Sports Garment with Data Logger

FIELD OF INVENTION

This invention relates to a sports garment in combination with a data logger for monitoring player activity.

BACKGROUND

It is known to use data loggers to track the movement and energy expenditure of sports participants. These are typically carried on the person’s torso or arms. Each data logger may for example have GPS functionality, an accelerometer, gyroscopes to measure angular momentum and magnetometers to detect directional data. The applicant’s patent specifications US 7715982 and US 8036826 disclose data loggers of this type and the content of those documents is incorporated herein by reference.

A problem with information contained in at least some data loggers is that it is not available for ready inspection at a sports event. In this regard it is desirable for a coach or trainer, for example, to be able to quickly and easily view data logger output for a player during a break in a game or training session, or immediately after the game or session, without having to consult a separate communications device.

OBJECT OF THE INVENTION

It is an object of a preferred embodiment of the invention to provide a garment and data logger combination that addresses the above problem. While this applies to the preferred embodiment, it should be understood that the object of the invention per se is simply to provide a useful choice. Accordingly, any objects or advantages of any preferred embodiment should not be read into claims expressed more broadly.

DEFINITIONS

The term“comprises” if and when used in this document in relation to a combination of features or steps does not rule out the option of there being further unnamed features or steps. The term is therefore inclusive, not exclusive. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

According one aspect of the invention there is a sports garment wherein:

• the garment has a pocket at a central upper back portion;

• a data logger is located in the pocket;

· the data logger has a light display; and

• the light display is visible at a viewing region of the pocket to indicate

information from the data logger.

Optionally the pocket has padding between a human body facing wall of the pocket and the data logger.

Optionally the light display indicates one or more of:

• a sports participant performance metric (eg the amount of energy expended or yet to be expended by a player); and

· battery life of the data logger.

Optionally the viewing region comprises an opening (eg a slit) in the pocket.

Optionally the garment is such that when the data logger is inserted into the pocket the pocket causes the data logger to turn on.

Optionally the pocket has a magnet that is detected by the data logger when in close proximity to the data logger to cause it to turn on. Optionally the pocket incorporates a moulding that assists in locating and orienting the data logger.

Optionally the garment is in the form of a vest. Optionally the light display indicates one or more of:

• distance covered by a sport’s participant in the course of a sports event or training session;

• speed achieved by a sport’s participant in the course of a sports event or training session; and • performance intensity of a sport’s participant in terms of distance covered per time (eg metres moved per minute) in the course of a sports event or training session.

Optionally the viewing region comprises a region of mesh forming part of the pocket.

Optionally the data logger incorporates a heart rate monitor arranged to detect the heart rate of a sport’s participant while wearing the garment, and a sports performance metric related to the participant is measured on the basis of heart rate.

Optionally the garment comprises a heart rate monitor arranged to detect the heart rate of a sport’s participant while wearing the garment, and a sports performance metric related to the participant is measured on the basis of heart rate.

DRAWINGS

Some preferred embodiments of the invention will now be described by way of example and with reference to the accompanying drawings, of which:

Figure 1 is an isometric view of a sports vest;

Figure 2 illustrates the vest when being worn by a sportsperson, and a trainer in the process of inserting a data logger in a pocket of the vest;

Figure 3 illustrates the vest, from the front, when worn by a sportsperson; Figure 4 illustrates the vest, from the back, when worn by the same person; Figure 5 a front view of a similar but alternative sports vest; Figure 6 is a back view of the alternative sports vest; Figure 7 illustrates detail of a pocket of the alternative sports vest with a data logger inside; and

Figure 8 is a side cross- section view showing more detail of the pocket of figure

7. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Referring to figures 1 -4, the sports vest 1 is made of a light-weight stretch fabric so as to fit relatively tightly on a sportsperson when worn. The back of the vest has a pocket 2 that receives a data logger 3 and holds it snugly.

The data logger 3 incorporates one or more of an accelerometer, a gyroscope, magnetometer, a GPS unit to sense position and velocity, a heart rate monitor, and a controller programmed to manipulate information detected by the above and to provide a display corresponding to distance moved, heart rate, speed, and other sports parameters for a player carrying the data logger. The data logger may or may not have an ability to connect to a computing device, portable or otherwise, by cable or wirelessly to communicate data corresponding to the above parameters, and also to receive programming or other instructions. As shown in figure 2, the pocket has an opening near the top through which the data logger 3 can be inserted and removed when desired. The exterior of the pocket comprises a‘see-through’ mesh-fabric 4, preferably with stretch to it, so the data logger 3 can be seen through the mesh from outside the garment. The mesh therefore provides an exterior wall for the pocket. Preferably the pocket 2 has padding between the data logger and the person wearing the vest, so that the data logger does not press against the person’s body uncomfortably.

In figures 1 -4 the person is a football player and the data logger tracks a performance metric of the player while engaged in a training session or game event. The data logger detects one or more of:

• the amount of energy expended;

• the distance covered;

• the speeds achieved; and

• intensity (eg metres moved per minute).

The performance metrics are indicated on the part of the data logger 3 that is immediately behind the mesh. This means that a coach or trainer can look at the data logger 3 while in the pocket 2 and quickly and easily see how the player is performing. There is no need to remove the data logger from its pocket. Because the data logger 3 sits in the pocket 2 high on the player’s back, between his or her shoulder blades, it is to a large extent out of the way and not likely to impact on player comfort in the event of a fall, a tackle situation or a collision between players generally.

As indicated in figure 2 the performance metrics may be displayed by way of a linear light bar 5, preferably extending straight and vertically. If for example the player is expected to cover 8 km in the course of a football match, but has only covered 4 km, then half of the light bar 5 is illuminated. A coach or trainer can immediately see that the player has only met 50% of his or her target. Different players may have different targets programmed into their data logger. In the figure 2 example the light bar 5 incorporates a line of circular lights, and the number of these that illuminate provides an indication of the percentage of the target distance covered.

The data logger 3 is able to display the other metrics in similar fashion. For example different light colours may be used for different metrics. The coach or trainer can press a button on the data logger, or otherwise activate it, to scroll through the different metrics so that they are displayed by the light bar 5 one after the other.

In some embodiments of the invention the metrics may be displayed without a light bar. For example they may show on a screen of the data logger as alpha numeric characters. In still further embodiments there may be multiple parallel light bars, each for a different metric or metrics.

The light display provided by the light bar or alpha numeric characters need not be bright, so long as it is reasonably visible through the pocket when in use.

The vest is formed so that the data logger 3 turns on (eg awakens) automatically when placed in the pocket 2. Prior to that it may only be in a low power usage standby mode. To that end the pocket incorporates a magnet that automatically activates the data logger when the two are in close proximity. An example of this is described later in this document.

Figures 5-7 illustrate an alternative sports vest 6. It is formed from a stretch fabric and has a pocket 7 at the back. The pocket houses a data logger of the same type described above. The inside wall 8 of the pocket is shown in figure 5. Referring to figure 6, the back of the vest has a laser cut slit opening 9 through which the data logger’s light bar can be seen. The slit in effect enables the light bar to be viewed through the pocket from outside the garment. In this embodiment the fabric that forms the main back panel of the vest also provides the outside wall 10 of the pocket 7.

Referring to figure 7, the pocket has foam padding 1 1 between the data logger 12 and the pocket’s inside wall 8. The padding is such the data logger 12 does not press uncomfortably against the player’s body. Also, the inside wall 8 has a stippled or textured anti-slip surface 13 to help keep the pocket more or less centred between the shoulder blades of the player.

Figure 8 illustrates further detail of the arrangement of figures 5-7. As shown, the pocket 7 incorporates a flexible moulded rubber mount 14 between the data logger 12 and padding 1 1 and this serves to orient and locate the data logger so that when inserted in the pocket the data logger finds and remains in the correct orientation and place generally. The base 15 of the mount is angled inwardly to follow the contour of the data logger. The base 15 holds a magnet 16 at an angle, preferably about 75°, and the magnet is detected by the data logger 12 to cause it to turn on. Therefore the data logger 12 turns on automatically when inserted into the pocket 7 and may turn off automatically when removed (ie when no longer in proximity to the magnet). The structure of the pocket 7 is such that the padding 1 1 is sandwiched between an internal layer of fabric 17 and the pocket wall 8.

With further reference to figures 5 and 6, the vest has ventilation or aeration holes 18 in the side and lower back portions. These are graduated, or in other words the holes are more dense in some areas than others.

Preferably in each embodiment the main vest fabric is spandex polyamide. And preferably in each case the data logger may be programmable to identify signal patterns from sensors within it and to categorise, store and count them. The data logger is preferably an Optimeye (RTM) device with an internal rechargeable battery and blue tooth functionality so that it can transfer data to a computing device, for example to a smart phone, tablet, laptop computer, desktop computer, smart watch or other computing device.

In each case the linear light display, or light bar, may be programmed to show the remaining battery power in the data logger in a bar graph format. While some preferred embodiments of the invention have been described by way of example, it should be appreciated that modifications and improvements can occur without departing from the scope of the following claims.