Monitoring surfing

• US 9,697,743 B2
• Filed: 05/11/2015
• Issued: 07/04/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 05/12/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Catapult Group International Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Catapult Group International Ltd.
• Inventors: Regan, Michael, Holthouse, Shaun
• Primary Examiner(s): Olson, Lars A
• Assistant Examiner(s): HAYES, JOVON E
• Application Number:
  US15/303,968
• Publication Number:
  US 20170032693A1
• Time in Patent Office: 785 Days
• Field of Search: 441 74
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2503/10 Athletes
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2562/0219 Inertial sensors, e.g. accelerometers, gyroscopes, tilt switches
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/1118 Determining activity level
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/1122 of movement trajectories
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/1123 Discriminating type of movement, e.g. walking or running A61B5/1116, A61B5/112 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6823 Trunk, e.g., chest, back, abdomen, hip
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6895 Sport equipment
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2208/03 the user being in water
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/17 Counting, e.g. counting periodical movements, revolutions or cycles, or including further data processing to determine distances or speed
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/20 Distances or displacements
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/30 Speed
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/40 Acceleration
• 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 2220/806 Video cameras
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/836 Sensors arranged on the body of the user
• 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 69/0093 for surfing, i.e. without a sail; for skate or snow boarding
• CPC Class Codes: B63B 32/40 Twintip boards; Wakeboards; Surfboards; Windsurfing boards; Paddle boards, e.g. SUP boards; Accessories specially adapted therefor
• CPC Class Codes: B63B 32/70 Accessories not specially adapted for a particular type of board, e.g. paddings or buoyancy elements
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 19/0038 Sports

Abstract

A data collection system for surfing which includes a data collection device mounted on the upper torso of the surfer or on the surf board. The device includes a clock, GPS unit, three dimensional accelerometers, three dimensional gyroscopes, and a microprocessor and data store for processing the signals from the GPS unit, three dimensional accelerometers and three dimensional gyroscopes. The microprocessor is programmed to identify and collect signal data to derive information identifying one or more parameters including number of waves passed up, power of each wave, size and frequency of the waves, time when a wave is caught, number of paddles required to catch a wave, time between catching the wave and the surfer standing up, distance travelled and speed during ride, time when rider exits the wave, acceleration during each manoeuvre during the ride, g force and speed during turns.

Claims

1. A data collection system for surfing which includes

a data collection device adapted to mounted on the upper torso of the surfer or on the surf board

said device including a clock, GPS unit, three dimensional accelerometers, three dimensional gyroscopes, and a microprocessor and data store for processing the signals from the GPS unit, three dimensional accelerometers and three dimensional gyroscopes

said microprocessor being programmed to identify and collect signal data to derive information identifying one or more parameters including number of waves passed up, power of each wave, size and frequency of the waves, time when a wave is caught, number of paddles required to catch a wave, time between catching the wave and the surfer standing up, distance travelled and speed during ride, time when rider exits the wave, acceleration during each manoeuvre during the ride, G force and speed during turns.

2. A data collection device as claimed in claim 1 wherein the microprocessor also provides outputs that display the duration of the ride, the number of manoeuvres, the acceleration and G forces during the manoeuvres.

3. A data collection device as claimed in claim 1 which includes the ability to transmit data to a remote computer.

4. A surf board which incorporates the data collection device defined in claim 1.

5. A method assessing performance of a surfer using a system a system as claimed in claim 1 in which the performance is assessed based on measures of the following parameters:

number of waves passed up, power of each wave, size and frequency of the waves, time when a wave is caught, number of paddles required to catch a wave, time between catching the wave and the surfer standing up, distance travelled and speed during ride, time when rider exits the wave, number and type of manoeuvres during ride, acceleration during each manoeuvre during the ride, G force and speed during turns.

6. A method as claimed in claim 5 in which the data is synchronised with a video recording of the performance.