Sensor device, analyzing device, and recording medium for detecting the position at which an object touches another object

• US 9,551,572 B2
• Filed: 10/23/2012
• Issued: 01/24/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 11/08/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Yamashita, Kosei, Matsunaga, Hideyuki
• Primary Examiner(s): MCCALL, ERIC SCOTT
• Application Number:
  US14/344,160
• Publication Number:
  US 20140290332A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,554 Days
• Field of Search: 73/110.1, 73/120.1, 73/120.2, 73/120.4, 73/120.5
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2024/0043 Systems for locating the point of impact on a specific surface
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2069/0008 for batting
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2102/16 Table tennis
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2208/0204 Standing on the feet
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/10 Positions
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/50 Force related parameters
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/53 Force of an impact, e.g. blow or punch
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/64 Frequency, e.g. of vibration oscillation
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/833 Sensors arranged on the exercise apparatus or sports implement
• 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 69/0002 for baseball
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 69/0017 for badminton
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 69/36 for golf
• 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: G01B 17/00 Measuring arrangements characterised by the use of infrasonic, sonic or ultrasonic vibrations
• CPC Class Codes: G01H 1/00 Measuring characteristics of vibrations in solids by using direct conduction to the detector G01H9/00, G01H11/00 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01H 11/08 using piezoelectric devices
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2218/10 by analysing the shape of a waveform, e.g. extracting parameters relating to peaks
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/043 : using propagating acoustic waves
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 19/0038 : Sports

Abstract

Provided is a sensor device including a sensor configured to output a vibration datum by detecting a change in a state of a vibration in a first object when a second object touches the first object, a holding section configured to hold, at a portion of the first object which is different from a portion where the second object touches, the sensor in a state where the vibration in the first object is transmitted, and a communication section configured to transmit the single vibration datum detected by the sensor to an analyzing device which identifies a touch position where the second object touches the first object by analyzing the vibration datum.

Claims

1. A sensor device comprising:

a sensor configured to output a vibration datum by detecting a change in a state of a vibration in a first object having a first surface and a second surface when a second object touches the first object;

a holding section configured to hold, at a portion of the first object which is different from a portion where the second object touches, the sensor in a state where the vibration in the first object is transmitted; and

a circuitry configured to transmit the vibration datum detected by the sensor to a circuitry configured to identify a touch position where the second object touches the first object by analyzing the vibration datum,

wherein the circuitry configured to identify the touch position identifies when the touch position is on the first surface of the first object, and

wherein the circuitry configured to identify the touch position identifies when the touch position is on the second surface of the first object.

2. The sensor device according to claim 1, further comprising:

an output device for presenting information to a user,

wherein the circuitry configured to transmit the single vibration datum receives information related to the touch position from the circuitry configured to identify the touch position, and

wherein the output device presents the information related to the touch position to the user.

3. The sensor device according to claim 1,

wherein the sensor outputs the vibration datum by detecting the vibration generated in the first object when the second object touches the first object.

4. The sensor device according to claim 3,

wherein the first object is a striking tool, and

wherein the second object is a hit object which touches the striking tool.

5. The sensor device according to claim 1,

wherein the sensor outputs the vibration datum by detecting the change in the state of the vibration in the first object, the change being generated by a touch of the second object to the first object which vibrates with a predetermined pattern.

6. The sensor device according to claim 5, further comprising:

a vibrator within the sensor for adding a vibration with the predetermined vibration pattern to the first object.

7. An analyzing device comprising:

a circuitry configured to receive a vibration datum obtained by detection of a change in a state of a vibration in a first object having a first surface and a second surface when a second object touches the first object, the detection being performed by a sensor held at a portion of the first object which is different from a portion where the second object touches, in a state where the vibration in the first object is transmitted; and

a circuitry configured to identify a touch position where the second object touches the first object by comparing a vibration characteristic of the vibration datum and a vibration characteristic for each position of the first object where the second object touches,

wherein the circuitry configured to identify the touch position identifies when the touch position is on the first surface of the first object, and

wherein the circuitry configured to identify the touch position identifies when the touch position is on the second surface of the first object.

8. The analyzing device according to claim 7,

wherein the circuitry configured to receive the vibration datum receives the vibration datum obtained by the detection of, performed by the sensor, the change in the vibration state in the first object, which is generated by a touch of the second object to the first object which vibrates with a predetermined vibration pattern.

9. The analyzing device according to claim 7, further comprising:

a circuitry configured to store a vibration characteristic for each position in a position group set in a portion of the first object where the second object touches,

wherein the circuitry configured to identify the touch position identifies the touch position as one or a plurality of positions in the position group.

10. The analyzing device according to claim 9,

wherein the circuitry configured to store the vibration characteristic for each position stores a command corresponding to a pattern of combination of predetermined positions in the position group, and

wherein the circuitry configured to identify the touch position specifies the command corresponding to the pattern including the identified touch position.

11. The analyzing device according to claim 9,

wherein the circuitry configured to store the vibration characteristic for each position stores a command corresponding to at least a part of the position in the position group, and

wherein the circuitry configured to identify the touch position specifies the command corresponding to the identified touch position.

12. The analyzing device according to claim 11,

wherein the circuitry configured to receive the vibration datum transmits the specified command to an external device.

13. The analyzing device according to claim 7,

wherein the circuitry configured to receive the vibration datum receives the vibration datum obtained by detection of performed by the sensor, the vibration generated in the first object when the second object touches the first object.

14. The analyzing device according to claim 13,

wherein the first object is a striking tool, and

wherein the second object is a hit object which touches the striking tool.

15. The analyzing device according to claim 14,

wherein the sensor is mounted on either the first surface or the second surface of the striking tool.

16. The analyzing device according to claim 14,

wherein the sensor is mounted on either a left side or a right side of the striking tool which has a laterally symmetrical shape, and

wherein the circuitry configured to identify the touch position identifies whether the touch position was on the left side or the right side of the striking tool.

17. The analyzing device according to claim 14, further comprising:

an output device for presenting information related to the touch position to a user.

18. The analyzing device according to claim 17,

wherein the output device presents a list which shows positions in an order of a highest probability that a position is the touch position to the user.

19. The analyzing device according to claim 10,

wherein the output device presents a map which shows the touch position to the user.

20. A recording medium having a program recorded thereon, the program causing a computer to execute:

a function of receiving a vibration datum obtained by detection of a change in a state of a vibration in a first object having a first surface and a second surface when a second object touches the first object, the detection being performed by a sensor held at a portion of the first object which is different from a portion where the second object touches, in a state where the vibration in the first object is transmitted; and

a function of identifying a touch position where the second object touches the first object, the touch position being on the first surface and the second surface of the first object, by comparing a vibration characteristic of the vibration datum and a vibration characteristic for each position of the first object where the second object touches.