SPORT PERFORMANCE SYSTEM WITH BALL SENSING

• US 20140135957A1
• Filed: 11/04/2013
• Published: 05/15/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 11/09/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Wilson Sporting Goods Company (Anta International Group Holdings Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Wilson Sporting Goods Company (Anta International Group Holdings Ltd.)
• Inventors: Thurman, Robert T., Krysiak, Kevin L., Gaff, Bradley L., Proeber, David J.
• Granted Patent: US 9,492,724 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 700/91
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2024/0031 at the starting point
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/34 Angular speed
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/44 Angular acceleration
• 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 2243/007 American football
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 69/002 for football American-football dummies A63B69/34
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/0639 Performance analysis of employees; Performance analysis of enterprise or organisation operations
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 19/0038 Sports

Abstract

A player training apparatus for use with a portable performance system. The portable performance system includes a processor, a memory and a display. The training apparatus includes an American-style football, at least one sensor coupled to the football, at least one transmitter coupled to the football and operably coupled to the sensor, and a non-transient computer-readable medium containing code. The code directs the processor to: receive input pertaining to motion of the football; determine a target accuracy based upon the input; and display the determined target accuracy.

Claims

1. A player training apparatus for use with a portable performance system including a processor, a memory and a display, the training apparatus comprising:

an American-style football;

at least one sensor coupled to the football;

at least one transmitter coupled to the football and operably coupled to the sensor; and

a non-transient computer-readable medium containing code to direct the processor to;

receive input pertaining to motion of the football;

determine a target accuracy based upon the input; and

display the determined target accuracy.

2. The training apparatus of claim 1, wherein the code further directs the processor to identify a target and wherein the determined target accuracy is based upon the identified target.

3. The training apparatus of claim 1, wherein the motion of the football is a field goal kick attempt, and wherein the target accuracy comprises accuracy of the field goal attempt.

4. The training apparatus of claim 3, wherein the code further directs the processor to identify a target, and wherein the target is an actual field goal post.

5. The training apparatus of claim 3, wherein the code further directs the processor to identify a target, and wherein the target is a simulated field goal post.

6. The training apparatus of claim 3, wherein the code directs the processor to derive at least one football motion parameter from the input pertaining to the motion of the football.

7. The training apparatus of claim 6, wherein the at least one football motion parameter is selected from the group consisting of football speed, football launch angle, spin about a non-longitudinal axis of the football, spin about a longitudinal axis of the football, direction of the football, trajectory, distance, and combinations thereof.

8. The training apparatus of claim 1, wherein the motion of the football is a pass attempt, and wherein the target accuracy comprises accuracy of the pass attempt.

9. The training apparatus of claim 8, wherein the code further directs the processor to identify a target, and wherein the target is a fixed target.

10. The training apparatus of claim 8, wherein the code further directs the processor to identify a target, and wherein the target is a moving target.

11. The training apparatus of claim 8, wherein the target is a simulated or virtual target.

12. The training apparatus of claim 8, wherein the code directs the processor to derive at least one football motion parameter from the input pertaining to the motion of the football.

13. The training apparatus of claim 12, wherein the at least one football motion parameter is selected from the group consisting of football speed, football acceleration, spiral efficiency, football launch angle, spin about a longitudinal axis of the football, direction of the football, trajectory, passing release time, distance, and combinations thereof.

14. The training apparatus of claim 12, wherein the at least one football motion parameter is selected from a series of events resulting from the input and is selected from the group consisting of snap to pass release time, snap to catch time, snap to pass release time, pass to impact with ground time and combinations thereof.

15. The training apparatus of claim 1, wherein the motion of the football is a punt, and wherein the target accuracy comprises accuracy of the punt.

16. The training apparatus of claim 15, wherein the code further directs the processor to identify a target, and wherein the target is a region of an actual or virtual playing field.

17. The training apparatus of claim 15, wherein the code directs the processor to derive at least one football motion parameter from the input pertaining to the motion of the football.

18. The training apparatus of claim 17, wherein the at least one football motion parameter is selected from the group consisting of football speed, football acceleration, football launch angle, spin about a non-longitudinal axis of the football, spin about a longitudinal axis of the football, spiral efficiency, direction of the football, trajectory, distance, hang time and combinations thereof.

19. The training apparatus of claim 17, wherein the at least one football motion parameter is selected from a series of events resulting from the input and is selected from the group consisting of snap to punt time, snap to kick time, punt to catch time, punt to impact with ground time and combinations thereof.

20. The training apparatus of claim 1, wherein the code directs the processor to receive input relating to at least one environmental parameter.

21. The training apparatus of claim 20, wherein the at least one environmental parameter is selected from the group of environmental parameters consisting of:

air temperature, barometric pressure, humidity, air density, altitude, wind speed, wind direction and combinations thereof.

22. The training apparatus of claim 1, wherein the code further directs the processor to determine identify a football act pertaining to the motion of the football, and compare the received input with previously stored information regarding similar football acts.

23. The training apparatus of claim 22, wherein the previously stored information is information from prior acts by the player with the football.

24. The training apparatus of claim 22, wherein the previously stored information is information relating to prior football acts performed by a celebrity.

25. The training apparatus of claim 1, wherein the code further directs the processor to supply the input pertaining to motion of the football to a video game.

26. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the code is further configured to direct a processor to:

derive at least one football motion parameter from the input pertaining to the motion of the football;

store each determined football motion parameter; and

present a graph of the stored football motion parameters.

27. The apparatus of claim 26, wherein the code is further configured to direct a processor to:

compare the determined football motion parameter to a predefined threshold value; and

present a suggestion based upon the comparison.