Athletic performance monitoring systems and methods in a team sports environment

US8231506B2 · kind B2 · utility

Assignee

• NIKE, Inc. · US

Inventors

• James Molyneux · Portland, US
• Aaron B. Weast · Portland, US
• Brandon S. Burroughs · Portland, US
• Scott R. Berggren · Portland, US
• Clayton J. Lindsay · Portland, US
• Jordan M. Rice · Portland, US
• Bert B. Buxton · Issaquah, US
• Edward S. Lowe · Seattle, US

Key dates

• Filing date: Dec 29, 2010
• Grant date: Jul 31, 2012
• Expiry date: Dec 29, 2030

Classification

• Technology area (CPC Y): Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
• CPC primary: Y10S482/901
• WIPO field: Furniture, games
• WIPO sector: Other fields

Abstract

Systems, apparatuses, and methods estimate the distance between a player and a ball by transmitting a chirp (sweep signal) to a radio tag located on the ball. During the chirp, the frequency of the transmitted signal is changed in a predetermined fashion. The radio tag doubles the transmitted frequency and returns the processed signal to a transceiver typically located on the player. The currently transmitted frequency is then compared with the received frequency to obtain a difference frequency from which an apparatus may estimate the distance. The apparatus may simultaneously receive the processed signal from the radio tag while transmitting the sweep signal.