Real-time measurements for establishing database of sporting apparatus motion and impact parameters

• US 20050288119A1
• Filed: 02/04/2005
• Published: 12/29/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 06/28/2004
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Gyrosports
• Original Assignee: Gyrosports
• Inventors: Wang, Hongyi, Yao, Jeffrey, Lim, Damon, Wang, Hongchuan
• Application Number:
  US11/051,087
• Publication Number:
  US 20050288119A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 473/223
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2209/08 magnetic
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/40 Acceleration
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/80 Special sensors, transducers or devices therefor
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/833 Sensors arranged on the exercise apparatus or sports implement
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2225/50 Wireless data transmission, e.g. by radio transmitters or telemetry
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 69/0024 for hockey
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 69/36 for golf
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 69/362 electrical or electronic
• 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 71/06 Indicating or scoring devices for games or players , or for other sports activities

Abstract

A sporting apparatus used by a person for engaging in a sporting activity. The sporting apparatus includes a single or multiple embedded MR sensors for measuring magnetic vectors of the earth magnetic field for dynamically recording a path of motion of the sporting apparatus in real time. In a preferred embodiment, the sporting apparatus further includes one or multiple MEMS accelerometer sensors for sensing acceleration of a designated portion of the sporting apparatus for measuring impact velocity as the designated portion impacting a ball. In a specific embodiment, the sporting apparatus is a golf club wherein the accelerometer sensors are disposed adjacent to the grip side of the shaft for sensing the impact of the club head against a golf ball. In another specific embodiment, the golf club further includes a magnetic field sensor disposed near the grip end of the golf club for measuring a motion path of the golf club.

Claims

1. A method for providing sports performance feedback to a sports player who is using a sporting implement, the method comprising:

using at least one magneto-resistive sensor embedded in said sporting implement for measuring orientation parameters; and

using said orientation parameters for dynamically determining one or more results from a set comprising;

movement profile, velocity, acceleration, impact angle, launch angle, face angle and impact speed, hitting zone, direction of swing and swing path plan of said sporting implement.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein dynamically determining one or more results further comprises using, embedded in said sporting implement, at least one device from a set of devices comprising:

a microcontroller and a digital signal processor (DSP)

3. The method of claim 1, wherein measuring said orientation parameters includes measuring three-dimensional earth magnetic field vectors associated with a motion of said sporting implement.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising using at least one accelerometer sensor for measuring acceleration parameters associated with a motion of said sporting implement for dynamically determining said one or more results.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising communicating said parameters and said one or more results to a remote computer for further processing using wireless mechanisms.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein said wireless mechanisms comprises one or more of:

infrared, Blue Tooth, WiFi, Zigbee, and Radio Frequency transmission.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising communicating said parameters and said one or more results to a remote computer for further processing using wire-based mechanisms.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein said wire-based mechanisms comprises one or more of:

RS232, SPI, USB and I²C.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising using a communication module embedded in said sporting implement, said communication module for sending said parameters and said one or more results to a remote computer for further processing.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising using a portable display module capable of communicating with said sporting implement, said display module for displaying said one or more results.

11. The method of claim 1, further comprising using a memory module embedded in said sporting implement, said memory module for storing data associated with said at least one magneto-resistive sensor and said feedback.

12. The method of claim 1, further comprising using a remote database for storing said one or more results.

13. The method of claim 1, further comprising using a remote database for comparing said one or more results with corresponding performance results associated with other sports players.

14. The method of claim 1, further comprising using a remote database for comparing said one or more results with corresponding historical data of associated with a past performance of said sports player.

15. The method of claim 1, wherein said parameters are used for tracking and diagnosing a performance of said sports player during use of said sporting implement.

16. The method of claim 1, wherein said sporting implement is any one of a set of implements comprising:

a baseball bat, a cricket bat, a hockey stick, a tennis racket, a squash racket, a boxing glove.

17. A system for providing sports performance feedback to a sports player who is using a sporting implement, the system comprising:

at least one magneto-resistive sensor and at least one accelerometer sensor embedded in said sporting implement for measuring velocity, acceleration and orientation parameters; and

wherein said parameters are used for dynamically determining one or more results from a set comprising;

movement profile, launch angle, face angle and impact speed, hitting zone, direction of swing and swing path plan.

18. A system for providing sports performance feedback to a sports player who is using a sporting implement, the system comprising:

means for measuring velocity, acceleration and orientation parameters; and

means for dynamically determining, based on said parameters, one or more results from a set comprising;

movement profile, launch angle, face angle and impact speed, hitting zone, direction of swing and swing path plan.

19. A system for providing sports performance feedback to a sports player who is using a sporting implement, the system comprising:

at least one magneto-resistive sensor and at least one accelerometer sensor embedded in said sporting implement for measuring velocity, acceleration and orientation parameters;

wherein said parameters are for dynamically determining one or more results from a set comprising;

movement profile, launch angle, face angle and impact speed, hitting zone, direction of swing and swing path plan;

at least one device, embedded in said sporting implement, from a set of devices comprising;

a microcontroller and a digital signal processor (DSP) for dynamically determining said one or more results;

at least one display module embedded in said sporting implement, said display module for displaying said one or more results; and

at least one communication module embedded in said sporting implement, said communication module for sending said parameters to a remote computer for further processing.

20. A method for providing sports performance feedback to a sports player who is using a sporting implement, the method comprising:

using sensors embedded in said sporting implement for measuring velocity, acceleration and orientation parameters; and

using said parameters for dynamically determining one or more results from a set comprising;

movement profile, launch angle, face angle and impact speed, hitting zone, direction of swing and swing path plan.