Patents Examined by Jeffrey S Vanderveen
  • Patent number: 11612799
    Abstract: Systems, methods, and computer-readable media are disclosed for autonomous tennis assistant systems having autonomous ball machines such as an autonomous and interactive tennis ball ejection robot. Example methods include determining, by a device, the position of a first player on a tennis court, determining a first target location for a first tennis ball to be ejected toward the first player, generating a trajectory for the first tennis ball to reach the first target location, and causing ejection of the first tennis ball from the tennis ball ejection robot along the generated trajectory toward the first target location. A base station may be used to provide image data for use by the tennis ball ejection robot from one or more additional vantage points.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 30, 2022
    Date of Patent: March 28, 2023
    Assignee: Tennibot Inc.
    Inventors: Xianglin Wang, Haitham Ahmed Reda Eletrabi, David Wahlig
  • Patent number: 11602669
    Abstract: A method of operating a fitness tracking system including a plurality of sensors is disclosed herein. The method includes mounting a biometric monitoring device on an article of apparel worn by a user. The method further includes receiving a prompt indicating that the user intends to provide a verbal cue via a microphone provided on the biometric monitoring device. After receiving the verbal cue from the user one of a plurality of exercise modules is selected for execution by the processor. Each of the plurality of exercise modules is configured to generate workout metrics based at least in part on physiological data received from a first of the plurality of sensors without regard to physiological data from a second of the plurality of sensors. The selected exercise module generates workout metrics for the user for a limited period of time ranging from selection of the exercise module until occurrence of a termination event.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 20, 2020
    Date of Patent: March 14, 2023
    Assignee: MyFitnessPal, Inc.
    Inventors: Michael Mazzoleni, Jeffrey Allen, Robert Lanzer
  • Patent number: 11590398
    Abstract: A swing analysis method includes acquiring measurement data measured by an inertial sensor in a swing motion with a golf club, and calculating torque data indicating a temporal change of a torque exerted on the golf club by analyzing the measurement data using a head speed coordination system having a first axis including a speed vector of a head of the golf club, a second axis being orthogonal to the first axis and extending along a shaft of the golf club, and a third axis orthogonal to both the first axis and the second axis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 26, 2020
    Date of Patent: February 28, 2023
    Assignee: SEIKO EPSON CORPORATION
    Inventors: Kenya Kodaira, Kazuhiro Shibuya
  • Patent number: 11583729
    Abstract: The present embodiments provide systems and methods for aggregating measurements captured by different technologies during a golf swing. By capturing measurements using different technologies, more accurate measurements may be provided to a user by selecting from the measurements, offsetting measurements based on the technologies used, and aligning measurements between devices. Further, by aggregating measurements received from different devices, additional features and functionality may be provided to the user that is absent from any one device used alone. Additionally, by storing the aggregated measurements, users, club fitters and instructors may access and leverage larger databases of measurements to better understand the user's golf swing and to provide better recommendations and instruction to the user.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 3, 2020
    Date of Patent: February 21, 2023
    Assignee: Taylor Made Golf Company, Inc.
    Inventors: Todd P. Beach, Thomas Anthony Kroll, David Anderson, Stephen Anthony Hough, Nicholas Allan Graham Robbie, James Edward Michael Cornish
  • Patent number: 11577129
    Abstract: A ball collection apparatus constituted of: a control circuitry; a body; motors; wheels arranged to rotate responsive to the motors, the body arranged to move along a surface responsive to the rotation of the plurality of wheels; a collection compartment arranged to maintain a ball within a predetermined area in relation to the body; a ball input port in communication with the collection compartment; and a ball ejector arranged to eject the ball from the collection compartment, wherein the control circuitry is arranged to: receive information regarding the location of the ball; responsive to the received information, control the at least one motor to advance the body towards the location of the ball, the collection compartment arranged to collect the ball through the ball input port; and control the ball ejector to eject the ball from the collection compartment and propel the ejected ball towards a predetermined target area.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 26, 2018
    Date of Patent: February 14, 2023
    Inventor: Nir Refaeli
  • Patent number: 11577125
    Abstract: Provided is a sensor device-equipped golf shoes comprising: golf shoes including a left and right pair of a first shoe and a second shoe to be worn by a golfer; and a sensor device attached to the golf shoes. The sensor device includes one or more sensor modules configured to measure sensor data pertaining to at least one of an orientation of the first shoe when the golfer takes a shot, an orientation of the second shoe when the golfer takes a shot, and a positional relationship between the first shoe and the second shoe when the golfer takes a shot.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 9, 2019
    Date of Patent: February 14, 2023
    Assignee: SUMITOMO RUBBER INDUSTRIES, LTD.
    Inventor: Masahide Onuki
  • Patent number: 11577146
    Abstract: Systems and methods for tracking off of the dribble shooting statistics are provided. An ejector launches basketballs to a user selected subset of pass receipt locations spaced apart about a basketball playing area. A controller receives data from an interface representing the user selected subset of the pass receipt locations and certain of the pass receipt locations in the subset where the player intends to perform a pre-shooting basketball move immediately before receiving the pass or making the shooting attempt and commands the ejector to launch at least one basketball to each of the pass receipt locations in the subset. Data is received from a detector indicating made basketball shots, and a performance report is generated with feedback for each of the pass receipt locations in the subset with a qualifier associated with at least some of the feedback indicating off of the dribble shooting.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 28, 2021
    Date of Patent: February 14, 2023
    Assignee: Shoot-A-Way, Inc.
    Inventor: John G. Joseph
  • Patent number: 11565160
    Abstract: A basketball dribbling pad is provided to provide dribbling feedback to a user or a coach. The basketball dribbling pad can measure dribble speed, dribble force, and/or dribble height and provide live feedback to a computer or a mobile device. The computer or mobile device can also store the history so that progress of the athlete can be monitored.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 25, 2020
    Date of Patent: January 31, 2023
    Inventor: Garret S. E. Keyhani
  • Patent number: 11565167
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for automatically scoring a golf player includes detecting and recording the golf player at a golf tee pad by an identification reading device at the golf tee pad reading an identification device of a golf club that is used by the golf player. Movement of a golf ball after it is hit by the golf club is detected. A location of the golf ball when the golf ball stops is recorded and the golf player is credited with a stroke. Subsequently, each time movement of the golf ball is detected, the location of the golf ball is updated and the golf player is credited with another of the stroke.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 10, 2020
    Date of Patent: January 31, 2023
    Assignee: Creative Works, Inc.
    Inventors: Armando Lanuti, Mark McLaughlin
  • Patent number: 11554300
    Abstract: A configurable golfing apparatus including a rectangular handle portion. The rectangular handle portion includes a golf club shaft that is securely mounted within the configurable golf club handle. The rectangular shape provides new and additional hand placement and new and additional configuration capabilities for both right handed and left handed golfers. The configurable golfing apparatus allows different golf club heads (e.g., drivers, irons, putters, etc.) to be inserted and removed from the configurable golfing apparatus. The golf club shaft inside the rectangular handle portions complies with straightness, bending and flexibility, and twisting and torque, properties and attachment to a golf club head requirements for a golf club shaft required by the United States Golf Association (USGA) and Royal and Ancient (R&A) Golf Club of St Andrews rules and functions in a manner similar to a golf club shaft not enclosed in a rectangular handle portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 12, 2021
    Date of Patent: January 17, 2023
    Inventor: Timothy N. Wright
  • Patent number: 11547917
    Abstract: A surfing simulation device can be wirelessly connected with virtual reality (VR) glasses. The surfing simulation device includes a surfboard, a surfboard base, and a controller disposed in the surfboard base. The controller controls the actions of the surfboard based on scene information associated with a surfing scene displayed in the VR glasses, such that the actions of the surfboard are synchronous with the surfing scene displayed in the VR glasses. The surfboard of the surfing simulation device can make simulating actions in real time by synchronizing with a surfing scene displayed in VR glasses, such that users can experience the immersive feeling.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 24, 2020
    Date of Patent: January 10, 2023
    Assignee: BEIJING XIAOMI MOBILE SOFTWARE CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Zheng Xing, Yingchun Xie
  • Patent number: 11547912
    Abstract: A sporting good implement, such as a hockey stick or ball bat, includes a main body. The main body may be formed from multiple layers of a structural material, such as a fiber-reinforced composite material. One or more microlattice structures may be positioned between layers of the structural material. One or more microlattice structures may additionally or alternatively be used to form the core of a sporting good implement, such as a hockey-stick blade. The microlattice structures improve the performance, strength, or feel of the sporting good implement.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 13, 2019
    Date of Patent: January 10, 2023
    Assignee: Bauer Hockey Ltd.
    Inventors: Stephen J. Davis, Dewey Chauvin
  • Patent number: 11543217
    Abstract: A shooting stall includes a first wall, a second wall, and an axis. The first wall includes an upstream end, a downstream end, and a side surface that extends between the upstream end and the downstream end. The second wall is disposed substantially parallel to the first wall, and the second wall includes an upstream end, a downstream end, and a side surface facing the first wall that extends between the upstream end and the downstream end. The axis extends through the first wall and the second wall, where the axis is positioned between the upstream end and the downstream end of each of the first wall and second wall, and where the side surface of the second wall includes a first portion that extends from the axis and slopes away from the first wall.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 12, 2020
    Date of Patent: January 3, 2023
    Assignee: RATAS INVESTMENTS, INC.
    Inventor: Brian K. Rushing
  • Patent number: 11517807
    Abstract: An interactive exercise apparatus for guiding a user to perform exercises includes a frame, a mirror, a display device, a driving mechanism, a determination unit, and a control unit. The mirror is movably mounted on the frame and configured to reflect an image of the user. The display device is disposed on a backside of the mirror and visible through the mirror. The driving mechanism is mounted between the frame and the mirror for electrically driving the mirror to move with respect to the frame. The determination unit is configured to determine location or posture of the user who performing the exercise. The control unit is operable to control the driving mechanism according to the location or posture of the user identified by the determination unit so as to control the mirror to move to a suitable position where the user can see their reflected image.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 8, 2020
    Date of Patent: December 6, 2022
    Assignee: Johnson Health Tech Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Hung-Mao Liao, Ziv Chang
  • Patent number: 11511165
    Abstract: Systems, methods, and computer-readable media are disclosed for autonomous tennis assistant systems. Example methods include determining, by a device, an outer boundary line of a tennis court, generating a digital representation of the tennis court using the outer boundary line, where the digital representation includes at least a portion of an out-of-bounds area adjacent to the outer boundary line, determining a first location of a first tennis ball, and causing a tennis ball retrieval robot to move to the first location to retrieve the first tennis ball, where the tennis ball retrieval robot is wirelessly connected to the device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 30, 2022
    Date of Patent: November 29, 2022
    Assignee: TENNIBOT, INC.
    Inventors: Haitham Ahmed Reda Eletrabi, Xianglin Wang
  • Patent number: 11511171
    Abstract: An amusement system features an interactive floor with an array of panels laid out in one or more grids to collectively define an interactive floor surface, an illumination system operable to individually illuminate each panel, and a sensing system operable to detect presence of any participant atop any panel. A base frame of the interactive floor is composed of a plurality of base modules seated on a subfloor, and supporting a respective panel for one or more cells of the interactive floor. The base modules are not directly fastened together, and instead are only intercoupled by perimeter seals applied over peripheral regions of the panels of neighbouring modules. Separation of the modules is constrained by surrounding walls of a room fully occupied by the interactive floor. In gameplay, some panels are distinctively illuminated as hazards to be avoided by participants, subject to penalty.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 14, 2021
    Date of Patent: November 29, 2022
    Assignee: Activate Games Inc.
    Inventor: Adam Schmidt
  • Patent number: 11504581
    Abstract: The present embodiments provide systems and methods for aggregating measurements captured by different technologies during a golf swing. By capturing measurements using different technologies, more accurate measurements may be provided to a user by selecting from the measurements, offsetting measurements based on the technologies used, and aligning measurements between devices. Further, by aggregating measurements received from different devices, additional features and functionality may be provided to the user that is absent from any one device used alone. Additionally, by storing the aggregated measurements, users, club fitters and instructors may access and leverage larger databases of measurements to better understand the user's golf swing and to provide better recommendations and instruction to the user.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 16, 2022
    Date of Patent: November 22, 2022
    Assignee: Taylor Made Golf Company, Inc.
    Inventors: Todd P. Beach, Thomas Anthony Kroll, David Anderson, Stephen Anthony Hough, Nicholas Allan Graham Robbie, James Edward Michael Cornish
  • Patent number: 11504580
    Abstract: Disclosed is a posture coaching method for weight training, which includes sensing an exercising motion of a user by a sensor module that is attached to a part of the body of the user or exercise equipment gripped by the user for exercising; calculating an inherent angle of the sensor module and a linear acceleration of each axis of a user-based coordinate system based on the user by using the sensed value; analyzing an exercising posture of the user by detecting and classifying a pattern of the linear acceleration and the inherent angle; and generating exercising posture correction data based on the classified pattern.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 29, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 22, 2022
    Inventors: Junho Hong, Yoon Jin Kim
  • Patent number: 11504595
    Abstract: A dry swim simulation system is described. A portion of the system includes a platform extending vertically from the base platform and a first and a second retractable pulley. Another portion of the system includes a first support assembly comprising a first movable cradle configured to receive thighs of the user and a second support assembly. The second support assembly includes a second movable cradle configured to receive a torso of the user, a computing device, and a headrest comprising an opening configured to receive a face of the user such that the user views the computing device. The computing device is configured to receive parameters associated with the user during use of the dry swim simulation system from numerous electrical and/or mechanical components. The computing device is configured to analyze the parameters and provide real-time feedback to the user to improve performance of swimming strokes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 18, 2020
    Date of Patent: November 22, 2022
    Inventor: James Davis
  • Patent number: 11484760
    Abstract: Methods, systems, and apparatus, including computer programs encoded on computer storage media, for a basketball backboard. The basketball backboard includes a display screen, a plurality of sensors configured to generate sensor data regarding a shot attempt of a user, imaging devices configured to generate image data of the shot attempt, a speaker, and a control unit. The control unit can receive (i) the sensor data from the plurality of sensors and (ii) the image data from the imaging devices. Based on the received sensor data, the control unit can determine whether the shot attempt was successful. Based on the received image data and whether the shot attempt was successful, the control unit can generate analytics that indicate characteristics of the user and the shot attempt and recommendations for improving the shot attempt for subsequent shot attempts. The control unit can provide output data representing the analytics.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 17, 2022
    Date of Patent: November 1, 2022
    Assignee: Huupe Inc.
    Inventors: Paul Anton, Lyth Saeed, Dan Hayes, Adam Jaber, Matt McConaha