ANALYZING FOOT PRESSURE OF A BOWLER

• US 20090204360A1
• Filed: 01/27/2009
• Published: 08/13/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 02/11/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: United States Bowling Congress, Inc.
• Original Assignee: United States Bowling Congress, Inc.
• Inventors: Jaryszak, James E., Ridenour, Paul J., Stremmel, Neil B., Monce, Bill
• Granted Patent: US 7,930,131 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 702/139
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/225 of the fingers, e.g. by monitoring hand-grip force
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/4528 Joints A61B5/4533, A61B5/4538 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2060/464 Means for indicating or measuring the pressure on the grip
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/56 Pressure
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 69/0046 for bowling
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 71/148 Gloves for bowling and other ball games

Abstract

Systems and methods for measuring and analyzing the pressure distribution on the foot of a bowler. Methods are taught for analyzing a bowler'"'"'s performance. In some embodiments, the bowler performs a plurality of bowling motions. The distribution of pressure exerted on the foot are measured and recorded at regular time intervals. The bowler'"'"'s performance is evaluated based upon the recorded pressure distributions. Methods are also taught for using recorded foot pressure distribution data to fit a bowler with proper footwear.

Claims

1. A method of analyzing a bowler'"'"'s performance, the method comprising:

measuring a first distribution of pressure exerted on a sole of a foot during a first bowling motion;

recording the first distribution of pressure at regular time intervals during the first bowling motion as a first set of pressure distribution frames;

measuring a second distribution of pressure exerted on the sole of the foot during a second bowling motion;

recording the second distribution of pressure at regular time intervals during the second bowling motion as a second set of pressure distribution frames; and

evaluating the bowler'"'"'s performance based upon the first and second sets of pressure distribution frames.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

identifying a first pressure distribution frame associated with a first step in the first bowling motion; and

identifying a second pressure distribution frame associated with the first step in the second bowling motion.

3. The method of claim 2, further comprising:

identifying a first subset of pressure distribution frames associated with the first step in the first bowling motion, the first subset including the first pressure distribution frame; and

identifying a second subset of pressure distribution frames associated with the first step in the second bowling motion, the second subset including the second pressure distribution frame.

4. The method of claim 2,

wherein identifying a first pressure distribution frame associated with a first step in the first bowling motion includes identifying the first pressure distribution frame associated with a power step in the first bowling motion;

and

wherein identifying a second pressure distribution frame associated with the first step in the second bowling motion includes identifying the second pressure distribution frame associated with the power step in the second bowling motion.

5. The method of claim 2,

wherein identifying a first pressure distribution frame associated with a first step in the first bowling motion includes identifying the first pressure distribution frame associated with a slide step in the first bowling motion;

and

wherein identifying a second pressure distribution frame associated with the first step in the second bowling motion includes identifying the second pressure distribution frame associated with the slide step in the second bowling motion.

6. The method of claim 2, further comprising:

detecting a first location of an area of high pressure in the first pressure distribution frame; and

detecting a second location of the area of high pressure in the second pressure distribution frame.

7. The method of claim 6, further comprising determining a bowler training program based upon the first and second locations of the area of high pressure.

8. The method of claim 6, wherein evaluating the bowler'"'"'s performance includes:

associating a first direction of ball movement in the first bowling motion with the first location of the area of high pressure; and

associating a second direction of ball movement in the second bowling motion with the second location of the area of high pressure.

9. The method of claim 8, further comprising determining a bowler training program based upon the first and second locations of the area of high pressure and the first and second directions of ball movement.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining a first elapsed time between a first step and a second step in the first bowling motion based upon the first set of pressure distribution frames; and

determining a second elapsed time between the first step and the second step in the second bowling motion based upon the second set of pressure distribution frames.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein evaluating the bowler'"'"'s performance includes identifying a preferred coaching technique based upon differences between the first elapsed time and the second elapsed time.

12. The method of claim 10, wherein evaluating the bowler'"'"'s performance includes:

calculating an average elapsed time for a plurality of elapsed times between the first step and the second step, the plurality of elapsed times including the first elapsed time and the second elapsed time; and

calculating a standard deviation of elapsed times for a plurality of elapsed times between the first step and the second step.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein evaluating the bowler'"'"'s performance further includes quantifying consistency of the bowler'"'"'s performance based upon the standard deviation.

14. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

identifying a first maximum pressure exerted during a single step in the first bowling motion; and

identifying a second maximum pressure exerted during the single step in the second bowling motion,

wherein evaluating the bowler'"'"'s performance includes comparing the first maximum pressure and the second maximum pressure.

15. The method of claim 14,

wherein identifying a first maximum pressure exerted during a single step in the first bowling motion includes identifying the first maximum pressure exerted during a power step of the first bowling motion;

and

wherein identifying a second maximum pressure exerted during the single step in the second bowling motion including identifying the second maximum pressure exerted during the power step of the second bowling motion.

16. The method of claim 14,

wherein identifying a first maximum pressure exerted during a single step in the first bowling motion includes identifying the first maximum pressure exerted during a slide step of the first bowling motion;

and

wherein identifying a second maximum pressure exerted during the single step in the second bowling motion including identifying the second maximum pressure exerted during the slide step of the second bowling motion.

17. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

identifying a first maximum force exerted during a single step in the first bowling motion; and

identifying a second maximum force exerted during the single step in the second bowling motion,

wherein evaluating the bowler'"'"'s performance includes comparing the first maximum force and the second maximum force.

18. A method of fitting a bowler with a bowling shoe, the method comprising:

performing a first bowling motion with a first bowling shoe;

measuring a distribution of pressure exerted on a sole of a foot during the first bowling motion;

recording the measured distribution of pressure at regular time intervals during the first bowling motion as a first set of pressure distribution frames; and

evaluating a fit of the first bowling shoe based upon the first set of pressure distribution frames.

19. The method of claim 18, further comprising:

performing a second bowling motion with a second bowling shoe;

measuring the distribution of pressure exerted on the sole of the foot during the second bowling motion; and

recording the measured distribution of pressure at regular time intervals during the second bowling motion as a second set of pressure distribution frames,

wherein evaluating a fit of the first bowling shoe includes comparing the first set of pressure distribution frames to the second set of pressure distribution frames.

20. The method of claim 19,

wherein performing a first bowling motion includes holding a first finishing position for as long as the bowler is able,

wherein performing a second bowling motion includes holding a second finishing position for as long as the bowler is able, and

wherein comparing the first set of pressure distribution frames to the second set of pressure distribution frames includes comparing a duration of the first finishing position to a duration of the second finishing position.

21. The method of claim 19, further comprising:

determining a first maximum pressure exerted during a first power step in the first set of pressure distribution frames; and

determining a second maximum pressure exerted during a second power step in the second set of pressure distribution frames,

wherein comparing the first set of pressure distribution frames to the second set of pressure distribution frames includes comparing the first maximum pressure to the second maximum pressure.

22. The method of 18, further comprising:

determining a first maximum pressure exerted during a first power step in the first set of pressure distribution frames,

wherein evaluating a fit of the first bowling shoe based upon the first set of pressure distribution frames includes determining that the first bowling shoe is an improper fit when the first maximum pressure exceeds a threshold.

23. A method of fitting a bowler with a bowling shoe, the method comprising:

performing a first plurality of bowling motions with a first bowling shoe;

measuring a distribution of pressure exerted on a sole of a foot during each of the first plurality of bowling motions;

recording the measured distribution of pressure at regular time intervals during each of the first plurality of bowling motions to create a set of pressure distribution frames for each of the first plurality of bowling motions; and

evaluating a fit of the first bowling shoe based upon the sets of pressure distribution frames.

24. The method of claim 23, further comprising:

performing a second plurality of bowling motions with a second bowling shoe;

measuring the distribution of pressure exerted on the sole of the foot during each of the second plurality of bowling motions; and

recording the measured distribution of pressure at regular time intervals during each of the second plurality of bowling motions to create a set of pressure distribution frames for each of the second plurality of bowling motions,

wherein evaluating a fit of the first bowling shoe based upon the sets of pressure distribution frames includes comparing the sets of pressure distribution frames for the first plurality of bowling motions to the sets of pressure distribution frames for the second plurality of bowling motions.

25. The method of claim 24, further comprising determining an elapsed time between a first step and a second step for each set of pressure distribution frames for the first plurality of bowling motions and for each set of pressure distribution frames for the second plurality of bowling motions.

26. The method of claim 25, further comprising:

calculating a first average elapsed time and a first standard deviation of elapsed time between the first step and the second step from the sets of pressure distribution frames for the first plurality of bowling motions; and

calculating a second average elapsed time and a second standard deviation of elapsed time between the first step and the second step from the sets of pressure distribution frames for the second plurality of bowling motions,

wherein comparing the sets of pressure distribution frames for the first plurality of bowling motions to the sets of pressure distribution frames for the second plurality of bowling motions includes comparing the first standard deviation and the second standard deviation.

27. The method of claim 26, wherein evaluating a fit of the first bowling shoe further includes determining that the first bowling shoe is an improper fit when the first standard deviation is greater than the second standard deviation.

28. The method of claim 26, wherein evaluating a fit of the first bowling shoe further includes determining that the first bowling shoe is a better fit than the second bowling shoe when the first standard deviation is lower than the second standard deviation.

29. The method of claim 25, wherein determining an elapsed time between a first step and a second step for each set of pressure distribution frames for the first plurality of bowling motions and for each set of pressure distribution frames for the second plurality of bowling motions includes determining an elapsed time between a power step and a slide step.

30. The method of claim 25, wherein determining an elapsed time between a first step and a second step for each set of pressure distribution frames for the first plurality of bowling motions and for each set of pressure distribution frames for the second plurality of bowling motions includes determining an elapsed time between a step immediately prior to a power step and the power step.

31. The method of claim 24, further comprising:

detecting a first plurality of locations of an area of high pressure in a step in each set of pressure distribution frames for the first plurality of bowling motions; and

detecting a second plurality of locations of the area of high pressure in the step in each set of pressure distribution frames for the second plurality of bowling motions,

wherein comparing the sets of pressure distribution frames for the first plurality of bowling motions to the sets of pressure distribution frames for the second plurality of bowling motions includes comparing variations in the first plurality of locations to variations in the second plurality of locations.

32. The method of claim 31, wherein evaluating the fit of the first bowling shoe further includes determining that the first shoe is an improper fit when the variations in the first plurality of locations is greater than the variations in the second plurality of locations.

33. The method of claim 31, wherein evaluating the fit of the first bowling shoe further includes determining that the first bowling shoe is a better fit than the second bowling shoe when the variations in the first plurality of locations is lesser than the variations in the second plurality of locations.

34. A method of evaluating athletic footwear for a specific athletic activity, the method comprising:

equipping a first shoe with a plantar pressure distribution sensor;

performing a first athletic motion related to the specific athletic activity;

measuring a distribution of pressure exerted on a sole of a foot during the first athletic motion;

recording the measured distribution of pressure at regular time intervals during the first athletic motion to create a first set of pressure distribution frames;

equipping a second shoe with the plantar pressure distribution sensor;

performing a second athletic motion related to the specific athletic activity;

measuring a distribution of pressure exerted on a sole of a foot during the second athletic motion;

recording the measured distribution of pressure at regular time intervals during the second athletic motion to create a second set of pressure distribution frames; and

comparing the first set of pressure distribution frames to the second set of pressure distribution frames.