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  Control systems and foot-receiving device products containing such systemsUSPTO Application #: 20070006489Title: Control systems and foot-receiving device products containing such systems Abstract: Foot-receiving devices, such as articles of footwear, include: (a) a sensing device that senses a characteristic of an interaction between a user's foot and a foot-receiving device; (b) a control system that receives output from the sensing device and controls a characteristic of the foot-receiving device based on this output; and (c) a monitoring system for detecting and/or storing data indicating speed or distance information associated with use of the foot-receiving device. The monitoring system may receive input from the same sensing device used for providing data to the control system. The control system may alter the impact attenuation characteristics, the traction characteristics, the flexibility characteristics, the fit characteristics, or the like of the article of footwear. Methods of making and using such foot-receiving devices also are described. (end of abstract) Agent: Banner & Witcoff - Washington, DC, US Inventors: Charles Whipple Case, Albert Shum, Allan Schrock USPTO Applicaton #: 20070006489 - Class: 036132000 (USPTO) Related Patent Categories: Boots, Shoes, And Leggings, Boots And Shoes, Occupational Or Athletic Shoe (e.g., Roof Climbing, Gardening, Etc.), Athletic Shoe Or Attachment Therefor, Attachment (e.g., Weight For Shoe, Etc.) The Patent Description & Claims data below is from USPTO Patent Application 20070006489. Brief Patent Description - Full Patent Description - Patent Application Claims
FIELD OF THE INVENTION [0001] This invention relates generally to articles of footwear or other foot-receiving devices that include monitoring and/or control systems for automatically controlling a characteristic of the article of footwear, such as a performance characteristic of the article of footwear, as well as speed and/or distance monitoring systems, e.g., of the pedometer type. BACKGROUND [0002] Conventional articles of footwear have included two primary elements, namely an upper member and a sole structure. The upper member provides a covering for the foot that receives and positions the foot with respect to the sole structure. In addition, the upper member may have a configuration that protects the foot and provides ventilation, thereby cooling the foot and removing perspiration. The sole structure generally is secured to a lower portion of the upper member and generally is positioned between the foot and the contact surface (the terms "contact surface" or "surface," as used herein, include any foot or footwear contact surface, including but not limited to: grass, dirt, snow, ice, tile, flooring, carpeting, synthetic grass, asphalt, cement, concrete, clay, court surfaces, and the like). In addition to attenuating ground reaction forces, the sole structure may provide traction and help control foot motion, such as pronation. Accordingly, the upper member and the sole structure operate cooperatively to provide a comfortable structure that is suited for a variety of ambulatory activities, such as walking and running. [0003] The sole member of athletic footwear, in at least some instances, will exhibit a layered configuration that includes a comfort-enhancing insole, a resilient midsole (e.g., formed, at least in part, from a polymer foam material), and a ground-contacting outsole that provides both abrasion-resistance and traction. The midsole, in at least some instances, will be the primary sole structure element that attenuates ground reaction forces and controls foot motion. Suitable polymer foam materials for at least portions of the midsole include ethylvinylacetate ("EVA") or polyurethane ("PU") that compress resiliently under an applied load to attenuate ground reaction forces. Conventional polymer foam materials are resiliently compressible, in part, due to the inclusion of a plurality of open or closed cells that define an inner volume substantially displaced by gas. The upper member and sole structure in conventional footwear products may be joined to one another in various different ways, such as using cements or adhesives, stitching or sewing, mechanical connectors, fusing techniques, or the like. SUMMARY [0004] The following presents a general summary of aspects of this invention in order to provide a basic understanding of at least some aspects of the invention. This summary is not an extensive overview of the invention. It is not intended to identify key or critical elements of the invention or to delineate the scope of the invention. The following summary merely presents some concepts of the invention in a general form as a prelude to the more detailed description provided below. [0005] Aspects of this invention relate to foot-receiving devices, such as articles of footwear (e.g., athletic footwear, etc.), that include a foot-covering member (such as an upper member) and a foot-supporting member (such as a sole member, optionally including insole, midsole, and/or outsole portions) engaged with the foot-covering member. The foot-receiving device further may include: (a) a sensing device engaged with at least one of the foot-covering member or the foot-supporting member, wherein the sensing device is positioned and/or adapted to sense at least one characteristic of an interaction between a user's foot and the foot-receiving device when the foot-receiving device is in use; (b) a control system that receives output from the sensing device and controls at least one characteristic of the foot-receiving device (such as a characteristic of the foot-supporting member) based (at least in part) on this output; and (c) a monitoring system for detecting and/or storing data indicating speed or distance information associated with use of the foot-receiving device. Optionally, if desired, the monitoring system may receive input from the same sensing device used for providing data to the control system. The control system may alter, for example, the impact attenuation characteristics, the traction characteristics, the flexibility characteristics, the fit characteristics, or the like of the article of footwear. Such foot-receiving systems further may include one or more devices, such as remote or peripheral devices, e.g., for receiving user input (e.g., relating to user settings or desired features for the settable or controllable characteristics, etc.), for providing information to the user (e.g., speed or distance information, etc.), and the like. [0006] Further aspects of this invention relate to methods for making footwear or other foot-receiving device systems that include control systems and/or monitoring systems, e.g., of the types described above. Such methods may include, for example: (a) engaging a sensing device with an article of footwear or foot-receiving device (e.g., during footwear manufacturing, at retail or use locations, etc.), wherein the sensing device is positioned and/or adapted to sense at least one characteristic of contact between the article of footwear or foot-receiving device and a contact surface when the article of footwear is in use; (b) providing a control system programmed and adapted to receive an output from the sensing device and to control a characteristic of the article of footwear or foot-receiving device based on the output from the sensing device; and (c) providing a distance monitoring system at least partially engaged with the article of footwear or foot-receiving device, wherein the distance monitoring system is programmed and adapted to detect and/or store data indicating speed or distance information associated with use of the article of footwear or foot-receiving device. Optionally, if desired, the distance monitoring system may receive input data from the same sensing device that provides input data used by the control system (e.g., if the sensing device is capable of detecting each step down or step up event of the user's foot, etc.). [0007] Still additional aspects of this invention relate to example methods for using footwear or foot-receiving device systems of the types described above. Such methods may include: (a) sensing contact or other interaction between an article of footwear (or other foot-receiving device) and a contact surface during use, wherein the contact or interaction is sensed using a sensing device at least partially engaged with the article of footwear (or other foot-receiving device); (b) controlling a characteristic of the article of footwear (or other foot-receiving device) based, at least in part, on output from the sensing device; and (c) determining user speed or distance information based, at least in part, on output from the sensing device. [0008] Various example methods in accordance with these aspects of the invention further may include receiving user input that is used, at least in part, in setting and/or controlling the characteristic of the article of footwear (or other foot-receiving device), e.g., to match or set user preferences, etc. The same or a different device, optionally on board, attached to, or remote from the article of footwear (or other foot-receiving device), also may be included to provide speed and/or distance information or other information to a user or others. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS [0009] A more complete understanding of the present invention and certain advantages thereof may be acquired by referring to the following description in consideration with the accompanying drawings, in which like reference numbers indicate like features, and wherein: [0010] FIG. 1 illustrates an overview of an example system according to the invention and/or an example environment in which aspects of the invention may be used or practiced; [0011] FIG. 2 illustrates a schematic diagram of an example system that may be used in accordance with examples of the invention; [0012] FIGS. 3A through 3C illustrate an example of an article of footwear including an active impact-attenuation control system as a control system in accordance with examples of the invention; [0013] FIG. 4 illustrates an example graph illustrating how output from a sensing device, such as the sensing device of FIGS. 3A through 3C, may be used to provide pedometer based speed and/or distance information; [0014] FIG. 5 illustrates an example of an article of footwear including a control system with user input and display features in accordance with examples of the invention; [0015] FIG. 6 illustrates an example of a sole member for an article of footwear that includes pronation and/or supination reduction or elimination features as a control system in accordance with examples of the invention; [0016] FIG. 7 illustrates an example of an article of footwear including a traction control system as a control system in accordance with examples of the invention; [0017] FIG. 8 illustrates an example of an article of footwear including a footwear flexibility control system as a control system in accordance with examples of the invention; and [0018] FIG. 9 illustrates an example of an article of footwear including a footwear fit or securing system tightness control system as a control system in accordance with examples of the invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION [0019] In the following description of various examples of the invention, reference is made to the accompanying drawings, which form a part hereof, and in which are shown by way of illustration various example systems and environments in which aspects of the invention may be practiced. It is to be understood that other specific arrangements of parts, example systems, and environments may be utilized and structural and functional modifications may be made without departing from the scope of the present invention. Also, while the terms "top," "bottom," "side," "front," "back," "above," "below," "under," "over," and the like may be used in this specification to describe various example features and elements of the invention, these terms are used herein as a matter of convenience, e.g., based on the example orientations shown in the figures and/or a typical orientation during use. Nothing in this specification should be construed as requiring a specific three dimensional orientation of structures in order to fall within the scope of this invention. Continue reading... Full patent description for Control systems and foot-receiving device products containing such systems Brief Patent Description - Full Patent Description - Patent Application Claims Click on the above for other options relating to this Control systems and foot-receiving device products containing such systems patent application. ###  How KEYWORD MONITOR works... a FREE service from FreshPatents1. Sign up (takes 30 seconds). 2. Fill in the keywords to be monitored. 3. Each week you receive an email with patent applications related to your keywords. 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