Sport performance system with ball sensing

• US 9,492,724 B2
• Filed: 11/04/2013
• Issued: 11/15/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 11/09/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Wilson Sporting Goods Company (Anta International Group Holdings Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Wilson Sporting Goods Company (Anta International Group Holdings Ltd.)
• Inventors: Thurman, Robert T., Krysiak, Kevin L., Proeber, David J., Gaff, Bradley L.
• Primary Examiner(s): Myhr, Justin
• Application Number:
  US14/071,431
• Publication Number:
  US 20140135957A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,107 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2024/0031 at the starting point
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/34 Angular speed
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/44 Angular acceleration
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/833 Sensors arranged on the exercise apparatus or sports implement
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2225/50 Wireless data transmission, e.g. by radio transmitters or telemetry
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2243/007 American football
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 69/002 for football American-football dummies A63B69/34
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/0639 Performance analysis of employees; Performance analysis of enterprise or organisation operations
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 19/0038 Sports

Abstract

A player training apparatus for use with a portable performance system. The portable performance system includes a processor, a memory and a display. The training apparatus includes an American-style football, at least one sensor coupled to the football, at least one transmitter coupled to the football and operably coupled to the sensor, and a non-transient computer-readable medium containing code. The code directs the processor to: receive input pertaining to motion of the football; determine a target accuracy based upon the input; and display the determined target accuracy.

Claims

1. A player training apparatus for use with a portable performance system including a processor, a memory and a display, the training apparatus comprising:

an American-style football;

at least one sensor coupled to the football;

at least one transmitter coupled to the football and operably coupled to the sensor; and

a non-transient computer-readable medium containing code to direct the processor to;

the at least one sensor receiving input pertaining to motion of the football;

the at least one transmitter in communication with the at least one sensor to receive at least one of sensor information relating to the motion of the football;

determine and repeatedly update a path of the football over time in response to and based upon signals, relating to the motion of the football, received from the at least one transmitter coupled to the football, the updated path comprising directional changes in the path of the football and a trajectory of the football, from a point in time that the football is initially propelled by a person;

determine a target accuracy based upon the input; and

display the path of the determined trajectory of the football.

2. The training apparatus of claim 1, wherein the code further directs the processor to identify and display a depiction of a target relative to a football field and displays a determined target accuracy that is based upon the identified target.

3. The training apparatus of claim 2, wherein the motion of the football is a field goal kick attempt, and wherein the target accuracy comprises accuracy of the field goal attempt, wherein the depiction of the target comprises the depiction of a goalpost and wherein the path of trajectory displayed is a depiction of flight of the football relative to the depiction of the goalpost.

4. The training apparatus of claim 3, wherein the code further directs the processor to identify a target, and wherein the target is an actual field goal post.

5. The training apparatus of claim 3, wherein the code further directs the processor to identify a target, and wherein the target is a simulated field goal post.

6. The training apparatus of claim 3, wherein the code directs the processor to derive at least one football motion parameter from the input pertaining to the motion of the football.

7. The training apparatus of claim 6, wherein the at least one football motion parameter is selected from the group consisting of football speed, football launch angle, spin about a non-longitudinal axis of the football, spin about a longitudinal axis of the football, direction of the football, trajectory, distance, and combinations thereof.

8. The training apparatus of claim 2, wherein the target comprises a target window in which location of the football will be deemed as accurate, wherein depiction of the target comprises a depiction of the target window and wherein the code directs a processor to automatically adjust a size of the target window based upon player skill level.

9. The training apparatus of claim 2, wherein the target comprises a primary target location and a target window in which will be deemed as accurate, wherein the target window is eccentrically positioned with respect to the primary target location and wherein depiction of the target comprises a depiction of the target window.

10. The training apparatus of claim 2, wherein the target comprises a target window in which location of the football will be deemed as accurate, wherein depiction of the target comprises a depiction of the target window, wherein the code further directs the processor to identify and display a depiction of a second target window relative to the football field in which location of football to be deemed as accurate, the second target window being further down field relative to the first target window and being larger than the first target window.

11. The training apparatus of claim 2, wherein the target comprises a primary target location and a target window in which will be deemed as accurate and wherein the code is direct the processor to depict the target window relative to the football field, the depicted target window comprising a defined region of the football field displayed on top of a top view depiction of the football field.

12. The training apparatus of claim 1, wherein the motion of the football is a pass attempt, wherein the target accuracy comprises accuracy of the pass attempt and wherein the display of the path of the determined trajectory comprises a path of the football through the air over time during the pass attempt.

13. The training apparatus of claim 12, wherein the code further directs the processor to identify a target, and wherein the target is a fixed target.

14. The training apparatus of claim 12, wherein the code further directs the processor to identify a target, and wherein the target is a moving target.

15. The training apparatus of claim 12, wherein the target is a simulated or virtual target.

16. The training apparatus of claim 12, wherein the code directs the processor to derive at least one football motion parameter from the input pertaining to the motion of the football.

17. The training apparatus of claim 16, wherein the at least one football motion parameter is selected from the group consisting of football speed, football acceleration, spiral efficiency, football launch angle, spin about a longitudinal axis of the football, direction of the football, trajectory, passing release time, distance, and combinations thereof.

18. The training apparatus of claim 16, wherein the at least one football motion parameter is selected from a series of events resulting from the input and is selected from the group consisting of snap to pass release time, snap to catch time, snap to pass release time, pass to impact with ground time and combinations thereof.

19. The training apparatus of claim 1, wherein the motion of the football is a punt, and wherein the target accuracy comprises accuracy of the punt.

20. The training apparatus of claim 19, wherein the code further directs the processor to identify a target, wherein the target is a region of an actual or virtual playing field, wherein the code directs the processor to display a top view depiction of the actual or virtual playing field and a top view depiction of the region of the actual or virtual playing field which is the target and wherein the display of the path of the determined trajectory comprises a path of the football through the air over time is concurrently displayed with and relative to the top view depiction of the region of the actual or virtual playing field which is the target.

21. The training apparatus of claim 19, wherein the code directs the processor to derive at least one football motion parameter from the input pertaining to the motion of the football.

22. The training apparatus of claim 21, wherein the at least one football motion parameter is selected from the group consisting of football speed, football acceleration, football launch angle, spin about a non-longitudinal axis of the football, spin about a longitudinal axis of the football, spiral efficiency, direction of the football, trajectory, distance, hang time and combinations thereof.

23. The training apparatus of claim 1, wherein the code directs the processor to receive input relating to at least one environmental parameter.

24. The training apparatus of claim 23, wherein the at least one environmental parameter is selected from the group of environmental parameters consisting of:

air temperature, barometric pressure, humidity, air density, altitude, wind speed, wind direction and combinations thereof.

25. The training apparatus of claim 1, wherein the code further directs the processor to determine a football act pertaining to the motion of the football, and compare the received input with previously stored information regarding similar football acts, and wherein the code further directs the processor to concurrently display a path of a prior trajectory of the football, obtained based upon the previously stored information, and the path of the determined trajectory of the football.

26. The training apparatus of claim 25, wherein the previously stored information is information from prior acts by the player with the football.

27. The training apparatus of claim 25, wherein the previously stored information is information relating to prior football acts performed by a celebrity.

28. The training apparatus of claim 1, wherein the code further directs the processor to supply the input pertaining to motion of the football to a video game.

29. The training apparatus of claim 1, wherein the code is further configured to direct a processor to:

derive at least one football motion parameter from the input pertaining to the motion of the football;

store each determined football motion parameter; and

present a graph of the stored football motion parameters.

30. The training apparatus of claim 29, wherein the code is further configured to direct a processor to:

compare the determined football motion parameter to a predefined threshold value; and

present a suggestion based upon the comparison.

31. The training apparatus of claim 1, wherein the target accuracy is for a target location, wherein the code is to further direct the processor to assign a timing window to the target location, the timing window comprising a range of times for which the football is to arrive proximate the target location and wherein the code directs the processor to automatically adjust a size of the timing window based upon a degree of success being achieved by a person with the timing window.

32. The training apparatus of claim 31, wherein the timing window is based upon an elapsed time from a determined start time selected from a group of start times consisting of a determined snap of the football and a determined initiation of a pass of the football.

33. The training apparatus of claim 1, wherein the target accuracy is for a target location, wherein the code is to further direct the processor to assign a timing window to the target location, the timing window comprising a range of times for which the football is to arrive proximate the target location and wherein the code directs a processor to automatically adjust a size of the timing window based upon player skill level.

34. The training apparatus of claim 1, wherein the target accuracy is for a target location, and wherein the code is to further direct the processor to:

assign a timing window to the target location, the timing window comprising a range of times for which the football is to arrive proximate the target location; and

present a visible graphical depiction of the timing window, the graphical depiction including edges representing boundaries of the timing window; and

present a visible graphical depiction relative to the edges of the presented timing window based upon and indicating an arrival time for the football at the target location relative to the boundaries of the timing window.

35. The training apparatus of claim 1, wherein the code further directs the processor to identify and display a depiction of a stationary target relative to a football field prior to the receipt of input pertaining to motion of the football and wherein the determined target accuracy is based upon the identified target.