IP Library Granted Patent US 10,289,098
Granted Patent B2
US 10,289,098 · App. 15/160,442 · Granted May 14, 2019

Dynamic footwear cushioning system

Inventors: Steven J. Livaccari (Wake Forest, NC); William M. Megarity (Raleigh, NC); Eric A. Stegner (Cary, NC); Robert W. Stegner (Raleigh, NC)
Assignee: Lenovo Enterprise Solutions (Singapore) Pte. Ltd.
G05B19/4155A43B3/0005A43B13/186G05B19/404G05B2219/45243
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 10,289,098
App. No.
15/160,442
Granted
May 14, 2019
Kind
B2
Abstract

Disclosed are embodiments for a dynamic footwear cushioning system. One example embodiment includes: setting a cushioning level for cushioning material in accordance with a first setting; and altering, in dependence upon an environmental condition change, the cushioning level for the cushioning material in accordance with a second setting.

Claims (40)

1. A method comprising:

by computer program instructions executing on an embedded control device of a shoe:

setting a cushioning level for cushioning material in accordance with a first setting;

altering, in dependence upon an environmental condition change, the cushioning level for the cushioning material in accordance with a second setting;

determining, in dependence upon a first location corresponding with the first setting, a distance between the first location and a current location;

determining a third setting in accordance with the distance; and

responsive to determining the third setting, setting the cushioning level for the cushioning material in accordance with the third setting.

2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

determining, by the embedded control device and in dependence upon one or more environmental conditions, the first setting for the cushioning material for the shoe; and

determining, by the embedded control device and in dependence upon the environmental condition change, the second setting for the cushioning material;

wherein terrain data indicating a hard surface corresponds to a soft cushioning level for the cushioning material, and wherein terrain data indicating a soft surface corresponds to a firm cushioning level for the cushioning material.

3. The method of claim 2 ,

wherein setting the cushioning level comprises receiving, from a mobile device paired with the embedded control device, the first setting determined in dependence upon one or more environmental conditions; and

wherein altering the cushioning level comprises receiving, from the mobile device paired with the embedded control device, the second setting determined in dependence upon the environmental condition change.

4. An apparatus comprising a computer processor, a non-transitory computer memory operatively coupled to the computer processor, the non-transitory computer memory having disposed within it computer program instructions that, when executed by the computer processor, cause the apparatus to carry out the steps of:

setting a cushioning level for cushioning material in accordance with a first setting;

altering, in dependence upon an environmental condition change, the cushioning level for the cushioning material in accordance with a second setting;

determining, in dependence upon a first location corresponding with the first setting, a distance between the first location and a current location;

determining a third setting in accordance with the distance; and

responsive to determining the third setting, setting the cushioning level for the cushioning material in accordance with the third setting.

5. The apparatus of claim 4 , wherein the steps further comprise:

determining, by the embedded control device and in dependence upon one or more environmental conditions, the first setting for the cushioning material for the shoe; and

determining, by the embedded control device and in dependence upon the environmental condition change, the second setting for the cushioning material;

wherein terrain data indicating a hard surface corresponds to a soft cushioning level for the cushioning material, and wherein terrain data indicating a soft surface corresponds to a firm cushioning level for the cushioning material.

6. The apparatus of claim 5 ,

wherein setting the cushioning level comprises receiving, from a mobile device paired with the embedded control device, the first setting determined in dependence upon one or more environmental conditions; and

wherein altering the cushioning level comprises receiving, from the mobile device paired with the embedded control device, the second setting determined in dependence upon the environmental condition change.

7. A shoe comprising a computer program product disposed upon a non-transitory, computer-readable medium, the computer program product comprising computer program instructions that, when executed, cause a computer to carry out the steps of:

setting a cushioning level for cushioning material in accordance with a first setting;

altering, in dependence upon an environmental condition change, the cushioning level for the cushioning material in accordance with a second setting;

determining, in dependence upon a first location corresponding with the first setting, a distance between the first location and a current location;

determining a third setting in accordance with the distance; and

responsive to determining the third setting, setting the cushioning level for the cushioning material in accordance with the third setting.

8. The shoe comprising the computer program product of claim 7 , wherein the steps further comprise:

determining, by the embedded control device and in dependence upon one or more environmental conditions, the first setting for the cushioning material for the shoe; and

determining, by the embedded control device and in dependence upon the environmental condition change, the second setting for the cushioning material;

wherein terrain data indicating a hard surface corresponds to a soft cushioning level for the cushioning material, and wherein terrain data indicating a soft surface corresponds to a firm cushioning level for the cushioning material.

9. The shoe comprising the computer program product of claim 8 ,

wherein setting the cushioning level comprises receiving, from a mobile device paired with the embedded control device, the first setting determined in dependence upon one or more environmental conditions; and

wherein altering the cushioning level comprises receiving, from the mobile device paired with the embedded control device, the second setting determined in dependence upon the environmental condition change.

Assignments (3)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jan 10, 2025
From: LENOVO GLOBAL TECHNOLOGIES INTERNATIONAL LIMITED
To: LENOVO GLOBAL TECHNOLOGIES SWITZERLAND INTERNATIONAL GMBH
Reel/Frame 069869/0614 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Nov 15, 2019
From: LENOVO (SINGAPORE) PTE LTD
To: LENOVO GLOBAL TECHNOLOGIES INTERNATIONAL LTD
Reel/Frame 051024/0514 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded May 20, 2016
From: LIVACCARI, STEVEN J.; MEGARITY, WILLIAM M.; STEGNER, ERIC A.; STEGNER, ROBERT W.
To: LENOVO ENTERPRISE SOLUTIONS (SINGAPORE) PTE. LTD.
Reel/Frame 038659/0267 →
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20170336781A1 · Nov 23, 2017