Location-Based Athlete Pacing With Biofeedback Systems And Methods

Abstract

Systems and methods provide location-based athlete pacing with biofeedback. A goal pace profile based upon historical activity records of one or more athletes is determined. The goal pace profile defines a goal of a user. A mobile computing device determines a current activity of the user and compares the current activity to the goal pace profile to generate real-time status and coaching cues during the current activity.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method for location-based athlete pacing with biofeedback, comprising:
 determining a goal pace profile defining a performance goal of a user for a route segment;   determining, within a mobile computing device, a performance of the user; and   comparing the performance to the goal pace profile to generate real-time status and coaching cues during the performance.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , the step of comparing comprising:
 determining a segment time indicative of a period for the route segment;   determining a segment distance indicative of a distance traveled by the user in the route segment; and   determining a target time based upon the goal pace profile and the segment distance;   wherein the step of comparing comprising comparing the target time to the segment time to generate the real-time status and the coaching cues.   
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , the step of determining the goal pace profile comprising:
 selecting an athlete based upon input from the user;   determining a historical activity record of the athlete and corresponding to the route segment; and   processing the historical activity record to generate the goal pace profile.   
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 3 , the athlete comprising more than one athlete, wherein the step of processing comprising processing historical activity records of each athlete to generate the goal pace profile. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein the athlete is the user. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 3 , the athlete being suggested for selection based upon having a similar or slightly higher activity quotient as compared to an activity quotient of the user. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 3 , the step of determining the goal pace profile comprising automatically selecting and retrieving the historical activity record after starting the route segment. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein the athlete is selected using a social network and based upon the route segment. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 8 , further comprising sending a notification to the social network upon completion of the route segment, the notification comprising one or both of an identifier of a new activity record created from the performance, and an identifier of the route segment. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein the athlete is selected based upon similarity, between the user and the athlete, of one or more of activity quotient, route segment terrain, and average pace profile. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 1 , the step of determining the performance of the user being based upon one or more of: a global positioning system (GPS), cellular beacon identifiers, cellular beacon signal strength, GPS pseudolites, WiFi received signal strength indication (RSSI), any wireless network of surveyed nodes, pool turnaround, radio-frequency identification (RFID) sensors (e.g. ChampionChip), stride or wheel rotation sensors, altimeter, and compass. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 1 , the determined performance comprising sensed biometrics of the user. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising sending the status and coaching cues from the mobile computing device to an interface device observable by the user. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 13 , the coaching cues comprising indication of at least one of approach of start of the route segment, approach of end of the route segment, and relative position of the user to a ghost pacer determined from the goal pace profile. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 1 , the goal pace profile being generated automatically for the route segment based upon one or more of a detected gradient of the route segment, time into the route segment, and length of a hill in the route segment. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 recording the performance of the user as a new activity record;   determining a credibility score for the new activity record based upon completeness, correctness, and authenticity of the information within the new activity record.   
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 16 , further comprising sending the credibility score to one or both of (a) a server storing the new activity record and (b) social media. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising generating and publishing a toughness factor indicative of a level of toughness inherent to terrain of the route segment and independent of elevation profile. 
     
     
         19 . A software product comprising instructions, stored on non-transitory computer-readable media, wherein the instructions, when executed by a digital processor, perform steps for location-based athlete pacing with biofeedback, comprising:
 instructions for determining a goal pace profile defining a performance goal of a user for a route segment;   instructions for determining a performance of the user;   instructions for determining a segment time indicative of a period for the route segment;   instructions for determining a segment distance indicative of a distance traveled by the user in the rout segment;   instructions for determining a target time based upon the goal pace profile and the segment distance; and   instructions for comparing the target time to the segment time to generate real-time status and coaching cues.   
     
     
         20 . A system for location-based athlete pacing with biofeedback, comprising:
 a processor;   a location device for determining a location of the system;   a non-transitory memory for storing machine readable instructions that when executed by the processor perform the steps of:
 determining a goal pace profile based upon a historical activity record of an athlete, the goal pace profile defining a performance goal of a user of the system; 
 determining a performance of the user based upon the location; and 
 comparing the performance to the goal pace profile to generate real-time status and coaching cues for the user during the performance.