COMBINING SIGNAL INFORMATION FROM SHOES AND SPORTS RACKET

• US 20150314164A1
• Filed: 05/05/2014
• Published: 11/05/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 05/05/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Sampathkumaran, Sriram
• Granted Patent: US 9,710,612 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2505/09 Rehabilitation or training
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2562/0219 Inertial sensors, e.g. accelerometers, gyroscopes, tilt switches
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6807 Footwear
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6895 Sport equipment
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/56 Pressure
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/803 Motion sensors
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/833 Sensors arranged on the exercise apparatus or sports implement
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/836 Sensors arranged on the body of the user
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 24/0006 Computerised comparison for qualitative assessment of motion sequences or the course of a movement
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 24/0062 Monitoring athletic performances, e.g. for determining the work of a user on an exercise apparatus, the completed jogging or cycling distance
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 69/38 for tennis A63B61/006, A63B69/0073 and A63B69/0097 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 71/0622 Visual, audio or audio-visual systems for entertaining, instructing or motivating the user
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 40/23 Recognition of whole body movements, e.g. for sport training
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 19/0038 Sports
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 15/00 ICT specially adapted for medical reports, e.g. generation or transmission thereof
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 40/63 for local operation

Abstract

Methods and apparatus are disclosed for correlating signals from a sports racket with signals from the shoes worn by a player wielding the racket to gain insight into the player'"'"'s footwork at ball striking moments.

Claims

1. A device comprising:

at least one computer readable storage medium bearing instructions executable by a processor;

at least one processor configured for accessing the computer readable storage medium to execute the instructions to configure the processor for;

receiving first signals from at least one sensor on a sports racket;

receiving second signals from at least one sensor on a shoe worn by a player wielding the sports racket; and

based at least in part on the first and second signals, presenting an indication on at least one display.

2. The device of claim 1, wherein the indication is audible.

3. The device of claim 1, wherein the indication is video.

4. The device of claim 1, wherein the act of presenting is based at least in part on a synchronization of the first and second signals.

5. The device of claim 1, wherein the instructions when executed by the processor configure the processor for:

determining a player struck an object with the racket based at least in part on signals from at least one strike sensor on the racket.

6. The device of claim 1, wherein the instructions when executed by the processor configure the processor for:

determining a player struck an object with the racket based at least in part on signals from at least one pressure sensor on a handle of the racket.

7. The device of claim 1, wherein the instructions when executed by the processor configure the processor for:

determining from signals from at least one motion sensor on the racket whether a racket has been swung in clockwise or counterclockwise arc.

8. The device of claim 1, wherein the indication includes at least one expert evaluation.

9. The device of claim 1, wherein the indication includes at least one timeline of shoe pressure.

10. The device of claim 1, wherein the indication includes video of the player synchronized with at least one comment derived from the first and second signals.

11. Method comprising:

correlating first signals from a sports racket with second signals from shoes worn by a player wielding the racket; and

presenting an indication based at least in part on the first and second signals to allow the player to gain insight into the player'"'"'s footwork at ball striking moments.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the indication is audible.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein the indication is video.

14. The method of claim 11, wherein the act of presenting is based at least in part on a synchronization of the first and second signals.

15. The method of claim 11, comprising:

determining a player struck an object with the racket based at least in part on signals from at least one strike sensor on the racket.

16. The method of claim 11, comprising:

determining a player struck an object with the racket based at least in part on signals from at least one pressure sensor on a handle of the racket.

17. The method of claim 11, comprising:

determining from signals from at least one motion sensor on the racket whether a racket has been swung in clockwise or counterclockwise arc.

18. The method of claim 11, wherein the indication includes at least one expert evaluation.

19. The method of claim 11, wherein the indication includes at least one video of the player synchronized with at least one comment derived from the first and second signals.

20. System comprising:

at least one shoe;

at least one sensor on the shoe configured for generating first signals;

at least one racket;

at least one sensor on the racket configured for generating second signals; and

at least one computing device configured for receiving the first and second signals and outputting an indication based thereon.