In a 2007 BusinessWeek product review of Nike + iPod, the only negative that was found revolved around the fact that it had no heart rate monitor compatibility. “That’s an obvious and crucial piece of data that could be profitably integrated into the package. It would also help reel in techies who pay hundreds of dollars for systems that track such statistics,” reported Matt Vella. It would appear that Nike heard that message loud and clear. A patent published this week at the US Patent & Trademark Office details how the iPod will work with sensors beyond those inserted into runners and is clearly visible in their patent FIG 1 noted below.

Extended Sensor Systems Options

Nike’s patent FIG. 1 illustrates example systems and an environment in which various aspects of the present invention may be used. As shown in FIG. 1, a person involved in an athletic performance or workout activity may have one or more sensing devices 102(a), 102(b), 102(c), and 102(d) included on their person, their clothing, their footwear, their equipment, etc. These sensing devices may sense data associated with the athletic performance, including, for example, physical or physiological data associated with the athletic performance. As some more specific examples, in the environment illustrated in FIG. 1, sensors 102(a) and/or 102(b) may sense step count and data associated with such activities (e.g., for pedometer type speed and/or distance measuring), GPS data (e.g., location and/or altitude data, time data, etc.), step impact force data (e.g., for active impact attenuation control), jump height data, or the like. Sensor 102(c) may sense pulse rate, body temperature, blood pressure, hydration levels, or the like, and sensor 102(d) may sense heart rate, EKG data, and the like.

Multiple Portable Sensors, Apple iPod Systems

The various sensors, e.g., 102(a) through 102(d) noted above, also may be portable and carried by the person in any desired manner without departing from this invention. For example, if desired, one or more sensors may be mounted in or on an article of footwear 104 (e.g., like sensors 102(a) and 102(b) in this illustrated example), provided in or on an article of athletic apparel (e.g., like arm band 106 in this example, which includes sensor 102(c), in a shirt, shorts, pants, socks, headband, etc.), and/or carried along on a piece of athletic equipment (e.g., like a bicycle, bat, racket, club, vehicle, ball, etc.).

In the illustrated example, the output device (110) includes an audio or other media content playback device (such as an iPod commercially available from Apple Computer) that the user has engaged with his belt or clothing so as to be readily carried and used during the athletic performance. The use of this type of arrangement is advantageous in at least some situations because the athletic performance data may be displayed on the display system of the device (110) and/or transmitted to the user via the headphones (140) or other audio output device, and thus the user need not obtain and/or carry an independent display device to enable display or transmission of the athletic performance data (thereby reducing weight, expense, and handling difficulties).

Later in the patent, Nike describes how the invention will work with input devices that would have a touch screen. The touch screen is clearly supported by a recent series of Apple patents relating to the upcoming Nike + iPod update that also covered reward programs, new sensors and a new voice command capability echoed by Nike here: “As still another example, if desired, a voice input system may be provided with the interface device 112 and/or the electronic device 110, e.g., to enable user input via voice commands.” The patent discusses using advanced cell phones and that would strongly suggest that the Nike + iPod will extend to covering Nike + iPhone.

Sensors Working with Gym Equipment

Earlier this year Apple and Nike stated that they were working with several gym equipment makers and the health clubs 24-Hour Fitness and Virgin Athletic Health Clubs to allow members to plug their iPod Nano into cardio equipment. Nike’s patent supports that by describing that their invention “may be involved in a wide variety of different athletic performance and/or workout activities, including, for example: various activities using training machines (e.g., in a gym), such as treadmills, spinning machines, elliptical training machines, stationary bicycles, stair climbing machines, cross-country ski simulating machines, weight lifting machines, rowing machines, etc.”

Nike’s system 600 of FIG. 6 illustrates the performance module 502 (e.g., carried by the athlete during the performance, such as in an article of footwear 504, as part of the athlete’s clothing, an article worn by the athlete, etc.) in communication with a portable electronic device 508 via an interface device 506.

As illustrated in FIG. 6, any or all of the module 502, interface device 506, and/or electronic device 508 may be configured to exchange data with one or more pieces of exercise equipment 604 – as noted above.

Nike’s patent FIG. 7 (noted below) illustrates additional features that may be present in example athletic performance sensing and/or tracking systems and methods according to this invention. The arrangement 700 shown in FIG. 7 allows users to send data and information to and/or receive data and information from one or more remote sources, such as from one of the portable devices (e.g., module 502, interface device 506, and/or electronic device 508) to a personal computer (e.g., at the user’s home or office) or other computer station 702 (which may include the workout equipment itself and/or a computer maintained at the gym or other facility) and/or to a remote system 704 (optionally via a network connection, such as over the Internet), which may be maintained and operated by the user, by a fitness center, by a gym, or by another third party.

Use of Music and Other Content in Systems and Methods

Aspects of this invention further relate to the use of music and/or other audio and/or video content in athletic performance sensing and/or tracking systems. Such content may be useful in a variety of ways in systems and methods according to examples of this invention, e.g., for providing entertainment, information, coaching tips or reminders, motivational content, etc. Advantageously, in accordance with at least some examples of this invention, in addition to being able to download workout routines and/or data as described above, electronic device will constitute or include an audio and/or video presentation device that allows users to also play and/or download music, videos, or other audio/video data for presentation during the course of a workout (e.g., a radio, a tape player, an MP3 player, an iPod device. Example screens relating to this kind of functionality could be found in Apple’s patents (see link above).

While the audio or video presentation device may be used in a conventional manner, e.g., with user controlled content and/or output during the course of a workout, systems and methods according to at least some examples of this invention allow more user interaction and control over the content presentation provided during the workout. For example, systems and methods according to at least some examples of the invention may allow users to pre-program and/or “mix” their own workout with audio/video and/or other content, e.g., to include desired audio/video content (e.g., music playback, video playback, coaching or motivational content, etc.) at desired times and in a desired timing or relationship with respect to various different phases of a workout routine or exercise program. Plural workout routines, optionally user mixed workout routines, stored and downloaded workout routines (optionally including pre-selected or user selected music), purchased workout routines (optionally including pre-selected or user selected music), and the like, may be stored on or downloaded to the electronic device. Also, in systems and methods that utilize an output device, a networked connection, or other computer base station or remote station, users may make their pre-programmed workouts available to others (e.g., “publicly available” or otherwise selectively available to one or more other individuals on the system), e.g., for downloading over the network or otherwise transmitting to another user’s electronic device.

Miscellaneous Example-Features of User Interfaces

The next generation Nike + iPod product line and applications are due to arrive sometime this summer.

NOTICE: MacNN presents only a brief summary of patents with associated graphic(s) for journalistic news purposes as each such patent application and/or grant is revealed by the U.S. Patent & Trade Office. Readers are cautioned that the full text of any patent applications and/or grants should be read in its entirety for further details.

Written and researched by Neo.