Motion event recognition system and method

• US 8,702,516 B2
• Filed: 06/10/2013
• Issued: 04/22/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 08/26/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Newlight Capital, LLC
• Original Assignee: Blast Motion Incorporated
• Inventors: Bentley, Michael, Lohr, Scott, Kaps, Ryan, Bose, Bhaskar, Scarbo, Joe, Haas, Juergen
• Primary Examiner(s): DEODHAR, OMKAR A
• Application Number:
  US13/914,525
• Publication Number:
  US 20130271602A1
• Time in Patent Office: 316 Days
• Field of Search: 463 39- 42
• US Class Current: 463/39
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/105 using inertial sensors, e.g. accelerometers, gyroscopes
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/69 Involving elements of the real world in the game world, e.g. measurement in live races, real video
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2207/30221 Sports video; Sports image
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 7/20 Analysis of motion motion estimation for coding, decoding, compressing or decompressing digital video signals H04N19/43, H04N19/51
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 7/215 Motion-based segmentation
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 40/23 Recognition of whole body movements, e.g. for sport training
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 40/25 Recognition of walking or running movements, e.g. gait recognition
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/18 Closed-circuit television [CCTV] systems, i.e. systems in which the video signal is not broadcast

Abstract

Enables recognition of events within motion data including but not limited to motion capture data obtained from portable wireless motion capture elements such as visual markers and sensors, radio frequency identification tags and motion sensors within mobile device computer systems, or calculated based on analyzed movement associated with the same user, other user, historical user or group of users. Provides low power transmission of events. Greatly reduces storage for events such as a shot, move or swing of a player, a concussion of a player, boxer, rider or driver, or a heat stroke, hypothermia, seizure, asthma attack, epileptic attack. Events may be correlated with image(s) as captured from internal/external camera(s) or nanny cam, for example to enable saving video of the event, such as the first steps of a child, violent shaking events, sporting, military or other motion events including concussions, or falling events associated with an elderly person.

Claims

1. A motion event recognition system comprising:

at least one motion capture element configured to couple with a user or piece of equipment or mobile device coupled with the user, wherein said at least one motion capture element comprises

a memory;

a sensor configured to capture any combination of values associated with an orientation, position, velocity, and acceleration of said at least one motion capture element;

a radio;

a microcontroller coupled with said memory, said sensor and said radio, wherein said microcontroller is configured to

collect data that comprises sensor values from said sensor;

store said data in said memory;

analyze said data and recognize an event within said data to determine event data;

transmit said event data associated with said event via said radio;

a mobile device comprising

a computer; and

,

a wireless communication interface configured to

communicate with said radio to obtain said event data associated with said event;

wherein said computer is coupled with wireless communication interface, wherein said computer is configured to

receive said event data from said wireless communication interface;

analyze said event data to form motion analysis data;

store said event data, or said motion analysis data, or both said event data and said motion analysis data; and

display information comprising said event data, or said motion analysis data, or both associated with said at least one user on a display;

wherein said at least one motion capture sensor is configured to be worn near the user'"'"'s head and wherein said recognize said event within said data comprises calculation of a location of impact on the user'"'"'s head.

2. The system of claim 1 wherein said at least one motion capture sensor is configured to couple with a hat or cap or mouthpiece.

3. The system of claim 1 wherein said at least one motion capture sensor is configured to couple with a helmet and wherein said recognize said event within said data comprises calculation of the location of impact on the user'"'"'s head based on the physical geometry of the helmet.

4. The system of claim 1 further comprising an isolator configured to surround said at least one motion capture element to approximate physical acceleration dampening of cerebrospinal fluid around said user'"'"'s brain to minimize translation of linear acceleration and rotational acceleration of said event data to obtain an observed linear acceleration and an observed rotational acceleration of the user'"'"'s brain.

5. The system of claim 1 wherein said recognize said event within said data comprises calculation of a linear acceleration value or of a rotational acceleration value or both.

6. The system of claim 1 wherein said transmit of said event data associated with said event comprises a connectionless broadcast message.

7. The system of claim 1 wherein said computer is further configure to

access previously stored event data or motion analysis data associated with said user or piece of equipment;

wherein said display information comprises a presentation of said event data associated with said at least one user on a display based on

said event data or motion analysis data associated with said user or piece of equipment

and

said previously stored event data or motion analysis data associated with said user or piece of equipment

or

said previously stored motion capture data or motion analysis data associated with at least one other user or other piece of equipment.

8. The system of claim 1 wherein said display information comprises acceptance of sub-event time locations to provide discrete scrolling.

9. The system of claim 1 further comprising:

an identifier coupled with said at least one motion capture sensor or said user or said piece of equipment;

said computer further configured to

receive said identifier; and

associate said identifier with said event data and motion analysis data.

10. The system of claim 1 wherein said at least one motion capture element further comprises a light emitting element configured to output light if said event occurs.

11. The system of claim 1 wherein said at least one motion capture element further comprises an audio output element configured to output sound if said event occurs or if said at least one motion capture sensor is out of range of said computer or wherein said computer is configured to display and alert if said at least one motion capture sensor is out of range of said computer, or any combination thereof.

12. The system of claim 1 wherein said at least one motion capture element further comprises a location determination element coupled with said microcontroller.

13. The system of claim 1 wherein said microcontroller or said computer is configured to determine a location of said event or wherein said microcontroller and said computer are configured to determine the location of said event and correlate the location.

14. The system of claim 1 wherein said computer is further configured to request at least one image or video that contains said event from at least one camera proximal to said event.

15. The system of claim 1 wherein said computer is further configured to broadcast a request for camera locations proximal to said event or oriented to view said event.

16. The system of claim 1 wherein said computer is further configured to display a list of one or more times at which said event has occurred.

17. The system of claim 1 wherein at least one motion capture sensor is physically coupled with said mobile device.

18. The system of claim 1 wherein the microcontroller is coupled with a temperature sensor and wherein said microcontroller is configured to transmit a temperature obtained from the temperature sensor as a temperature event.

19. The system of claim 1 wherein said event comprises motion indicative of standing, walking, falling, heat stroke, a seizure, violent shaking, a concussion, a collision, abnormal gait, abnormal or non-existent breathing or any combination thereof.

20. A motion event recognition system comprising:

at least one motion capture element configured to couple with a user or piece of equipment or mobile device coupled with the user, wherein said at least one motion capture element comprises

a memory;

a sensor configured to capture any combination of values associated with an orientation, position, velocity, acceleration of said at least one motion capture element;

a radio;

a microcontroller coupled with said memory, said sensor and said radio wherein said microcontroller is configured to

collect data that comprises sensor values from said sensor;

store said data in said memory;

analyze said data and recognize an event within said data to determine event data;

transmit said event data associated with said event via said radio;

a mobile device comprising

a computer;

a wireless communication interface configured to

communicate with said radio to obtain said event data associated with said event;

wherein said computer is coupled with wireless communication interface wherein said computer is configured to

receive said event data from said wireless communication interface;

analyze said event data to form motion analysis data;

store said event data, or said motion analysis data, or both said event data and said motion analysis data;

display information comprising said event data, or said motion analysis data, or both associated with said at least one user on a display; and

an isolator configured to surround said at least one motion capture element to approximate physical acceleration dampening of cerebrospinal fluid around said user'"'"'s brain to minimize translation of linear acceleration and rotational acceleration of said event data to obtain an observed linear acceleration and an observed rotational acceleration of the user'"'"'s brain.

21. A motion event recognition system comprising:

at least one motion capture element configured to couple with a user or piece of equipment or mobile device coupled with the user, wherein said at least one motion capture element comprises

a memory;

a sensor configured to capture any combination of values associated with an orientation, position, velocity, acceleration of said at least one motion capture element;

a radio;

a microcontroller coupled with said memory, said sensor and said radio wherein said microcontroller is configured to

collect data that comprises sensor values from said sensor;

store said data in said memory;

analyze said data and recognize an event within said data to determine event data;

transmit said event data associated with said event via said radio;

a mobile device comprising

a computer;

a wireless communication interface configured to

communicate with said radio to obtain said event data associated with said event;

wherein said computer is coupled with wireless communication interface wherein said computer is configured to

receive said event data from said wireless communication interface;

analyze said event data to form motion analysis data;

store said event data, or said motion analysis data, or both said event data and said motion analysis data;

display information comprising said event data, or said motion analysis data, or both associated with said at least one user on a display; and

,

access previously stored event data or motion analysis data associated with said user or piece of equipment;

wherein said display information comprises a presentation of said event data associated with said at least one user on a display based on

said event data or motion analysis data associated with said user or piece of equipment

 

and

 

said previously stored event data or motion analysis data associated with said user or piece of equipment

 

or

 

said previously stored motion capture data or motion analysis data associated with at least one other user or other piece of equipment.

22. A motion event recognition system comprising:

at least one motion capture element configured to couple with a user or piece of equipment or mobile device coupled with the user, wherein said at least one motion capture element comprises

a memory;

a sensor configured to capture any combination of values associated with an orientation, position, velocity, acceleration of said at least one motion capture element;

a radio;

a microcontroller coupled with said memory, said sensor and said radio wherein said microcontroller is configured to

collect data that comprises sensor values from said sensor;

store said data in said memory;

analyze said data and recognize an event within said data to determine event data;

transmit said event data associated with said event via said radio;

a mobile device comprising

a computer;

a wireless communication interface configured to communicate with said radio to obtain said event data associated with said event;

wherein said computer is coupled with wireless communication interface wherein said computer is configured to

receive said event data from said wireless communication interface;

analyze said event data to form motion analysis data;

store said event data, or said motion analysis data, or both said event data and said motion analysis data;

display information comprising said event data, or said motion analysis data, or both associated with said at least one user on a display;

wherein said at least one motion capture element further comprises an audio output element configured to output sound if said event occurs or if said at least one motion capture sensor is out of range of said computer or wherein said computer is configured to display and alert if said at least one motion capture sensor is out of range of said computer, or any combination thereof.

23. A motion event recognition system comprising:

at least one motion capture element configured to couple with a user or piece of equipment or mobile device coupled with the user, wherein said at least one motion capture element comprises

a memory;

a sensor configured to capture any combination of values associated with an orientation, position, velocity, acceleration of said at least one motion capture element;

a radio;

a microcontroller coupled with said memory, said sensor and said radio wherein said microcontroller is configured to

collect data that comprises sensor values from said sensor;

store said data in said memory;

analyze said data and recognize an event within said data to determine event data;

transmit said event data associated with said event via said radio;

a mobile device comprising

a computer;

a wireless communication interface configured to

communicate with said radio to obtain said event data associated with said event;

wherein said computer is coupled with wireless communication interface wherein said computer is configured to

receive said event data from said wireless communication interface;

analyze said event data to form motion analysis data;

store said event data, or said motion analysis data, or both said event data and said motion analysis data;

display information comprising said event data, or said motion analysis data, or both associated with said at least one user on a display; and

broadcast a request for camera locations proximal to said event or oriented to view said event.