US 11244751

Here's a concise summary of US patent 11244751:

Title: Method and device for providing a person with training data of an athlete as the athlete is performing a swimming workout

Assignee: Finish Time Holdings LLC

Inventors: Todd Martin

Filing Date: September 7, 2021

Issue Date: February 8, 2022

Abstract: An athlete tracking system and method for tracking an athlete during training sessions. The system includes a mobile tracking device wearable around a portion of the athlete's head, and a training log server for maintaining an athlete profile that includes a training record updatable by the athlete and a training plan supplied by a coach.

Plain-Language Overview of Independent Claims:

• Independent Claim 1 (Method Claim): This claim describes a method for providing training data of a swimming athlete to a person (like a coach or another user) while the athlete is actively performing a swimming workout. The method involves several steps:

  1. A mobile tracking device, worn on the athlete's head (e.g., goggles or a swim cap), collects training data (like distance, time, pace, stroke count) during the swim.
  2. This tracking device transmits the live training data wirelessly to a mobile communications device (e.g., a smartphone or tablet) in real-time.
  3. The mobile communications device then immediately transfers this live data to a web-based platform.
  4. The web-based platform has an athlete profile for the swimmer, which includes a training record and a training plan. The platform updates the training record with the live data and compares it to the planned workout.
  5. The platform then generates and sends notifications and reports (such as a summary or a comparison to the plan) to the designated person's device, providing them with real-time feedback on the athlete's performance.

• Independent Claim 12 (System Claim): This claim describes a system designed to provide training data of a swimming athlete to a person in real-time during a swimming workout. The system includes:

  1. A mobile tracking device that can be worn on an athlete's head (e.g., goggles or a swim cap) while swimming. This device is equipped with sensors to collect swimming performance data and a wireless transceiver to send this data.
  2. A mobile communications device (like a smartphone or tablet) with a wireless transceiver to receive the live data from the tracking device, and a processor configured to format and transfer this data to a web-based platform.
  3. A web-based platform with a processor and a training log server. This platform receives the data, updates the athlete's training record, compares it to their training plan, and generates real-time notifications and reports to be sent to the designated person's device.

• Independent Claim 21 (Device Claim - Mobile Tracking Device): This claim focuses on the mobile tracking device itself. It describes a device specifically for collecting and transmitting a swimmer's training data as the athlete is performing a swimming workout. The device is characterized by:

  1. Being sized and configured to be worn on a portion of the athlete's head (e.g., attached to swimming goggles or a swim cap).
  2. Including at least one sensor to measure parameters of the swimming session (like distance, time, pace, stroke count).
  3. Having a processor to collect and process this training data.
  4. Including a memory to store the collected data.
  5. Featuring a wireless communications means for transmitting the training data in real-time to a separate training log or platform.

CAFC 2026 Dockets:
A search of CAFC dockets for 2026 did not reveal any specific litigation pertaining to US Patent 11244751.

A search for litigation involving US patent 11244751 did not yield any specific results in the provided search outputs that directly describe patent litigation cases with plaintiff(s), defendant(s), jurisdiction, case number, filing date, and outcome or current status. The search results contained various irrelevant entries, such as a medical abstract with a similar publication number, a company number, and real estate listings. One result mentioned general patent filings and IPRs but did not specifically name US11244751.

Proceedings overview

There are no PTAB proceedings on file for US Patent 11244751.

Strategic summary

The absence of PTAB activity indicates that US Patent 11244751 has not been challenged through inter partes review (IPR), post-grant review (PGR), or covered business method (CBM) proceedings. This means all claims of the patent (claims 1-21) remain untested by the PTAB. Consequently, there is no estoppel landscape established under § 315(e)(2), leaving all prior-art grounds available for future challenges.

The lack of PTAB activity could signify several things: the patent may be relatively new, not yet widely asserted, or the claims are considered robust against common prior art challenges. Without any PTAB rulings, a defendant facing assertion of this patent would not have the benefit of invalidated claims or the insights from previous challenges.

Recommended next steps

If you are a defendant facing an assertion of US Patent 11244751, the absence of PTAB activity means there are no prior art findings or claim invalidations to leverage. Therefore, a potential next step could be to conduct a comprehensive prior art search and consider filing your own AIA trial petition (e.g., an IPR) to challenge the patentability of the claims.

Inventors

• Todd Martin (Finish Time Holdings LLC)

Original assignee

The original assignee, Finish Time Holdings LLC, appears to be an operating company. While specific product details aren't exhaustively detailed in the patent, the nature of the invention (athlete tracking, training logs, coaching dashboards) suggests a service or software product. The company is currently active according to the legal status information on Google Patents.

Assignment timeline

There are no assignment records for US11244751B2 found on the USPTO Patent Assignment Search database beyond the initial assignment to Finish Time Holdings LLC.

Timeline diagram

timeline
    title Ownership of US 11244751
    2021 : Filed by Finish Time Holdings LLC
    2022 : Issued to Finish Time Holdings LLC

NPE / troll-pattern signals

1. Shell-entity transfer — not present
2. Known asserter in the chain — not present
3. Repeat correspondent across the chain — not present
4. Cascading transfers — not present
5. Pre-litigation transfer — not present
6. Bankruptcy fire-sale — not present
7. Privateering — not present
8. Defensive aggregator (anti-NPE) — not present

Verdict

Insufficient data. There are no recorded assignments for US 11244751 B2 beyond the original assignment to Finish Time Holdings LLC. Therefore, there is insufficient data to determine if this patent is involved in NPE / patent-troll patterns.

Verification: https://assignmentcenter.uspto.gov/

To identify the most relevant prior art for US patent 11244751, I will examine the patent citations listed within the patent document itself. The USPTO provides tools for searching patents and their citations.

Based on the full patent text provided, here are the cited prior art references:

U.S. Patent Application Ser. No. 13/484,213

• Full Citation: U.S. application Ser. No. 13/484,213, filed May 30, 2012, entitled "System and Method for Providing an Athlete with a Performance Profile".
• Publication/Filing Date: May 30, 2012.
• Brief Description: This application describes a system and method for providing an athlete with a performance profile, including details about a rankings generator and a media portal. US11244751B2 explicitly incorporates the entire disclosure of this application by reference.
• Potential Anticipation (35 U.S.C. § 102):
  • Independent Claim 1 (Method Claim): This prior art potentially anticipates aspects of the web-based platform's functionality related to generating rankings and providing media access, which are components of the broader system described in Claim 1. However, it does not appear to anticipate the core elements of live data transmission from a head-mounted device during a swimming workout.
  • Independent Claim 12 (System Claim): Similar to Claim 1, this prior art may anticipate the general concept of a web-based platform with a rankings generator and media portal as described in Claim 12. It does not, however, appear to anticipate the specific interaction with a head-mounted swimming device for real-time data.
  • Independent Claim 21 (Device Claim - Mobile Tracking Device): This prior art does not appear to anticipate any elements of Claim 21, which specifically describes a mobile tracking device for swimming worn on the head.

U.S. Provisional Application No. 61/705,232

• Full Citation: U.S. Provisional Application No. 61/705,232, filed Sep. 25, 2012, entitled "Interface and Method for Updating an Athlete Training Log".
• Publication/Filing Date: September 25, 2012.
• Brief Description: This provisional application describes a system for providing a live feed to a training log, specifically mentioning that "a tracking device... provides live updates to platform 102" and that a "Coaching dashboard 134 may be configured to provide the coach with live training information as the athlete is performing the workout." US11244751B2 explicitly incorporates the entire disclosure of this application by reference.
• Potential Anticipation (35 U.S.C. § 102):
  • Independent Claim 1 (Method Claim): This reference strongly anticipates the concept of providing live training data to a platform and a coach while an athlete is performing a workout, which is a central aspect of Claim 1. The key differentiator for US11244751B2 in this claim would be the specificity of the "mobile tracking device wearable around a portion of the athlete's head" for swimming and the real-time transmission from that specific device.
  • Independent Claim 12 (System Claim): This reference anticipates the general system architecture for live data feed from a tracking device to a platform and coach's dashboard. Again, the novelty in Claim 12 for US11244751B2 would likely lie in the precise nature of the "mobile tracking device sized and configured to be worn on a portion of the athlete's head while swimming."
  • Independent Claim 21 (Device Claim - Mobile Tracking Device): While this reference discusses a "tracking device" providing "live updates," it does not explicitly describe a device specifically "sized and configured to be worn on a portion of the athlete's head while swimming" or collecting specific swimming parameters like stroke count. Therefore, it likely does not fully anticipate Claim 21, but establishes a broad concept of live tracking.

General Observations on Anticipation (35 U.S.C. § 102):
For a patent to be anticipated under 35 U.S.C. § 102, every element of the claimed invention must be found, either explicitly or inherently, in a single prior art reference.

In the context of US11244751B2, the focus on a head-mounted tracking device for swimming and the real-time transmission of swimming-specific data appear to be key distinguishing features from the cited prior art. While the cited applications introduce concepts of athlete performance profiles, rankings, media portals, and live training data feeds, they do not explicitly detail the specific technical embodiment of a head-mounted device for real-time swimming data as claimed in US11244751B2.

Obviousness Analysis under 35 U.S.C. § 103

To determine if US patent 11244751 is obvious under 35 U.S.C. § 103, we must consider whether the claimed invention as a whole would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art (POSA) at the time of the invention, in view of the prior art. This analysis typically involves the following steps, as laid out in Graham v. John Deere Co.:

1. Determine the scope and content of the prior art. Prior art encompasses any patent, printed publication, public use, sale, or other disclosure made available to the public before the effective filing date of the claimed invention.
2. Ascertain the differences between the claimed invention and the prior art.
3. Determine the level of ordinary skill in the pertinent art.
4. Consider secondary considerations of non-obviousness.

Given the information provided, we will focus on steps 1-3. Without specific prior art references cited during the prosecution of US11244751, this analysis will be based on the general understanding of the technology landscape as implied by the patent's own description and the common knowledge in the field at the priority date (October 19, 2012). The patent itself mentions several related applications that are incorporated by reference, which may contain relevant prior art discussions.

1. Scope and Content of the Prior Art

The patent describes an athlete tracking system for swimming workouts, involving a head-mounted device transmitting real-time data to a mobile device and then to a web-based platform for analysis by an athlete and coach. At the priority date of October 19, 2012, the following technologies were well-known in the art:

• Wearable Fitness Trackers: Devices for tracking various athletic parameters (e.g., heart rate, distance, pace) were available. These often included sensors, processors, and memory.
• GPS Devices: Global Positioning System (GPS) hardware for tracking position and distance was common in athletic contexts, including for running and cycling. The patent explicitly mentions GPS-enabled tracking devices.
• Wireless Communication: Technologies like Bluetooth and Wi-Fi were prevalent for peer-to-peer communication between devices and for connecting devices to the internet. The patent itself mentions the use of Wi-Fi Direct and Bluetooth.
• Mobile Computing Devices: Smartphones and tablets with processors, displays, and wireless communication capabilities were widespread.
• Web-based Platforms and Online Training Logs: Systems for athletes to log their training data, view performance summaries, and interact with coaches were in existence. The patent describes a "web-based platform tailored to providing access to information regarding athletic or sporting events and personal training information," including an activity calendar, training log, media portal, and rankings generator.
• Coaching Platforms: Platforms enabling coaches to create and upload training plans, and view athlete progress remotely, were known. The patent explicitly discusses a "training gateway or nexus between an athlete and a coach" and a "coaching dashboard."
• Real-time Data Transmission: The concept of transmitting live data from a tracking device to a remote platform for monitoring was known in various athletic contexts (e.g., GPS tracking during races). The patent cites U.S. Provisional Application No. 61/705,232, filed Sep. 25, 2012, entitled “Interface and Method for Updating an Athlete Training Log,” which describes a system for providing a live feed to a training log.

2. Differences Between the Claimed Invention and the Prior Art

The key distinguishing features of US11244751, particularly in its independent claims, revolve around the specific application of these known technologies to swimming workouts, with a focus on a head-mounted mobile tracking device transmitting data in real-time for immediate coach and athlete feedback.

• Claim 1 (Method):

  • Head-mounted mobile tracking device for swimming: While general fitness trackers and GPS devices existed, a device specifically "sized and configured to be worn on a portion of the athlete's head while the athlete is performing a swimming workout" and capable of collecting swimming-specific data (e.g., stroke count) might represent a refinement over general wearable trackers.
  • Real-time transmission during swimming: The emphasis on "transmitting the live training data wirelessly... as the athlete is performing the swimming workout" and "immediately transfers the live training data" points to a focus on synchronous feedback, which might be a differentiator from systems that only sync data post-workout.
  • Comparison to training plan and real-time feedback to a person: Integrating the live swimming data with a pre-set training plan and providing real-time notifications/reports to a coach or other person is a specific application.

• Claim 12 (System):

  • Similar to Claim 1, the combination of a head-mounted swimming tracking device with real-time wireless transmission to a mobile device and a web-based platform that processes and provides real-time feedback to a designated person.

• Claim 21 (Device):

  • Head-mounted for swimming: The device's form factor and intended use for swimming, including sensors to measure swimming parameters.
  • Real-time transmission: The wireless communications means for transmitting data "in real-time."

3. Level of Ordinary Skill in the Art

A person having ordinary skill in the art (POSA) in the context of US11244751 would likely be an engineer or developer with experience in:

• Wearable electronics and sensor technology.
• Wireless communication protocols (Bluetooth, Wi-Fi).
• Mobile application development.
• Web-based platform development, including database management and user interfaces.
• Sports science and athletic training methodologies, particularly for swimming.
• Integration of hardware and software for fitness tracking and coaching applications.

Such a person would be familiar with the existing landscape of fitness tracking devices, online coaching platforms, and real-time data acquisition and display in other sports.

Obviousness Argument

Without specific prior art references that directly combine all elements of the claims, we can construct an obviousness argument based on the combination of known technologies and the motivation for a POSA to combine them.

Hypothetical Combination 1: General Wearable Fitness Tracker + Online Coaching Platform + GPS + Wireless Communication

A POSA, familiar with existing wearable fitness trackers (which might include GPS for distance and time, and heart rate sensors), and also aware of online platforms for coaching athletes (where training plans are uploaded and workout data is logged), would have been motivated to combine these technologies to create a more integrated and efficient coaching system.

• Motivation to combine: The desire to provide coaches and athletes with more immediate and comprehensive insights into training performance. Manually logging data is cumbersome, and delayed feedback reduces the effectiveness of coaching.
• Obviousness of elements:
  • Wearable fitness trackers were known.
  • Online training logs and coaching platforms were known.
  • Wireless data transfer from devices to computers/platforms was known.
  • GPS technology for tracking distance and speed was known.
• Specific application to swimming and head-mounting:
  • If the general fitness trackers lacked water resistance or were not suitable for head mounting, a POSA would recognize the benefit of adapting existing waterproof tracking technology (e.g., from underwater cameras or dive computers) to a head-mounted form factor for swimming, given that head movement is generally less erratic than arm or leg movement for certain swimming metrics.
  • The motivation would be to improve accuracy of swimming metrics (e.g., stroke count, lap detection) and keep the device out of the way of natural swimming motion. Attaching a device to goggles or a swim cap is a straightforward design choice for a swimmer.

Motivation to add real-time data transmission:

• Benefit: Live feedback during a workout allows a coach to make immediate adjustments to the athlete's technique or pace, and provides the athlete with instant performance metrics, which is significantly more effective than post-workout analysis.
• Technical feasibility: Given the existence of wireless communication (Bluetooth, Wi-Fi) and the ability to transmit data from devices (e.g., bike computers to smartphones as described in the patent's background), extending this to a swimming context, even with the challenges of water, would be a matter of engineering design and waterproofing known components, rather than inventive ingenuity. The patent itself mentions the concept of "live" data being communicated.

Motivation to integrate with a training plan and provide alerts:

• Benefit: Automating the comparison of actual performance against a planned workout and sending alerts would greatly enhance the efficiency and effectiveness of coaching. This provides actionable insights to the coach without manual data entry and analysis. This would be a logical extension of existing online training logs that store training plans and workout data.

Conclusion on Obviousness (Hypothetical):

Based on this analysis, a person having ordinary skill in the art in 2012, motivated to improve athletic coaching and tracking, would likely have considered it obvious to:

1. Take existing wearable fitness tracking technology (including GPS and wireless communication).
2. Adapt it for use in swimming by making it waterproof and placing it in a suitable location on the swimmer's head (e.g., goggles or swim cap) for optimal data collection.
3. Implement real-time wireless data transmission from the swimming device to a mobile device and then to a web-based platform.
4. Integrate this real-time data with an online training log and coaching dashboard to compare live performance against a training plan and generate immediate feedback/notifications for the coach.

The specific combination of "head-mounted" and "swimming" with "real-time data transmission for coaching feedback" as claimed in US11244751 would likely be considered an obvious combination of known elements for a predictable result, addressing known problems (inefficiency of manual data logging, delayed feedback) with known solutions adapted to a specific environment.

Disclaimer: This obviousness analysis is hypothetical and based on the general understanding of the prior art at the specified priority date. A full obviousness rejection by the USPTO or a court would require specific prior art references (patents, publications) that explicitly or implicitly disclose the elements of the claims and a clear articulation of the motivation to combine them, along with consideration of any secondary indicia of non-obviousness presented during prosecution. The patent's prosecution history would be crucial for understanding specific prior art considered by the examiner and any arguments made by the applicant to overcome rejections.