Method to provide dynamic customized sports instruction responsive to motion of a mobile device

• US 9,357,329 B2
• Filed: 10/24/2012
• Issued: 05/31/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 10/25/2011
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Aquimo LLC
• Original Assignee: Aquimo LLC
• Inventors: Jeffery, Mark John, Komorous-King, Robert Sunshin
• Primary Examiner(s): PHU, SANH D
• Application Number:
  US13/659,774
• Publication Number:
  US 20130150121A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,315 Days
• Field of Search: 455/556.1, 455/42.1, 455/42.2, 455/42.3, 455/39, 473/219, 473/212
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2503/10 Athletes
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/1122 of movement trajectories
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6898 Portable consumer electronic devices, e.g. music players, telephones, tablet computers
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 15/00 Clubs for gymnastics or the like , e.g. for swinging exercises
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2210/50 Size reducing arrangements for stowing or transport
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/44 Angular acceleration
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/803 Motion sensors
• 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 2225/685 for electronic devices, e.g. phone, PDA, GPS device, notebook
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/10 Non-metallic shafts
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/14 Handles
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 69/0002 for baseball
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 69/002 for football American-football dummies A63B69/34
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 69/0046 for bowling
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 69/0071 for basketball
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 69/3608 Attachments on the body, e.g. for measuring, aligning, restraining A63B69/0059, A63B69/3673 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 69/3632 Clubs or attachments on clubs, e.g. for measuring, aligning A63B69/3614 takes precedence; clubs for swinging exercises in general A63B15/00
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 69/38 for tennis A63B61/006, A63B69/0073 and A63B69/0097 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/20 Education
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 40/23 : Recognition of whole body movements, e.g. for sport training
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 19/0038 : Sports
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72403 : with means for local support of applications that increase the functionality
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/00 : Services specially adapted for wireless communication networks; Facilities therefor
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/60 : Subscription-based services using application servers or record carriers, e.g. SIM application toolkits

Abstract

A family of sports teaching applications that delivers customized lessons driven by the analysis of user body motions where data is captured via the accelerometer and gyroscope in a mobile device, such as a smartphone is provided. Each specific application is designed with motion data models that define proper form for athletes in club sports such as, but not limited to, golf, baseball hitting, hockey, polo, and racquet sports such as, but not limited to, table tennis, squash, badminton and throwing sports like baseball pitching, football, discus, javelin, and shot put, and other sports such as skiing and running. The Invention is also applicable to the customized fitting of sports equipment such as golf clubs, baseball bats, tennis racquets, etc. to athletes unique swing motions and swing speeds, and for multiplayer tournament competitions via the Internet utilizing the swing motion analysis and system described herein.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

holding a mobile device directly in at least one hand, the mobile device having motion sensors integrated therein;

moving the hand-held mobile device to simulate a sports motion;

evaluating the simulated sports motion to determine at least one topic of interest,

wherein evaluation of the sports motion includes analyzing a first gyroscope sensor data and a second gyroscope sensor data to determine an impact point or release point;

selecting, from a content database, content associated with the topic; and

displaying the selected content on the mobile device.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the motion sensors include a gyroscope and an accelerometer.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of evaluating the simulated sports motions includes evaluating pitch, roll, and yaw of the mobile device.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the mobile device includes a phone.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the selected content includes a video clip of an instructor providing motion improvement information.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the method is performed by a processor integral to the mobile device.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the mobile device is held by a user while being moved.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising storing motion data related to motions of the mobile device during the simulated sports motion in a database.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein selecting the content includes obtaining content based on one or more of user input data, prior motion data, and CRM data, and assembling the obtained content, the selecting and assembling according to a set of predetermined rules.

47. The method of claim 1, wherein the selected content is further displayed on a display device different from the mobile device used to simulate the sports motion.

10. An apparatus comprising a mobile device having motion sensors integrated therein, the apparatus including a non-transitory computer-readable medium which stores a set of instructions which when executed by a processor of the mobile device performs the steps of:

holding a mobile device directly in at least one hand, the mobile device having motion sensors integrated therein;

moving the hand-held mobile device to simulate a sports motion;

evaluating the simulated sports motion to determine at least one topic of interest, including analyzing a first gyroscope sensor data and a second gyroscope sensor data to determine an impact point or release point;

selecting, from a content database, content associated with the topic; and

displaying the selected content on the mobile device.

48. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the motion sensors include a gyroscope and an accelerometer.

49. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the step of evaluating the simulated sports motions by the processor includes evaluating pitch, roll, and yaw of the mobile device.

50. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the mobile device includes a phone.

51. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the selected content includes a video clip of an instructor providing motion improvement information.

52. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the processor is integral to the mobile device.

53. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the processor performs the steps when the mobile device is held by a user while being moved.

54. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the processor further stores motion data related to motions of the mobile device during the simulated sports motion in a database.

55. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein selecting the content by the processor includes obtaining content based on one or more of user input data, prior motion data, and CRM data, and assembling the obtained content, the selecting and assembling according to a set of predetermined rules.

56. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the selected content is further displayed on a display device different from the mobile device used to simulate the sports motion.

11. A system, comprising:

a server;

a content database linked to the server;

a dynamic lesson generator and

a plurality of mobile devices linked to the server, each of the mobile devices having motion sensors integrated therein;

wherein when one of the mobile devices is held in a hand and moved using the hand to simulate a sports motion, the sports motion is evaluated to determine at least one topic;

a presentation snippet is assembled from content retrieved from the content database, the presentation snippet relating to the topic; and

the presentation snippet is displayed;

wherein the evaluation of the sports motion to determine the at least one topic comprises;

obtaining motion data from one or more of the motion sensors;

using the obtained motion data,

determining the starting point, velocity of an impact point around a virtual object or release point of a virtual object and movement along a path.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein a plurality of the mobile devices are linked to the server concurrently simulating the same sport.

13. The system of claim 11, wherein a first one of the mobile devices is used to simulate a first sport and a second one of the mobile devices is used to simulate a second sport, the first one of the mobile devices and the second one of the mobile devices linked to the server concurrently.

14. The system of claim 11, wherein the presentation snippet is displayed on the same mobile device used to simulate the sports motion.

15. The system of claim 11, wherein the presentation snippet is displayed on a display device different from the mobile device used to simulate the sports motion.

16. The system of claim 11, wherein the presentation snippet includes a sports lesson.

17. The system of claim 11, wherein the presentation snippet includes video.

18. The system of claim 11, wherein the presentation snippet includes text.

19. The system of claim 11, wherein the presentation snippet includes audio.

20. The system of claim 11, wherein the presentation snippet includes an animation.

21. The system of claim 11, wherein the mobile devices are linked to the server via the Internet.

22. The system of claim 11, wherein the sports motion relates to a sport impacting an object.

23. The system of claim 22, wherein the sport is one of golf, baseball, tennis, badminton, racquetball, table tennis, and hockey.

24. The system of claim 11, wherein the sports motion relates to releasing an object.

25. The system of claim 24, wherein the sport is one of bowling, baseball, basketball, American football, bean bag toss, and fly fishing.

26. The system of claim 11, wherein the motion sensors include a gyroscope and an accelerometer.

27. The system of claim 11, wherein the evaluation of the movement includes evaluating pitch, roll, and yaw of the mobile device.

28. The system of claim 11, further comprising a database for storing motion data related to motions of the mobile device during the simulated sports motion.

29. The system of claim 11, wherein the presentation snippet is assembled by obtaining content based on one or more of user input data, prior motion data, CRM data, and assembling the obtained content, according to a set of predetermined rules.

30. The system of claim 11, wherein the presentation snippet is displayed on a web-enabled display device separate and distinct from the mobile device.

31. The system of claim 30, wherein the presentation snippet which is displayed on a web-enabled display device includes a virtual target to be impacted with a virtual object, responsive to the sports motion.

32. A method of analyzing sports motions, comprising:

(a) determining a starting point of a sports motion to be simulated using a mobile device having integrated motion sensors, wherein the starting point is indicated by the mobile device being held still for a predetermined length of time;

(b) using a hand, moving the mobile device from the starting point along a path to complete the simulation;

(c) obtaining motion data from the motion sensors relating to the starting point and the movement along the path;

(d) determining an occurrence of a simulated sports event using the obtained motion data;

(e) evaluating the simulated sports motion to determine at least one topic of interest, wherein evaluation of the sports motion includes use of longitudinal data for measuring performance improvement;

(f) selecting, from a content database, content associated with the topic;

(g) displaying the selected content; and

(h) determining a velocity of a virtual object around an impact point or a release point, wherein the sports event is an impact point with, or a release point of, a virtual object, wherein determining the velocity does not use data from an accelerometer.

33. The method of claim 32, wherein the content is displayed on the mobile device.

34. The method of claim 32, wherein the content is displayed on a display device different from the mobile device.

35. The method of claim 32, wherein the mobile device is not attached to any piece of sports equipment and the starting point is not indicated by user-entered input.

36. The method of claim 32, wherein the motion sensors include the accelerometer and a multi-axis gyroscope.

37. The method of claim 32, wherein the virtual object is one of a virtual golf ball, a basketball, an American football, a baseball, a tennis ball, a shuttlecock, a racquetball, a lacrosse ball, a table tennis ball, and a hockey puck.

38. The method of claim 32, wherein determining the velocity is based at least in part on velocity of the mobile device around the impact point, arm length, club length, and arc length for a swing type.

39. The method of claim 32, wherein determining the velocity includes applying a multiplier based on estimated wrist hinge and forearm rotation as measured by yaw and roll of the mobile device at the impact point.

40. The method of claim 32, further including determining ball flight distance based at least in part on the determined velocity of the virtual object.

41. The method of claim 32, wherein determining the occurrence of the simulated sports event using the obtained motion data includes analyzing a first gyroscope sensor data of the mobile device during the simulated sports motion to determine the impact point or release point.

42. The method of claim 32, wherein determining the occurrence of the simulated sports event using the obtained motion data includes analyzing a second gyroscope sensor data of the mobile device at the impact point.

43. The method of claim 32, wherein analyzing a second sensor of the mobile device at the impact point includes subtracting sensor data at the impact point from sensor data from the starting point.

44. The method of claim 32, wherein the release point is one of a release point of a bowling ball, a lacrosse handle, a basketball, a baseball, a hockey stick, a bean bag, an American football and a fishing rod.

45. The method of claim 32, further comprising storing motion data related to motions of the mobile device during the simulated sports motion in a database.

46. The method of claim 32, wherein the presentation snippet is assembled by obtaining content based on one or more of user input data, prior motion data, and CRM data, and assembling the obtained content, according to a set of predetermined rules.