System and method for monitoring performance characteristics associated with user activities involving swinging instruments

• US 9,339,714 B2
• Filed: 03/20/2015
• Issued: 05/17/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 05/20/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Arccos Golf, LLC
• Original Assignee: Arccos Golf, LLC
• Inventors: Syed, Salman Hussain, Faisal, Mian Ammad, Blanc, Fabrice Claude, Phillips, Colin David, Park, Joon Hyuk
• Primary Examiner(s): TORIMIRO, ADETOKUNBO OLUSEGUN
• Application Number:
  US14/663,932
• Publication Number:
  US 20150335978A1
• Time in Patent Office: 424 Days
• Field of Search: 473/200, 473/223, 463/20, 463/25, 463/39, 463/42
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2024/0068 Comparison to target or threshold, previous performance or not real time comparison to other individuals
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2071/065 Visualisation of specific exercise parameters
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2071/0691 Maps, e.g. yardage maps or electronic maps
• 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 2220/14 Geo-tagging, e.g. for correlating route or track location data with specific information related to that specific location
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/16 Angular positions
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/40 Acceleration
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/53 Force of an impact, e.g. blow or punch
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/62 Time or time measurement used for time reference, time stamp, master time or clock signal
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/801 Contact switches
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2225/50 Wireless data transmission, e.g. by radio transmitters or telemetry
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 24/0003 Analysing the course of a movement or motion sequences during an exercise or trainings sequence, e.g. swing for golf or tennis
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 24/0006 Computerised comparison for qualitative assessment of motion sequences or the course of a movement
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 24/0062 Monitoring athletic performances, e.g. for determining the work of a user on an exercise apparatus, the completed jogging or cycling distance
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 24/0075 Means for generating exercise programs or schemes, e.g. computerized virtual trainer, e.g. using expert databases
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/14 Handles
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 60/16 Caps; Ferrules
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 60/42 Devices for measuring, verifying, correcting or customising the inherent characteristics of golf clubs, bats, rackets or the like, e.g. measuring the maximum torque a batting shaft can withstand
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 60/46 Measurement devices associated with golf clubs, bats, rackets or the like for measuring physical parameters relating to sporting activity, e.g. baseball bats with impact indicators or bracelets for measuring the golf swing
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 69/3632 : Clubs or attachments on clubs, e.g. for measuring, aligning A63B69/3614 takes precedence; clubs for swinging exercises in general A63B15/00
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 71/0622 : Visual, audio or audio-visual systems for entertaining, instructing or motivating the user
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 71/0669 : Score-keepers or score display devices
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/19 : Sporting applications

Abstract

Exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure are directed to various components of a system for monitoring and/or tracking a user'"'"'s performance during an activity involving an instrument that is swung. Exemplary embodiments can include a sensor module configured to be secured to the instrument. The sensor module can detect a swing event and/or an impact between the instrument and an object and can implement power management features to limit or manage a power consumption of the sensor module. The sensor module can transmit swing information to an electronic device associated with the user, which can display the swing information, process the swing information, and/or transmit the swing information to a remote system.

Claims

1. A method of suppressing false positive wireless transmissions from a sensor module when determining whether the sensor module detected an occurrence of a golf shot during a round of golf, the method comprising:

providing a sensor module configured to be operatively coupled to a golf club, the sensor module sensing possible golf swings or possible impacts between the golf club and one or more objects during the golf swings and generates wireless transmissions based on the sensing;

receiving, by an electronic device, a series of the wireless transmissions from the sensor module, the series of the wireless transmissions being generated by the sensor module to indicate possible detection of a series of distinct golf swings or a series of distinct impacts between the golf club and one or more objects;

determining, by the electronic device, geographic locations at which the electronic device received each of the wireless transmissions in the series from the sensor module; and

determining, by the electronic device, whether at least one of the wireless transmissions corresponds to a golf shot based on the geographic locations at which the electronic device received each of the wireless transmissions in the series.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

establishing a geographic boundary based on a determined geographic location at which the electronic device received a specified one of the transmissions; and

determining whether the geographic locations at which the electronic device received the wireless transmissions are within the geographic boundary.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein establishing the geographic boundary comprises:

setting a center point of the geographic boundary to be the determined geographic location at which the electronic device received the specified one of the transmissions; and

specifying a radius of the geographic boundary from the center point.

4. The method of claim 3, further comprising:

setting the radius of the geographic boundary based on the golf club type associated with the specified one of the transmissions.

5. The method of claim 3, further comprising setting the radius of the geographic boundary based on a distance between the center point of the geographic boundary and a specified location of the golf course.

6. The method of claim 2, wherein the specified one of the wireless transmissions corresponds to a first one of the transmissions received by the electronic device after a previous golf shot is identified as counting towards a golf score.

7. The method of claim 2, wherein determining, by the electronic device, whether at least one of the wireless transmissions corresponds to a golf shot comprises:

selecting, by the electronic device, one of the geographic locations of the electronic device within the geographic boundary as a golf shot location for the golf shot.

8. The method of claim 7, further comprising:

ignoring the geographic locations of the electronic device within the geographic boundary that were not selected as the golf shot location.

9. The method of claim 7, wherein selecting, by the electronic device, one of the geographic locations of the electronic device within the geographic boundary as a golf shot location for the golf shot comprises:

selecting a last geographic location at which the electronic device received a last one of the transmissions within the geographic boundary.

10. The method of claim 2, further comprising:

identifying whether the geographic location at which the electronic device received at least one of the transmissions after the electronic device received the first one of the transmissions corresponds to a geographic location that is outside of the geographic boundary.

11. The method of claim 2, further comprising:

determining, by the electronic device, a golf club type associated with the specified one of the transmissions based on a unique identifier included in the specified one of the transmissions.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein determining, by the electronic device, whether at least one of the wireless transmissions corresponds to a golf shot further comprises determining a temporal relationship of the transmissions received by the electronic device.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the temporal relationship corresponds to a time between reception of the transmissions.

14. The method of claim 12, wherein the temporal relationship corresponds to a specified time period, and determining, by the electronic device, whether at least one of the wireless transmissions corresponds to a golf shot comprises determining whether the electronic device received the wireless transmissions within specified time period.

15. The method of claim 1, wherein at least one of the transmissions received by the electronic device include information associated with an acceleration of one of the golf clubs.

16. The method of claim 1, wherein at least one of the transmissions received by the electronic device includes information indicating that an impact was detected between the golf club and an object.

17. A method of suppressing false positive wireless transmissions from a sensor module when determining whether the sensor module detected an occurrence of a golf shot during a round of golf, the method comprising:

providing a sensor module configured to be operatively coupled to a golf club, the sensor module sensing possible golf swings or possible impacts between the golf club and one or more objects during the golf swings and generates wireless transmissions based on the sensing;

receiving, by an electronic device, a series of the wireless transmissions from the sensor module, the series of wireless transmissions being generated by the sensor module to indicate possible detection of a series of distinct golf swings or a series of distinct impacts between the golf club and one or more objects;

determining, by the electronic device, a temporal relationship of reception of the wireless transmissions in the series by the electronic device; and

determining, by the electronic device, whether at least one of the wireless transmissions in the series corresponds to a golf shot based on the temporal relationship of reception of the wireless transmissions.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the temporal relationship corresponds to a time between reception of the wireless transmissions.

19. The method of claim 17, wherein the temporal relationship corresponds to a specified time period, and determining, by the electronic device, whether at least one of the wireless transmissions corresponds to a golf shot comprises determining whether the electronic device received the wireless transmissions within specified time period.

20. The method of claim 17, wherein determining, by the electronic device, whether at least one of the wireless transmissions corresponds to a golf shot further comprises determining a geographic relationship of geographic locations at which the electronic device received the transmissions.

21. The method of claim 20, wherein the geographic relationship corresponds to a geographic boundary, and wherein when geographic locations at which the electronic device received the transmissions are within the geographic boundary, the method further comprises selecting one of the geographic locations as a golf shot location for the golf shot.

22. The method of claim 17, wherein at least one of the transmissions received by the electronic device includes information associated with an acceleration of one of the golf clubs.

23. The method of claim 17, wherein at least one of the transmissions received by the electronic device includes information indicating that an impact was detected between the golf club and an object.

24. An electronic device, comprising:

a radio frequency (RF) receiver configured to receive a series of wireless transmissions from one or more sensor modules operatively coupled to one or more golf clubs, the series of the wireless transmissions being generated by at least one of the one or more sensors module to indicate possible detection of a series of distinct golf swings or a series of distinct impacts between at least one of the one or more golf clubs and one or more objects;

a global positioning system (GPS) receiver to receive broadcasts from a global positioning satellite while the RF receiver is receiving the series of the wireless transmissions from the one or more sensors;

a processing device operatively coupled to the GPS receiver and the RF receiver, the processing device being programmed to determine geographic locations at which the electronic device received each of the wireless transmissions in the series based on the broadcasts received by the GPS receiver when each of the wireless transmissions in the series are received by the RF receiver and to determine whether at least one of the wireless transmissions in the series corresponds to a golf shot based on the geographic locations at which the electronic device received each of the wireless transmissions in the series.

25. The electronic device of claim 24, wherein the processing device is programmed to establish a geographic boundary based on a determined geographic location at which the electronic device received a specified one of the transmissions;

and

determine whether the geographic locations at which the electronic device received the wireless transmissions are within the geographic boundary.

26. The electronic device of claim 25, wherein the geographic boundary is established by setting a center point of the geographic boundary to be the determined geographic location at which the electronic device received the specified one of the transmissions and specifying a radius of the geographic boundary from the center point.

27. The electronic device of claim 26, wherein the radius of the geographic boundary is set based on the golf club type associated with the specified one of the transmissions.

28. The electronic device of claim 26, wherein the radius of the geographic boundary is set based on a distance between the center point of the geographic boundary and a specified location of the golf course.

29. The electronic device of claim 25, wherein processing device is programmed to determine whether at least one of the wireless transmissions corresponds to a golf shot by selecting one of the geographic locations of the electronic device within the geographic boundary as a golf shot location for the golf shot.

30. A method of suppressing false positive wireless transmissions from a sensor module when determining whether the sensor module detected an occurrence of a golf shot during a round of golf, the method comprising:

providing a sensor module configured to be operatively coupled to a golf club, the sensor module sensing possible golf swings or possible impacts between the golf club and one or more objects during the golf swings and generates wireless transmissions based on the sensing;

providing a software application for execution on an electronic device; and

in response to providing the software application, programming the electronic device to execute the software application to;

receive, at the electronic device, a series of wireless transmissions from the sensor module, the series of the wireless transmissions being generated by the sensor module to indicate possible detection of a series of distinct golf swings or a series of distinct impacts between the golf club and one or more objects,

determine geographic locations at which the electronic device received each of the wireless transmissions in the series from the sensor module, and

determine whether at least one of the wireless transmissions corresponds to a golf shot based on the geographic locations at which the electronic device received each of the wireless transmissions in the series.