SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR GATHERING AND ANALYZING OBJECTIVE MOTION DATA

• US 20100144414A1
• Filed: 07/14/2009
• Published: 06/10/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 12/04/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Home Box Office Incorporated (Warner Bros. Discovery, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Home Box Office Incorporated (Warner Bros. Discovery, Inc.)
• Inventors: Papadopoulos, Despina, Mohn, Timothy James, Igoe, Thomas P., Eveland, Zachary Edwin, Edis, Jamyn Geoffrey Nicholas, Gabriel, Michael
• Granted Patent: US 8,622,795 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 463/8
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2024/0012 Comparing movements or motion sequences with a registered reference
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2071/0636 3D visualisation
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/13 Relative positions
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/40 Acceleration
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/51 Force
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/53 Force of an impact, e.g. blow or punch
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/803 Motion sensors
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/806 Video cameras
• 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 2230/50 temperature
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2243/0025 Football American football A63B2243/007
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2243/007 American football
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2244/102 Boxing
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 24/0006 Computerised comparison for qualitative assessment of motion sequences or the course of a movement
• 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 71/145 Boxing gloves
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/211 using inertial sensors, e.g. accelerometers or gyroscopes
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/816 Athletics, e.g. track-and-field sports
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 20/30 relating to physical therapies or activities, e.g. physiotherapy, acupressure or exercising

Abstract

The systems and methods described herein attempt to provide data capture and analysis in a non-intrusive fashion. The captured data can be analyzed for qualitative conclusions regarding an object'"'"'s actions. For example, a system for analyzing activity of an athlete to permit qualitative assessments of that activity comprises a first processor to receive activity-related data from sensors on the athlete. A first database stores the activity-related data. A second database contains pre-identified motion rules. A second processor compares the received activity-related data to the pre-identified motion rules, wherein the second processor identifies a pre-identified motion from the pre-identified motion rules that corresponds to the received activity-related data. A memory stores the identified pre-selected motion.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method for analyzing activity of an athlete to permit qualitative assessments of that activity using a processor, the method comprising:

receiving activity-related data from sensors on the athlete;

storing the activity-related data in a database;

comparing by the processor the received activity-related data against a set of pre-identified discrete outcomes;

identifying by the processor one of the pre-identified outcomes as corresponding to the received activity-related data based on the comparison of the received activity-related data against the set of pre-identified outcomes; and

displaying the identified pre-identified outcome.

2. The method in claim 1, wherein the activity-related data comprises data from at least one accelerometer.

3. The method in claim 2, wherein the athlete is a boxer.

4. The method in claim 1, wherein the pre-identified outcomes are motion data patterns.

5. A system for analyzing activity of an athlete to permit qualitative assessments of that activity, the system comprising:

a first processor to receive activity-related data from at least one sensor positioned on the athlete, wherein the at least one sensor comprises;

a first three-axis accelerometer coupled to the first processor; and

a first gyroscope coupled to the first processor;

a first database to store the activity-related data from the at least one sensor;

a second database comprising pre-identified motion rules;

a transmitter coupled to the first processor to transmit the activity-related data to a second processor;

a receiver coupled to the second processor to receive the activity related data from the transmitter,

wherein the second processor compares the received activity-related data to the pre-identified motion rules, and identifies a pre-identified motion from the pre-identified motion rules that corresponds to the received activity-related data.

6. The system in claim 5, further comprising:

a second three-axis accelerometer coupled to the first processor,

wherein the activity-related data further comprises data generated by the second three-axis accelerometer, and

wherein the first three-axis accelerometer has a lower range and higher resolution than the second three-axis accelerometer.

7. The system in claim 5, wherein if the second processor cannot identify a pre-identified motion from the pre-identified motion rules, the second processor creates a new pre-identified motion rule and adds the new pre-identified motion rule to the second database.

8. The system in claim 5, further comprising a display to display the identified pre-selected motion.

9. The system in claim 6, further comprising:

a second gyroscope coupled to the first processor,

wherein the activity-related data further comprises data generated by the second gyroscope, and

wherein the first gyroscope has a lower range and higher resolution than the second gyroscope.

10. The system in claim 5, further comprising:

at least three signal strength monitors coupled to the second processor, wherein the second processor uses the at least three signal strength monitors to triangulate a position of the transmitter; and

a camera coupled to the second processor to follow the triangulated position of the transmitter.

11. The system in claim 10, wherein the camera sends camera data to the second processor, and wherein the second processor correlates the camera data with the activity-related data to more accurately identify the pre-identified motion.

12. A method for analyzing hand activity of a boxer with an accelerometer and a gyroscope disposed on a hand of the boxer using a computer having a memory to permit qualitative assessments of the activity, the method comprising:

receiving by a computer hand activity-related accelerometer data from the accelerometer disposed on the hand of the boxer;

receiving by a computer hand activity-related gyroscope data from the gyroscope disposed on the hand of the boxer;

storing the hand activity-related accelerometer and the hand activity-related gyroscope data in the memory;

detecting by the computer a hand event;

if the hand event is detected, comparing by the computer the received hand activity-related accelerometer data and hand activity-related gyroscope data against a motion profile; and

identifying by the computer a hand motion corresponding to the received hand activity-related accelerometer and gyroscope data based on the comparison of the received hand activity-related accelerometer and gyroscope data against the motion profile.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the identified hand motion comprises at least one of the group consisting of a punch, a block, and a deflection.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the punch comprises at least one of the group consisting of a jab, an uppercut, and a hook.

15. The method of claim 12, further comprising the step of displaying the identified hand motion.

16. The method of claim 14, further comprising the step of determining whether the punch landed, missed, or was blocked.

17. The method of claim 12, wherein the identified hand motion comprises a punch, and wherein the method further comprises determining a punch type of the punch.

18. The method of claim 17, further comprising the step of determining the force of the punch.

19. The method of claim 18, further comprising the steps of:

determining the force of the punch of the boxer during a boxing match; and

displaying the force and the punch type during the boxing match.

20. The method of claim 19, further comprising the step of judging the boxing match based at least in part on the identified hand motion.

21. A computer program product comprising:

a computer usable medium having computer readable program code embodied therein for analyzing hand activity of a boxer having an accelerometer and a gyroscope disposed on a hand of the boxer, the computer readable program code in the computer program product comprising;

computer readable program code for receiving hand activity-related accelerometer data from the accelerometer disposed on the hand of the boxer;

computer readable program code for receiving hand activity-related gyroscope data from the gyroscope disposed on the hand of the boxer;

computer readable program code for storing the hand activity-related accelerometer and the hand activity-related gyroscope data in the memory;

computer readable program code for detecting a hand event;

computer readable program code for comparing the received hand activity-related accelerometer data and hand activity-related gyroscope data against a motion profile if the hand event is detected; and

computer readable program code for identifying a hand motion corresponding to the received hand activity-related accelerometer and gyroscope data based on the comparison of the received hand activity-related accelerometer and gyroscope data against the motion profile.

22. The computer program product of claim 21, wherein the identified hand motion comprises at least one of the group consisting of a punch, a block, and a deflection.

23. The computer program product of claim 22, wherein the punch comprises at least one of the group consisting of a jab, an uppercut, and a hook.

24. The computer program product of claim 21, further comprising computer readable program code for displaying the identified hand motion.

25. The computer program product of claim 23, further comprising computer readable program code for determining whether the punch landed, missed, or was blocked.

26. The computer program product of claim 21, wherein the identified hand motion comprises a punch, and wherein the computer readable program code further comprises computer readable program code for determining a punch type of the punch.

27. The computer program product of claim 26, further comprising computer readable program code for determining the force of the punch.

28. The computer program product of claim 27, further comprising:

computer readable program code for determining the force of the punch of the boxer during a boxing match; and

computer readable program code for displaying the force and the punch type during the boxing match.

29. The computer program product of claim 28, further comprising computer readable program code for judging the boxing match based at least in part on the identified hand motion.

30. A computer program product comprising:

a computer usable medium having computer readable program code embodied therein for analyzing activity of an athlete to permit qualitative assessments of that activity, the computer readable program code in the computer program product comprising;

computer readable program code for receiving activity-related data from sensors on the athlete;

computer readable program code for storing the activity-related data in a database;

computer readable program code for comparing by the processor the received activity-related data against a set of pre-identified discrete outcomes;

computer readable program code for identifying by the processor one of the pre-identified outcomes as corresponding to the received activity-related data based on the comparison of the received activity-related data against the set of pre-identified outcomes; and

computer readable program code for displaying the identified pre-identified outcome.

31. The computer program product in claim 30, wherein the activity-related data comprises data from at least one accelerometer.

32. The computer program product in claim 31, wherein the athlete is a boxer.

33. The computer program product in claim 30, wherein the pre-identified outcomes are motion data patterns.

34. A system for analyzing punch activity of a boxer with an accelerometer and a gyroscope disposed on a hand of the boxer to permit qualitative assessments of the activity, the system comprising:

means for receiving hand activity-related accelerometer data from the accelerometer disposed on the hand of the boxer;

means for receiving hand activity-related gyroscope data from the gyroscope disposed on the hand of the boxer;

means for storing the hand activity-related accelerometer and the hand activity-related gyroscope data;

means for detecting a hand event;

means for comparing the received hand activity-related accelerometer data and hand activity-related gyroscope data against a motion profile if the hand event is detected; and

means for identifying a hand motion corresponding to the received hand activity-related accelerometer and gyroscope data based on the comparison of the received hand activity-related accelerometer and gyroscope data against the motion profile.

35. The system of claim 34, wherein the identified hand motion comprises at least one of the group consisting of a punch, a block, and a deflection.

36. The system of claim 35, wherein the punch comprises at least one of the group consisting of a jab, an uppercut, and a hook.

37. The system of claim 34, further comprising means for displaying the identified hand motion.

38. The system of claim 36, further comprising means for determining whether the punch landed, missed, or was blocked.

39. The system of claim 34, wherein the identified hand motion comprises a punch, and wherein the system further comprises means for determining a punch type of the punch.

40. The system of claim 39, further comprising means for determining the force of the punch.

41. The system of claim 40, further comprising:

means for determining the force of the punch of the boxer during a boxing match; and

means for displaying the force and the punch type during the boxing match.

42. The system of claim 41, further comprising means for judging the boxing match based at least in part on the identified hand motion.

43. A computer-implemented method for displaying qualitative hand assessment data of a boxer having an accelerometer and a gyroscope disposed on a hand of the boxer, the method comprising:

receiving real-time video data of the boxer;

receiving data from a visualization engine,

wherein the data comprises real-time hand analysis data, and

wherein the real-time hand analysis data comprises data identified by an analysis engine as one of a pre-identified outcome stored in a database corresponding to the data from the accelerometer and the gyroscope; and

simultaneously displaying the real-time video data and the real-time hand analysis data.

44. The method of claim 43, wherein the real-time hand analysis data comprises a type of a punch that the boxer throws.

45. The method of claim 43, wherein the real-time hand analysis data is superimposed over the real-time video data.

46. The method of claim 43, wherein the real-time hand analysis data comprises whether a punch landed, missed, or was blocked.