IMPEDANCE-BASED IMPACT DETERMINATION AND SCORING

• US 20140343701A1
• Filed: 05/16/2014
• Published: 11/20/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 05/17/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: CnoWire Inc.
• Original Assignee: CnoWire Inc.
• Inventors: Song, Jin Y., Song, James M.
• Granted Patent: US 10,500,471 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 700/92
• 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 system comprising:

a conductive material of a plurality of separate conductive materials 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 determining that the impact occurred based on a change in impedance in the impedance changing mechanism.

2. The system of claim 1, further comprising:

an impedance changing rate determination engine configured to determine a rate at which the impedance changes in the impedance changing mechanism;

an 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 impedance changing mechanism and impedance changing rate data.

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

4. The system of claim 1, further comprising:

an impedance characteristics determination engine configured to determine impedance characteristics of the impedance changing mechanism;

an impact location determination engine configured to;

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

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

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

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

7. The system of claim 1, further comprising:

an impedance characteristics determination engine configured to determine impedance characteristics of the impedance changing mechanism;

an impact delivery location determination engine configured to;

determine an identification of the conductive material based on the impedance characteristics of the impedance changing mechanism;

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

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

9. The system of claim 1, further comprising a 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.

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

11. A method comprising:

moving a conductive material of a plurality of a separate conductive materials coupled to a first participant as the first participant delivers an impact to a second participant;

changing an impedance of an impedance changing mechanism included as part of an impedance-based impact sensing mechanism as the conduct material is moved towards and away from the impedance changing mechanism as the first participant delivers the impact to the second participant;

determining that the impact occurred based on a change in impedance in the impedance changing mechanism.

12. The method of claim 11, further comprising:

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

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

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

14. The method of claim 11, further comprising:

determining impedance characteristics of the impedance changing mechanism;

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

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

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the impedance characteristics of the impedance changing mechanism include at least one of a native impedance of the impedance changing mechanism, a rate at which impedance changes in the impedance changing mechanism, and an impedance value that the impedance in the impedance changing mechanism changes to as a result of the conductive material moving towards and away from the impedance changing mechanism.

16. The method of claim 11, further comprising determining a portion of the first participant that delivers the impact based on a location of the conductive material on the first participant.

17. The method of claim 11, further comprising:

determining impedance characteristics of the impedance changing mechanism;

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

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

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the impedance characteristics of the impedance changing mechanism include at least one of a native impedance of the impedance changing mechanism, a rate at which impedance changes in the impedance changing mechanism, and an impedance value that the impedance in the impedance changing mechanism changes to as a result of the conductive material moving towards and away from the impedance changing mechanism.

19. The method of claim 11, further comprising scoring an athletic event that the impact is delivered in 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.

20. A system comprising:

means for moving a conductive material of a plurality of a separate conductive materials coupled to a first participant as the first participant delivers an impact to a second participant;

means for changing an impedance of an impedance changing mechanism included as part of an impedance-based impact sensing mechanism as the conduct material is moved towards and away from the impedance changing mechanism as the first participant delivers the impact to the second participant;

means for determining that the impact occurred based on a change in impedance in the impedance changing mechanism.