Camera-biometric motion sensor and method of synchronization

• US 10,152,830 B2
• Filed: 01/31/2018
• Issued: 12/11/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 02/06/2017
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Jawku, LLC
• Original Assignee: Jawku, LLC
• Inventors: Kolen, Paul T., Wells, John Andrew
• Primary Examiner(s): Pham, Toan N
• Application Number:
  US15/932,079
• Publication Number:
  US 20180225889A1
• Time in Patent Office: 314 Days
• Field of Search: 34030916, 235105, 348 1414
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2560/0223 of calibration, e.g. protocols for calibrating sensors
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2562/0219 Inertial sensors, e.g. accelerometers, gyroscopes, tilt switches
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0022 Monitoring a patient using a global network, e.g. telephone networks, internet
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0024 for multiple sensor units attached to the patient, e.g. using a body or personal area network
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/1128 using image analysis A61B5/1127 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6801 specially adapted to be attached to or worn on the body surface
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/681 Wristwatch-type devices
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6898 Portable consumer electronic devices, e.g. music players, telephones, tablet computers
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/7405 using sound
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/7455 characterised by tactile indication, e.g. vibration or electrical stimulation
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/746 Alarms related to a physiological condition, e.g. details of setting alarm thresholds or avoiding false alarms alarms per se G08B
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 15/00 Special procedures for taking photographs; Apparatus therefor
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 17/38 Releasing-devices separate from shutter integral with shutter G03B9/08
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 1/24 Race time-recorders
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/023 using mutual or relative location information between multiple location based services [LBS] targets or of distance thresholds

Abstract

An athlete (1) measures sprint time by locating a smartphone (3) having a camera and crystal oscillator clock which is first activated at the finish line. The sprint end time is recorded by a photo stamp time app activated by a video trigger causing the smartphone (3) to send a RF stop event signal to the athlete'"'"'s wrist mounted motion sensor (2). Before this a sensor timer or clock is started via the sprinter'"'"'s start event. The sprinter'"'"'s start activates the sensor'"'"'s clock and saves the captured start time including time drift error. Upon the phone app selecting the run time function, a sync command sent to the sensor (2) by the app zeros out the phone and sensor timers. A one-time crystal calibration routine correcting for drift errors caused by the smartphone'"'"'s operating system is activated which provides the sprint with a corrected start time.

Claims

1. A method whereby an athlete accurately self-times a premeasured distance to be run by the athlete wherein the premeasured distance has a starting line and a finish line defining the premeasured distance comprising the steps of:

(a) prepositioning at the finish line a smartphone having a camera with a photo stamp trigger aimed at the finish line and further having a time base acting as a smartphone timer;

(b) loading the smartphone with a photo stamp time app to record a run'"'"'s finish time, T(Stop);

(e) wearing a motion sensor having a free running clock and time base acting as a motion sensor timer;

(d) loading the smartphone with an app to detect RF proximity of the motion sensor;

(e) executing a one-time crystal calibration routine to characterize a relative time base drift error, T(Error), between the smartphone time base and the motion sensor time base;

(f) selecting a run time function from a preloaded app on the smartphone to send a sync command to the motion sensor and the smartphone to zero out the timer of the smartphone and the timer of the motion sensor;

(g) beginning at the starting line a start time, T′

(Start), for the motion sensor timer;

(h) turning off the motion sensor timer upon capturing Start Time, T′

(Start) wherein T′

(Start)=T(Start)+T(Error);

(i) passing the finish line to trigger the camera to capture the finish time, T(Stop);

(j) sending a RF signal stop timer, T(Stop), from the smartphone to the motion sensor timer to capture Start Time, T′

(Start);

(k) using the results of the crystal calibration routine to remove relative time base drift error, T(Error) based on operating system of smartphone from T′

(Start) to give T(Start);

(l) using the smartphone app to calculate the Time of the Run, T(Run) as T(Run) s T(Stop)−

T′

(Start)−

T(Error)=T(Stop)−

{T(Start)+T(Error)}−

T(Error)=T(Stop)−

T(Start).

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the start time, T′

(Start), for the motion sensor timer, is begun by the step of the athlete selecting from one of a track start or a self start.

3. The combination of a smartphone having a time base acting as a smartphone timer and a motion sensor having a time base acting as a motion sensor timer whereby an athlete when wearing the motion sensor accurately self-times a premeasured distance to be run by the athlete wherein the premeasured distance has a starting line and a finish line defining the premeasured distance,

the smartphone further including:

a camera aimed at the finish line,

a preloaded photo stamp time app triggered by the camera to record a run'"'"'s finish time, T(Stop),

a detector to detect a RF proximity of the motion sensor, a one-time crystal calibration routine to characterize a relative time base drift error, T(Error), between the smartphone timer base and the motion sensor time base,

a preloaded app on the smartphone used to select a run time function to send a sync command to the motion sensor and the smartphone to zero out the timer of the smartphone and the timer of the motion sensor;

the motion sensor further including an app for the time base of the motion sensor to capture a start time for the motion sensor timer, T′

(Start), wherein T′

(Start)=T(Start)+T(Error), when activated at the starting line by a track start or a self start;

the smartphone having the app to send a RF signal stop timer, T(Stop), to the motion sensor timer causing the motion sensor timer to send the start time, T′

(Start), to the smartphone;

the smartphone having the app which uses the results of the crystal calibration routine to remove relative time base drift error, T(Error), based on operating system of the smartphone from T′

(Start) to give T(Start);

the smartphone having the app to calculate the Time of the Run, T(Run) as T(Riro)=T(Stop)−

T′

(Start)−

T(Error)=T(Stop)−

{T(Start)+T(Error)}−

T(Error)=T(Stop)−

T(Start).

4. The combination of a smartphone having a time base and a motion sensor having a time base wherein the smartphone includes a camera with a preloaded photo stamp time app used to trigger the camera to detect a finish time T(Stop) of a run over a predetermined distance by an athlete wearing the motion sensor, the motion sensor having a one-time crystal calibration routine based on an operating system of the smartphone to characterize a relative time drift between the time base of the smartphone and the time base of the motion sensor T(Error), the smartphone having the app for selecting a run time function and send a RF sync command signal to both the smartphone time base and the motion sensor time base to zero out their respective time bases, the motion sensor time base including a timer activated upon the start of the run to capture a starting time of the run T′

(Start).

5. The combination of claim 4 wherein the smartphone includes the app to calculate a true run time start T(Start) by removing the T(Error) from the captured time T′

(Start).

6. The combination of claim 5 wherein the smartphone has the app used to calculate the time of the run T(Run) by subtracting T(Start) from T(Stop).

7. The combination of claim 4 wherein the one-time crystal calibration routine results in a residual error of less than +/−

8 ms in a synchronization of the time base of the smartphone and the time base of the motion sensor.

8. The combination of claim 4 wherein the RF sync command signal received by the motion sensor is factory calibrated to remove a timing error caused by a time delay in transmitting the RF sync command signal to the motion sensor by the smartphone.

9. The combination of claim 4 wherein the time base of the motion sensor timer of the motion sensor captures T′

(Start) when the athlete begins either a track start or a self start at the start of the run.

10. The combination of a smartphone having a time base and a motion sensor having a time base wherein the smartphone includes a camera with a preloaded photo stamp time app used to trigger the camera to detect a finish time T(Stop) of a race over a predetermined distance by an athlete wearing the motion sensor, the motion sensor having a one-time crystal calibration routine based on an operating system of the smartphone to characterize a relative time drift between the time base of the smartphone and the time base of the motion sensor T(Error), the smartphone having the app for selecting a race time function and send a RF sync command signal to both the smartphone time base and the motion sensor time base to zero out their respective time bases, the motion sensor time base including a timer activated upon the start of the race to capture a starting time of the race T5(Start).

11. The combination of claim 10 wherein the race is running in a sports activity from at least one of a group comprising:

a track run, a marathon run, a hurdles run, a walk run, a steeplechase run, a marathon run, a soccer or football run, a baseball run, a basketball run, a tennis run, a volleyball run, a field hockey run, a lacrosse run, triathlon run, a pentathlon run, a rugby run, a pole vault run and a broad jump run.

12. The combination claim 10 wherein the race is a skating sports activity from at least one of a group comprising:

speed ice skating, ice hockey, roller skating and skateboarding.

13. The combination of claim 10 wherein the race is a water sports activity from at least one of a group comprising:

swimming one or more speed laps, relay swimming, triathlon swimming, water polo swimming, rowing, white water canoeing, canoe slalom, canoe sprinting, water board sailing and boat sailing.

14. The combination of claim 10 wherein the race is a snow skiing sports activity from at least one of a group comprising:

snowboarding, cross-country biathlon skiing, cross country skiing, Nordic combined cross-country skiing, and Alpine skiing including the Downhill, Super G, Giant Slalom, Slalom and Combined.

15. The combination of claim 10 wherein the race is a sledding sports activity from at least one of a group comprising:

the Olympic Bobsled and Skeleton as it pertains to the timing of the ‘

running start”

portion of the sledding sports activity.

16. The combination of claim 10 wherein the race is a bicycling sports activity from at least one of a group comprising:

triathlon cycling, BMX cycling, mountain bike cycling, road cycling, and track cycling.

17. The combination of claim 10 wherein the race is an obstacle course race from at least one of a group comprising:

mountain climbing, barrier climbing, trail hiking, water fording, and combinations thereof.

18. The combination of claim 10 wherein the race is a military fitness exercise activity from at least one of a group of U.S. Army combat readiness tests (ACRT) comprising 1½

mile running in IOTV (Improved Outer Tactical Vest) and boots with obstacles to traverse, a 2 mile run, a shuffled run of 40 meters on a T course, a sprint hand carrying two 40 pound kettle weights, and a combined 250 meter shuffle, sprint, and drag of a 90 pound sled for 50 meters.

19. The combination of claim 10 further comprising at least one automatic motion sensor camera set up at an intermediate position along the predetermined distance of the race paired with the smartphone to record and transmit to the smartphone at least one athlete'"'"'s race time at the predetermined position along the race.

20. The combination of claim 10 wherein the one-time crystal calibration routine results in a residual error of less than +/−

8 ms in the synchronization of the time base of the smartphone and the time base of the motion sensor.

21. The combination of claim 10 wherein the timer of the motion sensor'"'"'s time base is activated by the athlete selecting one of a track start or self start.