Signal Analysis and Recharging System

• US 20150051009A1
• Filed: 11/03/2014
• Published: 02/19/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 10/09/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Golf Impact, LLC
• Original Assignee: Golf Impact, LLC
• Inventors: Davenport, Roger
• Granted Patent: US 10,188,902 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 473/223
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/11 Measuring movement of the entire body or parts thereof, e.g. head or hand tremor, mobility of a limb for measuring pulse A61B5/02 ;A61B5/1038 takes precedence; motion detection to correct for motion artifacts in physiological signals A61B5/721
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2071/0625 Emitting sound, noise or music
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2071/065 Visualisation of specific exercise parameters
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/20 Distances or displacements
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/34 Angular speed
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/40 Acceleration
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/44 Angular acceleration
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/51 Force
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/53 Force of an impact, e.g. blow or punch
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/54 Torque
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/56 Pressure
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/62 Time or time measurement used for time reference, time stamp, master time or clock signal
• 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 24/0003 Analysing the course of a movement or motion sequences during an exercise or trainings sequence, e.g. swing for golf or tennis
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/04 Heads
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/0437 with special crown configurations
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/0458 with non-uniform thickness of the impact face plate
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/0466 wood-type
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 57/00 Golfing accessories
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 60/00 : Details or accessories of golf clubs, bats, rackets or the like
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 60/42 : Devices for measuring, verifying, correcting or customising the inherent characteristics of golf clubs, bats, rackets or the like, e.g. measuring the maximum torque a batting shaft can withstand
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 60/46 : Measurement devices associated with golf clubs, bats, rackets or the like for measuring physical parameters relating to sporting activity, e.g. baseball bats with impact indicators or bracelets for measuring the golf swing
• 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 71/0622 : Visual, audio or audio-visual systems for entertaining, instructing or motivating the user
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/263 : Arrangements for using multiple switchable power supplies, e.g. battery and AC G06F1/30 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 19/0038 : Sports

Abstract

A measurement device may include one or more piezoelectric elements that output power signals. The device may split each power signal, analyzing a first portion of the signal while supplying a second portion to an energy storage assembly. A processor may dynamically adjust the first and second portions of each power signal to change how much of each power signal is used for signal processing versus energy storage, and may make the adjustments based on detected activities and/or pre-programmed timelines. The device may be used in or on sports equipment, such as a golf club.

Claims

1. An impact analysis system, including:

a first piezoelectric element;

a first signal divider that receives a first power signal that is output from the first piezoelectric element, the signal divider having first and second outputs, wherein the first output is coupled to signal processing circuitry and the second output is coupled to an energy storage assembly that includes a battery; and

a processor that dynamically adjusts a ratio of a first amount of the first power signal the signal divider sends to the signal processing circuitry versus a second amount of the first power signal that is sent to the energy storage assembly.

2. The impact analysis system of claim 1, wherein the processor performs further stages including:

detecting a threshold level of acceleration has been met; and

in response to the threshold being met, adjusting the ratio so that more of the first power signal is sent to the signal processing circuitry.

3. The impact analysis system of claim 2, wherein in response to the threshold being met, the processor further dynamically increases a sampling rate of the signal processing circuitry.

4. The impact analysis system of claim 1, wherein the processor further detects an impact and waits a predetermined time from impact before dynamically changing the ratio to send more of the first power signal to the energy storage assembly.

5. The impact analysis system of claim 4, wherein the dynamic change to the ratio causes all of the power signal to go to the energy storage assembly.

6. The impact analysis system of claim 1, wherein the first piezoelectric element measures a combination of parameters that include pressure, linear acceleration, angular acceleration, and torque;

and

wherein the first power signal is an analog signal based on surface charge changes of the first piezoelectric element.

7. The impact analysis system of claim 1, further including a second piezoelectric element that outputs a second power signal to a second signal divider, wherein the second signal divider splits the second power signal according to the same dynamically adjustable ratio as the first signal divider.

8. The impact analysis system of claim 7, wherein the processor further sets first and second multipliers for normalizing samples of the first and second power signals respectively, wherein the second multiplier is set differently than the first multiplier to compensate for the second pressure sensor being closer to an edge of a monolith than the first pressure sensor.

9. The impact analysis system of claim 8, wherein the signal processing circuitry simultaneously samples the respective first amounts of the first and second power signals.

10. The impact analysis system of claim 1, wherein the processor sets a multiplier for normalizing samples taken by the signal processing circuitry, wherein the multiplier is dynamically changed to compensate for dynamic changes to the first amount.

11. The impact analysis system of claim 1, wherein the first piezoelectric element is embedded in a club face of a golf club and outputs the first power signal based on both impact with an object and vibrations.

12. The impact analysis system of claim 1, wherein the processor tracks the first and second amounts as they change over time.

13. The impact analysis system of claim 1, wherein the processor dynamically changes the ratio of the first and second amounts based on a pre-programmed time line that based on at least one trigger event.

14. A golf club head including:

a first pressure sensor;

a first signal divider that receives a first power signal that is output from the first pressure sensor, the signal divider having first and second outputs, wherein the first output is coupled to signal processing circuitry and the second output is coupled to an energy storage assembly that includes a battery; and

a processor that dynamically adjusts a ratio of how much of the first power signal the signal divider sends to the signal processing circuitry versus the energy storage assembly.

15. The golf club head of claim 14, wherein the first pressure sensor is embedded in a side wall of the golf club head.

16. The golf club head of claim 14, further including a second pressure sensor that outputs a second power signal, wherein a portion of the second power signal is sent to the energy storage assembly in accordance with the ratio set by the processor.

17. The golf club head of claim 16, wherein the processor further sets first and second multipliers for normalizing samples of the first and second power signals respectively, wherein the second multiplier is set differently than the first multiplier to compensate for the second pressure sensor being closer to an edge of a golf club head than the first pressure sensor.

18. The golf club head of claim 14, wherein the processor causes substantially all of the first power signal to be sent to the energy harvesting assembly until the processor enters an impact analysis state.

19. The golf club head of claim 18, wherein in the impact analysis state, the processor causes substantially all of the first power signal to be sent to the signal processing circuitry.

20. A device that attaches to a shaft of a sports equipment, including:

a first pressure sensor imbedded in a wall that makes contact with the shaft;

a first signal divider that receives a first power signal that is output from the first pressure sensor, the signal divider includes two outputs coupled to signal processing circuitry and an energy storage assembly respectively; and

a processor that dynamically adjusts how much of the first power signal the signal divider sends to the signal processing circuitry versus the energy storage assembly, wherein the dynamic adjustment is made automatically by the processor.