System for capturing tennis match data

• US 8,882,613 B2
• Filed: 09/14/2007
• Issued: 11/11/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 09/14/2007
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Kitris AG
• Original Assignee: Kitris AG
• Inventors: Zger, Christian
• Primary Examiner(s): Pandya, Sunit
• Application Number:
  US12/677,374
• Publication Number:
  US 20100279800A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,615 Days
• Field of Search: 463 1- 9, 463/20, 463/23, 463/25, 463 30- 32, 463/34, 463 36- 37, 463 40- 43, 463 46- 47, 463/50, 463 53- 54, 463 56- 57, 273/108.1, 273/108.3, 273/108.4, 273/118.R, 273/150, 273/244, 273/244.1, 273/247, 273/259, 273/317.1, 273/317.3, 273/317.4, 273/317.5, 273/317.6, 273/359, 273/406, 273/440.1, 273460-461, 340/323.R, 340/323.B, 377 4- 5, 446/415, 473/459, 473/468, 473498-499, 473/504, 473564-565, 473/598, 473/600, 473/FOR.102, 473/FOR.135, 473/FOR.169, 473/FOR.192, 473/71, 473/244, 473/407, 473/438, 473446-451, 473461-464
• US Class Current: 473/459
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2024/0025 Tracking the path or location of one or more users, e.g. players of a game
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2071/0663 worn on the wrist, e.g. wrist bands
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2102/02 Tennis
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2102/06 Squash
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/12 Absolute positions, e.g. by using GPS
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/13 Relative positions
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2225/20 with means for remote communication, e.g. internet or the like
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2225/50 Wireless data transmission, e.g. by radio transmitters or telemetry
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 24/0021 Tracking a path or terminating locations
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 69/38 for tennis A63B61/006, A63B69/0073 and A63B69/0097 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 71/0669 Score-keepers or score display devices
• CPC Class Codes: G04G 21/00 Input or output devices integrated in time-pieces
• CPC Class Codes: G04G 9/0064 in which functions not related to time can be displayed digital output to display devices of digital computers G06F3/14
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 19/0038 Sports

Abstract

The present invention relates to a system and a method for gathering ball game data and in particular tennis match data in real time. To this end the system comprises a hands-free voice receiving means (4) adapted to receive words spoken by the player (2) wearing the receiving means. The words are then analyzed by an analyzing means adapted to analyze a dedicated ball game vocabulary used by the player. The analysis of the spoken words translates these words into digital match data. This data can be displayed, at least as score of the game by a display (10). More elaborate match data information can be gathered. Such data may be fed to an expert system giving back advice to the player.

Claims

1. A system for capturing personal tennis match data of a tennis player comprising:

a voice receiving device comprising a microphone for recording words spoken by said tennis player during a tennis match,

a dedicated tennis match vocabulary adapted to describe tennis match action,

a voice analyzing device for analyzing said words spoken by the tennis player in said tennis match vocabulary and received by said voice receiving device,

at least one display device for displaying the current tennis match score depending on the output of said voice analyzing device,

wherein said voice receiving device communicates wirelessly or by wire with said voice analyzing device, and

wherein said system further comprises a tennis racket comprising a sensor adapted to detect the hit of a ball, which sensor transmits its output to said voice receiving device and wherein said voice receiving device assigns a time stamp to each hit detected by said sensor.

2. The system according to claim 1, wherein said voice receiving device comprises a housing adapted to be worn on the body of said player or to be worn on the clothes of said player.

3. The system according to claim 2, wherein said voice receiving device comprises a wristwatch like housing.

4. The system according to claim 1, wherein said voice receiving device comprises a voice receiving device fixed to or incorporated within the racket of said tennis player.

5. The system according to claim 1, wherein said voice analyzing device comprises a portable battery driven base station for connection to said voice receiving device and for connection to said display device.

6. The system according to claim 1 comprising a GPS device detecting the position of the player.

7. The system according to claim 1 comprising a data connection device adapted to connect said system to a computer running a tennis match coaching software and adapted to receive coaching advice data from said computer and to display said coaching advice data on at least one display of said system.

8. A method for capturing personal tennis match data of a tennis player comprising the steps of:

audibly describing tennis match action by said tennis player in a dedicated tennis match vocabulary for describing tennis match,

receiving the voice of said tennis player during the play by a voice receiving device comprising a microphone,

analyzing said words spoken by the tennis player and received by said voice receiving device by a voice analyzing device for identifying and analyzing said vocabulary,

displaying the current score of said tennis match by at least one display device depending on the output of said voice analyzing device, wherein said voice receiving device communicates wirelessly or by wire with said voice analyzing device and

the tennis racket comprises a sensor for detecting the hit of a ball which sensor transmits its output to said voice receiving device and said voice receiving device assigns a time stamp to each hit detected by said sensor.

9. The method according to claim 8, wherein said voice receiving device comprises a housing adapted to be worn on the body of said player or to be worn on the clothes of said player.

10. The system according to claim 9, wherein said voice receiving device comprises a wristwatch like housing.

11. The method according to claim 8, wherein said voice receiving device comprises a voice receiving device fixed to or incorporated within the racket of said tennis player.

12. The method according to claim 8, wherein said voice analyzing device comprises a portable battery driven base station for connection to said voice receiving device and for connection to said display device.

13. The method according to claim 8 comprising a portable display device for data communication with said voice analyzing device.

14. The method according to claim 8, comprising a GPS device detecting the position of the player.

15. The method according to claim 8, wherein a computer running a tennis match coaching software connects to the system for interpreting match data gathered by the system and for sending coaching information to the system, which is then displayed by the system, preferably on a display worn by the player during the play.