Method and device for guiding a runner or walker along a predetermined running or walking path

Abstract

A method and device for guiding a runner along a predetermined running path including the steps: a) Determining the actual position of the runner by a GPS module; b) Assigning the actual position of the runner to a position along the predetermined path; c) Determining if the runner has to continue the predetermined path c1) straight ahead, or c2) by turning to the left or c3) by turning to the right; d) Controlling at least two light emitting elements arranged at or in a garment worn by the runner, wherein at least one left light emitting element is located in a left hand region of the garment and at least one right light emitting element is located in a right hand region of the garment, wherein d1) no activation of the light emitting elements is carried out in above case c1), d2) at least one left light emitting element is activated in above case c2), and d3) at least one right light emitting element is activated in above case c3).

Claims

1. A method for guiding a runner or walker along a predetermined running or walking path, wherein the method comprises the steps: a) determining an actual position of the runner or walker by a GPS module; b) assigning the actual position of the runner or walker to a position along the predetermined running or walking path; c) determining if the runner or walker has to continue the predetermined running or walking path c1) straight ahead or c2) by turning to the left or c3) by turning to the right, d) controlling at least two light emitting elements which are arranged at or in a garment which is worn by the runner or walker, wherein at least one left light emitting element is located in a left hand region of the garment and wherein at least one right light emitting element is located in a right hand region of the garment, wherein the at least two light emitting elements are optical fibers arranged in arm sleeves of the garment, and d1) no activation of the light emitting elements is carried out in above case c1), d2) the at least one left light emitting element is activated in above case c2), and d3) the at least one right light emitting element is activated in above case c3), wherein the activation of the light emitting elements according to steps d2) and d3) is controlled in dependence from the distance to the point where the runner or walker has to turn according to steps c2) and c3) and wherein the activation of the light emitting elements is changed with respect to the color which is emitted by the light emitting elements.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the GPS module is located in a smart phone, wherein the smart phone is arranged in a receiving chamber in the garment or is held by a holding device in or at the garment.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein the communication between the GPS module and a control element which controls the light emitting elements is wireless.

4. The method according to claim 3, wherein the wireless communication is a Blue Tooth connection.

5. The method according to claim 1, wherein the at least one left light emitting element extends along a length of a left sleeve of the arm sleeves of the garment and the at least one right light emitting element extends along a length of a right sleeve of the arm sleeves of the garment.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING

(1) FIG. 1 shows the front view of a sports garment being a running jacket,

(2) FIG. 2 shows the top plan view onto a running course with a running path depicted in dashed lines and

(3) FIG. 3 shows schematically a part of the sports garment according to the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

(4) In FIG. 1 a garment 6 being a runner's jacket is shown which has two (long) arm sleeves 11 and 12. In the inner of the garment 6 a receiving chamber 8 (see FIG. 3) is arranged in which a smart phone 7 is inserted. As a special feature two light emitting elements 4, 5 are arranged in the garment 6. A left light emitting element 4 extends along the left arm sleeve 11 and a right light emitting element 5 extends along the right arm sleeve 12.

(5) In FIG. 3 details of the arrangement are shown schematically. The receiving chamber 8 in the garment 6 is shown in which the smart phone 7 is inserted. The smart phone 7 has a GPS module 3, as usual, i. e. the exact position of the wearer of the smart phone 7 can be detected. The smart phone 7 can communicate via connection means 10 (being a Blue Tooth connection in the present case) with a control element 9 which is mounted in the garment 6.

(6) In the smart phone 7 an app is installed which is able to store the walking path 2, i. e. a running route (see dashed line in FIG. 2); the runner (i. e. wearer of the garment 6) wants to run the stored running path 2.

(7) For assisting in the navigation respectively orientation along the running path 2 the app which is running in the smart phone 7 transfers signals via the Blue Tooth connection 10 to the control element 9. The control element 9 has two light emitting diodes (LEDs) 13 and 14 which can be switched by the control element 9. The LEDs 13 and 14 are connected with the left light emitting element 4 and the right light emitting element 5. Consequently, according to the detected position of the smart phone 7 and thus of the runner and according to the stored running path 2 light signals can be displayed via the left or the right light emitting element 4, 5 (i. e. via the optic fibers which are anchored in the garment 6).

(8) This is depicted in FIG. 2 which shows the top plan view of a forest or the like which is selected by the runner 1 for doing his running along a defined running path 2 (shown with dashed lines).

(9) The running path 2 starts at point I which is also the end point of the running path 2. The running path has to be passed along the arrows. The actual position of the runner 1 is surveyed by means of the GPS module 3 in the smart phone 7 and compared with the stored running path 2.

(10) When the runner 1 approached the point II the comparison of the actual position of the runner 1 with the running path 2 shows that a turn to the left L is necessary to follow the running path 2. Thus, when the runner 1 approaches point II the control element 9 activates the LED 13 by which the left light emitting element 4 is illuminated. So the runner 1 gets a hint to turn to the left.

(11) Accordingly, when the runner 1 approached point III the control element 9 activates the light emitting diode 14 to illuminate the right light emitting element 5. Thus, the runner 1 is alerted to turn to the right R.

(12) As long as the runner 1 has to continue his or her run straight ahead Ssee for example point IVno light emitting element 4, 5 is activated.

(13) In this manner the runner 1 is guided along the whole running path 2. Finally, the runner reaches point V at which a last turn to the left L must be carried out. Thus, the left light emitting element 4 is activated by means of the control element 9 a last time.

(14) So, the stored running path 2 is passed by the runner 1 according to the stored data in the app of the smart phone 7 and is directed in an optical manner along the running path 1.

REFERENCE NUMERALS

(15) 1 Runner/walker 2 Running/walking path 3 GPS module 4 Left light emitting element 5 Right light emitting element 6 Garment 7 Smart phone 8 Receiving chamber 9 Control element 10 Connection means 11 Arm sleeve 12 Arm sleeve 13 Light emitting diode 14 Light emitting diode S Straight ahead L Turning to the left R Turning to the right