Combining signal information from shoes and sports racket

• US 9,710,612 B2
• Filed: 05/05/2014
• Issued: 07/18/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 05/05/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Sampathkumaran, Sriram
• Primary Examiner(s): Shah, Milap
• Assistant Examiner(s): Clarke, Jr., Robert T.
• Application Number:
  US14/269,499
• Publication Number:
  US 20150314164A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,170 Days
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2505/09 Rehabilitation or training
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2562/0219 Inertial sensors, e.g. accelerometers, gyroscopes, tilt switches
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6807 Footwear
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6895 Sport equipment
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/56 Pressure
• 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 2220/836 Sensors arranged on the body of the user
• 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 69/38 for tennis A63B61/006, A63B69/0073 and A63B69/0097 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 71/0622 Visual, audio or audio-visual systems for entertaining, instructing or motivating the user
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 40/23 Recognition of whole body movements, e.g. for sport training
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 19/0038 Sports
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 15/00 ICT specially adapted for medical reports, e.g. generation or transmission thereof
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 40/63 for local operation

Abstract

Methods and apparatus are disclosed for correlating signals from a sports racket with signals from the shoes worn by a player wielding the racket to gain insight into the player'"'"'s footwork at ball striking moments.

Claims

1. A device comprising:

at least one computer memory that is not a transitory signal and that comprises instructions executable by at least one processor for;

receiving first signals from at least one sensor on a sports racket;

receiving second signals from at least one sensor on a shoe worn by a player wielding the sports racket; and

based at least in part on the first and second signals, presenting an indication on at least one display, the indication including indications of whether a forehand or a backhand was hit based on a time of variation in the first signals, with a forehand being indicated responsive to an increase in pressure as indicated by the first signals and with a backhand being indicated responsive to a decrease in pressure as indicated by the first signals.

2. The device of claim 1, wherein the indication is audible.

3. The device of claim 1, wherein the indication is video.

4. The device of claim 1, wherein the instructions are executable for:

determining the player struck an object with the racket based at least in part on signals from at least one strike sensor on the racket.

5. The device of claim 1, wherein the instructions are executable for:

determining the player struck an object with the racket based at least in part on signals from at least one pressure sensor on a handle of the racket.

6. The device of claim 1, wherein the instructions are executable for:

determining from signals from at least one motion sensor on the racket whether the racket has been swung in clockwise or counterclockwise arc.

7. The device of claim 1, wherein the indication includes at least one expert evaluation.

8. The device of claim 1, wherein the indication includes at least one timeline of shoe pressure.

9. The device of claim 1, wherein the indication includes video of the player synchronized with at least one comment derived from the first and second signals.

10. Method comprising:

correlating first wireless signals from a sports racket with second wireless signals from shoes worn by a player wielding the racket to render footwork indication along with contemporaneous racket motion indication; and

presenting the indications to allow the player to gain insight into the player'"'"'s performance,

wherein the racket motion indication includes backhand or forehand stroke, forehand stroke being output response to a determination that an accelerometer indicates forward motion of the sports racket and pressure signals from a handle of the sports racket indicate pressure on a back of the handle relative to a direction of forward motion of the sports racket, backhand stroke being output response to a determination that an accelerometer indicates forward motion of the sports racket and pressure signals from a handle of the sports racket indicate pressure on a front of the handle relative to a direction of forward motion of the sports racket.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein at least one of:

the footwork indication, racket motion indication, is audible.

12. The method of claim 10, wherein at least one of:

the footwork indication, racket motion indication, is video.

13. The method of claim 10, comprising:

determining a player struck an object with the racket based at least in part on signals from at least one strike sensor on the racket.

14. The method of claim 10, comprising:

determining a player struck an object with the racket based at least in part on signals from at least one pressure sensor on a handle of the racket.

15. The method of claim 10, comprising:

determining from signals from at least one motion sensor on the racket whether a racket has been swung in clockwise or counterclockwise arc.

16. The method of claim 10, wherein at least one of:

the footwork indication, racket motion indication, includes at least one expert evaluation.

17. The method of claim 10, wherein at least one of:

the footwork indication, racket motion indication, includes at least one video of the player synchronized with at least one comment derived from the first and second wireless signals.