Systems and methods for determining drop distance and speed of moving sportsmen involved in board sports

• US 7,860,666 B2
• Filed: 04/02/2010
• Issued: 12/28/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 11/21/1994
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: PhatRat Technology LLC (PhatRat Technology)
• Original Assignee: PhatRat Technology LLC (PhatRat Technology)
• Inventors: Vock, Curtis A., Darcy, Dennis, Flentov, Peter
• Primary Examiner(s): Raymond; Edward
• Application Number:
  US12/753,658
• Publication Number:
  US 20100191499A1
• Time in Patent Office: 270 Days
• Field of Search: 702/44, 702/150, 702182-185, 702/188
• US Class Current: 702/44
• CPC Class Codes: A42B 3/046 Means for detecting hazards or accidents
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2562/0219 Inertial sensors, e.g. accelerometers, gyroscopes, tilt switches
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/11 Measuring movement of the entire body or parts thereof, e.g. head or hand tremor, mobility of a limb for measuring pulse A61B5/02 ;A61B5/1038 takes precedence; motion detection to correct for motion artifacts in physiological signals A61B5/721
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6804 Garments; Clothes
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/681 Wristwatch-type devices
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6895 Sport equipment
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2069/185 for ski-jumping
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/40 Acceleration
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/62 Time or time measurement used for time reference, time stamp, master time or clock signal
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/74 Atmospheric pressure
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 69/18 for skiing
• 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: A63C 2203/18 Measuring a physical parameter, e.g. speed, distance
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 9/00 Measuring inclination, e.g. by clinometers, by levels
• CPC Class Codes: G01L 1/00 Measuring force or stress, in general measuring force due to impact G01L5/00
• CPC Class Codes: G01P 15/00 Measuring acceleration; Measuring deceleration; Measuring shock, i.e. sudden change of acceleration
• CPC Class Codes: G01P 15/0891 with indication of predetermined acceleration values G01P15/135 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01P 3/50 for measuring linear speed G01P3/56 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 11/14 using ultrasonic, sonic, or infrasonic waves
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 15/60 : wherein the transmitter and receiver are mounted on the moving object, e.g. for determining ground speed, drift angle, ground track
• CPC Class Codes: G04F 8/08 : Means used apart from the time-piece for starting or stopping same

Abstract

A system for determining airtime, speed and/or drop distance of a moving sportsman includes at least one accelerometer for detecting vibration or acceleration of the sportsman and/or a GPS unit. A processor in communication with the at least one accelerometer may process signals from the accelerometer to determine free-fall.

Claims

1. A method for determining vertical drop of a moving sportsman, comprising:

processing data from a GPS receiver at predetermined intervals to determine height; and

comparing height at a first time with height at a second time, to determine vertical drop of the sportsman between the first time and the second time.

2. Method of claim 1, wherein the first time is a takeoff time and the second time is a landing time.

3. Method of claim 2, further comprising:

determining initial velocity at the take-off time from the GPS data; and

determining an elapsed time between the takeoff and landing times;

wherein the vertical drop is determined according to the formula

d=v_ot+½

gt²

where d is distance traveled downward,

g is acceleration due to gravity 32 ft/sec², v_o is the initial velocity downward, and t is the number of seconds of free-fall.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising one or both of recording the vertical drop and reporting vertical drop to the sportsman.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein reporting comprises transmitting the vertical drop to a data unit.

6. The method of claim 4, wherein processing, comparing and reporting comprises utilizing a single unit comprising a housing, microprocessor and display.

7. Method of claim 1, further comprising storing the GPS data and the first and second times in memory;

wherein processing comprises automatically processing the GPS data with the first and second times to determine the vertical drop when a single unit comprising a housing, microprocessor and GPS receiver is connected to a computer.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

evaluating the GPS data for a high rate of change in the vertical direction; and

accumulating GPS data during a period corresponding to the high rate of change.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

processing data from an accelerometer to determine a period of free fall; and

wherein processing data from the GPS receiver comprises processing GPS data accumulated during the free fall period to determine the vertical drop.

10. The method of claim 9, processing the accelerometer data comprising determining an absence of vibration to identify loft of the sportsman.

11. The method of claim 9, processing the accelerometer data comprising processing data from a tri-axial accelerometer to determine when acceleration in three translational directions sums to substantially zero, to identify free-fall of the sportsman.

12. The method of claim 9, determining a period of free-fall comprising timing a duration of acceleration signals below an acceleration floor, wherein acceleration signals above the floor indicate an end to the free-fall period.

13. The method of claim 9, determining a period of free-fall comprising determining a reduction in a high frequency component of at least one acceleration signal from the one or more accelerometers, the reduction in the high frequency component indicative of free fall.

14. A system for determining vertical drop of a moving sportsman, comprising:

a GPS receiver for detecting vertical position of the sportsman; and

a processor in communication with the GPS receiver, for processing signals from the GPS receiver to determine vertical drop of the sportsman.

15. System of claim 14, further comprising at least one accelerometer for detecting acceleration of the sportsman and generating corresponding acceleration signals;

the processor (a) processing the acceleration signals to determine a period of free-fall of the sportsman, and (b) processing signals from the GPS receiver associated with the free fall period to determine the vertical drop.

16. System of claim 15, the acceleration signals including high-frequency signals indicative of vibration as the sportsman contacts the ground, the processor comprising a timer for timing a period of absence of the high frequency signals indicative of free-fall of the sportsman;

wherein the processor processes GPS signals accumulated during the free-fall period to determine the vertical drop.

17. The system of claim 15, further comprising a display for displaying the vertical drop of the sportsman;

the display, the GPS receiver, the accelerometer and the processor configured with a common housing.

18. The system of claim 15, further comprising a common housing for the GPS receiver and the processor;

the housing comprising a port for connection to a computer;

wherein the computer automatically launches software to post-process one or both of the GPS signals and the vertical drop to display the vertical drop to the sportsman.

19. A system for determining airtime of a moving sportsman, comprising:

at least one accelerometer for generating acceleration signals;

a GPS receiver for determining position of the sportsman; and

a processor for processing the acceleration signals with signals from the GPS receiver to determine one or more of airtime, speed and vertical drop distance of the moving sportsman.

20. The system of claim 19, further comprising a timer for timing free-fall within the airtime.

21. The system of claim 19, the accelerometer, GPS receiver and processor configured with a common housing attachable to the sportsman or a vehicle ridden by the sportsman.

22. System of claim 19, the at least one accelerometer comprising linear accelerometers for measuring acceleration in three translational directions;

wherein the processor receives and sums signals indicative of acceleration from the linear accelerometers, the processor timing a period in which the signals from the accelerometers sum to zero; and

wherein the processor identifies the period in which the signals sum to zero as a period of free-fall.

23. System of claim 19, the at least one accelerometer configured with an accelerometer suite having:

three linear accelerometers for outputting signals indicative of vibrational noise in a vehicle ridden by the sportsman;

conditioning electronics for strengthening and filtering the signals and outputting conditioned signals; and

interface electronics in communication with the conditioning electronics, for converting the conditioned signals from analog to digital; and

wherein the processor receives and processes the conditioned signals to determine airtime and identifies a period of absence in vibrational noise as a period of free-fall.

24. The system of claim 19, the GPS receiver determining three-dimensional location of the sportsman.

25. A system for determining airtime of a moving sportsman, comprising:

a housing for attachment to (a) a human-powered vehicle, or (b) a person riding the human-powered vehicle;

an accelerometer suite disposed with the housing, for measuring acceleration in three directions; and

a processor disposed within the housing, for processing signals from the accelerometer to determine airtime of the person.

26. System of claim 25, further comprising a GPS receiver disposed with the housing, the processor processing signals from the GPS receiver to determine one or both of location of the person riding the human-powered vehicle and speed of the person riding the human-powered vehicle.

27. System of claim 25, the housing comprising an interface for transmitting data from the processor to a computer, for post-processing.

28. System of claim 27, the interface comprising a wireless interface or a port.

29. A system for determining speed of a moving sportsman, comprising:

a housing for attachment to (a) a human powered vehicle or to (b) a person riding the human-powered vehicle;

a GPS receiver disposed with the housing, for determining location of the moving sportsman; and

a processor disposed within the housing, for processing signals from the GPS receiver to determine, over time, speed of the person.

30. System of claim 29, the housing comprising a wireless interface or a port for transmitting data from the processor to a computer, for post-processing.