Method and system for determining user performance characteristics

Abstract

A system for determining user performance characteristics includes an inertial sensor and a processing system. The inertial sensor may be coupled with the user's torso and generates one or more signals corresponding to the motion of the user's torso. The processing system is in communication with the inertial sensor and is operable to use the one or more signals to determine one or more user performance characteristics. The user performance characteristics may include speed, cadence, time energy cost, distance energy cost and acceleration energy cost.

1 . A system for determining performance characteristics of a user, the system comprising:
 an inertial sensor for coupling with the user and generating one or more signals corresponding to striding motion of the user's torso; and   a processing system in communication with the inertial sensor and operable to use the one or more signals to determine vertical torso displacement.   
     
     
         2 . The system of  claim 1 , the inertial sensor including at least one accelerometer. 
     
     
         3 . The system of  claim 1 , the processing system operable to use the one or more signals to determine a change in the potential energy of the torso. 
     
     
         4 . The system of  claim 1 , the processing system operable to use the one or more signals to determine the change in potential energy from the vertical torso displacement. 
     
     
         5 . The system of  claim 1 , the processing system operable to use the one or more signals to determine a change in vertical kinetic energy of the torso. 
     
     
         6 . The system of  claim 5 , the processing system operable to use the one or more signals to determine a maximum vertical torso speed, and to use the maximum vertical torso speed to determine the change in vertical kinetic energy. 
     
     
         7 . The system of  claim 1 , the processing system operable to determine the vertical torso displacement by twice integrating a vertical acceleration signal with respect to time. 
     
     
         8 . The system of  claim 1 , the processing system operable to use the one or more signals to determine cadence. 
     
     
         9 . The system of  claim 1 , the processing system operable to use the one or more signals to determine contact time per step. 
     
     
         10 . The system of  claim 1 , further including a display coupled with the processing system, the display operable to present an indication of one or more calculated user performance characteristics associated with the determined vertical torso displacement. 
     
     
         11 . The system of  claim 1 , the processing system operable to use the one or more signals to determine an amount of power used to raise the user's torso. 
     
     
         12 . The system of  claim 1 , the processing system operable to use the one or more signals to identify the foot of the user associated with the striding motion. 
     
     
         13 . The system of  claim 1 , the processing system operable to use the one or more signals to determine an amount of energy used per unit of distance. 
     
     
         14 . The system of  claim 1 , the processing system operable to use the one or more signals to determine an amount of energy used to accelerate and decelerate the user's torso in a direction perpendicular to gravity. 
     
     
         15 . The system of  claim 1 , the processing system operable to use the one or more signals to determine an amount of energy used to reposition one of the user's legs. 
     
     
         16 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the inertial sensor is integrated with a torso-mounted heart rate monitor. 
     
     
         17 . A method of determining user performance characteristics, the method comprising:
 receiving, with a processing system, one or more signals corresponding to the user's torso motion, the one or more signals being generated by an inertial sensor coupled with the user;   determining, with the processing system, vertical torso displacement using the one or more signals; and   presenting a visual indication of a user performance characteristic associated with the determined vertical torso displacement.   
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 17 , further including determining one or more user performance characteristics including determining a change in potential energy of the torso. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 17 , further including determining one or more user performance characteristics including determining a change in horizontal kinetic energy of the torso. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 17 , further including determining one or more user performance characteristics including determining an amount of energy used.