Head gear for detecting head motion and providing an indication of head movement

• US 6,048,324 A
• Filed: 06/28/1999
• Issued: 04/11/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 10/24/1997
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Progressive Sports Technologies Limited
• Original Assignee: Creative Sports Design Incorporated
• Inventors: Socci, Roger David, Wakenight, Robert Leslie
• Primary Examiner(s): HINDENBURG, MAX F
• Application Number:
  US09/337,007
• Time in Patent Office: 288 Days
• Field of Search: 600/587, 600/595, 273/26 R, 33/511, 33/512
• US Class Current: 600/595
• CPC Class Codes: A42B 3/0433 Detecting, signalling or lighting devices
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/1124 Determining motor skills
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2069/0008 for batting
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2071/0625 Emitting sound, noise or music
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2071/0627 when used improperly, e.g. by giving a warning
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2102/22 Field hockey
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2102/24 Ice hockey
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/803 Motion sensors
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2243/002 Billiards
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2244/03 Skeet, clay pigeon shooting
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2244/04 Bow shooting
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2244/102 Boxing
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 69/0002 for baseball
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 69/0015 for cricket
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 69/002 for football American-football dummies A63B69/34
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 69/0022 for skating
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 69/0024 for hockey
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 69/0026 for ice-hockey
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 69/0046 for bowling
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 69/3608 Attachments on the body, e.g. for measuring, aligning, restraining A63B69/0059, A63B69/3673 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 69/38 : for tennis A63B61/006, A63B69/0073 and A63B69/0097 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 69/385 : for practising the serve
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/00 : Alarms responsive to a single specified undesired or abnormal condition and not otherwise provided for
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/06 : indicating a condition of sleep, e.g. anti-dozing alarms

Abstract

Apparatus and method for using head gear to sense the motion of the wearer'"'"'s head and output a signal indicative of the motion. Sensors are used to detect head motion about two mutually perpendicular axes. The sensor signal is fed into a microprocessor to compute a feedback signal indicative of the deviation of the motion from a desired, pre-programmed path. The feedback signal is delivered to an indicator to alert the wearer of the head motion. The device is adaptable to monitor head motions for various athletic, sporting and safety applications.

Claims

1. A head motion sensing apparatus, worn by a user, for sensing the motion of the user'"'"'s head during one of a plurality of pre-selected activities, the apparatus comprising:

sensors that sense the movement the user'"'"'s head from a known initial position and output at least one sensor signal indicative of the direction and rotational speed of the user'"'"'s head motion;

an analog to digital converter for converting the at least one sensor signal to at least one digital signal;

a digital processor for receiving the at least one digital signal, performing an integration to calculate an angular displacement related to the at least one sensor signal, and comparing the calculated angular displacement to at least one predetermined digital reference value that establish bounds for the user'"'"'s head movement during the one of a plurality of pre-selected activities;

a memory comprising data representing the digital reference values that establish bounds for the user'"'"'s head movement during the one of a plurality of pre-selected activities;

an alarm device for generating at least one alarm signal indicative of the amount of conformity between the user'"'"'s head movement and the established bounds; and

an interface that enables the user to select at least one of the plurality of pre-selected activities.

2. The head motion sensing apparatus of claim 1, wherein the head motion apparatus further comprises:

a housing; and

at least one fastener that enables the selective attachment of the housing to an item of head apparel.

3. The head motion sensing apparatus of claim 1, wherein the interface further comprises at least one switch.

4. The head motion sensing apparatus of claim 1, wherein the one of a plurality of pre-selected activities is selected from the group of activities consisting of:

athletics, baseball, cricket, hockey, field hockey, lacrosse, soccer, tennis, football, golf, skating, boxing, bowling, billiards, pool, archery, shooting, automobile driving and aircraft piloting.

5. The head motion sensing apparatus of claim 1, wherein the alarm device generates an audible alarm.

6. The head motion sensing apparatus of claim 5, wherein the audible alarm comprises an alarm recognizable as verbal speech.

7. The head motion sensing apparatus of claim 1, wherein the alarm device generates a visible alarm.

8. The head motion sensing apparatus of claim 1, wherein the sensors comprise gyroscopic sensors.

9. The head motion sensing apparatus of claim 1, wherein the sensors comprise a combination of gyroscopic sensors and accelerometer sensors.

10. A method for using head gear to sense the motion of a user'"'"'s head during one of a plurality of pre-selected activities, the method comprising:

selecting one of a plurality of pre-selected activities;

attaching the head gear the user'"'"'s head apparel;

sensing the motion of the head gear and creating at least one sensor signal proportional to the direction and rotational speed of the user'"'"'s head motion;

converting the at least one sensor signal to at least one digital signal;

calculating an angular displacement related to the at least one sensor signal;

comparing the calculated angular displacement to at least one predetermined reference value that represent limits for the user'"'"'s head movement during the selected one of a plurality of pre-selected activities; and

generating at least one alarm related to the comparison of the calculated angular displacement and the at least one predetermined reference value.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the step of selecting one of the plurality of pre-selected activities further comprises using at least one switch to select one of the plurality of pre-selected activities.

12. The method of claim 10, wherein the step of selecting one of the plurality of pre-selected activities comprises selecting from the group of activities consisting of:

athletics, baseball, cricket, hockey, field hockey, lacrosse, soccer, tennis, football, golf, skating, boxing, bowling, billiards, pool, archery, shooting, automobile driving and aircraft piloting.

13. The method of claim 10, wherein the step of generating at least one alarm comprises generating at least one audible alarm.

14. The method of claim 10, wherein the step of generating at least one audible alarm further comprises generating at least one output recognizable as verbal speech.

15. The method of claim 10, wherein the step of generating at least one alarm comprises generating at least one visible alarm.

16. The method of claim 10, wherein the step of sensing the motion of the head gear comprises sensing motion with gyroscopic sensors.

17. The method of claim 10, wherein the step of sensing the motion of the head gear comprises sensing motion with a combination of gyroscopic sensors and accelerometer sensors.