Athletic Performance Tracking With Adaptive Workout and Media Control

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Solution Overview

Problem

Current athletic performance monitoring systems face limitations in portability, convenience, customizability, and user friendliness, particularly in their ability to seamlessly integrate with existing electronic devices for data display and media content control during workouts.

Innovation Solution

The development of athletic performance sensing and tracking systems that include components for measuring and storing performance data, integrating with conventional electronic devices for display and media playback, allowing user input for workout adjustments, and correlating subjective feedback with objective data to modify workout routines and media content.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of operation

If athletic performance monitoring systems integrate with conventional electronic devices for data display and media playback, then user convenience and ease of operation are improved, but device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveuser convenienceVSAvoidsystem complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent employs an electronic device as an intermediary between the performance monitoring system and the user. The electronic device receives performance data from sensors, processes it, and presents it through familiar interfaces (display screens, audio outputs). This mediator handles the complexity of data integration, synchronization, and presentation, while users interact only with the simple, familiar electronic device interface.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Adaptability or versatility

If the system allows extensive user control and customization of workout routines and media content, then adaptability and versatility are improved, but ease of operation deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:
ImprovecustomizabilityVSAvoiduser friendliness
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The system allows users to pre-configure workout parameters, performance thresholds, and media content selections before beginning exercise. During the actual workout, the system automatically applies these pre-set configurations and makes adjustments based on real-time performance data without requiring complex user interactions. This preliminary setup phase separates the complexity of customization from the simplicity needed during exercise execution.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

3Measurement precision

If the system integrates multiple sensing components for comprehensive performance tracking, then measurement precision is improved, but device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveperformance data accuracyVSAvoidsystem complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Measurement precisionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent combines multiple sensing components (motion sensors, physiological sensors, position sensors) into an integrated performance monitoring system that communicates with a single electronic device. All sensor data streams are merged and processed together, allowing comprehensive performance tracking through one unified interface rather than requiring separate systems for each measurement type.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The electronic device serves multiple functions simultaneously: it displays performance data, plays media content, provides feedback, and controls workout parameters. This multi-functional approach consolidates what would otherwise require multiple separate devices into a single universal platform, improving measurement capabilities without proportionally increasing system complexity.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

4Productivity

If the system provides real-time feedback and media content control during workouts, then user motivation and engagement are improved, but use of energy increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveworkout effectivenessVSAvoidpower consumption
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSUse of energy by moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The system provides feedback and media content control at periodic intervals rather than continuously. Performance data is sampled at regular intervals, feedback is delivered at predetermined checkpoints, and media content is synchronized to workout segments. This periodic approach maintains user engagement and motivation while significantly reducing the energy consumption compared to continuous real-time processing and output.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #19Periodic action

Data Source

PatentUS11676696B2Athletic performance sensing and/or tracking systems and methods
Publication Date: 2023.06.13 NIKE INC
  • US11676696B2 patent drawing
  • US11676696B2 patent drawing
  • US11676696B2 patent drawing

AI summary

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