Motion sensor in a sports instrument

• US 9,724,578 B2
• Filed: 06/28/2016
• Issued: 08/08/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 06/30/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Beijing Shunyuan Kaihua Technology Limited
• Original Assignee: Zepp Labs, Inc. (Zepp Health Corporation)
• Inventors: Zhao, Ke, Han, Zheng
• Primary Examiner(s): LEGESSE, NINI F
• Application Number:
  US15/195,756
• Publication Number:
  US 20170001070A1
• Time in Patent Office: 406 Days
• Field of Search: 473131, 473221, 473222, 473223, 473549, 473409
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2071/0658 Position or arrangement of display
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2102/02 Tennis
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2102/04 Badminton
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2102/18 Baseball, rounders or similar games
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2102/32 Golf
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2209/08 magnetic
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/16 Angular positions
• 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 2225/20 with means for remote communication, e.g. internet or the like
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2225/50 Wireless data transmission, e.g. by radio transmitters or telemetry
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 51/00 Stringing tennis, badminton or like rackets; Strings therefor; Maintenance of racket strings
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 57/00 Golfing accessories
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 59/00 Bats, rackets, or the like, not covered by groups A63B49/00 - A63B57/00
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 60/00 Details or accessories of golf clubs, bats, rackets or the like
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 60/16 Caps; Ferrules
• 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: H01R 13/6205 Two-part coupling devices held in engagement by a magnet
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72412 using two-way short-range wireless interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/725 : Cordless telephones user interfaces specially adapted therefor H04M1/724
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/12 : including a sensor for measuring a physical value, e.g. temperature or motion telephones including GPS signal receivers H04M2250/10

Abstract

A solution is provided to enhance motion detection and recognition of moving objects associated with various sports by embedding motion sensors into sports instruments such as tennis rackets, badminton rackets, baseball bats and golf clubs, that are swung in a three-dimensional (3D) space. A motion sensor device inserted and locked inside a sports instrument is configured to detect motions associated with movements associated with the sports instrument. The device is shaped to be inserted into a sensor housing attached to a selected location inside the sports instrument. The device includes a motion sensor for detecting motion associated with the movement of the sports instrument, a cover for protecting the motion sensor, and a locking mechanism attached to the sensor housing for locking the motion sensor inside the sensor housing.

Claims

1. A device having a motion sensor to be inserted into a sports instrument, comprising:

a motion sensor for detecting motion associated with the movement of the sports instrument, the motion sensor being shaped to be inserted into a sensor housing, the sensor housing being attached to a selected location inside the sports instrument;

a rechargeable battery for powering the motion sensor, wherein a charger for charging the rechargeable battery has a plurality of charging pins, and wherein the plurality of charging pins are configured to provide electrical contact from the charger to the motion sensor;

a cover for protecting the motion sensor inserted inside the sports instrument, the cover having a plurality of slots to host the plurality of charging pins;

one or more magnets for orienting the plurality of charging pins of charger with the plurality of slots on the cover; and

a locking mechanism attached to the sensor housing for locking the motion sensor inside the sensor housing, wherein the locking mechanism is configured to lock the motion sensor in position.

2. The device of claim 1, wherein each of the plurality of charging pins are surrounded by a magnet of the one or more magnets.

3. The device of claim 1, wherein the magnets repel the charger in response to one or more of the plurality of charging pins of the charger being incorrectly aligned with the plurality of slots on the cover.

4. The device of claim 1, wherein the magnets comprise:

a first magnet oriented in a first direction, and a second magnet oriented in a second direction, opposite to the first direction, wherein the first magnet is disposed around a first charging pin and a second magnet is disposed around a second charging pin, and where in the first charging pin and the second charging pin are configured to connect the charger with the motion sensor.

5. The device of claim 4, wherein the first direction has a north pole of the first magnet facing upwards, and the second direction has a south pole of the second magnet facing upwards.

6. The motion sensor of claim 4, wherein:

the charger comprises a first charger terminal, a second charger terminal, a first charger magnet and a second charger magnet;

the first magnet is configured to attract the first charger magnet and the second magnet is configured to attract the second charger magnet in response to the first charging pin being aligned with the first charger terminal and the second charging pin being aligned with the second charger terminal; and

the first magnet is configured to repel the second charger magnet and the second magnet is configured to repel the first charger magnet in response to the first charging pin being aligned with the second charger terminal and the second charging pin being aligned with the first charger terminal.

7. The device of claim 1, wherein the locking mechanism is configured to be rotated 90°

to lock the motion sensor into position.

8. The device of claim 1, wherein the sports instrument is one of the following:

a tennis racket, a badminton racket, a baseball bat, and a golf club.

9. The device of claim 1, further comprising:

an antenna for wirelessly connecting the motion sensor to an external computing device.

10. The device of claim 9, wherein the motion sensor is configured to be controlled via the external computing device.

11. A method comprising:

attaching a sensor housing to a handle of a sports instrument, the sensor housing including a cavity;

inserting a motion sensor device into the cavity of the sensor housing, the motion sensor device including a cover having a plurality of slots to host one or more charging pins of a charger, the charging pins configured to provide electrical contact from the charger for charging a rechargeable battery for powering the motion sensor, and a locking mechanism attached to the sensor housing for locking the motion sensor device inside the sensor housing;

rotating the motion sensor to lock the motion sensor inside the sensor housing; and

orienting, using one or more magnets, the charging pins of the charger with the plurality of slots of the cover.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the sports instrument is one of the following:

a tennis racket, a badminton racket, a baseball bat, and a golf club.

13. The method of claim 11, further comprising:

rotating the locking mechanism 90°

to lock the motion sensor device inside the sensor housing.

14. The method of claim 11, further comprising:

collecting motion data associated with the movement of the sports instrument at one or more sampling times, wherein the motion data comprises acceleration of the sports instrument and an angle of the sports instrument, relative to a three-dimensional geomagnetic coordinate system.