Golf training head gear for detecting head motion and providing an indication of head movement

• US 6,331,168 B1
• Filed: 03/07/2000
• Issued: 12/18/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 10/24/1997
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Progressive Sports Technologies Limited
• Original Assignee: Progressive Sports Technologies Limited
• Inventors: Wakenight, Robert Leslie, Socci, Roger David
• Primary Examiner(s): HINDENBURG, MAX F
• Application Number:
  US09/521,102
• Time in Patent Office: 651 Days
• Field of Search: 600/587, 600/595, 273/26.R, 335/11, 335/12
• US Class Current: 600/595
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2503/10 Athletes
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2560/0204 of power management
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/1114 Tracking parts of the body
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/1124 Determining motor skills
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/18 for vehicle drivers or machine operators
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6814 Head
• 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 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 69/3629 : Visual means not attached to the body for aligning, positioning the trainee's head or for detecting head movement, e.g. by parallax
• 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. Head gear apparatus to sense the instantaneous position of the wearer'"'"'s head relative to a desired head position for a golf swing and to provide a signal to the wearer when the wearer'"'"'s head is within proper head position parameters for said golf swing, or, alternatively, to provide a signal to the wearer when the wearer'"'"'s head is not within said proper head position parameters for said golf swing, said head gear comprising:

sensor devices sensing the movement of the wearer'"'"'s head from a known initial position established at a time prior to initiation of said golf swing and outputting an electrical signal indicative of the direction and rotational speed of the wearer'"'"'s head movement;

an analog to digital converter for converting said electrical signal to a digital data stream,

a digital processor for receiving said digital data stream, performing an integration to calculate an angular displacement related to said electrical signal and comparing said calculated angular displacement to a predetermined digital datum establishing criterion limits for predetermined golf swing,

said digital processor receiving further data, comprising additional information, to assist in comparing said criterion limits and said calculated angular displacement to determine whether the wearer'"'"'s head is within or is not within said criterion limits;

an alarm output device for generating an alarm when a specific movement is within or not within said established criterion, and

an interface device for enabling input of at least some of said additional information to said digital processor.

2. Head gear to sense, during a golf swing, the relative position of the wearer'"'"'s head to an established track for said golf swing and providing an alarm when said relative position is outside said established track, and to provide another alarm when said relative position is inside said established track, said head gear comprising:

gyroscope sensors, each oriented around an axis of head rotation, and each outputting an analog electric signal proportional to angular rotation of the wearer'"'"'s head about each sensed axis,

an analog to digital converter for creating a digital output for each said signal,

a data integrator and processor for receiving said digital outputs and creating from said digital outputs a digital signal indicative of the relative angular displacement of the wearer'"'"'s head in said golf swing,

said data integrator and processor comparing said digital signal to established limits for correct movement,

said data integrator and processor receiving further data, comprising additional information, to assist in comparing said established limits and said digital signal to determine whether the wearer'"'"'s head is within or is not within said established limits;

an alarm device for outputting a signal for alerting the wearer when said relative movement falls outside said limits and said alarm device for outputting another signal when said relative movement falls inside said limits, and

an interface device for enabling input of additional information to said data integrator and processor.

3. A head motion sensing apparatus, worn by a user, for sensing motion of the user'"'"'s head during a golf swing, the apparatus comprising:

sensors that sense the movement of 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 establishes bounds for the user'"'"'s head movement during the golf swing;

a memory comprising data representing the digital reference values that establish bounds for the user'"'"'s head movement during the golf swing;

an alarm device fro generating at least one feedback 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 inputs related to the bounds for the golf swing.

4. The head motion sensing apparatus of claim 3, 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.

5. The head motion sensing apparatus of claim 3, wherein the alarm device generates an audible feedback signal.

6. The head motion sensing apparatus of claim 3, wherein the alarm device generates a visible feedback signal.

7. A method of monitoring head motion during a golf swing by employing head motion sensing apparatus to monitor the motion of a wearer'"'"'s head, the method comprising:

arming the head motion sensing apparatus to enable the head gear to detect the wearer'"'"'s head motion;

sensing the wearer'"'"'s head motion, wherein the step of sensing the wearer'"'"'s head motion further comprises;

monitoring to detect a backwards rotation of the wearer'"'"'s head;

monitoring to detect whether the backwards rotation of the wearer'"'"'s head deviates from a first predetermined value;

monitoring to detect a pause in the wearer'"'"'s head motion;

monitoring to detect whether the pause in the wearer'"'"'s head motion deviates from a second predetermined value;

monitoring to detect forward rotation of the wearer'"'"'s head; and

s monitoring to detect whether the forward rotation of the wearer'"'"'s head deviates from a third predetermined value; and

providing feedback to the wearer'"'"' indicative of the degree of compliance of the wearer'"'"'s head motion with a predetermined head motion that corresponds to first, second and third predetermined values.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the first predetermined value corresponds to an angular value of 20 to 25 degrees, as measured from an initial wearer'"'"'s head position.

9. The method of claim 7, wherein the second predetermined value corresponds to a time period in the range of 0.0 to 0.5 seconds.

10. The method of claim 7, wherein the step of providing feedback further comprises:

providing an audible alarm indicative of the degree of compliance.

11. The method of claim 7, wherein the step of providing feedback further comprises:

providing an visible alarm indicative of the degree of compliance.

12. The method of claim 7, wherein the step of sensing the wearer'"'"'s head motion further comprises:

monitoring to detect a second pause in the wearer'"'"'s head motion; and

monitoring to detect whether the second pause in the wearer'"'"'s head motion deviates from a fourth predetermined value.

13. The method of claim 7, wherein the step of sensing the wearer'"'"'s head motion further comprises:

monitoring to detect further forward rotation in the wearer'"'"'s head motion; and

monitoring to detect whether the further forward rotation in the wearer'"'"'s head motion deviates from a fifth predetermined value.