Electronic sports tracking and coaching system

• US 9,662,556 B2
• Filed: 04/16/2014
• Issued: 05/30/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 04/16/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nicolas San Juan
• Original Assignee: Nicolas San Juan
• Inventors: San Juan, Nicolas
• Primary Examiner(s): HARPER, TRAMAR YONG
• Application Number:
  US14/253,973
• Publication Number:
  US 20140309058A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,140 Days
• Field of Search: None
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2022/0092 for training agility or co-ordination of movements
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2071/0625 Emitting sound, noise or music
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2071/063 Spoken or verbal instructions
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2071/0647 Visualisation of executed movements
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2071/0652 Visualisation or indication relating to symmetrical exercise, e.g. right-left performance related to spinal column
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2071/0661 arranged on the user
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2208/12 specially adapted for children
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/10 Positions
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/13 Relative positions
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/16 Angular positions
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/20 Distances or displacements
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/35 Spin
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/53 Force of an impact, e.g. blow or punch
• 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 24/0075 Means for generating exercise programs or schemes, e.g. computerized virtual trainer, e.g. using expert databases
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 43/00 Balls with special arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 69/00 Training appliances or apparatus for special sports training of parachutists B64D23/00
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 69/002 for football American-football dummies A63B69/34
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 71/0622 : Visual, audio or audio-visual systems for entertaining, instructing or motivating the user
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 19/0038 : Sports
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 20/30 : relating to physical therapies or activities, e.g. physiotherapy, acupressure or exercising

Abstract

An electronic tracking and coaching system adapted for use in training for various sports is provided. The present invention includes a sports ball that contains a plurality of sensors, a wireless transceiver, a storage medium adapted to store voice commands or noises to be played upon the occurrence of a pre-determined event, and a speaker. The ball'"'"'s sensors are adapted to monitor the movement of the ball, the level and direction of force applied to the ball, and other such variables relevant to playing a sport with a ball. The device further includes a monitoring apparatus that is worn by the user and tracks all of his or her movement and stores that movement data for later access. The voice commands of the ball provide coaching direction to the user and the user can upload the stored data to data visualization software to precisely monitor his or her actions.

Claims

1. A sports tracking and coaching system, comprising:

a sports ball having a memory unit, a wireless transceiver, a speaker, and a plurality of motion sensors;

wherein said sports ball is configured to select a sound from a plurality of sounds stored in the memory unit and emit said sound in response to stimuli measured by said sensors and falling within a given tolerance range assigned to each of said sounds;

wherein said wireless transceiver is configured to upload data tracked by said motion sensors to a secondary electronic device for visualization thereon;

wherein the sports ball is configured to randomly select a plurality of voice commands from a plurality of voice commands stored in the memory unit and emit the plurality of selected voice commands from the speaker with a random time delay between each of the plurality of selected voice commands.

2. The sports tracking and coaching system of claim 1, further comprising an inner protective shell configured to protect said memory unit, said wireless transceiver, and said plurality of motion sensors.

3. The sports tracking and coaching system of claim 1, wherein said motion sensors comprise at least one accelerometer and at least one gyroscope.

4. The sports tracking and coaching system of claim 1, further comprising:

a user-worn tracking apparatus having a memory unit, a wireless transceiver, and a plurality of motion sensors;

wherein said wireless transceiver of the user-worn tracking apparatus is configured to upload data tracked by said motion sensors to the secondary electronic device for visualization thereon.

5. The sports tracking and coaching system of claim 4, wherein said user-worn tracking apparatus motion sensors comprise at least one accelerometer and at least one gyroscope.

6. The sports tracking and coaching system of claim 1, wherein said motion sensors are configured to detect the distance travelled by the ball in the air after being struck.

7. The sports tracking and coaching system of claim 1, wherein said motion sensors are configured to detect the level and direction of force imparted on the ball.

8. The sports tracking and coaching system of claim 1, wherein said motion sensors are configured to detect the changes in the orientation of the ball.

9. The sports tracking and coaching system of claim 1, wherein said motion sensors are configured to detect the rate of rotation of the ball.

10. The sports tracking and coaching system of claim 1, wherein said sounds are selectively enabled or disabled based upon a parameter input by a user.

11. A sports tracking and coaching system, comprising:

a sports ball having a memory unit, a wireless transceiver, and a plurality of motion sensors;

wherein said sports ball is configured to select a sound from a plurality of sounds stored in the memory unit and transmit said sound to a headset in response to stimuli measured by said sensors and falling within a given tolerance range assigned to each of said sounds;

wherein said wireless transceiver is configured to upload data tracked by said motion sensors to a secondary electronic device for visualization thereon;

wherein the sports ball is configured to randomly select a plurality of voice commands from a plurality of voice commands stored in the memory unit and emit the plurality of selected voice commands from the headset with a random time delay between each of the plurality of selected voice commands.

12. The sports tracking and coaching system of claim 11, further comprising an inner protective shell configured to protect said memory unit, said wireless transceiver, and said plurality of motion sensors.

13. The sports tracking and coaching system of claim 11, wherein said motion sensors comprise at least one accelerometer and at least one gyroscope.

14. The sports tracking and coaching system of claim 11, further comprising:

a user-worn tracking apparatus having a memory unit, a wireless transceiver, and a plurality of motion sensors;

wherein said wireless transceiver of the user-worn tracking apparatus is configured to upload data tracked by said motion sensors to the secondary electronic device for visualization thereon.

15. The sports tracking and coaching system of claim 14, wherein said user-worn tracking apparatus motion sensors comprise at least one accelerometer and at least one gyroscope.

16. The sports tracking and coaching system of claim 11, wherein said motion sensors are configured to detect the distance travelled by the ball in the air after being struck.

17. The sports tracking and coaching system of claim 11, wherein said motion sensors are configured to detect the level and direction of force imparted on the ball.

18. The sports tracking and coaching system of claim 11, wherein said motion sensors are configured to detect the changes in the orientation of the ball.

19. The sports tracking and coaching system of claim 11, wherein said motion sensors are configured to detect the rate of rotation of the ball.

20. The sports tracking and coaching system of claim 11, wherein said sounds are selectively enabled or disabled based upon a parameter input by a user.