Systems and apparatus for archery equipment

• US 7,972,230 B2
• Filed: 01/17/2008
• Issued: 07/05/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 01/18/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Full Flight Technology, Llc
• Original Assignee: Full Flight Technology, Llc
• Inventors: Donahoe, Robert V.
• Primary Examiner(s): RICCI, JOHN A
• Application Number:
  US12/016,019
• Publication Number:
  US 20080176681A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,265 Days
• Field of Search: 473/578
• US Class Current: 473/578
• CPC Class Codes: F41B 5/1403 Details of bows; camera's on bows F41B5/1492
• CPC Class Codes: F41B 5/143 Arrow rests or guides
• CPC Class Codes: F41B 5/148 Accessories and tools for bow shooting not otherwise provided for
• CPC Class Codes: F42B 12/385 Arrow or dart carrying a radio transmitter for signalling
• CPC Class Codes: F42B 6/04 Archery arrows F42B6/08, F41B5/06, F42B12/362 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F42B 6/06 Tail ends, e.g. nocks, fletching
• CPC Class Codes: F42B 6/08 Arrow heads; Harpoon heads
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/041 Digitisers, e.g. for touch screens or touch pads, characterised by the transducing means
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04842 Selection of displayed objects or displayed text elements G06F3/0482 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04847 Interaction techniques to control parameter settings, e.g. interaction with sliders or dials
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04883 for inputting data by handwriting, e.g. gesture or text

Abstract

An apparatus is configured for inclusion in an arrow. In one embodiment, the apparatus includes a sensor configured to provide data concerning one or more flight characteristics of the arrow in flight and a communication link coupled to the sensor, the communication link configured to communicate the data to a device external to the arrow.

Claims

1. An apparatus configured for inclusion in an arrow, the apparatus comprising:

at least one sensor configured to provide data concerning at least one flight characteristic of the arrow in flight;

a processor coupled to the at least one sensor;

a memory coupled to the processor and configured to store the data; and

a communication link coupled to the processor, the communication link configured to communicate the data to a device external to the arrow.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a housing in which the at least one sensor and the communication link are located.

3. The apparatus of claim 2, further comprising a communication port coupled to the communication link and included in the housing, and wherein the communication port is configured to connect to the device external to the arrow.

4. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein the communication link is configured to communicate the data that provides information concerning the at least one flight characteristic sensed by the at least one sensor over a hard-wired communication link coupled to the communication port.

5. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the housing includes an exterior surface, and wherein the exterior surface includes at least one electrical contact configured to mate with a contact surface external to the housing.

6. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein the at least one electrical contact is located on at least a part of a surface that is coaxial about a longitudinal axis of the housing.

7. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein the part of the surface extends substantially radially outward relative to the longitudinal axis.

8. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein the exterior surface includes a first contact surface located on a first portion of the exterior surface, and a second contact surface located on a second portion of the exterior surface.

9. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein the at least one electrical contact is configured to be employed in a communication link configured to download the data to the device external to the arrow.

10. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the housing is configured for inclusion in an arrow tip.

11. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the housing is configured to be removeably-attached to the arrow.

12. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the housing includes a threaded region configured to engage a corresponding threaded region of the arrow.

13. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the threaded region is sized and configured to engage a corresponding threaded region located at a distal end of the arrow.

14. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the corresponding threaded region is include in an adapter located at the distal end of the arrow.

15. The apparatus of claim 2, further comprising an antenna located in the arrow external to the housing, wherein the communication link is a wireless communication link.

16. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the communication link includes an antenna, and wherein the communication link is a wireless communication link.

17. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the apparatus is further configured for inclusion in an arrow tip.

18. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein the arrow tip is configured to provide at least one flight characteristic that is substantially similar to at least one flight characteristic of a selected commercially-available arrow tip that does not include the apparatus.

19. The apparatus of claim 18, wherein an overall aerodynamic structure of the arrow tip is substantially similar to an overall aerodynamic structure of the selected commercially-available arrow tip.

20. The apparatus of claim 18, wherein a mass of the arrow tip is substantially similar to a mass of the selected commercially-available arrow tip.

21. The apparatus of claim 17, further comprising a body, a shaft connected to the body and an electrical contact located on an exterior surface of at least one of the body and the shaft.

22. The apparatus of claim 21, wherein the electrical contact is configured to couple to an antenna external to the arrow tip.

23. The apparatus of claim 21, wherein the electrical contact is configured to couple to a power source external to the arrow tip.

24. The apparatus of claim 21, further comprising a rechargeable power source, wherein the electrical contact is configured to couple to recharging circuitry external to the arrow tip.

25. The apparatus of claim 21, wherein the communication link includes a communication port including the electrical contact, and wherein the communication link is configured to couple to the device via a hardwired communication link.

26. The apparatus of claim 17, further comprising an accelerometer that includes the at least one sensor.

27. The apparatus of claim 26, wherein the accelerometer includes a plurality of sensors.

28. The apparatus of claim 26, further comprising a plurality of accelerometers each configured to provide data concerning at least one flight characteristic of the arrow in flight.

29. The apparatus of claim 26, wherein the accelerometer is a multi-axis accelerometer.

30. The apparatus of claim 26, wherein the accelerometer is configured to sense an angular acceleration.

31. The apparatus of claim 26, wherein the accelerometer is configured to provide data concerning at least one of a pitch of the arrow, a yaw of the arrow and a roll of the arrow.

32. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the data is acceleration data.

33. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the at least one flight characteristic includes an instantaneous velocity of the arrow.

34. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the at least one flight characteristic includes at least one of a pitch, a roll and a yaw of the arrow.

35. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the at least one flight characteristic includes a kinetic energy of the arrow in flight.

36. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the at least one flight characteristic includes a speed of the arrow.

37. The apparatus of claim 36, wherein the at least one sensor is configured to provide data concerning the speed of the arrow for a plurality of locations of the arrow in flight.

38. The apparatus of claim 37, wherein the at least one sensor is configured to provide data concerning the speed for at least three locations of the arrow in flight.

39. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the communication link is configured to communicate the data via an optical signal to the device external to the arrow.

40. A system configured to provide information concerning a performance of archery equipment including an arrow and a bow, the system comprising:

an electronic apparatus configured for inclusion in the arrow, the electronic apparatus comprising;

a sensor configured to provide data concerning at least one flight characteristic of the arrow in flight; and

a communication link coupled to the sensor, the communication link configured to communicate the data to a device external to the arrow; and

a base station configured to receive the data from the communication link and to employ the data to generate an output concerning the at least one flight characteristic,

wherein the base station includes a display configured to display the output, and

wherein the output includes at least one value of the at least one flight characteristic for a flight of the arrow.

41. The system of claim 40, wherein the base station is configured to determine at least one instantaneous value of the at least one flight characteristic.

42. The system of claim 41, wherein the at least one instantaneous value includes a speed of the arrow in flight.

43. The system of claim 40, wherein the base station includes a user interface configured to receive information from a user concerning at least one physical characteristic of the arrow.

44. An apparatus configured for inclusion in an arrow, the apparatus comprising:

at least one sensor configured to provide acceleration data during at least one flight of the arrow;

a memory configured to store the acceleration data; and

a communication link coupled to the memory and configured to communicate the acceleration data to a device external to the arrow.

45. The apparatus of claim 44, further comprising an accelerometer including the at least one sensor.

46. The apparatus of claim 44, wherein at least a portion of the apparatus is included in a field point.

47. The apparatus of claim 44, wherein the at least one flight includes a plurality of flights.

48. The apparatus of claim 44, wherein at least a portion of the apparatus is included in a nock.

49. The apparatus of claim 44, further comprising a processor coupled to the memory.

50. The apparatus of claim 49, further comprising a microcontroller including the processor.

51. The apparatus of claim 49, wherein the memory is external to the processor.

52. An apparatus configured for inclusion in an arrow, the apparatus comprising:

at least one sensor configured to generate data during at least one flight of the arrow; and

a communication link configured to communicate the data to a device external to the arrow following the at least one flight of the arrow, the communication link configured to couple to the device external to the arrow via a hardwired connection.

53. The apparatus of claim 52, further comprising a housing configured to house at least a portion of each of the at least one sensor and the communication link.

54. The apparatus of claim 53, wherein the communication link includes a communication conductor located in the housing such that the communication conductor extends substantially along a longitudinal axis of the arrow when the apparatus is included in the arrow.

55. The apparatus of claim 54, wherein the housing is configured as an arrowtip including a shaft configured to attach to the arrow, and

wherein at least a portion of the communication conductor is located in a substantially central location in the shaft.

56. The apparatus of claim 52, wherein at least a portion of the apparatus is included in a shaft of the arrow.

57. The apparatus of claim 52, wherein at least a portion of the apparatus is included in a nock of the arrow.

58. The apparatus of claim 52, wherein the communication link includes a serial communication bus.

59. A system configured to provide information concerning a flight of an arrow, the system comprising:

a base station; and

an electronic apparatus configured for inclusion in the arrow, the electronic apparatus comprising;

at least one sensor configured to generate data during at least one flight of the arrow; and

a communication link configured to communicate the data to the base station, the communication link configured to couple to the base station via a hardwired connection.

60. The system of claim 59, wherein the base station includes a processor configured to process the data to generate an output concerning the at least one flight of the arrow.

61. The system of claim 60, wherein the base station includes a display coupled to the processor and configured to display the output.

62. The system of claim 61, wherein the output concerns at least one ballistic characteristic of the arrow in flight.

63. The system of claim 59, wherein the communication link includes a serial communication bus.

64. A system configured to provide information concerning at least one ballistic characteristic of an arrow, the system comprising:

a base station including a processor configured to determine a value of the at least one ballistic characteristic for at least one flight of the arrow; and

an electronic apparatus configured for inclusion in the arrow, the electronic apparatus comprising;

at least one sensor configured to generate data during the at least one flight of the arrow; and

a communication link configured to communicate the data to the base station for use in determining the value.

65. The system of claim 64, wherein the value includes a value of kinetic energy.

66. The system of claim 64, wherein the ballistic characteristic includes a stability of the arrow in flight.

67. The system of claim 66, wherein the stability of the arrow in flight is determined for a plurality of points in the flight of the arrow.

68. The system of claim 66, wherein the value includes an acceleration value.

69. The system of claim 68, wherein the electronic apparatus includes an accelerometer.

70. The system of claim 69, wherein the accelerometer includes a multi-axis accelerometer,

wherein the acceleration value includes at least each of a first value concerning acceleration relative to a first axis of the arrow and a second value concerning acceleration relative to a second axis of the arrow, and

wherein the second axis is a different axis than the first axis.

71. The system of claim 64, wherein the base station includes a memory coupled to the processor,

wherein the at least one flight of the arrow includes a plurality of flights, and

wherein the memory includes a database configured to store the information concerning the at least one ballistic characteristic for the plurality of flights of the arrow.

72. The system of claim 64, wherein the base station includes a portable computing device selected from a group consisting of a cellphone, a personal digital assistant and a personal computer.

73. A system configured to provide information concerning a stability of an arrow in-flight, the system comprising:

a base station; and

an electronic apparatus configured for inclusion in the arrow, the electronic apparatus comprising;

at least one sensor configured to generate data concerning the stability of the arrow during at least one flight of the arrow; and

a communication link configured to communicate the data to the base station,

wherein the base station is configured to process the data and display the information for the at least one flight.

74. The system of claim 73, wherein the base station is configured to process data for a plurality of flights of the arrow.

75. The system of claim 74, wherein the electronic apparatus includes a memory coupled to the communication link,

wherein the at least one sensor is configured to generate data concerning the stability of the arrow during the plurality of flights of the arrow and store the data in the memory for communication to the base station.

76. A system configured to provide information concerning a performance of archery equipment including an arrow and a bow, the system comprising:

an electronic apparatus configured for inclusion in the arrow, the electronic apparatus comprising;

a sensor configured to provide data concerning at least one flight characteristic of the arrow in flight; and

a communication link coupled to the sensor, the communication link configured to communicate the data to a device external to the arrow; and

a base station configured to receive the data from the communication link and to employ the data to generate an output concerning the at least one flight characteristic,

wherein the base station is configured to determine at least one instantaneous value of the at least one flight characteristic.

77. A system configured to provide information concerning a performance of archery equipment including an arrow and a bow, the system comprising:

an electronic apparatus configured for inclusion in the arrow, the electronic apparatus comprising;

a sensor configured to provide data concerning at least one flight characteristic of the arrow in flight; and

a communication link coupled to the sensor, the communication link configured to communicate the data to a device external to the arrow; and

a base station configured to receive the data from the communication link and to employ the data to generate an output concerning the at least one flight characteristic,

wherein the base station includes a user interface configured to receive information from a user concerning at least one physical characteristic of the arrow.

78. An apparatus configured for inclusion in an arrow, the apparatus comprising:

at least one sensor configured to provide data concerning at least one flight characteristic of the arrow in flight; and

a communication link coupled to the at least one sensor, the communication link configured to communicate the data to a device external to the arrow,

wherein the at least one flight characteristic includes a speed of the arrow.