Training system and method

• US 9,586,116 B2
• Filed: 07/23/2014
• Issued: 03/07/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 08/19/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: David Churchman
• Original Assignee: David Churchman
• Inventors: Churchman, David
• Primary Examiner(s): D'Agostino, Paul A
• Application Number:
  US14/339,166
• Publication Number:
  US 20150051024A1
• Time in Patent Office: 958 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: A42B 3/0433 Detecting, signalling or lighting devices
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2024/0012 Comparing movements or motion sequences with a registered reference
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2071/0627 when used improperly, e.g. by giving a warning
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/16 Angular positions
• 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 2225/50 Wireless data transmission, e.g. by radio transmitters or telemetry
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2243/007 American football
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 24/0006 Computerised comparison for qualitative assessment of motion sequences or the course of a movement
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 69/00 Training appliances or apparatus for special sports training of parachutists B64D23/00
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 71/0622 Visual, audio or audio-visual systems for entertaining, instructing or motivating the user
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 19/0038 Sports

Abstract

Disclosed herein are embodiments of an American-style football quarterback training device and method. Goals associated with the disclosed system include training a quarterback to not telegraph passes and to look in a direction opposite to where the ball is about to be thrown. The disclosed device comprises a sensor that is mountable on desired headgear, for example a football helmet, and is useful for detecting lateral head position and lateral head movement, a processor for processing data associated with the lateral head position and for processing data associated with lateral head movement, a user interface, a memory storage device, and optionally a timer, each of which are in communication with the processor and sensor. The lateral head position a quarterback can be monitored and data can be captured and processed relative to when the quarterback'"'"'s head moves outside of an acceptable threshold range of acceptable lateral head positions. In some embodiments, users may be notified through one or more alarms if the quarterback'"'"'s head moves outside of the acceptable threshold range of acceptable lateral head positions.

Claims

1. A method carried out with respect to a device for training a quarterback to develop counter-intuitive behavior in an effort to avoid telegraphing passes during a game of American football, the device comprising a sensor for detecting lateral head position and lateral head movement, the sensor mountable on a headgear and communicably coupled to a processor and software, for processing data associated with the lateral head position and data associated with lateral head movement, the processor and software communicably coupled to a user interface and memory, the method comprising the steps of:

creating a playbook in the memory of the device by means of the processor,

the playbook comprising at least a first play design, the first play design having a first variable, the variable representing a first offensive formation indicating alignment of a quarterback and one or more offensive teammates, the first play design having a second variable, the second variable representing a first route of a target receiver;

accessing, through the user interface, the playbook stored in the memory of the device;

selecting, with the user interface, the first play design;

processing, with the device, data previously stored within the memory of the device related to the first and second variables of the first play design, including the first offensive formation and the first route of a target receiver to determine a first disallowed zone indicative of a directional area toward which the quarterback should not turn;

determining with the processor of the device a first calculated range of allowable lateral head positions based on the previously stored first and second variables of the first play design and corresponding to an area outside the first disallowed zone;

communicating the first play design to a user;

detecting with the device, a first lateral head position;

processing with the device, data associated with the first lateral head position and determining with the device that the first lateral head position is within the first calculated range of allowable lateral head positions based on the first play design;

detecting with the device, data indicating lateral head movement resulting in a second lateral head position;

processing with the device, data associated with the second lateral head position and determining that the second lateral head position is beyond the first calculated range of allowable lateral head positions based on the first play design; and

communicating with the device, a message indicative that the lateral head position is beyond the range of allowable lateral head positions based on the first play design.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising the steps of:

viewing a graphical representation of the first disallowed zone with the user interface; and

modifying the size of the graphical representation of the first disallowed zone with the user interface;

wherein the modification to the size of the graphical representation of the first disallowed zone causes a change in a level of difficulty for the quarterback to maintain lateral head positions within the range of allowable lateral head positions.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of selecting with the user interface, one or more desired levels of difficulty, and wherein the first calculated range of allowable lateral head positions is also based on the selected level of difficulty.

4. The method of claim 1 further comprising the step of storing in a memory storage device, the data associated with the first lateral head position, the data associated with the second lateral head position, and data indicating that the first range of allowable lateral head positions was exceeded.

5. The method of claim 1

wherein the playbook comprises a second play design, the second play design having a third variable, the third variable representing a second offensive formation indicating alignment of a quarterback and one or more offensive teammates, the second play design having a fourth variable, the fourth variable representing a second route of a target receiver, and further comprising the steps of:

accessing, through the user interface, the playbook stored in the memory of the device;

selecting, with the user interface, the second play design;

processing, with the device, data previously stored within the memory of the device related to the third and fourth variables of the second play design, including the second offensive formation and the second route of a target receiver to determine a second disallowed zone indicative of a directional area toward which the quarterback should not turn;

determining with the processor of the device, a calculated second range of allowable lateral head positions based on the previously stored third and fourth variables of the second play design and corresponding to an area outside the second disallowed zone;

communicating the second play design to the user;

detecting with the device, a third lateral head position;

processing with the device, data associated with the third lateral head position and

determining with the device that the third lateral head position is within the range of allowable head positions based on the second play design;

detecting with the device, data indicating lateral head movement resulting in a fourth lateral head position;

processing with the device, data associated with the fourth lateral head position and determining that the fourth lateral head position is beyond the range of allowable lateral head positions based on the second play design; and

communicating with the device, a message indicative that the lateral head position is beyond the range of allowable lateral head positions based on the second play design.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the device further comprises a timer, and the method further comprises the steps of:

setting the timer for a first time period, the first time period defined as a duration that the device will actively detect lateral head position;

starting the timer for the first time period; and

stopping the timer concurrently with when the first calculated range of allowable lateral head positions based on the first play design is exceeded.

7. The method of claim 5, wherein the first play design and the second play design are the same.

8. The method of claim 6 wherein the playbook comprises a second play design, the second play design having a third variable, the third variable representing a second offensive formation indicating alignment of a quarterback and one or more offensive teammates, the second play design having a fourth variable, the fourth variable representing a second route of a target receiver, and further comprising the steps of:

accessing, through the user interface, the playbook stored in the memory of the device;

selecting, with the user interface, the second play design;

processing, with the device, data previously stored within the memory of the device related to the third and fourth variables of the second play design, including the second offensive formation and the second route of a target receiver to determine a second disallowed zone indicative of a directional area toward which the quarterback should not turn;

setting the timer for a subsequent time period, the subsequent time period defined as a length of time that the device will actively detect lateral head position;

determining with the processor of the device, a calculated second range of allowable lateral head positions based on the previously stored third and fourth variables of the second play design and corresponding to an area outside the second disallowed zone;

communicating the second play design to a user;

starting the timer;

detecting with the device, a third lateral head position;

processing with the device, data associated with the third lateral head position and determining with the device that the third lateral head position is within the second range of allowable lateral head positions based on the second play design;

detecting with the device, a fourth lateral head position;

processing with the device, data associated with the fourth lateral head position and determining with the device that the fourth lateral head position is within the second range of allowable lateral head positions based on the second play design;

stopping detection of lateral head movement with the device concurrently with expiration of the subsequent time period; and

communicating with the device, a message indicative that the second range of allowable lateral head positions based on the second play design was not exceeded during the subsequent time period.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the device comprises a communication means capable of communicating messages to a quarterback and wherein the message indicative that the lateral head position is beyond the range of allowable lateral head positions, based on the first play design, is communicated to the quarterback.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the device comprises a communication means capable of communicating messages to a quarterback and wherein the first play design is communicated through the communication means of the device to the quarterback.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the user interface comprises a hand-held computer, smartphone, or tablet.

12. The method of claim 9, wherein the communication means capable of communicating messages to the quarterback comprises an audible alarm, a flashing light, a vibration, a shock or a static light.

23. The method of claim 1 wherein the first variable is selected from a list of formations previously stored in the memory of the device and accessed through the user interface of the device.

24. The method of claim 1 wherein the second variable is selected from a list of routes of a target receiver previously stored in the memory of the device and accessed through the user interface of the device.

26. The method of claim 1 where the playbook comprises additional play designs which may be selected with the user interface and processed with the device.

30. The method of claim 1 further comprising the step of providing, with the user interface of the device, a representation of the determined disallowed zone as an area indicated on a graphical representation of a football field displayed on the user interface of the device.

13. A method carried out with respect to a device for training a quarterback to develop counter-intuitive behavior in an effort to avoid telegraphing passes during a game of American football, the device comprising a sensor for detecting lateral head position and lateral head movement, the sensor mountable on headgear and communicably coupled to a processor and software for processing data associated with the lateral head position and data associated with lateral head movement, the processor and software communicably coupled to a user interface and memory, the method comprising the steps of:

creating a playbook in the memory of the device by means of the processor,

the playbook comprising at least a first play design, the first play design having a first variable, the first variable representing a first offensive formation indicating alignment of a quarterback and one or more offensive teammates, the first play design having a second variable, the second variable representing a first route of a target receiver,

accessing, through the user interface, the playbook stored in the memory of the device;

selecting, with the user interface, the first play design;

processing, with the device, data previously stored within the memory of the device related to the first and second variables of the first play design, including the first offensive formation and the first route of a target receiver to determine a first disallowed zone indicative of a directional area toward which the quarterback should not turn;

determining with the processor of the device a first calculated range of allowable lateral head positions based on the previously stored first and second variables of the first play design and corresponding to an area beyond the first disallowed zone;

communicating the first play design to a user;

monitoring lateral head position with the device;

processing with the device, data associated with the monitored lateral head position;

comparing, with the processor of the device, the data associated with the monitored lateral head position with the first calculated range of allowable lateral head positions based on the first play design; and

recording in a memory storage unit, data indicative of a result of the comparison of the data associated with the monitored lateral head position with the first calculated range of allowable lateral head positions based on the first play design.

14. The method of claim 13 further comprising the step of:

failing to detect, with the device, lateral head position beyond the first calculated range of allowable lateral head positions based on the first play design; and

communicating, with the device, a message indicative that the monitored lateral head positions were not beyond the first calculated range of allowable lateral head positions based on the first play design.

15. The method of claim 13 further comprising the step of:

detecting, with the device, a first lateral head position beyond the first calculated range of allowable lateral head positions based on the first play design;

communicating with the device, a message indicative that the first calculated range of allowable lateral head positions based on the first play design was exceeded.

16. The method of claim 13 wherein the device further comprises a timer communicably coupled to the processor and the method further comprises the steps of:

setting the timer for a first time period, the first time period defined as a duration that the device will actively detect lateral head position;

starting the timer;

failing to detect lateral head position beyond the first calculated range of allowable lateral head positions based on the first play design; and

stopping detection of lateral head movement with the device concurrently with expiration of the first time period; and

wherein the data indicative of the result of the comparison of the data associated with the monitored lateral head position with the first calculated range of allowable lateral head positions comprises data indicative of the failure to detect lateral head position beyond the first calculated range of allowable lateral head positions.

17. The method of claim 13 wherein the step of monitoring lateral head position with the device includes detecting with the device, a first lateral head position,

wherein the step of processing with the device, data associated with the monitored lateral head position, includes processing with the device, data associated with the first lateral head position, and

wherein the step of comparing, with the processor of the device, the data associated with the monitored lateral head position with the first calculated range of allowable lateral head positions based on the first play design includes comparing the first lateral head position to the first calculated range of allowable lateral head positions,

and wherein recording data indicative of the result of the comparison of the data associated with the monitored lateral head position with the first calculated range of allowable lateral head positions based on the first play design in a memory storage unit includes recording a result of the comparison of the first lateral head position to the first the calculated range of allowable lateral head positions based on the first play design in the memory storage unit;

and further comprising the step of;

detecting with the device, a subsequent lateral head position;

processing with the device, data associated with the subsequent lateral head position;

comparing the subsequent lateral head position to the first calculated range of allowable lateral head positions based on the first play design, and recording a subsequent result in the memory storage unit;

stopping detection of lateral head movement; and

communicating with the device, recorded data indicative of whether the first calculated range of allowable lateral head positions is exceeded.

18. The method of claim 17 further comprising the step of manipulating the recorded data for statistical analysis purposes.

19. The method of claim 15 wherein the device comprises a communication means capable of communicating messages to a quarterback, and wherein the message indicative that the first calculated range of allowable lateral head positions based on the first play design was exceeded is communicated to the quarterback.

21. The method of claim 13, wherein the device comprises a fixation timer, the method further comprising the steps of:

detecting, with the device, a first lateral head position beyond the first calculated range of allowable lateral head positions based on the first play design;

activating the fixation timer to begin a countdown representing a first amount of time the quarterback is able to be turned towards the directional area of the disallowed zone without triggering the device to communicate a message indicative that the first lateral head position is beyond the calculated range of allowable lateral head positions based on the first play design.

22. The method of claim 21 further comprising the steps of:

determining, with the device, prior to an expiration of the countdown of the fixation timer, that the monitored lateral head position is within the calculated range of allowable lateral head positions; and

communicating, with the device, a message indicative that the lateral head position was not beyond the range of allowable lateral head positions based on the first play design.

27. The method of claim 16, wherein the first time period is less than about three seconds.

28. The method of claim 16, wherein the timer is started concurrently with a football being snapped to the quarterback.

29. The method of claim 16, wherein the step of starting the timer is completed by a coach through the user interface.

20. A method carried out with respect to a device for training a quarterback in the game of American football, the device comprising a sensor for detecting lateral head position and lateral head movement, the sensor mountable on a headgear and communicably coupled to a processor and software, for processing data associated with the lateral head position and data associated with lateral head movement, the processor and software communicably coupled to a user interface and memory, the method comprising the steps of:

utilizing the user interface to select a first play design from a playbook previously stored in the memory of the device, the playbook comprising multiple play designs, the first play design having a first variable, the first variable representing a first offensive formation, the first play design having a second variable, the second variable representing a first route of a target receiver;

setting, by the device, a first disallowed zone indicative of a directional area that a quarterback should not turn, the first disallowed zone based on the first and second variables related to the first play design, including the first offensive formation and the first route of a target receiver;

determining with the processor of the device a first calculated range of allowable lateral head positions based on the previously stored first and second variables of the first play design and corresponding to an area outside the first disallowed zone;

communicating the first play design to a user;

detecting with the device, a first lateral head position;

processing with the device, data associated with the first lateral head position and determining with the device that the first lateral head position is within the first calculated range of allowable lateral head positions based on the previously stored first and second variables of the first play design;

detecting with the device, data indicating lateral head movement resulting in a second lateral head position;

processing with the device, data associated with the second lateral head position and determining that the second lateral head position is beyond the range of allowable lateral head positions based on the previously stored first and second variables of the first play design; and

communicating with the device, a message indicative that the lateral head position is beyond the range of allowable lateral head positions based on the first play design.

25. The method of claim 20 further comprising the steps of:

utilizing the user interface to select a subsequent plurality of plays from the playbook previously stored in the memory of the device, each of the plurality of plays having a first subsequent variable, the first subsequent variable representing a subsequent first offensive formation and a second subsequent variable, the second subsequent variable representing a subsequent first route of a target receiver;

setting, by the device, subsequent disallowed zones indicative of directional areas that a quarterback should not turn, the subsequent disallowed zones based on at least the first and second subsequent variables related to the subsequent play designs, including the subsequent first offensive formation and the subsequent first route of a target receiver;

determining with the processor of the device a calculated range of allowable lateral head positions based on the previously stored first and second subsequent variables for each of the subsequent plurality of plays from the playbook and corresponding to an area outside the disallowed zones of the subsequent play designs;

communicating the subsequent play designs to a user;

detecting with the device, a third lateral head position;

processing with the device, data associated with the third lateral head position and determining with the device that the third lateral head position is within the range of allowable lateral head positions based on a first subsequent play design;

detecting with the device, data indicating lateral head movement resulting in a fourth lateral head position;

processing with the device, data associated with the fourth lateral head position and determining that the fourth lateral head position is beyond the range of allowable lateral head positions based on a second subsequent play design; and

communicating with the device, a message indicative that the fourth lateral head position is beyond the range of allowable lateral head positions based on the second subsequent play design.