Projectile-based Sports Simulation Method and Apparatus
First Claim
1. A method for performing projectile-based sport simulations comprising:
- (a) causing a striking apparatus to strike a first projectile with striking means, said striking apparatus being configurable to alter the strike properties with which said first projectile is struck;
(b) measuring the strike results from said strike, said strike results including the distance over which said first projectile travels;
(c) entering the strike properties and strike results in a database;
(d) repeating steps (a) through (c) for a variety of strike properties;
(e) providing a sports practice device having a tethered projectile assembly, said tethered projectile assembly comprising a simulation projectile mounted to a flexible tether and a sensor means selected from the group comprising;
i. at least one projectile detection means, said projectile detection means being capable of detecting the position and velocity of at least a portion of said tethered projectile assembly after said simulation projectile is struck;
ii. at least one strain gauge mounted in said tethered projectile assembly to detect the deflection thereof; and
iii. striking means detection sensors to detect the strike properties of a striking means as it strikes said simulation projectile;
(f) causing said striking apparatus to strike said simulation projectile of said sports practice device using the same strike properties as used in steps (a) through (d);
(g) measuring sensor readings from said sensor means during said strikes;
(h) entering said sensor readings and said strike properties in said database, such that each set of said sensor readings corresponds to a set of strike properties and such that each set of strike properties corresponds to a set of strike results;
(i) having a user strike said simulation projectile of said sports practice device and measuring sensor readings produced by said sensor means; and
(j) calculating the strike results for the user'"'"'s strike in step (i) by correlating the sensor readings obtained in step (i) with the information entered into the database.
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Abstract
A method for performing projectile-based sport simulations. A striking apparatus is used to strike a projectile with striking means, the striking apparatus being configurable to alter its strike properties. The strike results from the strike are measured and are entered into a data base along with the corresponding strike properties. The process is repeated for a variety of strike properties. A sports practice device is then provided having a simulation projectile mounted to a flexible tether and sensor means. The striking apparatus is then used to strike the simulation projectile of the sports practice device using the same strike properties as entered into the database. A user strikes the simulation projectile of the sports practice device and sensor readings are measured. The strike results for the user'"'"'s strike are calculated by correlating the sensor readings with the information entered into the database.
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Citations
25 Claims
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1. A method for performing projectile-based sport simulations comprising:
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(a) causing a striking apparatus to strike a first projectile with striking means, said striking apparatus being configurable to alter the strike properties with which said first projectile is struck;
(b) measuring the strike results from said strike, said strike results including the distance over which said first projectile travels;
(c) entering the strike properties and strike results in a database;
(d) repeating steps (a) through (c) for a variety of strike properties;
(e) providing a sports practice device having a tethered projectile assembly, said tethered projectile assembly comprising a simulation projectile mounted to a flexible tether and a sensor means selected from the group comprising;
i. at least one projectile detection means, said projectile detection means being capable of detecting the position and velocity of at least a portion of said tethered projectile assembly after said simulation projectile is struck;
ii. at least one strain gauge mounted in said tethered projectile assembly to detect the deflection thereof; and
iii. striking means detection sensors to detect the strike properties of a striking means as it strikes said simulation projectile;
(f) causing said striking apparatus to strike said simulation projectile of said sports practice device using the same strike properties as used in steps (a) through (d);
(g) measuring sensor readings from said sensor means during said strikes;
(h) entering said sensor readings and said strike properties in said database, such that each set of said sensor readings corresponds to a set of strike properties and such that each set of strike properties corresponds to a set of strike results;
(i) having a user strike said simulation projectile of said sports practice device and measuring sensor readings produced by said sensor means; and
(j) calculating the strike results for the user'"'"'s strike in step (i) by correlating the sensor readings obtained in step (i) with the information entered into the database. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 14)
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11. A system for performing projectile-based sport simulations, said system comprising:
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(a) a sports practice device having a tethered projectile assembly, said tethered projectile assembly comprising a simulation projectile mounted to a flexible tether and a sensor means selected from the group comprising;
i. at least one projectile detection means, said projectile detection means being capable of detecting the position and velocity of at least a portion of said tethered projectile assembly after said simulation projectile is struck;
ii. at least one strain gauge mounted in said tethered projectile assembly to detect the deflection thereof; and
iii. striking means detection sensors to detect the strike properties of a striking means as it strikes said simulation projectile;
(b) a database of sensor readings correlated to strike results;
(c) a computer having software adapted to receive readings from said sensor means and correlate said reading with said strike results; and
(d) a display means operatively connected to said computer for displaying the results of said correlation. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 15, 16, 17)
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18. A projectile-based sport practice device comprising:
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(a) a simulation projectile mounted to a first end of a flexible tether;
(b) a base to which said second end of said flexible tether is mounted;
(c) a plurality of strain gauges to measure the deflection of said tether during a strike of said simulation projectile, said strain gauges being adapted to measure the deflection of said flexible tether in three dimensions; and
(d) control circuitry for recording and analyzing said strain gauge measurements. - View Dependent Claims (19)
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20. A projectile-based practice device comprising:
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(a) a substantially flat practice surface;
(b) a flexible longitudinal tether having a first end attached to a simulation projectile and a second end attached to a fixed position on said practice surface, such that when said simulation projectile is struck, said simulation projectile will tend to rotate through a projectile path about said fixed position;
(c) a net mounted proximate to said projectile path such that when said simulation projectile travels through said projectile path after being struck, said net will be drawn into the projectile path by the Bernoulli effect and impede the motion of said simulation projectile. - View Dependent Claims (21, 22, 23)
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24. A method for using projectile-based sport practice devices with projectile-based sport computer games, wherein said computer games are completely controllable using human input device signals from at least one human input device selected from the group comprising:
- mouse, trackball, keyboard and joystick;
said method comprising the steps of;
(a) providing a sports practice device having a tethered projectile assembly, said tethered projectile assembly comprising a simulation projectile mounted to a flexible tether and a sensor means selected from the group comprising;
i. at least one projectile detection means, said projectile detection means being capable of detecting the position and velocity of at least a portion of said tethered projectile assembly after said simulation projectile is struck;
ii. at least one strain gauge mounted in said tethered projectile assembly to detect the deflection thereof; and
iii. striking means detection sensors to detect the strike properties of a striking means as it strikes said simulation projectile;
(b) obtaining sensor readings from a strike of said simulation projectile;
(c) obtaining equivalent free-projectile strike results from said strike by correlating said sensor readings with free-projectile strike results from a prepared database;
(d) converting said free-projectile strike results to equivalent human input device signals; and
(e) sending said signals to said computer game. - View Dependent Claims (25)
- mouse, trackball, keyboard and joystick;
Specification