APPARATUS, SYSTEM AND METHOD EMPLOYING ARROW FLIGHT-DATA

• US 20110226038A1
• Filed: 01/11/2011
• Published: 09/22/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 01/11/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Full Flight Technology, Llc
• Original Assignee: Full Flight Technology, Llc
• Inventors: Vcelak, Jan, Donahoe, Robert V., Barton, John
• Granted Patent: US 8,733,168 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 73/12.05
• CPC Class Codes: F42B 12/362 Arrows or darts F42B12/38 takes precedence, having means for implantation, e.g. hypodermic projectiles F42B12/54; arrows or darts in general F42B6/00
• CPC Class Codes: F42B 12/365 Projectiles transmitting information to a remote location using optical or electronic means F42B12/385 takes precedence
• 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: G01D 21/02 Measuring two or more variables by means not covered by a single other subclass
• CPC Class Codes: G01H 17/00 Measuring mechanical vibrations or ultrasonic, sonic or infrasonic waves, not provided for in the preceding groups see provisionally also G01H1/00
• CPC Class Codes: G01P 3/665 for projectile velocity measurements

Abstract

In one aspect, a method of determining an instantaneous speed of an arrow, includes determining a time-of-flight of the arrow; determining a distance between a location from which the arrow is loosed and a location of a target-face; providing, with an apparatus included in the arrow, data from at least a portion of a free flight of the arrow; and determining the instantaneous speed of the arrow for at least one point of the free-flight by employing each of: a) the time-of-flight; b) the distance; and c) at least some of the data provided by the apparatus.

Claims

1. A method of determining an instantaneous speed of an arrow, the method comprising acts of:

determining a time-of-flight of the arrow;

determining a distance between a location from which the arrow is loosed and a location of a target-face;

providing, with an apparatus included in the arrow, data from at least a portion of a free flight of the arrow; and

determining the instantaneous speed of the arrow for at least one point of the free-flight by employing each of;

a) the time-of-flight;

b) the distance; and

c) at least some of the data provided by the apparatus.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising an act of determining the time-of-flight with data provided by at least one of a shock sensor and an accelerometer included in the apparatus.

3. The method of claim 2, further comprising an act of determining a start of a free-flight of the arrow with data provided by at least one of the shock sensor and the apparatus.

4. The method of claim 2, further comprising an act of determining an impact of the arrow with the target-face with data provided by at least one of the shock sensor and the accelerometer.

5. The method of claim 2, further comprising an act of determining the time-of-flight with data provided by each of the shock sensor and the accelerometer.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising acts of:

determining a time-of-launch based at least in part on a first step-change in an output signal of the accelerometer; and

determining a time-of-impact based at least in part on a second step-change in an output of the accelerometer.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising an act of determining a total time of flight of the arrow, wherein the total time of flight includes the free flight and at least one of a launch-phase and an impact-phase.

8. A method of analyzing flight-data for an arrow shot from a bow, the method comprising:

collecting flight-data during at least one flight of the arrow; and

performing frequency analysis on the collected flight-data.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the act of collecting includes an act of sampling the flight-data in a time-domain.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the act of performing frequency analysis includes an act of measuring the collected flight-data in the frequency domain.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the act of measuring includes an act of applying a Fast Fourier Transform to the collected flight-data.

12. The method of claim 8, wherein the act of performing frequency analysis includes an act of determining frequency peaks in the collected flight-data.

13. A method of analyzing flight-data for an arrow shot from a bow, the method comprising:

collecting acceleration-sensor output data during at least one flight of the arrow; and

comparing information provided by the acceleration-sensor output data to at least one predetermined threshold.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the predetermined threshold includes at least one of a minimum acceleration and a maximum acceleration.

15. The method of claim 13, wherein the predetermined threshold includes an average acceleration.

16. The method of claim 13, further comprising providing the acceleration-sensor output data in millig.

17. The method of claim 13, further comprising collecting acceleration-sensor output data for multiple axes of an acceleration sensor.

18. The method of claim 13, further comprising providing a shot-placement of the arrow on a target for use in analyzing the flight-data.

19. The method of claim 18, further comprising analyzing flight-data for the arrow for a plurality of shots.

20. The method of claim 19, further comprising taking at least some of the plurality of shots from a common distance.

21. The method of claim 20, further comprising taking all of the plurality of shots from a common distance.

22. The method of claim 13, further comprising analyzing flight data for a plurality of different arrow configurations.

23. The method of claim 22, wherein the plurality of different arrow configurations include a plurality of different arrows.