Method of coupling a motion sensor to a piece of equipment

• US 10,254,139 B2
• Filed: 05/03/2017
• Issued: 04/09/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 08/26/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Newlight Capital, LLC
• Original Assignee: Blast Motion Incorporated
• Inventors: Martin, Joshua, Bose, Bhaskar, Bentley, Michael, Kaps, Ryan
• Primary Examiner(s): Galka, Lawrence S
• Application Number:
  US15/585,609
• Publication Number:
  US 20170234706A1
• Time in Patent Office: 706 Days
• CPC Class Codes: A42B 3/0433 Detecting, signalling or lighting devices
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2560/0223 of calibration, e.g. protocols for calibrating sensors
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2560/0443 Modular apparatus
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2560/0456 Apparatus provided with a docking unit
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2562/0219 Inertial sensors, e.g. accelerometers, gyroscopes, tilt switches
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/1122 of movement trajectories
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6895 Sport equipment
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2069/0008 for batting
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2071/0063 Shock absorbers
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2071/0694 Visual indication, e.g. Indicia
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 21/0724 Bar-bells; Hand bars
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 21/0726 Dumb bells, i.e. with a central bar to be held by a single hand, and with weights at the ends
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 21/4035 for operation by hand
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2209/02 with reinforcing fibres, e.g. carbon, polyamide fibres
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/12 Absolute positions, e.g. by using GPS
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/16 Angular positions
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/17 Counting, e.g. counting periodical movements, revolutions or cycles, or including further data processing to determine distances or speed
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/30 Speed
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/34 Angular speed
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/40 Acceleration
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/44 : Angular acceleration
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/806 : Video cameras
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/833 : Sensors arranged on the exercise apparatus or sports implement
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2225/15 : with identification means that can be read by electronic means
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2225/20 : with means for remote communication, e.g. internet or the like
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2225/50 : Wireless data transmission, e.g. by radio transmitters or telemetry
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2225/54 : Transponders, e.g. RFID
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2225/60 : Apparatus used in water
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 49/00 : Stringed rackets, e.g. for tennis strings therefor A63B51/00
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/00 : Golf clubs
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/14 : Handles
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 59/50 : Substantially rod-shaped bats for hitting a ball in the air, e.g. for baseball
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 60/16 : Caps; Ferrules
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 60/42 : Devices for measuring, verifying, correcting or customising the inherent characteristics of golf clubs, bats, rackets or the like, e.g. measuring the maximum torque a batting shaft can withstand
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 69/0002 : for baseball
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 69/0093 : for surfing, i.e. without a sail; for skate or snow boarding
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 69/3632 : Clubs or attachments on clubs, e.g. for measuring, aligning A63B69/3614 takes precedence; clubs for swinging exercises in general A63B15/00
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 69/38 : for tennis A63B61/006, A63B69/0073 and A63B69/0097 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A63C 11/00 : Accessories for skiing or snowboarding fittings on vehicles for carrying skis B60R9/12
• CPC Class Codes: A63C 11/228 : Accessories
• CPC Class Codes: A63C 17/00 : Roller skates; Skate-boards
• CPC Class Codes: A63C 2203/18 : Measuring a physical parameter, e.g. speed, distance
• CPC Class Codes: A63C 2203/22 : Radio waves emitting or receiving, e.g. remote control, RFID
• CPC Class Codes: A63C 2203/24 : Processing or storing data, e.g. with electronic chip
• CPC Class Codes: A63C 5/03 : Mono skis; Snowboards
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 19/00 : Gyroscopes; Turn-sensitive devices using vibrating masses; Turn-sensitive devices without moving masses; Measuring angular rate using gyroscopic effects
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/166 : Mechanical, construction or arrangement details of inertial navigation systems
• CPC Class Codes: G01D 11/245 : Housings for sensors
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/19 : Sporting applications
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/35 : Constructional details or hardware or software details of the signal processing chain
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/36 : relating to the receiver frond end
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/011 : Arrangements for interaction with the human body, e.g. for user immersion in virtual reality blind teaching G09B21/00
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0346 : with detection of the device orientation or free movement in a 3D space, e.g. 3D mice, 6-DOF [six degrees of freedom] pointers using gyroscopes, accelerometers or tilt-sensors

Abstract

Method for coupling a sensor to a piece of equipment, such as a golf club, baseball bat, or tennis racket, that ensures that the sensor is in a known position and orientation relative to the equipment. Compensates and calibrates for degrees of freedom introduced in manufacturing and installation. The method may include manufacturing a sensor receiver that aligns with equipment in a fixed orientation, and that holds a sensor housing in a fixed orientation relative to the receiver. Remaining uncertainties in sensor position and orientation may be addressed using post-installation calibration. Calibration may include performing specific calibration movements with the equipment and analyzing the sensor data collected during these calibration movements.

Claims

1. A method of coupling a motion sensor to a piece of equipment comprising:

manufacturing a sensor receiver configured to couple to a piece of equipment, wherein said piece of equipment comprises a golf club, wherein said sensor receiver is configured to couple to said golf club at an end of said golf club opposite a clubhead of said golf club, and wherein said sensor receiver comprises

an outer surface comprising an outer receiver orientation alignment feature;

an inner surface surrounding an inner cavity that is configured to receive a sensor housing containing a motion sensor;

one or more protrusions or indentations in said inner surface that mate with one or more corresponding features on said sensor housing when said sensor housing is installed in a correct orientation into said inner cavity; and

,

a protrusion from a bottom side of said sensor receiver configured to mate with a corresponding hole in a top of a golf club grip,

wherein said outer receiver orientation alignment feature comprises a flat portion of said outer surface that corresponds to a flat portion of an outer surface of said golf club grip;

coupling said sensor receiver to said piece of equipment in an orientation that aligns said outer receiver orientation alignment feature with a corresponding feature of said piece of equipment; and

,

inserting said sensor housing into said inner cavity in an orientation that aligns said one or more protrusions or indentations in said inner surface with said one more corresponding features on said sensor housing.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein said inner cavity is substantially a right circular cylinder comprising a closed bottom end and an open top end.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein said sensor receiver is integrated into a golf club grip.

4. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

after inserting said sensor housing into said inner cavity, performing one or more calibration movements with said golf club;

collecting data from said motion sensor during said one or more calibration movements;

analyzing said data to calculate a position and orientation of said motion sensor relative to a reference coordinate system of said golf club.

5. The method of claim 4 wherein an origin of said reference coordinate system is on a clubface of said golf club.

6. The method of claim 4 wherein said performing one or more calibration movements with said golf club comprises:

holding said golf club in an orientation with a shaft of said golf club aligned with a gravitational direction.

7. The method of claim 4 wherein said performing one or more calibration movements with said golf club comprises:

rotating said golf club around a first axis aligned with a shaft of said golf club.

8. The method of claim 4 wherein said performing one or more calibration movements with said golf club comprises:

rotating said golf club around a second axis perpendicular to a shaft of said golf club.

9. The method of claim 4 wherein said performing one or more calibration movements with said golf club comprises:

holding said golf club in an orientation with a shaft of said golf club aligned with a gravitational direction;

rotating said golf club around a first axis aligned with said shaft of said golf club; and

,

rotating said golf club around a second axis perpendicular to said shaft of said golf club.

10. The method of claim 1 wherein said motion sensor comprises:

a three-axis accelerometer; and

,

a three-axis rate gyroscope.

11. The method of claim 1 wherein

said piece of equipment comprises a handle;

and,

said sensor receiver is configured to couple to said piece of equipment at an end of said piece of equipment near said handle.

12. The method of claim 1 wherein

said piece of equipment comprises a tennis racquet;

and,

said sensor receiver is configured to couple to said tennis racquet at an end of said tennis racquet near a handle of said tennis racquet.

13. The method of claim 1 wherein

said piece of equipment comprises a baseball bat;

and,

said sensor receiver is configured to couple to said baseball bat at an end of said baseball bat near a handle of said baseball bat.

14. A method of coupling a motion sensor to a golf club comprising:

manufacturing a sensor receiver configured to couple to a golf club at an end of said golf club opposite a clubhead of said golf club, wherein said sensor receiver comprises

an outer surface comprising an outer receiver orientation alignment feature;

an inner surface surrounding an inner cavity that is configured to receive a sensor housing containing a motion sensor comprising a three-axis accelerometer and a three-axis gyroscope, wherein said inner cavity is substantially a right circular cylinder comprising a closed bottom end and an open top end;

one or more protrusions or indentations in said inner surface that mate with one or more corresponding features on said sensor housing when said sensor housing is installed in a correct orientation into said inner cavity; and

,

a protrusion from a bottom side of said sensor receiver configured to mate with a corresponding hole in a top of a golf club grip,

wherein said outer receiver orientation alignment feature comprises a flat portion of said outer surface that corresponds to a flat portion of an outer surface of said golf club grip;

coupling said sensor receiver to said golf club in an orientation that aligns said outer receiver orientation alignment feature with a corresponding feature of said golf club;

inserting said sensor housing into said inner cavity in an orientation that aligns said one or more protrusions or indentations in said inner surface with said one more corresponding features on said sensor housing;

after inserting said sensor housing into said inner cavity, performing one or more calibration movements with said golf club, said one or more calibration movements comprising

holding said golf club in an orientation with a shaft of said golf club aligned with a gravitational direction;

rotating said golf club around a first axis aligned with said shaft of said golf club; and

,

rotating said golf club around a second axis perpendicular to said shaft of said golf club;

collecting data from said motion sensor during said one or more calibration movements; and

,

analyzing said data to calculate a position and orientation of said motion sensor relative to a reference coordinate system of said golf club.