Sensor unit and motion detection device

• US 9,643,069 B2
• Filed: 08/07/2014
• Issued: 05/09/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 08/08/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation (Seiko Group)
• Original Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation (Seiko Group)
• Inventors: Nomura, Kazuo
• Primary Examiner(s): MCNALLY, KERRI L
• Application Number:
  US14/454,168
• Publication Number:
  US 20150042481A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,006 Days
• Field of Search: 340669
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2071/0655 Tactile feedback
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/40 Acceleration
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/803 Motion sensors
• 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 69/3632 Clubs or attachments on clubs, e.g. for measuring, aligning A63B69/3614 takes precedence; clubs for swinging exercises in general A63B15/00

Abstract

A sensor unit includes a sensor section adapted to detect a motion, and an announcement section adapted to announce a state of an output signal of the sensor section.

Claims

1. A sensor unit comprising:

a sensor section adapted to detect a motion of a measurement object; and

an announcement section coupled to the sensor section and adapted to announce whether or not the measurement object is in a rest state, the announcement section announcing that the measurement object is in the rest state in response to the sensor section detecting that the motion corresponds to the rest state for a predetermined time period, the announcement section announcing that the measurement object is in the rest state by emitting a predetermined one of a plurality of light patterns, or a predetermined one of a plurality of sound patterns, wherein

the predetermined one of the plurality of light patterns includes a first light emitting section emitting a first color light for a first time period while a second light emitting section is prevented from emitting a second, different color light for the first time period, and

the predetermined one of the plurality of sound patterns includes a first acoustic section emitting a first pitch for the first time period while a second acoustic section is prevented from emitting a second, different pitch for the first time period.

2. The sensor unit according to claim 1, wherein

the announcement section performs a first determination on whether or not a value of an output signal of the sensor section becomes lower than a first threshold value in a predetermined period, and announces a result of the first determination.

4. The sensor unit according to claim 1, wherein

the announcement section announces whether or not transmission of an output signal of the sensor section to another device connected to the sensor unit is complete.

5. The sensor unit according to claim 1, further comprising:

a housing adapted to house the sensor section,

wherein at least a part of the announcement section is disposed on a side surface of the housing.

6. The sensor unit according to claim 1, further comprising:

a holder adapted to attach a housing to the measurement object, the housing being fit into the holder, the holder adapted to house the sensor section,

wherein at least a part of the announcement section is provided across ends of the holder.

7. A motion detection device comprising:

the sensor unit according to claim 1; and

a processor adapted to analyze the motion of the measurement object.

9. The motion detection device according to claim 7, wherein

the sensor unit transmits an output signal of the sensor section to the processor,

the processor analyzes the output signal, and then transmits a trigger signal to the announcement section of the sensor unit when a predetermined condition is fulfilled, and

the announcement section makes an announcement upon reception of the trigger signal.

11. The sensor unit according to claim 1, the announcement section adapted to announce when the measurement object is in the rest state and to announce when the measurement object is not in the rest state.

14. The sensor unit according to claim 1,

the announcement section including an output unit adapted to provide signals to a user,

the announcement section being adapted to announce a plurality of states of the sensor unit using differences in the signals provided to the user.

3. A sensor unit comprising:

a sensor section adapted to detect a motion of a measurement object; and

an announcement section coupled to the sensor section and adapted to perform a determination on whether or not a value of an output signal of the sensor section exceeds a threshold value, and announce a result of the determination that the output signal is in error in the case that the value of the output signal does not exceed the threshold value.

8. A motion detection device comprising:

the sensor unit according to claim 3; and

a processor adapted to analyze the motion of the measurement object.

10. The motion detection device according to claim 8, wherein

the sensor unit transmits an output signal of the sensor section to the processor,

the processor analyzes the output signal, and then transmits a trigger signal to the announcement section of the sensor unit when a predetermined condition is fulfilled, and

the announcement section makes an announcement upon reception of the trigger signal.

12. The sensor unit according to claim 3, the announcement section adapted to announce when the measurement object is in the rest state and to announce when the measurement object is not in the rest state.

13. A sensor unit comprising:

a sensor adapted to detect a motion of a measurement object;

a processor adapted to determine, based on the detected motion of the measurement object, whether the measurement object is in the rest state or is not in the rest state;

an announcement device adapted to announce that the measurement object is in the rest state when the processor determines that the measurement object is in the rest state, and to announce that the measurement object is not in the rest state when the processor determines that the measurement object is not in the rest state, the announcement device announcing that the measurement object is in the rest state in response to the sensor detecting that the motion corresponds to the rest state for a predetermined time period, the announcement device announcing that the measurement object is in the rest state by emitting a predetermined one of a plurality of light patterns, or a predetermined one of a plurality of sound patterns, wherein

the predetermined one of the plurality of light patterns includes a first light emitting section emitting a first color light for a first time period while a second light emitting section is prevented from emitting a second, different color light for the first time period, and

the predetermined one of the plurality of sound patterns includes a first acoustic section emitting a first pitch for the first time period while a second acoustic section is prevented from emitting a second, different pitch for the first time period.