an indication of inaccurate and / or accurate use of the band 920 and / or the module 930. In yet another embodiment, the sensing surface is located at least 20% of the distance away from the wrist. In another embodiment, the band may be configured to hold the sensing surface of the band at least a predetermined distance (or the equivalent) from the elbow joint.

[0108] In one embodiment, one or more sensors of the module (alone and / or with other external sensors) may be utilized to detect the position of the module 930, the sensing surface of the module, the sensing position, and / or the band 920. This may be done directly or indirectly. In certain embodiments, one or more non-transitory computer-readable media may include computer-executable instructions that, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to perform at least a position calibration routine. The computer-readable medium(s) may be located entirely in the module, an external electronic device such as a mobile or cellular device, and / or a combination thereof. The one or more calibration routines may be automatically initiated, such as by actuating (e.g., with a sensor of the module) by sensing one or more criteria, or through manual initiation, such as by a user initiating the routine.

[0109] Movement during athletic activities naturally causes physical movement of anatomical structures, including joints and flexion muscles. As an example, flexion muscles may cause relative and absolute changes in the position and orientation of the sensor sensing surface and / or sensing location. As discussed herein, having the band, sensing surface, and / or sensing location located in a position to reduce or eliminate flexion causing inaccuracies improves the usefulness of such sensing systems compared to prior art systems. For example, the device (or location(s)) may be positioned in one embodiment to reduce or eliminate forearm strain. In another embodiment, the system and method may be implemented to identify the degree of actual and / or expected flexion or anatomical movement. In further embodiments, one or more calibration or correction factors may be applied to the sensor measurements based on the flexion or other anatomical movement. In one embodiment, only flexion of one muscle or muscle group may be considered. This may be true even when flexion of other muscles is present.

[0110] FIG. 6 shows a chart comparing the average heart rate sensor output with different exercises based on different movements. Specifically, looking at FIG. 6, the Y-axis includes a number of different exercises. The exercises are categorized into three sections, indicated by the numbers 1, 2, or 3 preceding each description. The numbers are used simply to distinguish the different groups and have no other meaning to FIG. 6 for the purposes of this disclosure. By differentiating the exercises, a "Fullbout set" of exercises may be provided, which includes each exercise in categories (1, 2, and 3). The X-axis of the chart shown in FIG. 6 shows the confidence interval for the average heart rate measurements. As can be seen in FIG. 6, exercises that are generally known to cause tension in the forearm muscles received lower scores than other exercises that cause less tension in the same muscles. For example, "CnJ", "Thrusters", and "Rowing" all require greater tension in the forearm muscles compared to "Box Jumps".

[0111] Thus, certain embodiments may be used to detect motion and / or account for some motion. In further embodiments, calibration may be performed before a particular type of athletic activity to ensure that changes are within a specified range. The range may be determined by demographic information, the type of activity being performed, known correction factors or limitations, or a combination thereof, among others. In one embodiment, the user may be instructed to perform a motion to induce a known tension (or range of tension) in a particular muscle or group of muscles. In one embodiment, the system and method may be implemented to have the user flex a particular muscle or group of muscles. For example, the user may be instructed to perform a particular athletic activity or group of activities, including one or more of the activities shown in FIG. 6. In one embodiment, the sensor measurements may be used to determine individual flexions, which may be influenced by the user's anatomical and / or physiological characteristics. In one embodiment, the computer-readable medium may include computer-executable instructions that, when processed by the processor, may combine the results of the sensor measurements during calibration with other factors that may also be stored in whole or in part on the module 930. Examples include demographic information such as the user's gender, weight, age, and / or other attributes.

[0112] In further embodiments, other attributes, such as the user's BMI and / or other demographic, physiological, biological, and / or anatomical parameters, may be utilized in accordance with certain embodiments to enhance processing of sensor data, such as, for example, an optical heart rate sensor. The optical properties of the light utilized in optical heart rate measurements, including light transmittance, reflectance, backscatter, and / or other properties, may be influenced, alone, in combination, and / or synergistically, by the user's body morphology, such as muscle mass, lipids that make up adipose tissue, water, electrolyte levels, and / or other contents or properties of such contents. As discussed below, the positional distribution of such contents may play a role. Aspects of the present disclosure relate to systems that receive an indication of an athletic parameter, e.g., BMI, presence of adipose tissue (either near or within the range of optical light waves transmitted or received by the measurement, or either the entire body or localized areas such as the forearm, back of the arm, waist, buttocks, etc.), and / or hydration level, and may adjust one or more aspects of the heart rate measurement, such as, but not limited to, (1) changing or augmenting the algorithm or process used to obtain the measurement, e.g., weight assigned to the measurement of the heart rate measurement, or using a different wavelength and / or frequency of measurement; (2) determining whether or not to use heart rate (or data from a particular sensor) as a measurement; (3) adjusting the manner in which heart rate (e.g., from a different sensor or collection of sensors) may be calculated, including anatomically varying sensor location characteristics and supporting sensor relocation; and / or (4) reinterpreting the heart rate measurement from one or more processes, which collectively or individually may be referred to as adjusting or augmenting the heart rate measurement protocol.

[0113] As one illustrative example, FIG. 7 shows a flowchart 700 that may be implemented to enhance one or more processes. As shown in the flowchart 700, an athletic parameter (e.g., BMI, etc.) may be obtained or determined (e.g., block 702) by a processor located on the module 930, etc. The parameter may be a single parameter from a single sensor or multiple parameters from one or more sensors. In further embodiments, a single parameter may be calculated or determined from several sub-parameters. In certain embodiments, parameters such as the user's gender, weight, and / or height may be pre-determined. However, weight or other parameters that may have been pre-determined in a previous calculation may be confirmed or refreshed using sensor data. In an exemplary embodiment of measuring BMI, the most widely accepted calculation is weight (kg) divided by height2 (m2), thus BMI=weight / height2. The parameter(s) of block 702 may be utilized as a threshold level (e.g., decision 704). If the criteria are met, e.g., if the threshold or range rules are within the operating criteria, a default heart rate measurement protocol may be established (e.g., block 706). The protocol may be a specific algorithm for obtaining measurements and / or may use a specific wavelength of light and / or light intensity. In certain embodiments, values ​​that exceed (or do not meet) a threshold or are not within a range of values ​​may cause the processor to execute a secondary heart rate measurement protocol (e.g., block 708), which may dictate a different algorithm to be implemented or another process to be augmented, such as, for example, a weight or confidence value to be assigned to the heart rate measurement, utilization of heart rate as a measurement, adjusting how heart rate may be calculated and / or interpreting heart rate measurements from one or more processes, as well as any other modifications of the heart rate measurement protocols provided herein.Using BMI as an example parameter, a BMI value of about 25 (commonly accepted as the dividing line between "normal" and "obese") may be a threshold, and in yet another embodiment, a BMI of about 20 (commonly accepted as the dividing line between "underweight" and "normal") may be utilized. Those skilled in the art will appreciate that multiple thresholds or ranges may be used, which may be higher, lower, and / or between these values. Generally, as noted above, a user's BMI is calculated by weight (kg) divided by height2 (m2), thus BMI=weight / height2. Given that input, the BMI value may be artificially elevated or lowered based on an individual's particular body type or other factors, some of which are described herein. In certain embodiments, other criteria may be utilized to weight or enhance the BMI score. In further embodiments, other criteria may be used independent of BMI. BMI may not be used in certain embodiments, and a different metric may potentially be used instead.

[0114] In this regard, the inventors have determined that individuals with lean body structure may be susceptible to unclear and / or inaccurate heart rate measurements from an optical heart rate monitor, even when blocking ambient light and controlling for other variables. For example, as shown in FIGS. 8-10, chart 800 illustrates an example parameter (e.g., BMI) along the x-axis (element 802) plotted against a performance score (e.g., match score) that may be calculated by a processor based, at least in part, on heart rate measurements using an optical heart rate sensor, plotted along the y-axis (element 804). Looking first at FIG. 8, line 806, which is the correlation of the BMI parameter to match score, may be expressed as a best fit using the following: match score=1.6327BMI+24.811. In this particular embodiment, line 806 exhibits an R2 value=0.0609. Looking at chart 800 in FIG. 8, the performance scores among individuals with lower BMI scores show more variation than individuals with higher BMI scores. Further, each performance score (for y-axis 804) less than 40 was collected from individuals with a BMI<25. FIGS. 9 and 10 show a subpopulation of the data shown in FIG. 8 in a particularly illustrative example, with FIG. 9 showing corresponding data points obtained from male individuals and FIG. 10 showing corresponding data points obtained from female individuals. As shown in FIG. 9, line 808, which is a correlation of BMI parameters to performance scores (e.g., match scores), can be expressed as a best fit using match score=4.1962BMI-42.305. In this particular embodiment, R2 may be=0.3001. As shown in FIG. 10, line 810, which is a correlation of BMI parameters to example performance scores (e.g., match scores), can be expressed as a best fit using match score=-0.4258x+83.772. In this particular embodiment, R2 may be=0.0098. Gender differences exist with respect to adipose tissue and lipid stores, including spatial distribution, quantity, and other variables.Thus, in one embodiment, block 702 may determine gender, age, or other parameters (alone or in combination) to implement a first algorithm that may be utilized to measure heart rates from users with a BMI (and / or other parameter) below a threshold, and a second algorithm that may be used to measure heart rates from users that exceed and / or meet the threshold (e.g., blocks 706 and 708). Multiple thresholds may be used.

[0115] In certain embodiments, a decision 710 may be implemented after block 702 to determine if a second parameter is out of range or violates a threshold. The second parameter may be any parameter, including parameters discussed herein, including the derivation of the first parameter. If there is no threshold violation and / or the criteria are met, the current in-place heart rate measurement protocol may remain intact (e.g., block 712). Alternatively, if the decision 710 is negative in certain embodiments, one or more aspects of the current protocol may be modified (e.g., block 714). For example, different light wavelengths may be used to detect heart rate in one or more individuals who meet one or more criteria, such as any discussed herein or known in the art. In still further embodiments, a scalar may be applied to the heart rate measurements obtained from individuals who meet one or more criteria. Environmental cues and data from light sensors, temperature sensors, etc. may further provide immediate and / or long-term sensor data that may provide insight into the user's fat tissue, muscle mass, etc. Additionally, in certain embodiments, the distance between the sensor and the user's skin may be adjusted automatically based on changes in protocol or may be required to be done manually.

[0116] In yet another embodiment, one or more correction factors and / or calibration values ​​may be modified or created based on detecting an athletic activity that the user is performing. The detection may be based partially or completely on sensor measurements from module 930. In one embodiment, external data may be received and utilized, such as from the user's electronic mobile device and / or another fitness device. In one embodiment, data from the user's schedule, past athletic data, friends' data, historical analysis, manual user input, location data, and / or combinations thereof, and others may be used to determine the athletic activity. In one embodiment, it may be determined that the user is performing or is likely to perform an athletic activity associated with a higher flexion value, and one or more instructions may be executed accordingly, such as, for example, verifying that band 930, module 940, and / or another device are in a particular position or operating condition, such as, but not including, adjusting one or more sensing parameters. In yet another embodiment, the user may be requested to perform one or more different movements or activities to recalibrate band 920. In a further embodiment, the user may be prompted to position band 920 or module 930 in a particular position. In still further embodiments, the user may be instructed to use a particular module, for example, interchangeable modules may be swapped out for increased sensitivity, different sensing features, and / or comfort based on different factors for different activities (and / or user preferences).

[0117] In various embodiments, the user may obtain feedback to rearrange the module 930, the band 920, and / or perform one or more analyses. Additionally, the system may provide feedback to allow the user to determine if the range / percentage is acceptable, or rather, to indicate the user's range or percentage, such as to rearrange or replace components of the system.

[0118] Additional Hardware Figures 102-111 show an embodiment for use with band 920 that includes some or all of the features of band 920 shown in Figures 68-70C and may be manufactured in a manner similar to that shown in Figures 71-91. Thus, features and manufacturing techniques of band 920 of Figures 102-111 that are similar to those already described will not necessarily be described again for the sake of brevity. Similar components already described may be referred to using similar reference numbers.

[0119] In the embodiment of Figs. 102-111, the band 920 is connected to the housing 963 and / or received within the pocket 940 and includes an input device 1000 configured for connection to the module 930 when the module 930 is received within the pocket 940. The input device 1000 has one or more buttons 1001 thereon that are accessible from the outer surface 928 of the band 920, such as through the outer wall 943 of the band 920. The input device 1000 is configured for communication with an external device 1002, as shown in Fig. 111, and may include any of the components of the computing device 200 described above. In one embodiment, the input device 1000 includes a wireless transmitter 1003 (which may be part of a transceiver) configured for communication with the external device 1002, a port 1004 for connection to the connector 935 of the module 930, and possibly a small memory and / or processor for operation of the button(s) 1001, the transmitter 1003, and the port 1004. In one embodiment, the input device 1000 may not include an internal operating system or significant software, and the input device 1000 may be configured to simply transmit a signal that the button 1001 has been pressed along with the sequence and / or length of the button press(es) 1001.

[0120] The button(s) 1001 of the input device 1000 may be one of many different types, including tactile / mechanical buttons, touch screens, pressure sensitive buttons, or other devices capable of sensing touch by a user. It is understood that some types of buttons 1001 may require a window or other passage through the outer wall 943 of the band 920 for operation. In the embodiment of Figures 102-111, the input device 1000 includes a tactile button 1001. The input device 1000 may include one or more additional buttons 1001, as shown in Figures 102-110 and described below. For example, each of the embodiments of Figures 102-109 has a primary button 1001A and an optional additional volume control button 1001B. Various techniques and methods of operation of the button(s) 1001 are also described below. The band 920 may also have indicia 1008 on the outer surface 928 to inform the user where to press to activate the button(s) 1001, as shown in FIG.

[0121] The transmitter 1003, which may be part of the transceiver described above, is configured for wireless communication with one or more external devices 1002, as shown in FIG. 111. It is understood that any of the embodiments of FIG. 102-FIG. 111 may have such a transmitter 1003. In one embodiment, the transmitter 1003 may be a Bluetooth or Bluetooth Low Energy (BTLE) transmitter. In other embodiments, the transmitter 1003 may use a different transmission, frequency, protocol, etc., such as a Wi-Fi transmitter.

[0122] The port 1004 may include any connection structure, and the configuration of the port 1004 may depend on the configuration of the module 930 to which it is connected. In the embodiment of FIGS. 102-111, the port 1004 is a USB or USB-compatible port configured to connect with the USB connector 935 on the module 930 of FIGS. 60-63. It is understood that the port 1004 may not include all of the hardware of a typical USB port in one embodiment, since the port 1004 may be configured only to draw power from the module 930 for operation of the input device 1000, and not to exchange data with the module 930. In another embodiment, the input device 1000 may be configured to operate as a wireless communication interface between the module 930 and the external device 1002, for example, by receiving and / or transmitting data from / to the module 930 through the port 1004, and receiving and / or transmitting data from / to the external device 1002 through the transmitter 1003.

[0123] The input device 1000 may further include haptic feedback features, such as a vibration motor or other haptic feedback mechanism 1009 (shown diagrammatically in FIG. 106) to communicate various signals (e.g., alerts) to the user. The input device 1000 may be configured to provide different types of haptic feedback, such as constant vibration, pulsed vibration, etc. The input device 1000 may receive a signal from the external device 1002 to generate a particular haptic feedback. In one embodiment, the decision of when to generate haptic feedback and which haptic feedback to generate is performed by the external device 1002, such that the input device simply receives a signal and needs to generate haptic feedback. The external device 1002 may utilize user settings to provide particular haptic feedback in the event of a particular occurrence, such as, for example, an incoming phone call, an emergency alert, the achievement of an activity milestone, or other events. The haptic feedback may be used in connection with various applications and functions described below.

[0124] The input device 1000 may be positioned within the pocket 940 and / or the housing 963 in various embodiments, adjacent to the pocket 940 and / or the housing 963, may form part of the pocket 940 and / or the housing 963, or may be a separate element connected to the module 930. In the embodiment of Figs. 102 and 103, the input device 1000 is a separate device that is permanently or removably connected within the housing 963. The input device 1000 in this embodiment may be in the form of a casing positioned within the end of the housing 963 adjacent to the narrowed portion 965 of the opening 942 (i.e., the portion in which the connector 935 of the module 930 is received), with the port 1004 having an opening facing the pocket 940 defined by the housing 963. In this position, the module 930 may be inserted into the housing 963 such that the connector 935 is received within the port 1004, as shown diagrammatically in Fig. 106. The input device 1000 may be permanently connected within the housing 963 in one embodiment, such as by adhesive or other bonding techniques, fasteners, integral formation, or other techniques. The input device 1000 may be removably connected within the housing 963 in another embodiment. Such a removable input device 1000 may be removed from the housing for connection or disconnection with the module 930, as shown in FIGS. 107-110 and described below. Alternatively, such a removable input device 1000 may be retained within the housing 963 as the module 930 is connected and disconnected, such as by releasable retention structures on the input device 1000 and / or the housing 963, a high friction fit sufficient to hold the input device 1000 in place during activity or removal of the module 930 from the port 1004, or other removable configurations. The housing 963 may also have features to facilitate access to the buttons 1001. For example, as shown in FIG. 103, the housing 963 has one or more openings 1005 on the outer wall 943 to allow access to the button(s) 1001.In another embodiment, the housing 963 may have one or more protrusions on an inner surface of the outer wall 943 adjacent to the button(s) 1001 to ensure that a force exerted on the housing 963 can activate the button(s) 1001, similar to the protrusion 987 described above.

[0125] In the embodiment of Figs. 104 and 105, the input device 1000 forms part of the housing 963 or forms part of an integral structure with the housing 963. The input device 1000 in this embodiment forms an end of the housing 963 proximate the narrowed portion 965 of the opening 942 and has a shape and contour that is substantially continuous with that of the housing 963. As shown in Figs. 104 and 105, the input device 1000 has a flange 967 that is continuous with the flange 967 of the housing 963. The input device 1000 couples with the housing 963, which has an open end 1006 adjacent the input device 1000 in communication with the pocket 940 such that the port 1004 of the input device 1000 is disposed in communication with the pocket 940 defined by the housing 963. In this configuration, the connector 935 of the module 930 is received within the port 1004 when the module 930 is inserted into the housing 963, as shown generally in Fig. 106. The input device 1000 may be permanently connected within the housing 963 in one embodiment, or removably connected within the housing 963 in another embodiment, for example, by using one of the permanent or removable connection techniques described elsewhere herein. In this embodiment, the button(s) 1001 may be positioned on an outer surface of the input device 1000, as shown in Fig. 105.

[0126] In the embodiments of Figs. 107 and 108, the input device 1000 is a separate device configured for insertion and removal from the housing 963 and pocket 940 along with the module 930. The input device 1000 in each of these embodiments is in the form of a casing that is connected to the module 930 by inserting the connector 935 of the module 930 into a port 1004 on the outside of the housing 963 and then simultaneously inserting the module 930 and the input device 1000 into the housing 963. Once inserted, the input device 1000 is positioned within the end of the housing 963 adjacent the narrowed portion 965 of the opening 942, similar to the position shown in Fig. 102. The connection of the module 930 to the input device 1000 to form a connected structure 1007, and the insertion of the connected structure 1007 into the pocket 940 defined by the housing 963, is shown diagrammatically in Fig. 110. The input device 1000 of Fig. 107 differs from the input device 1000 of Fig. 108 primarily in the location of the volume control button 1001B, which in the embodiment of Fig. 107 is located on the top surface of the input device 1000 and in the embodiment of Fig. 108 is located on the side of the input device 1000. It will be understood that the housing 963 and / or band 920 may be configured for use with either of the input devices 1000 of Fig. 107 and Fig. 108, such as by the available locations of features for manipulating the button(s) 1001, including openings 1005, protrusions 987, indicia 1008, and the like.

[0127] The input device 1000 of Figures 102-110 is shown and described as usable in conjunction with the band 920 shown in Figures 68-70C and manufactured as shown in Figures 71-91. In other embodiments, the various embodiments of the input device 1000 described herein may be utilized with other embodiments of the band 920 described herein, such as the band 920 shown in Figures 39A and 39B and manufactured as shown in Figures 18-38. It will be understood that the input device 1000 and / or band 920 may be modified to provide suitable functionality for such combinations.

[0128] As described above, the input device 1000 is configured for communication with an external device 1002 through a transmitter 1003, as shown in FIG. 111. The external device 1002 may include any of the components of the computing device 200 described above, and may be a mobile phone or other mobile device that may be carried by or positioned near a user during a physical activity. Also as described above, the input device 1000 may be configured to transmit a signal to the external device by a button input indicating activation of the button(s) 1001, including the sequence and / or duration of the button press(es) 1001. The external device 1002 may include software configured to receive the button input as an input and take further action based on the button input. For example, the software on the external device 1002 may interpret a particular sequence of button 1001 presses (e.g., one, two, or three taps) as different input signals and / or may interpret a longer held button 1001 press as different from a button tap. Additionally, the external device 1002 may be programmed to interpret and use the button inputs as different inputs for different purposes, and the device 1002 may include various pre-programmed and / or user-selected settings that govern the interpretation of the button inputs. The external device 1002 may include various applications and functionality that are controlled and / or affected by the button inputs according to the settings.

[0129] The input device 1000 may be in communication with multiple external devices 1002 simultaneously or alternatively, and the module 930 may be in communication with the input device 1000 and / or the external device 1002. The input device 1000 and / or the external device 1002 may also be in communication with an external camera 1008, such as a body-mounted camera that may be capable of video and / or still image capture. The camera 1008 may be controlled directly by input from the input device 1000, or button inputs may be used by the external device 1002 as instructions to control the camera 1008. The input device 1000 and / or the external device 1002 may also be in communication with one or more assemblies, such as the assemblies 400, 304 shown in FIGS. 4 and 5 and described herein, for additional data collection and / or communication. It is understood that the external device 1002 may receive button input from different types of input devices, such as the module 930, the assembly 400 shown in FIG. 4, or other wearable assemblies (e.g., a smart watch), and that the methods, functions, and operations of the external device 1002 described herein are not limited to use with the input device 1000 in accordance with the embodiments described herein. For example, the functions and applications described below may be operated by the external device 1002 without input from the input device 1000 or any other input device. Still further, it is understood that some processing of information performed by the external device 1002 may include transmitting information to another device (e.g., a server) for processing and receiving further information from the other device.

[0130] In one embodiment, the external device 1002 may operate as shown in Fig. 112. In this method of operation, the external device 1002 receives a selection of one of a number of settings from a user, such as through user input on the device 1002 or through a particular sequence of button presses from the input device 1000, to manage the functionality of the device 1002. The settings may include one or more specific applications for operating similarly. The external device 1002 then receives a button input from the input device 1000. The external device 1002 may then interpret the button input based on the setting selection and take one or more actions based on the context of the button input. A non-exhaustive list of examples of actions that may be taken based on the button input includes storing or deleting information, sending a signal to one or more other devices, initiating, answering, or ending a call, sending a text, photo, or video message, posting information to a website, social media outlet, blog, RSS feed, etc., sharing information with a specific group of people and / or other devices, transmitting a location signal, controlling music and / or video being played by the external device 1002, controlling a camera associated with the external device 1002, including an integrated camera of the external device 1002 or an external camera 1008, interacting with the module 930, transmitting data received from the module 930, powering the external device 1002 and / or the input device 1000 on or off, and other functions. After taking an action, the external device 1002 may continue to function using the same settings or may receive a selection of other settings. Transmitting input to the external device 1002 using the input device 1000 may allow a user to control the external device 1002 without direct access to the device 1002 or even when the user is not holding the device 1002 in close proximity (e.g., located in a gym bag on a bench during a sporting event).This greatly improves the versatility of use of the external device 1002 and other components, such as the camera 1008 and module 930, that may be difficult or impossible to directly manipulate during certain physical activities.

[0131] phone One potential application or function that the external device 1002 may use in conjunction with the input device 1000 is the operation of a telephone, such as a phone integrated within the external device 1002. For example, button input may be used to call a preselected number, answer an incoming call, put on hold, end a call, activate / deactivate the speakerphone, change the volume, and other functions. This allows the telephone to be operated without direct access to the external device 1002, which may be difficult or inconvenient to use during physical activities. A wireless headset or earpiece may be used in conjunction with the telephone as well. In one embodiment, the input device 1000 may include a dedicated button for volume control (button 1001B above) that may be used with the telephone. Telephone operation may be used in conjunction with other functions or applications, such as the safety application(s) discussed herein. It is understood that the preselected telephone number for calling, as well as the various control functions of the telephone for the input device 1000, may be controlled by user settings.

[0132] music Another potential application or function that the external device 1002 may use in conjunction with the input device 1000 is the operation of a music or video player, such as a music or video player integrated within or controlled by the external device 1002. Button input may be used for functions such as play, pause, repeat, fast forward, rewind, power on / off, selecting a particular song to play or a particular video or photo to display, and volume control, among others. In one embodiment, the input device 1000 may include a dedicated button for volume control (button 1001B above) that may be used with the music or video player, or in another embodiment, the sequence of the primary button 1001A may control such features. It will be appreciated that the specific pre-selected song, as well as the various control functions of the music or video player for the input device 1000, may be controlled by user settings.

[0133] camera Another potential application or function that the external device 1002 may use in conjunction with the input device 1000 is the operation of a music or video player, such as a music or video player integrated within or controlled by the external device 1002. Button input may be used for functions such as taking a photo, a series of photos, or a video, transmitting, uploading, and / or sharing a photo or video, controlling camera or media settings such as exposure, sensitivity, filters, or video recording speed, and other functions. Camera operation may be used in conjunction with other functions or applications, such as the safety application(s) discussed herein. For example, the external device 1002 may be configured to activate the camera 1008 whenever a safety issue is indicated or when an unexpected stop is detected along a running route, for safety and / or sharing purposes. It is understood that various camera control functions for the input device 1000 may be controlled by user settings.

[0134] mapping Another potential application or function that the external device 1002 may use in conjunction with the input device 1000 is the operation of a mapping feature and / or application of the external device. Button input may be used for functions such as accessing a map, setting a destination or waypoint, storing or transmitting a current location, locating another user or device, or various other controls. Mapping operations may be used in conjunction with other functions or applications, such as the safety application(s) discussed herein. It will be appreciated that the various control functions of the mapping feature for the input device 1000 may be controlled by user settings.

[0135] Activity Tracking and Sharing Another potential application or function that the external device 1002 may use in conjunction with the input device 1000 is an activity tracking and / or sharing application, where a user may share activity information with other people, such as sharing among members of a designated group. Examples of such activity information include activity session information, photos, text posts, location, as well as other types of information. The button(s) 1001 may be used to quickly share information with other people. For example, various button sequences may be used for tracking functions such as starting or ending activity tracking, marking a desired temporary point or location during an activity, switching tracking from one type of activity to another, displaying activity information on the external device 1002, or other functions, and various button sequences may also be used for sharing functions such as sharing activity session data, taking or sharing a photo or video, sharing a current location, finding the location of another user, or sending a pre-programmed text message (e.g., "I'm starting / finishing a run") to a designated person. It will be understood that the content of such pre-programmed messages, as well as various control functions of the application for the input device 1000, may be controlled by user settings.

[0136] In one embodiment, the external device 1002 can obtain activity information shared by another user (e.g., one or more other runners), such as the other user(s)' location and speed, planned running route, or other information, and then display and / or further process this information. Such further processing may include calculating a pace and / or shortcuts for the user to catch up with the other users, planning a route to meet the other users, transmitting the user's own information to the other users, etc. For example, if the user arrives late to an organized group run on a pre-planned route, the device 1002 can plot a route and pace for the user to catch up with the other runner(s) based on the pre-planned route and the locations and speeds of the other runners. As another example, if the user has friends competing in a big race, the device 1002 can locate the friends and set a pace for the user to catch up with the friends based on the race route and the friends' locations and speeds. As a further example, the device 1002 may send a message to the other runner(s) from the previous example to slow down their pace and / or take a different route to facilitate the user catching up. The above route plotting may further incorporate safety features as described herein, such as by plotting a route that is based on safety information and avoids known or suspected safety hazards.

[0137] In another embodiment, the external device 1002 may combine activity tracking and music player applications together, allowing the user to control both applications and switch between the two applications using only the input device 1000. FIG. 113 shows an example of a control scheme for controlling and switching between these two applications using the primary button 1001A on the input device 1000. It is understood that while the control scheme of FIG. 113 switches control of these two applications, the switching does not require the deselected application to be deactivated unless requested by the user. Other control schemes may be used in other embodiments, and the control scheme may be dictated at least in part by user control settings. A control scheme similar to the example of FIG. 113 may be used in connection with other applications and functions of the external device 1002 to simultaneously control two or more different applications or functions and switch between such applications or functions using the input device 1000.

[0138] In further embodiments, the activity tracking application may include activity selection settings that allow a user to select an activity from a list such that the device 1002 operates differently for different activity selections. For example, the device 1002 may have one set of user settings for interpreting button inputs for one activity and another set of user settings for interpreting button inputs for a different activity. As another example, the device 1002 and / or the module 930 may collect and interpret operational data differently based on the different activity selections. As a further example, the device 1002 may instruct the input device 1000 to provide different types of haptic feedback for different purposes based on the activity selection. Other example selections may be used as well.

[0139] Safety Alerts Another potential application or function that the external device 1002 may use in conjunction with the input device 1000 is a safety alert application that can alert others to possible safety issues, such as an attack, accident, crime, fire, etc. In one embodiment, the external device 1002 may be programmed to contact others when signaled to do so by the input device 1000, such as alerting friends and / or family, calling police or emergency services, etc. For example, a particular button press sequence on the input device may control the device 1002 to send a preprogrammed text or other message (e.g., a request for assistance), to transmit the user's location, to initiate a phone call to a preselected recipient, to transmit and / or store information about a safety issue, to initiate an auditory alarm (e.g., through a speaker on the external device 1002), to take a photo or video using the camera 1008, or for other functions. The auditory alarm may include a siren or other alert sound, music from a music player, or other auditory alarm, and the device 1002 may automatically deactivate any headphones or similar devices upon issuing an alarm. As one particular example, one button sequence may automatically share the user's location with others, another may share the user's location with an indication of a safety issue, while a third button sequence may generate an emergency alert. It will be appreciated that various control functions of the application to the input device 1000, including the identification of emergency contacts and the content of any automated messages, may be controlled by user settings.

[0140] In one embodiment, the device 1000, 1002 may be used as part of a group or network of users to share safety information. For example, the user's device 1002 may share intended running information (e.g., intended distance, running time, start and finish points, etc.) with a designated group to let the group know approximately where the user will be at a particular time in case of a safety issue. Specific intended routes may be shared as well. The device 1002 may also periodically send location updates to the group, which may be performed periodically, automatically, after a prompt from the user (e.g., through the input device 1000), or after detecting a change in behavior (e.g., stopping or pausing the run). Such groups may be configured to share all safety information with each other, or may be pre-established as temporary or persistent groups. As another example, the external device 1002 may be configured to send emergency alerts or safety information to other people in the group. As another example, the external device 1002 may be configured to take a designated action, such as automatically answering an emergency call or activating an audible alarm, when an emergency alert is received by another user. In one embodiment, if another designated user sends an emergency alert SMS message, the external device 1002 may be programmed to automatically answer any calls from the other user within a specific period of time after the alert message or at any time until the other user sends a subsequent alert deactivation message. As a further example, the external device 1002 may be configured to alert the user when the user is exposed to or in close proximity to a potential danger identified by another user in the network.

[0141] In another embodiment, the devices 1000, 1002 may be used as part of a safety information system. The safety information system may be operated within a network environment that may include one or more servers and many other electronic devices. Communication through the safety information system may be through the server or directly between the devices. The system may collect and provide various types of safety information. For example, the safety information system may collect user-generated safety information from a number of different users / devices, including the external devices 1002. Such safety information may include the location and time of emergency alerts, other possible safety issues, as well as qualitative safety information collected. It is understood that the safety information may include positive safety information as well as negative safety information. Examples of different types of qualitative safety information include areas where suspicious people are known to congregate, isolated or deserted areas, areas with few or no street lights, areas without sidewalks, popular pedestrian routes, areas that "feel" unsafe to users, areas that frequently flood after rain, and other types of qualitative information. The qualitative information may also include some quantitative component, such as an assessment of "danger" on a quantitative scale. The safety information may also include crime maps, which may be publicly accessible and / or privately generated based on crime data aggregation. The safety information may be categorized by location, time, whether the safety issue is temporary or persistent, type of safety issue (e.g., crime, fire, suspected threat, weather or environmental hazards, wildlife, etc.), quantitative risk assessment, and other classifications.

[0142] The safety information system may present or provide safety information in many different ways. As one example, the device 1002 may generate an indication of a safety alert recently generated by another user in the current area or along the planned route. As another example, the device 1002 may generate an indication that historical or aggregate safety information indicates that the current area, an area of ​​the planned route, or an area the user is approaching contains a potential safety issue. FIG. 114 shows an example of an indicator on the external device 1002 indicating a potential safety hazard in an area near the user's location. The indication of the safety issue may take into account the current time or the time the user is predicted to enter the area if the safety issue is time-dependent, such as a recent event or a time when the safety issue is known or believed to exist based on historical information. The indication of the safety issue may also take into account the particular size of the relevant area (e.g., a radial extent around the user and / or around the safety issue). As another example, the device 1002 may generate a suggested action in response to the safety issue, such as turning around, suggesting an alternate route, evacuating, etc. Such suggested actions may be based on the nature of the safety issue, calculations performed by the device 1002 (e.g., alternate routes), public emergency notifications (e.g., severe weather warnings), and other information. Fig. 115 shows an example of a display of the external device 1002 suggesting an alternate route to the user to avoid a safety hazard.

[0143] Route Recommendations Another potential application or function that the external device 1002 may use in conjunction with the input device 1000 is a running route recommendation application, where the device 1002 may recommend a running route to the user based on various information including the desired running location, the desired start or end point, the desired length of the run, the desired time of the run, safety information (as described above), information generated by other users such as route quality ratings (scenic views, difficulty or ease of the run, etc.), and other factors. In one embodiment, the user may input the desired running information for the device 1002, and the device generates a running route that fits the running information and avoids the safety issues described above. The device 1002 may dynamically change the running route in advance based on new safety information as well as described above. The user may be able to share any information about the run with other users during or after the run as well, including safety information and route quality ratings or comments, which may be used by the device 1002 and / or other users' devices when generating future running routes. It is understood that the various control functions of the route recommendation application for the input device 1000 may be controlled by user settings.

[0144] The route recommendation feature of the device 1000, 1002 may also be used in conjunction with a larger route recommendation system and network. The system may aggregate information from various users regarding a particular running route and use that information to generate future running routes based on criteria defined by the user. For example, the system may make safety information and route quality ratings or comments available to the user and the user's device 1002. As another example, the system may create and / or store "recommended" running routes in a particular area, and a user running the recommended route may generate information about the route, such as safety and / or quality information. It is understood that such user-generated information may have a time of day component as well, such as safety issues that are only present at a certain time of day, or improved / deteriorated quality of running at a certain time of day. Thus, routes may be recommended only for a particular time of day, or different quality / safety ratings for different times of day may be made available to the user. The system may further be configured to use only selected safety and / or quality information when providing recommended routes or when making available to the user information, such as information of a certain classification or quantitative / qualitative rating, or information generated by certain other users (e.g., the user's friends, other users with similar interests and preferences, other users of a certain gender, etc.). The system may alternately be configured to weight such selected safety and / or quality information more heavily or less heavily when providing recommended routes. For example, a female user may request route recommendations based on safety information generated by other female users, or a runner who enjoys scenic routes may request route recommendations based on quality information from other users with similar preferences.

[0145] Anti-theft Another potential application or function that the external device 1002 may use in conjunction with the input device 1000 is an anti-theft application that may be used in the event of theft or attempted theft of the external device 1002. For example, different button sequences on the input device 1000 may generate an alarm in the event of attempted theft, lock the device 1002 to prevent access by others, generate alerts for law enforcement using the location of the device 1002, prevent the device from being powered off or deactivated, or other anti-theft measures. It will be appreciated that the various control functions of the anti-theft feature for the input device 1000 may be controlled by user settings.

[0146] The above systems and networks, such as safety information systems, route recommendation systems, and emergency alerts, may access or communicate with other existing systems in connection with providing their functionality. For example, such systems may exchange information with public or private emergency services (collecting safety information from such services and / or transmitting emergency alerts to such services). Other examples of such collaborative information sharing may be used as well.

[0147] Various embodiments of the athletic bands and other apparel, housings, and modules described herein provide advantages over existing technology. For example, the configuration of the module and the pocket in which it is received can operate to place physiological sensors in close proximity to the user's skin, which can enhance the ability of such sensors to capture physiological data of the user. As another example, the structure of the bands and / or housings described herein can control the stretch of elastic materials to make it quicker and easier to pull the band onto the appendage and to don and doff, to help prevent slippage of the band during use, to facilitate the passage of moisture away from the electronic module during use, and to enhance the durability and washability of the band, among other advantages described herein and / or recognized by those skilled in the art. As a further example, the additional input devices described herein provide enhanced capabilities for communication and interaction with external devices, as well as a simple interface for on-the-go operation and communication of such external devices by athletes midway through a competition or other athletic event. Various embodiments of the manufacturing methods described herein also provide advantages over existing technology. For example, the manufacturing methods for the bands described herein create durable structures that are efficient to produce. The various methods for operation of the modules, input devices, and external devices described herein can enhance the performance monitoring operations of the modules and provide users with enhanced functionality in connection with use of the bands and modules. Still further advantages can be recognized by those skilled in the art.

[0148] Several alternative embodiments and examples have been described and illustrated herein. Those skilled in the art will appreciate the features of the individual embodiments and the possible combinations and variations of the components. Those skilled in the art will further appreciate that any of the embodiments may be provided in any combination with other embodiments disclosed herein. It is understood that the present invention may be embodied in other specific forms without departing from its spirit or central characteristics. The present examples and embodiments are therefore to be regarded in all respects as illustrative and not restrictive, and the present invention is not limited to the details shown herein. As used herein, terms such as "first", "second", "top", "bottom", and the like are intended for illustrative purposes only and do not limit the embodiments in any manner. Additionally, as used herein, the term "plurality" refers to any number greater than two, either disjunctively or conjunctively, as appropriate, up to an infinite number. Moreover, as used herein, "providing" an article or device refers broadly to making the article available or accessible for future actions to be performed on the article, and does not imply that the party providing the article manufactured, produced, or supplied the article, or that the party providing the article has ownership or control over the article. Thus, while specific embodiments have been illustrated and described, many modifications will come to mind without significantly departing from the spirit of the invention.

Claims

1. An article of clothing comprising: a garment body configured to be worn by a user and formed at least in part from a first layer and a second layer of flexible material, the second layer being joined to the first layer in a layered arrangement, the garment body being supported by the garment body and having a pocket defined by the flexible material between the first layer and the second layer, the pocket having an access opening providing access to the pocket, the garment body further having a housing connected to the garment body within the pocket and formed from a polymeric material having increased stiffness relative to the flexible material defining the pocket, the housing having an inner wall, an outer wall, and a garment body having a sidewall connecting the inner wall and the outer wall, the inner wall, the outer wall, and the sidewall defining a cavity within the pocket, the housing having an opening providing access to the cavity and accessible through an access opening in the pocket such that the cavity is accessible through the opening and the access opening, the housing having a flange extending around at least a portion of the housing, the flange being disposed between the first and second layers of flexible material, the first and second layers being joined to the flange to secure the housing within the pocket; the housing is configured to removably receive an electronic module within the cavity via the opening and the access opening, the inner wall and the outer wall are configured to engage with at least a portion of a bottom side and a top side of the electronic module, respectively, and the housing is configured to allow a sensor of the electronic module to extend through the housing and be positioned in close proximity to the skin of the user when the electronic module is received within the cavity. Clothing.

2. the pocket is configured to allow the sensor of the electronic module to extend through the access opening.

10. The article of clothing of claim 1.

3. the pocket further has a sensor opening separate from the opening, the pocket configured to allow the sensor of the electronic module to extend through the sensor opening.

10. The article of clothing of claim 1.

4. The opening extends through the inner wall of the housing.

10. The article of clothing of claim 1.

5. the polymeric material of the housing is a thermoplastic polyurethane; 10. The article of clothing of claim 1.

6. The garment body is a band including a tubular body configured to be worn on the user's arm.

10. The article of clothing of claim 1.

7. the tubular body of the band has a wider end and a narrower end, the opening being located at an end of the housing closest to the narrower end of the tubular body; 7. The article of clothing of claim 6.

8. the tubular body of the band has a wider end and a narrower end, the opening being located at an end of the housing closest to the wider end of the tubular body; 7. The article of clothing of claim 6.

9. the flange extends around the entire periphery of the housing; 10. The article of clothing of claim 1.

10. The flange is integrally formed with the housing.

10. The article of clothing of claim 1.

11. the first layer and the second layer are bonded to the flange by heat pressing with a heat press adhesive; 10. The article of clothing of claim 1.

12. the flexible material of the first layer and the second layer is an elastic fabric material; 10. The article of clothing of claim 1.

13. 2. The article of clothing of claim 1 ; and an electronic module received within the cavity and engaging the housing such that the inner wall and the outer wall engage at least a portion of a bottom side and a top side, respectively, of the electronic module, the electronic module being configured to be inserted into and removed from the cavity through the opening and the access opening. Performance monitoring system.

14. the electronic module has a protrusion on an underside of the electronic module, the sensor attached to the protrusion, the protrusion configured to extend through the housing when the electronic module is received within the cavity and to position the sensor in close proximity to the skin of the user, the sensor configured to sense a physiological parameter of the user.

14. The performance monitoring system of claim 13.

15. the electronic module having a casing defining the protrusion, a computing device housed within the casing and in communication with the sensor, and an interface defined on a top side of the casing and configured to receive user input for operation of the computing device, the inner wall, the outer wall and the side wall of the housing engaging the casing of the electronic module; 15. The performance monitoring system of claim 14.

16. The sensor is an optical heart rate sensor.

14. The performance monitoring system of claim 13.

17. 1. A housing configured to be worn by a user and configured to connect to an article of clothing, the housing being formed at least in part from a first layer and a second layer of flexible material, the second layer being joined to the first layer in a superimposed layered configuration, the housing comprising: a shell formed from a polymeric material configured to have increased stiffness relative to the flexible material of the article of apparel, the shell having an inner wall, an outer wall, and a side wall connecting the inner wall and the outer wall, the inner wall, the outer wall, and the side wall defining a cavity; an opening through the shell providing access to the cavity, the housing configured to removably receive the electronic module within the cavity by insertion through the opening such that the inner wall and the outer wall are configured to engage at least a portion of a bottom side and a top side of an electronic module, respectively; and a flange extending outwardly from the shell around at least a portion of a periphery of the shell, the flange configured to be positioned between and joined to the first and second layers of flexible material to secure the housing to the article of apparel; the housing is configured to allow a sensor of the electronic module to extend through the inner wall of the shell and be positioned in close proximity to the user's skin when the electronic module is received within the cavity. Housing.

18. the opening extends through the inner wall of the shell; 20. The housing of claim 17.

19. the housing is configured to allow the sensor of the electronic module to extend through the opening.

20. The housing of claim 18.

20. the polymeric material of the shell is a thermoplastic polyurethane; 20. The housing of claim 17.

21. the flange extends around the entire periphery of the shell; 20. The housing of claim 17.

22. the flange has a constant width around the entire periphery of the shell; 22. The housing of claim 21.

23. The flange is integrally formed with the housing.

20. The housing of claim 17.

24. 20. A performance monitoring system comprising: an article of clothing; a housing as described in claim 17, connected to the article of clothing such that the flange is positioned and joined between the first and second layers of flexible material to secure the housing to the article of clothing; and an electronic module received within the cavity and engaging with the housing such that the inner wall and the outer wall engage at least a portion of a lower side and an upper side of the electronic module, respectively, wherein the electronic module is configured to be inserted into and removed from the cavity through the opening.

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