Sports swing mechanics training device

• US 9,442,633 B2
• Filed: 08/29/2014
• Issued: 09/13/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 09/25/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Latent Performance, LLC
• Original Assignee: Latent Performance, LLC
• Inventors: Dyer, Ellery, Carll, Steve, Morong, William, Trachtman, Michael
• Primary Examiner(s): Lewis, David L
• Assistant Examiner(s): HALL, SHAUNA-KAY N
• Application Number:
  US14/473,408
• Publication Number:
  US 20150087446A1
• Time in Patent Office: 746 Days
• Field of Search: 473/222
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0482 Interaction with lists of selectable items, e.g. menus
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 40/23 Recognition of whole body movements, e.g. for sport training
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 19/0038 Sports

Abstract

A base unit of a sports swing mechanics training device receives from a swing detector a swing detection message indicating a swing motion by a player, and in response, displays a visual symbol for a predetermined period of time. When the device receives a user selection of a visual symbol from the player, it is compared with the displayed visual symbol. If they match, the device indicates a symbol match. Otherwise, the device indicates a symbol mismatch. The base unit is placed at a location where the displayed visual symbol would be visible to the player immediately following contact with a ball when the player'"'"'s eyes are in a desired position during the swing motion. The device trains players to keep their heads and eyes correctly directed at the point of collision with the ball during and immediately following the ball collision.

Claims

1. A method for providing sports swing mechanics training, comprising:

(a) receiving, by a base unit of a training device, a swing detection message, wherein the swing detection message indicates a detection of a swing motion by a player;

(b) in response to receiving the swing detection message, displaying, by the base unit of by-the training device, a visual symbol for a predetermined period of time during the swing motion, wherein the base unit is placed at a location wherein the displayed visual symbol would be visible to the player immediately following contact with a ball when the player'"'"'s eyes are in a desired position during the swing motion;

(c) receiving a user selection of a visual symbol from the player by the training device;

(d) comparing the user selection with the displayed visual symbol by the training device;

(e) in response to determining that the user selection matches the displayed visual symbol, indicating a symbol match by the training device; and

(f) in response to determining that the user selection does not match the displayed visual symbol, indicating a symbol mismatch by the training device.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the receiving (c), the comparing (d), and indicating (e), and the indicating (f) are performed by the base unit.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the indicating (e) and the indicating (f) comprises:

(e1) in response to determining that the user selection matches the displayed visual symbol, activating a correct selection indicator by the base unit; and

(f1) in response to determining that the user selection does not match the displayed visual symbol, activating an incorrect selection indicator by the base unit.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the base unit of the training device comprises one of the following:

a smartphone;

a personal computer;

a laptop computer;

a tablet; and

a smart watch.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the receiving (a) comprises:

(a1) initializing a training session by the training device;

(a2) beginning a video recording of the training session by the base unit of the training device; and

(a3) in response to receiving the swing detection message, setting a begin time marker and an end time marker in the video recording,

wherein the method further comprises;

(g) determining an end to the training session by the training device; and

(h) creating a plurality of video clips by the base unit, wherein each video clip comprises a video from the begin time marker to the end time marker associated with the swing motion.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the method further comprises:

(i) combining, by the base unit, the plurality of video clips into a single video.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

(g) incrementing a session swing count, wherein the session swing count is a number of swing motions detected during the training session; and

(h) in response to determining that the user selection matches the displayed visual symbol, incrementing a match count, wherein the match count is a number of correct user selections.

8. A system, comprising:

a swing detector comprising;

an accelerometer for detecting a swing motion by a player; and

a microcontroller for sending to a base unit a signal indicating the detection of the swing motion; and

the base unit comprising;

a display;

a visual symbol generator for, in response to receiving the signal from the swing detector, generating a visual symbol and displaying the visual symbol on the display for a predetermined period of time during the swing motion, wherein the base unit is placed at a location wherein the displayed visual symbol would be visible to the player immediately following contact with a ball when the player'"'"'s eyes are in a desired position during the swing motion;

a memory for storing the displayed visual symbol;

an input device for receiving a user selection of a visual symbol from the player;

a comparator for comparing the user selection with the stored visual symbol;

a correct selection indicator, wherein in response to determining that the user selection matches the stored visual symbol, the correct selection indicator is activated; and

an incorrect selection indicator, wherein in response to determining that the user selection does not match the stored visual symbol, the incorrect selection indicator is activated.

9. The system of claim 8, further comprising a plurality of base units coupled to the swing detector, wherein the plurality of base units is placed at a plurality of locations corresponding to a plurality of desired positions for the player'"'"'s eyes.

10. A computer readable medium comprising computer readable program code embodied therein, wherein when executed by a processor causes the processor to:

receive a swing detection message by a base unit of a training device, wherein the swing detection message indicates a detection of a swing motion by a player;

in response to receiving the swing detection message, display, by the base unit, a visual symbol for a predetermined period of time during the swing motion, wherein the base unit is placed at a location wherein the displayed visual symbol would be visible to the player immediately following contact with a ball when the player'"'"'s eyes are in a desired position during the swing motion;

receive a user selection of a visual symbol from the player;

compare the user selection with the displayed visual symbol;

in response to determining that the user selection matches the displayed visual symbol, indicate a symbol match; and

in response to determining that the user selection does not match the displayed visual symbol, indicate a symbol mismatch.

11. The medium of claim 10, wherein computer readable program code, when executed by the processor, further causes the processor to:

initialize a training session;

begin a video recording of the training session;

in response to receiving the swing detection message, set a begin time marker and an end time marker in the video recording;

determine an end to the training session;

create a plurality of video clips, wherein each video clip comprises a video from the begin time marker to the end time marker associated with the swing motion.

12. The medium of claim 11, wherein computer readable program code, when executed by the processor, further causes the processor to:

combine the plurality of video clips into a single video.

13. The medium of claim 10, wherein computer readable program code, when executed by the processor, further causes the processor to:

increment a session swing count, wherein the session swing count is a number of swing motions detected during the training session; and

in response to determining that the user selection matches the displayed visual symbol, increment a match count, wherein the match count is a number of correct user selections.