SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR ARCHERY EQUIPMENT

• US 20080176681A1
• Filed: 01/17/2008
• Published: 07/24/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 01/18/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Full Flight Technology, Llc
• Original Assignee: Full Flight Technology, Llc
• Inventors: Donahoe, Robert V.
• Granted Patent: US 7,972,230 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 473/570
• CPC Class Codes: F41B 5/1403 Details of bows; camera's on bows F41B5/1492
• CPC Class Codes: F41B 5/143 Arrow rests or guides
• CPC Class Codes: F41B 5/148 Accessories and tools for bow shooting not otherwise provided for
• CPC Class Codes: F42B 12/385 Arrow or dart carrying a radio transmitter for signalling
• CPC Class Codes: F42B 6/04 Archery arrows F42B6/08, F41B5/06, F42B12/362 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F42B 6/06 Tail ends, e.g. nocks, fletching
• CPC Class Codes: F42B 6/08 Arrow heads; Harpoon heads
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/041 Digitisers, e.g. for touch screens or touch pads, characterised by the transducing means
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04842 Selection of displayed objects or displayed text elements G06F3/0482 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04847 Interaction techniques to control parameter settings, e.g. interaction with sliders or dials
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04883 for inputting data by handwriting, e.g. gesture or text

Abstract

An apparatus is configured for inclusion in an arrow. In one embodiment, the apparatus includes a sensor configured to provide data concerning one or more flight characteristics of the arrow in flight and a communication link coupled to the sensor, the communication link configured to communicate the data to a device external to the arrow.

Claims

1. An apparatus configured for inclusion in an arrow, the apparatus comprising:

at least one sensor configured to provide data concerning at least one flight characteristics of the arrow in flight; and

a communication link coupled to the at least one sensor, the communication link configured to communicate the data to a device external to the arrow.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a housing in which the at least one sensor and the communication link are located.

3. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the housing is configured for inclusion in an arrow tip.

4. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein the housing is configured to be removeably-attached to the arrow.

5. The apparatus of claim 4, wherein the housing includes a threaded region configured to engage a corresponding threaded region of the arrow.

6. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein the threaded region is sized and configured to engage a corresponding threaded region located at a distal end of the arrow.

7. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein the corresponding threaded region is include in an adapter located at the distal end of the arrow.

12. The apparatus of claim 2, further comprising a communication port coupled to the communication link and included in the housing, and wherein the communication port is configured to connect to the device external to the arrow.

13. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the communication link is configured to communicate the data that provides information concerning the at least one flight characteristics sensed by the at least one sensor over a hard-wired communication link coupled to the communication port.

14. The apparatus of claim 2, further comprising a power source included in the housing and coupled to at least one of the at least one sensor and the communication link.

15. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein the power source is a rechargeable power source.

16. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the housing includes an exterior surface, and wherein the exterior surface includes at least one electrical contact coupled to the rechargeable power source and configured to couple the rechargeable power source to recharging circuitry located external to the housing.

17. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the housing includes an exterior surface, and wherein the exterior surface includes at least one electrical contact configured to mate with a contact surface external to the housing.

18. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein the at least one electrical contact is located on at least a part of a surface that is coaxial about a longitudinal axis of the housing.

19. The apparatus of claim 18, wherein the part of the surface extends substantially radially outward relative to the longitudinal axis.

20. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein the exterior surface includes a first contact surface located on a first portion of the exterior surface, and a second contact surface located on a second portion of the exterior surface.

21. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein the at least one electrical contact is configured to be employed in a communication link configured to download the data to the device external to the arrow.

22. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the communication link includes an antenna, and wherein the communication link is a wireless communication link.

23. The apparatus of claim 2, further comprising an antenna located in the arrow external to the housing, wherein the communication link is a wireless communication link.

24. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the apparatus is further configured for inclusion in an arrow tip.

25. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the data is acceleration data.

26. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the at least one flight characteristic includes an instantaneous velocity of the arrow.

27. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the at least one flight characteristic includes at least one of a pitch, a roll and a yaw of the arrow.

28. The apparatus of claim 24, wherein the arrow tip is configured to provide at least one flight characteristic that is substantially similar to at least one flight characteristics of a selected commercially-available arrow tip that does not include the apparatus.

29. The apparatus of claim 28, wherein an overall aerodynamic structure of the arrow tip is substantially similar to an overall aerodynamic structure of the selected commercially-available arrow tip.

36. The apparatus of claim 28, wherein a mass of the arrow tip is substantially similar to a mass of the selected commercially-available arrow tip.

39. The apparatus of claim 24, further comprising a body, a shaft connected to the body and an electrical contact located on an exterior surface of at least one of the body and the shaft.

40. The apparatus of claim 39, wherein the electrical contact is configured to couple to an antenna external to the arrow tip.

41. The apparatus of claim 39, wherein the electrical contact is configured to couple to a power source external to the arrow tip.

42. The apparatus of claim 39, further comprising a rechargeable power source, wherein the electrical contact is configured to couple to recharging circuitry external to the arrow tip.

43. The apparatus of claim 39, wherein the communication link includes a communication port including the electrical contact, and wherein the communication link is configured to couple to the device via a hardwired communication link.

126. The apparatus of claim 140, wherein the accelerometer includes a plurality of sensors.

127. The apparatus of claim 140, further comprising a plurality of accelerometers each configured to provide data concerning at least one flight characteristic of the arrow in flight.

128. The apparatus of claim 140, wherein the accelerometer is a multi-axis accelerometer.

129. The apparatus of claim 140, wherein the accelerometer is configured to sense an angular acceleration.

130. The apparatus of claim 140, wherein the accelerometer is configured to provide data concerning at least one of a pitch of the arrow, a yaw of the arrow and a roll of the arrow.

136. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the at least one flight characteristic includes a kinetic energy of the arrow in flight.

137. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a processor and a memory.

138. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the one or more flight characteristics include a speed of the arrow.

139. The apparatus of claim 138, wherein the at least one sensor is configured to provide data concerning the speed of the arrow for a plurality of locations of the arrow in flight.

140. The apparatus of claim 139, wherein the at least one sensor is configured to provide data concerning the speed for at least three locations of the arrow in flight.

141. The apparatus of claim 24, further comprising an accelerometer that includes the at least one sensor.

8-11. -11. (canceled)

30-35. -35. (canceled)

37. (canceled)

38. (canceled)

44-101. -101. (canceled)

102. A method of modeling a performance of an archery system, the method comprising acts of:

(a) selecting a combination of archery equipment including a bow and an arrow;

(b) providing the archery equipment with a first selected set of adjustments;

(c) determining, based on data provided by a sensor included in the arrow, flight characteristics of the arrow shot from the bow when the selected combination of archery equipment is employed with the selected set of adjustments;

if the flight characteristics are insufficient to achieve a desired performance of the archery system,

(d) providing the archery equipment with a second selected set of adjustments and repeating act (c); and

if the flight characteristics are sufficient to achieve the desired performance of the archery system,

(e) establishing a set of adjustments that achieves the desired performance as a recommended set of adjustments for the selected combination.

103. (canceled)

104. (canceled)

105. An adapter for securing an arrow tip to an arrow, the adapter including:

a power source; and

at least one electrical contact for coupling the power source to the arrow tip when the arrow tip is received by the adapter.

106-112. -112. (canceled)

113. A system for providing power to electronic equipment included in an arrow tip, the system comprising:

an adapter including a power source; and

a contact element configured to be secured between the adapter and the arrow tip when the arrow tip is received by adapter to provide an electrical connection between the power source and the electronic equipment.

114-125. -125. (canceled)

131. A computer readable medium encoded with a program for execution on a processor, the program when executed on the processor performing improving a performance of an arrow shot from a bow, the method comprising acts of:

collecting data with a sensor included in the arrow, the data concerning flight characteristics of the arrow when shot from the bow; and

generating, based on the collected data, at least one recommended adjustment to improve a subsequent flight of the arrow.

132-135. -135. (canceled)

142. A system configured to provide information concerning a performance of archery equipment including an arrow and a bow, the system comprising:

an electronic apparatus configured for inclusion in the arrow, the electronic apparatus comprising;

a sensor configured to provide data concerning at least one flight characteristic of the arrow in flight; and

a communication link coupled to the sensor, the communication link configured to communicate the data to a device external to the arrow; and

a base station configured to receive the data from the communication link and to employ the data to generate an output concerning the at least one flight characteristic.

143. The system of claim 142, wherein the base station includes a display configured to display the output, and wherein the output includes at least one value of the at least one flight characteristic for a flight of the arrow.

144. The system of claim 142, wherein the base station is configured to determine at least one instantaneous value of the at least one flight characteristic.

145. The system of claim 144, wherein the at least one instantaneous value includes a speed of the arrow in flight.

146. The system of claim 142, wherein the base station includes a user interface configured to receive information from a user concerning at least one physical characteristic of the arrow.

147. A method of generating information concerning a performance of archery equipment including an arrow and a bow, the method comprising acts of:

generating, with a device included in the arrow, data concerning at least one flight characteristic of the arrow when shot from the bow;

receiving the data from the device included in the arrow at a device external to the arrow; and

generating an output at the device external to the arrow concerning the at least one flight characteristic.

148. The method of claim 147, further comprising an act of providing the output to a user evaluating the performance of the archery equipment.

149. The method of claim 147, further comprising an act of generating an output including at least one instantaneous value of the at least one flight characteristic.

150. The method of claim 149, further comprising an act of including in the output an instantaneous value of a speed of the arrow.

151. The method of claim 147, further comprising an act of employing each of the data from the device included in the arrow and information concerning a characteristic of at least one of the bow and the arrow to generate the output concerning the at least one flight characteristic.

152. The method of claim 147, further comprising an act of generating the data without reference to a coordinate system external to the arrow.