Intelligent electronic footwear and control logic for automated pedestrian collision avoidance

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12475792-B2
Application number	US-202318447082-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 9, 2023
Priority date	May 31, 2018
Publication date	Nov 18, 2025
Grant date	Nov 18, 2025

Abstract

Presented are intelligent electronic footwear with controller automated features, methods for making/using such footwear, and control systems for executing automated features of intelligent electronic footwear. An intelligent electronic shoe includes an upper that attaches to a user's foot, and a sole structure attached to the upper for supporting thereon the user's foot. A collision threat warning system, a detection tag, a wireless communications device, and a footwear controller are all mounted to the sole structure/upper. The detection tag receives a prompt signal from a transmitter-detector module and responsively transmits thereto a response signal. The footwear controller receives, through the wireless communications device, a pedestrian collision warning signal generated by the remote computing node responsive to the response signal. Responsively, the footwear controller transmits a command signal to the collision threat warning system to generate a visible, audible and/or tactile alert warning the user of an impending collision with a vehicle.

First claim

What is claimed:

1 . A method of operating an intelligent electronic shoe system for preventing a collision between a user and a vehicle, the user having a portable electronic device with wireless communications capabilities, the method comprising:
receiving, via a detection tag attached to footwear worn by the user, a prompt signal from a transmitter-detector module, the footwear including an upper, a sole structure attached to the upper, a shoelace attached to the upper, and a lace motor attached to the footwear, the lace motor being operable to selectively tension and loosen the shoelace; transmitting, via the detection tag to the transmitter-detector module responsive to receiving the prompt signal, a response signal; receiving, via an electronic controller through a wireless communications device attached to the footwear, a collision warning signal generated by a remote computing node responsive to the response signal output by the detection tag, the wireless communications device wirelessly connecting to the portable electronic device of the user and thereby wirelessly communicating with the remote computing node; and transmitting, via the electronic controller responsive to the received collision warning signal, a first command signal to the lace motor to generate a predetermined tactile alert configured to warn the user of an impending collision with the vehicle.

2 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the response signal is indicative of a user location of the user, and wherein the collision warning signal is generated further in response to the response signal indicating the user location is within a predetermined location and/or a predetermined proximity to a vehicle location of the vehicle.

3 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the detection tag includes a radio frequency (RF) transponder, the prompt signal has a first RF power with a first frequency, and the response signal has a second RF power with a second frequency distinct from the first frequency.

4 . The method of claim 3 , wherein the prompt signal received from the transmitter-detector module includes an embedded data set, and wherein the response signal retransmits at least a portion of the embedded data set back to the transmitter-detector module.

5 . The method of claim 4 , wherein the RF transponder includes an RF antenna and a frequency filter connected to the RF antenna, the frequency filter being configured to reject signals having an RF power with a third frequency distinct from the first frequency.

6 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
transmitting, via the electronic controller to the remote computing node, user dynamics data of the user; and receiving, via the electronic controller from the remote computing node based on a user location of the user and the user dynamics data, a collision threat value predictive of intrusion of the user with respect to a vehicle location and a predicted route of the vehicle.

7 . The method of claim 6 , further comprising transmitting, via the electronic controller to the remote computing node, behavioral data indicative of historical behavior of the user, wherein the collision threat value is further based on fusion of the behavioral data with the user location and the user dynamics data.

8 . The method of claim 7 , wherein the collision threat value is further based on fusion of the behavioral data, the user location, and the user dynamics data with crowd-sourced data indicative of behavior of multiple users in proximity to the user.

9 . The method of claim 8 , wherein the collision threat value is further based on fusion of the behavioral data, the user location, the user dynamics data, and the crowd-sourced data with environmental data indicative of a surrounding environment of the user.

10 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising transmitting, via the electronic controller responsive to receiving the collision warning signal, a second command signal to an audio component attached to the footwear to generate a predetermined audible alert configured to warn the user of the impending collision with the vehicle.

11 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising transmitting, via the electronic controller responsive to receiving the collision warning signal, a third command signal to a lighting element attached to the footwear to generate a predetermined visible alert configured to warn the user of the impending collision with the vehicle.

12 . A method of operating an intelligent electronic shoe system for preventing a collision between a user and a vehicle, the method comprising:
receiving, via a detection tag attached to footwear worn by the user, a prompt signal from a transmitter-detector module, the footwear including an upper, a sole structure attached to the upper, a shoelace attached to the upper, and a lace motor attached to the footwear, the lace motor being operable to selectively tension and loosen the shoelace; transmitting, via the detection tag to the transmitter-detector module responsive to receiving the prompt signal, a response signal; receiving, via an electronic controller through a wireless communications device attached to the footwear, a collision warning signal generated by a remote computing node responsive to the response signal output by the detection tag; transmitting, via the electronic controller to the remote computing node responsive to the received collision warning signal, user dynamics data of the user; receiving, via the electronic controller from the remote computing node, a collision threat value predictive of intrusion of the user with respect to a vehicle location and a predicted route of the vehicle, the collision threat value being based on fusion of the user dynamics data with crowd-sourced data indicative of behavior of multiple users in proximity to the user; and transmitting, via the electronic controller responsive to the collision threat value predicting intrusion of the user, a command signal to the lace motor to generate a predetermined tactile alert configured to warn the user of an impending collision with the vehicle.

13 . A method of operating an intelligent electronic shoe system for preventing a collision between a user and a vehicle, the method comprising:
receiving, via a detection tag attached to footwear worn by the user, a prompt signal from a transmitter-detector module, the footwear including an upper, a sole structure attached to the upper, a shoelace attached to the upper, and a lace motor attached to the footwear, the lace motor being operable to selectively tension and loosen the shoelace; transmitting, via the detection tag to the transmitter-detector module responsive to receiving the prompt signal, a response signal; receiving, via an electronic controller through a wireless communications device attached to the footwear, a collision warning signal generated by a remote computing node responsive to the response signal output by the detection tag; receiving, via the electronic controller from a pressure sensor mounted to the footwear, a sensor signal indicative of a presence of a foot of the user in the upper of the footwear; and transmitting, via the electronic controller responsive to the received collision warning signal and the detected presence of the foot in the upper, a command signal to the lace motor to generate a predetermined tactile alert configured to warn the user of an impending collision with the vehicle.

14 . A method of operating an intelligent electronic shoe system for preventing a collision between a user and a vehicle, the method comprising:
receiving, via a detection tag attached to footwear

Assignees

• Nike Inc

Inventors

• Andon Christopher

Classifications

• B60Q9/008

  for anti-collision purposes · CPC title

• B60Q5/006

  indicating risk of collision between vehicles or with pedestrians · CPC title

• H04W4/80

  Services using short range communication, e.g. near-field communication [NFC], radio-frequency identification [RFID] or low energy communication · CPC title

• H04W4/021

  Services related to particular areas, e.g. point of interest [POI] services, venue services or geofences · CPC title

• A43C11/165

  characterised by a spool, reel or pulley for winding up cables, laces or straps by rotation · CPC title