Method and system for physical motion analysis

• US 20020114493A1
• Filed: 02/16/2001
• Published: 08/22/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 02/16/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Golftec Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Golftec Incorporated
• Inventors: Parks, Jeffrey Jack, McNitt, Michael John
• Granted Patent: US 6,567,536 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 382/107
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/1124 Determining motor skills
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/1127 using markers
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/7285 for synchronising or triggering a physiological measurement or image acquisition with a physiological event or waveform, e.g. an ECG signal A61B6/5205, A61B6/541, A61B8/5207, A61B8/543 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/7435 Displaying user selection data, e.g. icons in a graphical user interface
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/806 Video cameras
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/807 Photo cameras
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 24/0003 Analysing the course of a movement or motion sequences during an exercise or trainings sequence, e.g. swing for golf or tennis
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/188 Capturing isolated or intermittent images triggered by the occurrence of a predetermined event, e.g. an object reaching a predetermined position signal generation from motion picture films H04N5/253

Abstract

An analysis system and method for providing athletic training and instruction by sensing different types of information, such as video, positional information, weight transfer information etc and synchronizing the information. The synchronized information is replayed for the user in a manner that enables simultaneous viewing of an athletic motion along with calculations and presentation of analysis information related to the athletic motion.

Claims

1. An analysis system for analyzing physical motion, the analysis system comprising:

a first sensor sensing a first type of information and generating a first information signal related to the first type of information;

a second sensor sensing a second type of information and generating a second information signal related to the second type of information, wherein the second type of information is different from the first type of information; and

a synchronization module receiving the first information signal and the second information signal and synchronizing the first information signal with the second information signal, and wherein the synchronization of the first information signal with the second information signal provides analysis of a physical motion.

2. An analysis system as defined in claim 1 wherein the first type of information is video information associated with the physical motion.

3. An analysis system as defined in claim 2 wherein the second type of information is positional measurement information associated with the physical motion.

4. An analysis system as defined in claim 2 wherein the second type of information is impact measurement information associated with an impact between a first object and a second object associated with the physical motion.

5. An analysis system as defined in claim 3 further comprising:

a third sensor for sensing impact information associated with the physical motion, and

wherein an information signal generated by the third sensor is synchronized with the first information signal and the second information signal.

6. An analysis system as defined in claim 1 wherein the first type of information is pressure measurement information associated with the physical motion, wherein the pressure measurement information relates to one of the following:

weight transfer or grip pressure.

7. An analysis system as defined in claim 1 wherein the first type of information is positional measurement information associated with the physical motion, and the second type of information is impact measurement information associated with an impact between a first object and a second object associated with the physical motion.

8. An analysis system as defined in claim 1 wherein the synchronization module stamps a sample of the first information signal and a sample of the second information signal with associated time information as each sample is being stored in a buffer in the synchronization module.

a trigger event system detecting a predetermined trigger event, wherein detection of the trigger event defines a timing window and wherein the timing window relates to a portion of information to be analyzed.

9. An analysis system as defined in claim 8 wherein the trigger event system comprises a microphone and the predetermined trigger event relates to the impact between a golf club and a golf ball.

10. An analysis system as defined in claim 1 further comprising:

a display that simultaneously presents synchronized information of the physical motion, the display comprising a first display area presenting analysis information related to the first type of information and a second display area presenting analysis information related to the second type of information.

11. An analysis system as defined in claim 10 wherein the first type of information is video information related to the physical motion and the second type of information is positional measurement information associated with the physical motion.

12. An analysis system as defined in claim 11 wherein the second display area comprises multiple windows and wherein each window is interactively positioned at a desired location on the first display area by a user input device.

13. An analysis system as defined in claim 12 wherein each window displays a distinct measurement value and wherein each value is highlighted with a predetermined color based on a desired range of measurements associated with the physical motion.

14. An analysis system as defined in claim 11 wherein the positional measurement information is based on a referenced coordinate system.

15. An analysis system as defined in claim 11 wherein the video displayed on the first display area and the measurement information presented on the second display area are presented in real time.

16. An analysis system as defined in claim 11 wherein the video displayed on the first display area and the measurement information presented on the second display area are recorded.

17. An analysis system as defined in claim 11 further comprising a third display area, wherein the third display area displays alternative video information, wherein the first and third displays areas may simultaneously controlled using a single selection element on the display.

18. An analysis module as defined in claim 1 further comprising:

a marking module identifying at least one physical motion in an analysis session incorporating at least one physical motion, each identified physical motion being stored in a file.

19. An analysis module as defined in claim 18 further comprising:

an upload module uploading the file to a World Wide Web based application such that the physical motion can be analyzed over the Internet.

27. An analysis system as defined in claim 19 further comprising:

a trigger event system detecting a predetermined trigger event, wherein detection of the trigger event defines a timing window, wherein the timing window relates to a portion of information to be synchronized.

20. An analysis system for analyzing a golf swing, the analysis system comprising:

a first sensor sensing a first type of information and generating a first information signal related to the first type of information;

a second sensor sensing a second type of information and generating a second information signal related to the second type of information, wherein the second type of information is different from the first type of information; and

a synchronization module receiving the first information signal and the second information signal and synchronizing the first information signal with the second information signal, and wherein the synchronization of the first information signal with the second information signal provides analysis of the golf swing.

21. An analysis system as defined in claim 20 wherein the first type of information is video information associated with the golf swing.

22. An analysis system as defined in claim 21 wherein the second type of information is positional measurement information associated with physical motion.

23. An analysis system as defined in claim 22 further comprising:

a third sensor for sensing impact information associated with the golf swing, and wherein an information signal generated by the third sensor is synchronized with the first information signal and the second information signal.

24. An analysis system as defined in claim 20 wherein the first type of information is pressure measurement information associated with the golf swing.

25. An analysis system as defined in claim 20 wherein the first type of information is positional measurement information associated with the golf swing, and the second type of information is impact measurement information associated with an impact between a golf ball and a golf club associated with the golf swing.

26. An analysis system as defined in claim 20 wherein the synchronization module stamps a sample of the first information signal and a sample of the second information signal with associated time information as each sample is being stored in a buffer in the synchronization module.

28. An analysis system as defined in claim 27 wherein the trigger event is an impact between a golf ball and a golf club.

29. An analysis system as defined in claim 20 further comprising:

a display presenting synchronized analysis of the golf swing, the display comprising a first display area presenting analysis related to the first type of information and a second display area presenting analysis related to the second type of information.

30. An analysis system as defined in claim 29 wherein the first display area presents a video of the golf swing and the second display area is a measurement display presenting measurements associated with the golf swing, each measurement being associated with a particular element of the golf swing presented on the video.

31. An analysis system as defined in claim 30 wherein the measurement display is interactively positioned at a desired location of the first display area by a user input device.

32. An analysis system as defined in claim 30 wherein the measurement display is highlighted with a predetermined color based on a desired range of measurements associated with the golf swing.

33. An analysis system as defined in claim 30 wherein the measurements are positional measurements, each positional measurement being related to a particular element of the golf swing relative to a coordinate axis.

34. An analysis system as defined in claim in claim 33 wherein the coordinate axis is a Cartesian coordinate reference about an absolute origin.

35. An analysis system as defined in claim in claim 33 wherein the coordinate axis relates to a referenced origin.

36. An analysis system as defined in claim 30 wherein the video displayed on the first display area and the measurement information displayed on the second display area are presented are presented in real time.

37. An analysis module as defined in claim 28 further comprising:

a marking module identifying at least one golf swing in an analysis session incorporating at least one golf swing, each identified golf swing being stored in a file that may be retrieved at a later time.

38. An analysis module as defined in claim 37 wherein the marking module marks audio information related to a still shot, said marked information being stored in the file.

39. An analysis module as defined in claim 38 further comprising:

an upload module uploading the file to a World Wide Web based application such that the golf swing can be accessed over the Internet.

40. A method for providing athletic instruction related to a physical motion, the method comprising:

receiving a first information signal associated with a first type of information from a first sensor;

receiving a second information signal associated with a second type of information from a second sensor, wherein the second type of information is different from the first type of information; and

synchronizing the first information signal with the second information signal, and wherein the synchronization of the first information signal with the second information signal provides analysis of a physical motion.

41. A method as defined in claim 40 wherein the first information signal relates to video information associated with a physical motion.

42. A method as defined in claim 41 wherein the second information signal relates to positional measurement information associated with the physical motion.

43. A method as defined in claim 41 wherein the second information signal relates to impact measurement information associated with an impact between a first object and a second object associated with the physical motion.

44. A method as defined in claim 40 wherein the first information signal relates to positional measurement information associated with the physical motion and the second information signal relates to impact measurement information associated with an impact between a first object and a second object associated with the physical motion.

45. A method as defined in claim 42 further comprising:

receiving a third information signal related to impact measurement information associated with an impact between a first object and a second object associated with the athletic motion; and

synchronizing the third information signal with the first information signal and the second information signal, wherein the synchronization of the third information signal with the second information signal and the first information signal provides analysis of a physical motion.

46. A method as defined in claim 40 further comprising:

simultaneously displaying the synchronized analysis of the first type of information and the second type of information on a video display.

47. A method as defined in claim 46 wherein the displaying act further comprises:

presenting a video of the physical motion being performed on a first display area of the video display; and

presenting a measurement display on a second display area of the video display that presents measurements associated with elements of the physical motion displayed on the video.

48. A method as defined in claim 47 wherein the displaying act further comprises:

interactively positioning the measurement display at a desired location on the first display area in response to a request through a user input device.

49. A method as defined in claim 47 wherein the displaying act further comprises:

highlighting the measurement display with a particular color based on a desired range of measurements associated with the physical motion.

50. A method as defined in claim 47 wherein the measurements are positional measurements, each positional measurement being related to a particular element of the physical motion relative to a coordinate axis.

51. A method as defined in claim 47 wherein the video presented on the first display area and the measurements presented on the measurement display are presented in real time.

52. A method as defined in claim 47 wherein the video presented on the first display area and the measurements presented on the measurement display are recorded and presented for playback.

53. A method as defined in claim 40 further comprising:

marking at least one physical motion in an analysis session incorporating at least one physical motion, each identified physical motion being stored in a file that may be retrieved.

54. A method as defined in claim 53 further comprising:

uploading the file to a World Wide Web based application such that the physical motion can be analyzed over the Internet.

55. A method as defined in claim 54 further comprising:

receiving a user login response requesting permission to access the file through the World Wide Web based application;

downloading the file to provide the user with athletic instruction of the physical motion via the Internet.

56. A method as defined in claim 40 further comprising:

storing samples of the first type of information in a first buffer; and

storing samples of the second type of information in a second buffer.

57. A method as defined in claim 56 further comprising stamping each sample of the first information signal and a corresponding sample of the second information signal with associated time information.

58. A method as defined in claim 57 wherein the receiving acts are terminated based upon a timing window defined by a trigger event, wherein the timing window selects specific samples of the first type of information and the specific samples of the second type of information that are to be used in the analysis.

59. A method as defined claim 58 further comprising:

processing the specific samples of the first type of information and the specific samples of the second type of information to provide athletic instruction.

60. A method as defined in claim 59 wherein the processing act comprises:

interpolating samples of the second type of information to generate an interpolated sample corresponding to a particular sample of the first type of information.

61. A method for a golf swing, the method comprising:

monitoring a golf swing with a first sensor sensing a first type of information and a second sensor sensing a second type of information, the first sensor generating a first information signal related to samples of the first type of information and the second sensor generating a second information signal related to samples of the second type of information;

identifying each sample of the first information signal with a sample of the second information signal such that the identification of each sample of the first information signal with a sample of the second information signal synchronizes the first information signal with the second information signal; and

processing the first type of information and the second type of information to provide athletic instruction.

62. A method as defined in claim 61 wherein the first information signal relates to video frame samples associated with the golf swing.

63. A method as defined in claim 62 wherein the second information signal relates to positional measurement samples associated with the golf swing.

64. A method as defined in claim 62 wherein the second information signal relates to impact measurement samples associated with an impact between a first object and a second object associated with the golf swing.

65. A method as defined in claim 61 wherein the first information signal relates to positional measurement samples associated with the physical motion and the second information signal relates to impact measurement samples associated with an impact between a first object and a second object associated with the golf swing.

66. A method as defined in claim 63 further comprising:

receiving a third information signal related to impact measurement samples associated with an impact between a first object and a second object associated with the golf swing; and

identifying each impact measurement sample with a corresponding video frame sample and a positional measurement sample such that the identification of each sample of the impact measurement sample with a video frame sample and a positional measurement sample synchronizes the third information signal with the first information signal and the second information signal.

67. A method as defined in claim 61 further comprising:

displaying the synchronized analysis of the first type of information and the second type of information on a video display.

69. A method as defined in claim 68 wherein:

the displaying step comprises displaying the video analysis information in real time; and

the presenting act comprises presenting measurements in real time.

70. A method as defined in claim 68 wherein:

the displaying step comprises displaying recorded video analysis information; and

the presenting act comprises presenting recorded measurements.

68. A method for analyzing a golf swing, the method comprising:

recording a golf swing with a video capture device generating video frame data of the recorded golf swing;

monitoring the golf swing with a motion capture device generating positional measurement data associated with measured elements of the golf swing;

synchronizing the video frame data with the positional measurement data using common time information such that a time association is formed between the video frame data and the positional measurement data;

processing the video frame data into video analysis information and the positional measurement data into positional analysis information, wherein the video analysis information and the positional analysis information are recognizable to a user being provided golf swing analysis;

displaying the video analysis information; and

presenting the position measurements as the video analysis information is being displayed,

wherein positional measurements vary based upon the time association between the video frame data and the positional measurement data information.

71. In a computer system having a processor and a display device, a user interface for presenting analysis information related to athletic motion instruction on the display device, the user interface comprising:

a video display displaying video frame samples associated with an athletic motion;

a measurement display displaying positional measurement samples associated with the athletic motion, wherein each positional measurement sample is synchronized with a video frame sample.

72. A user interface as defined in claim 71, wherein the measurement display is interactively positioned at a desired location of the video display by a user input device.

73. A user interface as defined in claim 71 wherein the measurement display is highlighted with a particular color based on a desired range of measurements associated with the physical motion.

74. A user interface as defined in claim 71 wherein the video frame samples and the positional measurement samples are presented in real time on the user interface.

75. A user interface as defined in claim 71 wherein video display displays recorded video frame samples and the measurement display displays recorded positional measurement samples.

76. A computer program product readable by a computing system and encoding a computer program of instructions for executing a computer process for providing athletic instruction related to a physical motion, said computer process comprising:

receiving a first information signal associated with a first type of information from a first sensor;

receiving a second information signal associated with a second type of information from a second sensor, wherein the second type of information is different from the first type of information;

synchronizing the first information signal with the second information signal, and wherein the synchronization of the first information signal with the second information signal provides analysis of a physical motion.

77. A computer process in a computer program product as defined in claim 76 wherein the first information signal relates to video information associated with a physical motion.

78. A computer process in a computer program product as defined in claim 77 wherein the second information signal relates to positional measurement information associated with the physical motion.

79. A computer process in a computer program product as defined in claim 77 wherein the second information signal relates to impact measurement information associated with an impact between a first object and a second object associated with the physical motion.

80. A computer process in a computer program product as defined in claim 76 wherein the first information signal relates to positional measurement information associated with the physical motion and the second information signal relates to impact measurement information associated with an impact between a first object and a second object associated with the physical motion.

81. A computer process in a computer program product as defined in claim 78 wherein the computer process for providing athletic instruction related to a physical motion further comprises:

receiving a third information signal related to impact measurement information associated with an impact between a first object and a second object associated with the athletic motion; and

synchronizing the third information signal with the first information signal and the second information signal.

82. A computer process in a computer program product as defined in claim 76 wherein the computer process for providing athletic instruction related to a physical motion further comprises:

displaying the synchronized analysis of the first type of information and the second type of information on a video display.

83. A computer process in a computer program product as defined in claim 82 wherein the displaying act further comprises:

presenting a video of the physical motion being performed on a first display area of the video display; and

presenting a measurement display on a second display area of the video display that presents measurements associated with elements of the physical motion displayed on the video.

84. A computer process in a computer program product as defined in claim 83 wherein the displaying act further comprises:

interactively positioning the measurement display at a desired location on the first display area in response to a request through a user input device.

85. A computer process in a computer program product as defined in claim 83 wherein the displaying act further comprises:

highlighting the measurement display with a particular color based on a desired range of measurements associated with the physical motion.

86. A computer process in a computer program product as defined in claim 83 wherein the measurements are positional measurements, each positional measurement being related to a particular element of the physical motion relative to a coordinate axis.

87. A computer process in a computer program product as defined in claim 83 wherein the video presented on the first display area and the measurements presented on the measurement display are presented in real time.

88. A computer process in a computer program product as defined in claim 83 wherein the video presented on the first display area and the measurements presented on the measurement display are recorded and presented for playback at a later time.

89. A computer process in a computer program product as defined in claim 76 wherein the computer process for providing athletic instruction related to a physical motion further comprises:

contemporaneously marking at least one physical motion during an analysis session to incorporate at least one physical motion information into a stored lesson, each identified physical motion being stored in a file that may be retrieved at a later time.

90. A computer process in a computer program product as defined in claim 89 wherein the computer process for providing athletic instruction related to a physical motion further comprises:

uploading the file to a World Wide Web based application such that the physical motion can be analyzed over the Internet.

91. A computer process in a computer program product as defined in claim 90 wherein the computer process for providing athletic instruction related to a physical motion further comprises:

receiving a user login response requesting permission to access the file through the World Wide Web based application;

accessing the provide the user with athletic instruction of the physical motion via the Internet.

92. A computer process in a computer program product as defined in claim 76 wherein the computer process for providing athletic instruction related to a physical motion further comprises:

storing samples of the first type of information in a first buffer; and

storing samples of the second type of information in a second buffer.

93. A computer process in a computer program product as defined in claim 92 wherein the computer process for providing athletic instruction related to a physical motion further comprises:

stamping each sample of the first information signal and a corresponding sample of the second information signal with associated time information.

94. A computer process in a computer program product as defined in claim 93 wherein the receiving acts are terminated based upon a timing window defined by a trigger event, wherein the timing window selects specific samples of the first type of information and the specific samples of the second type of information that are to be used in the analysis.

95. A computer process in a computer program product as defined in claim 94 wherein the computer process for providing athletic instruction related to a physical motion further comprises:

processing the specific samples of the first type of information and the specific samples of the second type of information to provide athletic instruction.

96. A computer process in a computer program product as defined in claim 95 wherein the processing act comprises:

interpolating samples of the second type of information to generate an interpolated sample corresponding to a particular sample of the first type of information.

97. A method for teaching golf, the method comprising:

recording a golf swing using a video analysis system to produce a video recording of the golf swing;

measuring positional information of elements of the golf swing using a positional analysis system;

saving the video recording and the positional information associated with the golf swing to a file;

uploading the file to a World Wide Web based application;

receiving a user request to download the file;

downloading the file to provide the user with the video recording and the positional information via the Internet.

98. A method as defined in claim 97 wherein:

the recording act comprises recording multiple golf swings in a golf session; and

the measuring act comprises measuring elements of multiple golf swings in the golf session.

99. A method as defined in claim 97 further comprising:

marking a particular golf swing to be saved to the file; and

marking audio information to be saved to the file.

100. A method as defined in claim 97 further comprising:

updating the file with subsequent video information and subsequent positional; and

notifying a user of the subsequent video information and the subsequent positional measurement information available to the user through the World Wide Web application.

101. A method as defined in claim 97 wherein the notifying step is administered through electronic mail.