Impedance-based impact determination and scoring

• US 10,500,471 B2
• Filed: 05/16/2014
• Issued: 12/10/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 05/17/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: CnoWire Inc.
• Original Assignee: CnoWire Inc.
• Inventors: Song, Jin Y., Song, James M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Laneau, Ronald
• Application Number:
  US14/280,370
• Publication Number:
  US 20140343701A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,034 Days
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/89 Field sensors, e.g. radar systems
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2225/50 Wireless data transmission, e.g. by radio transmitters or telemetry
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2244/10 Combat sports
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2244/102 Boxing
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2244/106 Karate
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 69/26 attached to the human body
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 69/32 with indicating devices
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 71/06 Indicating or scoring devices for games or players , or for other sports activities
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 71/0605 Decision makers and devices using detection means facilitating arbitration
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 71/10 for the head A63B71/081 takes precedence ; in the form of caps or hats A42B1/08; helmets A42B3/00
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 71/12 for the body or the legs , e.g. for the shoulders A63B71/081 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01L 5/0052 measuring forces due to impact G01L5/0061, G01L5/14 take precedence; impact testing of structures G01M7/08; impact testing of material G01N3/00
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 27/02 Measuring real or complex resistance, reactance, impedance, or other two-pole characteristics derived therefrom, e.g. time constant by measuring phase angle only G01R25/00

Abstract

A conductive material of a plurality of separate conductive materials are coupled to a first participant, the conductive material configured to move when the first participant delivers an impact to a second participant. An impedance-based impact sensing mechanism including an impedance changing mechanism that changes impedance as the conductive material is moved towards and away from the impedance changing mechanism as the first participant delivers the impact. An impedance-based impact measuring scoring system determines that the impact occurred based on a change in impedance in the impedance changing mechanism.

Claims

1. A scoring system comprising:

at least two conductive materials, each of said conductive materials coupled to a first and a second participant, each of said conductive materials configured to move when the first participant delivers an impact to the second participant using sporting equipment;

at least one impedance-based impact sensing mechanism that detects a source of said impact comprising at least one impedance changing mechanism that changes impedance as each of said conductive material is moved towards and away from said impedance changing mechanism as the first participant delivers the impact;

at least one impact sensing mechanism using solely piezoelectric which mechanically detects the force of said impact creating electrical charges;

at least one impedance-based impact measuring scoring system determining the source of the impact that occurred based on a change in impedance electromagnetically in said impedance changing mechanism, determining the source of an impact prevents scoring impacts that are illegal; and

at least one impedance changing rate determination engine configured to determine a rate at which the impedance changes in said impedance changing mechanism; and

at least one impact force determination engine configured to determine a magnitude of a force of the impact based on the rate at which the impedance changes in the said impedance changing mechanism and the impedance changing a rate data.

2. The system of claim 1, further comprising at least one impact location determination engine configured to determine a location at which the impact is received by the second participant based on a location of said impedance-based impact sensing mechanism.

3. The system of claim 1, further comprising:

at least one impedance characteristics determination engine configured to determine impedance characteristics of the impedance changing mechanism; and

at least one impact location determination engine configured to determine an identification of said impedance-based impact sensing mechanism based on the impedance characteristics of said impedance changing mechanism; and

to determine a location at which an impact is received by the second participant by determining a location of said impedance-based impact sensing mechanism using the identification of said impedance-based impact sensing mechanism and a sensor location data that specifies where a plurality of impedance-based impact sensing mechanisms are positioned on the second participant.

4. The system of claim 3, wherein the impedance characteristics of said impedance changing mechanism include at least one of a native impedance of said impedance changing mechanism, a rate at which impedance changes in said impedance changing mechanism, and an impedance value that the impedance in said impedance changing mechanism changes to as a result of said conductive material moving towards and away from said impedance changing mechanism.

5. The system of claim 1, further comprising at least one impact delivery determination engine configured to determine a portion of the first participant that delivers the impact based on a location of said conductive material on the first participant.

6. The system of claim 1, further comprising:

at least one impedance characteristics determination engine configured to determine impedance characteristics of said impedance changing mechanism; and

at least one impact delivery location determination engine configured to determine an identification of said conductive material based on the impedance characteristics of said impedance changing mechanism; and

to determine a portion of the first participant that delivers the impact by determining a location of said conductive material on the first participant using the identification of said conductive material and a conductive material location data that specifies where each of said conductive materials are positioned on the first participant.

7. The system of claim 6, wherein the impedance characteristics of said impedance changing mechanism comprises a native impedance of said impedance changing mechanism, a rate at which impedance changes in said impedance changing mechanism, and an impedance value that the impedance in said impedance changing mechanism changes to as a result of said conductive material moving towards and away from said impedance changing mechanism.

8. The system of claim 1, further comprising at least one scoring engine configured to score an athletic event based on at least one of a magnitude of a force of the impact, a location at which the impact is received by the second participant, and a portion of the first participant that delivers the impact to the second participant.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein said scoring engine is further configured to score the athletic event based on scoring rules specific to the athletic event.

10. A scoring method comprising:

providing at least two conductive materials and at least one impedance changing mechanism, said conductive materials are coupled to a first and a second participant, said impedance changing mechanism comprises at least one impedance-based impact sensing mechanism;

creating movement in at least one of said conductive materials when the first participant delivers an impact to the second participant using sporting equipment;

changing an impedance of said impedance changing mechanism as said conductive material is moved towards and away from said impedance changing mechanism when the first participant delivers the impact to the second participant;

detecting the impact solely using a piezo electric mechanism creating electrical charges;

determining the source of the impact that occurred based on a change in impedance electromagnetically in said impedance changing mechanism determining the source of the impact prevents scoring impacts that are illegal; and

determining a rate at which the impedance changes in said impedance changing mechanism; and

determining a magnitude of a force of the impact based on the rate at which the impedance changes in said impedance changing mechanism and an impedance changing rate data.

11. The method of claim 10, further comprising determining a location at which an impact is received by the second participant based on a location of said impedance-based impact sensing mechanism.

12. The method of claim 10, further comprising:

determining impedance characteristics of said impedance changing mechanism;

determining an identification of said impedance-based impact sensing mechanism based on the impedance characteristics of said impedance changing mechanism;

determining a location at which an impact is received by the second participant by determining a location of said impedance-based impact sensing mechanism using the identification of said impedance-based impact sensing mechanism and a sensor location data that specifies where a plurality of impedance-based impact sensing mechanisms are positioned on the second participant.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the impedance characteristics of said impedance changing mechanism comprises a native impedance of said impedance changing mechanism, a rate at which impedance changes in said impedance changing mechanism, and an impedance value that the impedance in said impedance changing mechanism changes to as a result of said conductive material moving towards and away from said impedance changing mechanism.

14. The method of claim 10, further comprising determining a portion of the first participant that delivers the impact based on a location of said conductive material on the first participant.

15. The method of claim 10, further comprising:

determining impedance characteristics of said impedance changing mechanism;

determining an identification of said conductive material based on the impedance characteristics of said impedance changing mechanism; and

determining a portion of the first participant that delivers the impact by determining a location of said conductive material on the first participant using the identification of said conductive material and a conductive material location data that specifies where said conductive material are positioned on the first participant.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the impedance characteristics of said impedance changing mechanism comprises a native impedance of said impedance changing mechanism, a rate at which impedance changes in said impedance changing mechanism, and an impedance value that the impedance in said impedance changing mechanism changes to as a result of said conductive material moving towards and away from said impedance changing mechanism.

17. The method of claim 10, further comprising scoring an athletic event that the impact is delivered in based on a magnitude of a force of the impact, a location at which the impact is received by the second participant, and a portion of the first participant that delivers the impact to the second participant.