METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR PROVIDING TRAINING TO A SURFER

• US 20170021257A1
• Filed: 07/22/2016
• Published: 01/26/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 07/22/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Gilbert T. Olsen II
• Original Assignee: Gilbert T. Olsen II
• Inventors: Olsen, Gilbert T. II
• Granted Patent: US 10,561,918 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2208/03 the user being in water
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/12 Absolute positions, e.g. by using GPS
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/40 Acceleration
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2225/50 Wireless data transmission, e.g. by radio transmitters or telemetry
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 69/0093 for surfing, i.e. without a sail; for skate or snow boarding
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 71/0622 Visual, audio or audio-visual systems for entertaining, instructing or motivating the user
• CPC Class Codes: E04H 4/0006 Devices for producing waves in swimming pools generating current of water in swimming pools A63B69/125
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 17/88 Lidar systems specially adapted for specific applications
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/011 Arrangements for interaction with the human body, e.g. for user immersion in virtual reality blind teaching G09B21/00
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/453 Help systems
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 19/0038 Sports
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 19/0076 Body hygiene; Dressing; Knot tying
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 19/04 Speaking with audible presentation of the material to be studied G09B5/04
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 19/06 Foreign languages with audible presentation of material to be studied G09B5/04
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 20/30 relating to physical therapies or activities, e.g. physiotherapy, acupressure or exercising
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 20/70 relating to mental therapies, e.g. psychological therapy or autogenous training

Abstract

Embodiments of the present invention provide a method and apparatus for providing training to a surfer. The method involves highlighting the critical elements of the surfing region, enabling a surfer to comprehend complex dynamic environments, (such as barrells), better understand what expert surfers do in such environments, and then progressing such maneuvers from the mind to the physical environment as actual performance. The apparatus comprises a sensory cue generator capable of delivering cues that enable a surfer to visualize maneuvers in their mind, practice in virtual/augmented reality, and the physical environment in artificially and naturally generated surfing conditions. The sensory cues are delivered dynamically to the surfer, in an intuitive fashion correlated with the surfing visualizations, simulations or environments, prompting the surfer to deploy correct surfing maneuvers, greatly reducing the learning curve and progressing physical and mental performance as never before.

Claims

1. An apparatus for providing training to a surfer, comprising:

a sensory cue generator for delivering a sensory cue to a surfable region on an artificially generated surf wave, the sensory cue for indicating a surfing maneuver to a surfer while surfing the artificially generated surf wave,

wherein the surfing maneuver comprises maneuvering at least one of the surfer'"'"'s body, or a surfboard used by the surfer.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the surfable region moves dynamically due to the motion of the artificially generated surf wave, and wherein the sensory cue generator delivers sensory cues dynamically to the surfable region.

3. The apparatus of claim 2, further comprising a server, the server comprising at least one processor and a memory comprising processor executable instructions, which when executed by the at least one processor performs a method comprising activating the sensory cue generator to deliver the sensory cue to a position discernible to the surfer.

4. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein the activating the sensory cue generator is based on at least one of the position of the artificially generated surf wave, the position of the surfer, or position of the surfboard.

5. The apparatus of claim 4, wherein the position of the artificially generated surf wave is determined based on at least one of visual recognition of the artificially generated surf wave, or a synchronization with a wave generation mechanism used to generate the artificially generated surf wave.

6. The apparatus of claim 4, wherein the position of the surfer and the position of the surfboard is determined using at least one of a global positioning system (GPS), cellular communication, Bluetooth, WiFi, a gyroscope, an accelerometer, or a magnetometer.

7. The apparatus of claim 4, wherein the sensory cue generator includes at least one of a first light source positioned outside water in which the artificially generated surf wave is generated, a second light source positioned in water in which the artificially generated surf wave is generated, a sound source, a transducer, a motor, or a digital display,

8. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the sensory cue generator is a light source positioned to be visible from the position and an orientation of the surfer when surfing in the surfing region, and wherein the light source is at least one of mechanically coupled to, or motion synchronized with a wave generation mechanism.

9. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the artificially generated surf wave comprises a shoulder section, an escape face section, a barrel section, a foamball section, and a broken section.

10. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the surfing region comprises at least one of the shoulder section, or the barrel section.

11. A method for providing training to a surfer, comprising:

delivering a sensory cue to a surfable region on an artificially generated surf wave, the sensory cue for indicating a surfing maneuver to a surfer while surfing the artificially generated surf wave,

wherein the surfing maneuver comprises maneuvering at least one of the surfer'"'"'s body, or a surfboard used by the surfer.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the sensory cue is delivered based on at least one of visual recognition of the artificially generated surf wave, or a time synchronization with a wave generation mechanism used to generate the artificially generated surf wave.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the position of the artificially generated surf wave is determined based on at least one of visual recognition of the artificially generated surf wave, or a time synchronization with a wave generation mechanism used to generate the artificially generated surf wave.

14. The method of claim 12, wherein the position of the surfer and the position of the surfboard is determined using at least one of a global positioning system (GPS), cellular communication, Bluetooth, WiFi, a gyroscope, an accelerometer, or a magnetometer.

15. The method of claim 12, wherein the sensory cue includes a light pattern generated by at least one of a first light source positioned outside water in which the artificially generated surf wave is generated or a second light source positioned inside water in which the artificially generated surf wave is generated, a sound, a touch-based sense, or an image or text displayed on a digital display.

16. The method of claim 11, wherein the sensory cue is light generated by a light source mechanically coupled to a wave generation mechanism and positioned to be visible from the surfable region.

17. An apparatus for providing training to a surfer, comprising:

a light source for generating light and positioned to deliver a light profile visible from a surfable region on an artificially generated surf wave, the light profile for indicating a surfing maneuver to a surfer while surfing the artificially generated surf wave,

wherein the surfing maneuver comprises maneuvering at least one of the surfer'"'"'s body, or a surfboard used by the surfer.

18. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein the light source comprises a plurality of light emitting devices for generating the light profile that moves dynamically with a position of the surfer which changes dynamically due to the motion of the surfer while surfing the artificially generated surf wave.

19. The apparatus of claim 18, wherein generating the light profile that moves dynamically with the position comprises activating or deactivating one or more of the plurality of light emitting devices.

20. The apparatus of claim 19, wherein the activating or deactivating of the one or more of the plurality of light emitting devices is based on the position of a wave generation mechanism.