Athletic training method and system

• US 9,721,152 B1
• Filed: 10/20/2014
• Issued: 08/01/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 10/25/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Asaf Kolin
• Original Assignee: Asaf Kolin
• Inventors: Kolin, Asaf
• Primary Examiner(s): LIM, SENG HENG
• Application Number:
  US14/519,113
• Time in Patent Office: 1,016 Days
• Field of Search: None
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/0639 Performance analysis of employees; Performance analysis of enterprise or organisation operations
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 19/0038 Sports

Abstract

A method and system for athletic training includes a plurality of devices including receiver circuitry and processors to receive signals from at least one body-worn beacon. The signals are distance limited such that proper reception indicates arrival in proximity to a device from the plurality of devices. The arrival is sensed by a device and relayed to other devices to actuate indicators on such devices to guide a user wearing the beacon in the direction of such actuated indicator. The times of arrival and departure from the vicinity of each such device from the plurality of devices is reported to an application that is used to measure an athlete'"'"'s performance when traversing a course defined by such devices in the form of cones.

Claims

1. A system for athletic training, comprising:

a body-worn beacon configured to transmit data over a short range, the data specially constructed to allow for spatial resolution by a properly compatible receiver unit;

a first portable receiver unit positioned in close proximity to the body-worn beacon, the portable receiver configured to receive data from the beacon and further configured to resolve distance data to the beacon by reference to specially constructed data received from the beacon;

a second portable receiver unit positioned a predetermined distance from said first portable receiver unit, the second portable receiver unit receiving a signal from the first portable receiver unit, the second portable receiver unit responding to said signal by actuating a visual indicator on said second portable receiver unit exterior such that it is human perceptible; and

a second receiver unit coupled to said second portable receiver unit and configured to receive the specially constructed data from the beacon and record such reception by the second receiver unit.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the beacon further includes an actuator to generate an indication that is provided to users wearing the beacon.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the first portable receiver unit includes a distance approximation unit to approximate distance to the second portable receiver unit.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the first portable receiver unit further comprises an ultrasound sensor.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the signal transmitted from the body-worn beacon is range limited.

6. An athletic training apparatus, comprising:

a housing configured to contain electronic components and to allow for positioning the apparatus on a flat surface in an upright orientation;

a battery module to supply power to the electronic components contained within the housing;

a radio transceiver configured to receive beacon identifier signals over a predetermined frequency using a predetermined radio technology;

a distance resolution module to correlate beacon identifier signal properties with distance between the transmitting beacon and the radio transceiver;

a human perceptible indicia generating module for generating a human perceptible indicia in response to an externally generated signal received by the radio transceiver over a predetermined frequency and using a predetermined radio technology; and

a processing module configured to execute computer instruction that instruct the radio receiver/transmitter to externally transmit an instruction to an indicia generating module to generate an indicia in response to a predetermined parameter related to data sensed by the processing module.

7. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein the externally transmitted instruction is directed to a second apparatus comprising a housing, battery module, radio transceiver, distance resolution module, human perceptible indicia generation module, and processing module.

8. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein the radio transceiver predetermined radio technology for sensing a beacon identifier signal is Bluetooth technology.

9. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein the externally generated signal received to actuate the human perceptible indicia generating module is using WiFi technology.

10. The apparatus of claim 6, further comprising a camera module to determine distance to a second training apparatus.

11. The apparatus of claim 7, further wherein each apparatus includes a receiver module to receive configuration distance data;

and

a distance resolution module to resolve distance to a second athletic training apparatus.

12. An athletic training method, comprising:

a. transmitting instructions to a plurality of smart-cones to indicate relative position;

b. at least one smart-cone reporting position relative to other smart-cones;

c. each of the positioned cones configured to sense beacon signals in its vicinity;

d. in response to sensing a beacon signal in the vicinity, reporting at least beacon signal arrival and departure relative times;

e. generating a human perceptible indication at a smart-cone that is configured to sense beacon arrival according to a smart-cone traversal order; and

f. providing feedback by actuating a haptic circuit in a beacon module that is generating the sensed signals.

13. The method of claim 12, further comprising at least one smart-cone activating fine tracking using a camera in response to detecting the beacon radio signal.