US 12,696,960 B2Granted

Foot presence signal processing using velocity

AssigneeNIKE, Inc.

InventorsSteven H. Walker, Phillip Meneau

Life of this patent

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Abstract

A foot presence sensor system for an active article of footwear can include a sensor housing configured to be disposed at or in an insole of the article, and a controller circuit, disposed within the sensor housing, configured to trigger one or more automated functions of the footwear based on a foot presence indication. In an example, the sensor system includes a capacitive sensor, and the sensor is configured to sense changes in a foot proximity to the sensor in footwear. Information about the sensed proximity can be used to determine a foot velocity characteristic, which in turn can be used to update an automated footwear function, such as an automatic lacing function, or can be used to determine a step count, foot strike force, a rate of travel, or other information about a foot, about an activity, or about the footwear.

Claims17

Dependent claims

A method comprising:

identifying a change in a fluid saturation of one or more components disposed in or coupled to an article of footwear;
calibrating a foot presence sensor by updating a baseline or reference condition for the foot presence sensor based on the change in the fluid saturation, wherein the foot presence sensor is coupled to the article of footwear and is configured to sense information about a proximity of a foot to the sensor;
receiving a time-varying sensor signal from the calibrated foot presence sensor, wherein receiving the time-varying sensor signal from the calibrated foot presence sensor includes receiving a time-varying capacitance-indicating signal from a capacitive sensor and providing a drive signal to a driven shield that is configured for use with the capacitive sensor, wherein the driven shield is configured to generate an electric field in response to receiving the drive signal;
identifying a velocity characteristic of the foot relative to the foot presence sensor using the time-varying sensor signal;
determining whether the foot is present in the article of footwear based on the velocity characteristic;
and
based on characteristics of the time-varying sensor signal, initiating data collection about the article of footwear or updating an automated function of the footwear.

4 more elements

A method performed by an automated footwear system comprising:

receiving a time-varying sensor signal from a sensor that is coupled to an article of footwear, wherein the sensor is configured to sense information about a proximity of a foot to the sensor, wherein receiving the time-varying sensor signal from the sensor includes receiving a time-varying capacitance-indicating signal from a capacitive sensor and providing a drive signal to a driven shield that is configured for use with the capacitive sensor, wherein the driven shield is configured to generate an electric field in response to receiving the drive signal;
and
using a processor circuit:
identifying a first reference value of the sensor signal;
providing a foot presence or absence indication using a first portion of the time-varying sensor signal and the first reference value;
identifying a change in a fluid saturation of one or more components disposed in or coupled to the article of footwear;
identifying a second reference value of the sensor signal following the change in the fluid saturation;
and
providing a subsequent foot presence or absence indication using a subsequent second portion of the time-varying sensor signal and the second reference value.

6 more elements

A foot proximity sensor system for footwear, the system comprising:

a proximity sensor coupled to an article of footwear and configured to provide a time-varying sensor signal indicating a proximity of a foot to the sensor;
and
a processor circuit coupled to the proximity sensor, the processor circuit configured to:
update a reference value of the time-varying sensor signal to accommodate a change in a fluid saturation of one or more components disposed in or coupled to the article of footwear;
receive a time-varying sensor signal from the proximity sensor, wherein receiving the time-varying sensor signal from the proximity sensor includes receiving a time-varying capacitance-indicating signal from a capacitive sensor and providing a drive signal to a driven shield that is configured for use with the capacitive sensor, wherein the driven shield is configured to generate an electric field in response to receiving the drive signal;
and
based on a relationship between the reference value and characteristics of the time-varying sensor signal, update an automated function of the footwear.

4 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 18/230,319Filed 4 Aug 2023 · continuation
Priority: TW 10610851115 Mar 2017
Published: US 2023/0371652 A123 Nov 2023
Granted: 4 Aug 2026
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification16 codes

A43C 11/165
Fastenings secured by wire, bolts, or the like: characterised by a spool, reel or pulley for winding up cables, laces or straps by rotation
A43B 3/0031
Footwear characterised by the shape or the use: provided with a pocket, e.g. for keys or a card
A43B 3/34
Footwear characterised by the shape or the use: with electrical or electronic arrangements
A43B 3/36
With electrical or electronic arrangements: with light sources

Family

Application62/308,667Us provisional application · filed 15 Mar 2016
Application62/308,657Us provisional application · filed 15 Mar 2016
Application62/424,959Us provisional application · filed 21 Nov 2016
Application62/424,939Us provisional application · filed 21 Nov 2016
Application15/458,625Parent of this continuation · filed 14 Mar 2017
Application15/458,625Parent of this continuation-in-part · filed 14 Mar 2017
PCT/US2017/022342Parent of this continuation-in-part · filed 14 Mar 2017
Application15/459,897Parent of this continuation-in-part · filed 15 Mar 2017
PCT/US2017/022548Parent of this continuation-in-part · filed 15 Mar 2017
PCT/US2017/022533Parent of this continuation-in-part · filed 15 Mar 2017
Application15/460,060Parent of this continuation-in-part · filed 15 Mar 2017
Application15/459,402Parent of this continuation-in-part · filed 15 Mar 2017
PCT/US2017/022489Parent of this continuation-in-part · filed 15 Mar 2017
PCT/US2017/022576Parent of this continuation-in-part · filed 15 Mar 2017
Application15/459,889Parent of this continuation-in-part · filed 15 Mar 2017
Application15/610,179Parent of this continuation-in-part · filed 31 May 2017
Application62/556,103Us provisional application · filed 8 Sep 2017
Application15/921,414Parent of this continuation · filed 14 Mar 2018
Application17/358,245Parent of this continuation · filed 25 Jun 2021
US 2023/0371652 A1Pre-grant publication · published 23 Nov 2023
US 11,766,095 B2Parent of this continuation
US 11,064,768 B2Parent of this continuation
US 10,448,707 B2Parent of this continuation-in-part
Application15/921,414Parent of this continuation-in-part
US 11,071,355 B2Parent of this continuation-in-part
US 11,213,100 B2Parent of this continuation-in-part
US 11,044,967 B2Parent of this continuation-in-part
US 10,172,423 B2Parent of this continuation-in-part
US 10,499,711 B2Parent of this continuation
Application15/610,179Parent of this continuation
US 10,499,711 B2Parent of this continuation-in-part
US 2017/0265582 A1Published application
US 2017/0265584 A1Published application
US 2017/0265587 A1Published application
US 2017/0265588 A1Published application
US 2017/0265589 A1Published application
US 2017/0265594 A1Published application
US 2018/0199674 A1Published application
US 2021/0353005 A1Published application
US 12,696,960 B2This patent

From the US filing history. Foreign family members aren’t listed.