PRIORITY The present invention claims priority under 35 USC section 119 and based upon the provisional application 61/638,998 which was filed on Apr. 26, 2012
FIELD OF THE INVENTION This invention relates to a method and system for monitoring performance characteristics of athletes and in particular the particular movements which contribute to enhanced performance.
BACKGROUND Monitoring of athletes performance both in training and in competition is important in the development and implementation of new approaches aimed at improving sporting performance.
The ability to measure and record athlete physiological information and positional information associated with athlete movement in real-time is critical in the process of athlete training and coaching. Blood oxygen, respiration, heart rates, velocity, acceleration/force, changes in direction, and position and many other factors are required in elite athlete training and coaching. The position, movement and force information plays an important role in effective analysis of the athlete performance, especially for rowers. For example, the stroke frequency, force and synchronisation of athletes are critical for the performance of the rowers in a competition. Currently the stroke information can only be measured in either dedicated sports laboratories or using simulated devices. Reliable analysis of the stroke rate and stroke distance in rowing has been a challenge for a long time due to the availability of the real scenario data, in particular a high precision of position, velocity and acceleration data. Existing technologies used for this purpose include theoretical studies, video-footage procedure, indoor tank procedure, computer modeling and ergometer studies. Much of the equipment is either too heavy, expensive, obtrusive or less reliable. Therefore, smart real-time monitoring during training and competition to help elite athletes to improve their performance and avoid injuries is critical for both athletes and coaches. Any methodology that would improve the situation would not only bring benefits to the rower practice, but also to many other sports related application including both team sports and individual athlete.
SUMMARY The present invention includes a method for instructing a student including the steps of generating a first video feed of first video signals to record the student at a first angle at a facility, generating a second video feed of second video signals to record the student at a second angle at the facility, transmitting the first video feed and the second video feed to a remote location to the facility, and providing instruction to the student by an instructor at the remote location simultaneously as the first video feed and the second video feed is being generated.
The first video feed may be generated by a first video camera.
The second video feed may be generated by a second video camera.
The first video feed may be recorded into a library at the remote location.
The second video feed may be stored in a library at the remote location.
The student may access the first video feed stored at the library at the remote location.
The student may access the second video feed stored at the library at the location.
The instructor may access the first video feed stored at the library at the remote location.
The instructor may access the second video feed stored at the library at the remote location.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS The invention may be understood by reference to the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which, like reference numerals identify like elements, and in which:
FIG. 1 illustrates a system diagram of the present invention;
FIGS. 2-58 illustrate screenshots of the present invention;
FIG. 59 illustrates a flowchart of the present invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION The present invention may be an instruction method and apparatus which may be supported with infrastructure to allow remote instructors/reviewers to view students simultaneously from multiple views and to coach/critique the students based upon the multiple views in real time.
The present invention includes a facility which is defined as the location in which the student performs the sport activity, cameras and Internet access devices which may be installed. Fees may be determined by the facility to be paid by the student as part of the program.
The instructors may register in order to obtain the status of a certified instructor, and the instructors may create a profile page which includes the qualifications, sports, rates and availability times of the instructor. The instructor fees may be paid by the student as part of the program.
The students may choose an instructor and sport/activity and may register and schedule the student for lessons at a facility.
The instructors may register as a certified instructor for a particular sport or activity and the instructor may create an instructor profile page which may include their qualifications, sports, rates and available times. The instructor may be paid by the student as a part of this program.
The students may register and schedule themselves for lessons for a particular sport and from a particular instructor at the facility. The students may access a website to manage their lessons for example provides student bills and sends reminders in the form of email/text as well as a video library of the student's prior lessons so that the student can track their progress and view their past lessons.
The students may be remote from the instructors and multiple cameras to record video of the student and to provide multiple images at different angles with respect to the student so that the instructor may see all the relevant movement or positions of the student. The images may be transmitted through the Internet or wireless to the location of the instructor. The instructor may provide real-time instruction to the student by using a video/audio feed so the student receives instant feedback which is not delayed by any significant amount of time. With respect to the entire present invention, simultaneous may mean at least one of immediate, without delay by any significant amount of time, sufficient amount of time for the exchange of information between the instructor and student and vice versa, wirelessly or over the Internet.
The present invention provides the instructors the ability to view the performance of the student and multiple angles simultaneously as well as to replay the video from the multiple cameras in slow-motion so that the performance can be better analyzed which may improve instructions from the instructor.
FIG. 1 illustrates a student device 101 which may be connected to the Internet 107, a facility device 103 which may be connected to the Internet 107, and instructor device 105 which may be connected to the Internet 107, a server/database 109 which may be connected to the Internet 107 and a facility 111 which may be connected to the Internet 107. All of the present invention describes the Internet 107, the Internet 107 may be a wireless interconnection or may be wired.
The student device 101, the facility device 103 and the instructor device 105 may be a personal computer, a smart phone, a tablet or other type of communication device. The student device 101 may be used by the student to enroll to be able to use the facility 111, to set up a profile for the student, to schedule lessons with the instructor, to view lessons/practice session videos which have been recorded and stored within the server/database 109, to upload personal video which may not have been recorded at the facility 111. The facility device 103 may be accessed by the student and the instructor to enroll for use of the facility 111, to set up the profile from the student device 101 and/or the instructor device 105, and fees which may have been paid by the student, to maintain and availability calendar which may show the availability of each of the instructors, to conduct real-time remote training session between the instructor and the student, to provide student communication with the instructor and to receive payment and record payment from the student.
The instructor device 105 may be used to enroll the instructor so that he has access to the facility 111 to allow the instructor to set up a profile of the instructor in order to attract students, to enter fees to be charged to the student, to maintain an availability calendar of the instructor to allow the student to schedule a practice session with the instructor, to allow communication with the student and to receive payment from the student.
The facility 111 may include a mobile Internet device 111 to receive video images from the first video camera 113, to receive video images from the second video camera 115 and to transmit audio/video to the student communication device 117 so that the student can receive video and or audio as feedback from the instructor device 105. In addition to the first video camera 113 and the second video camera 115, additional video cameras may be placed at additional angles in front of, behind or along side of the student.
FIG. 2 illustrates a screenshot of the landing page of the present invention and shows the advantages for facility enrollment. The advantages may include differentiating the facility by providing customers (i.e. students) the opportunity to learn from master instructors around the world, enable customers to excel, and achieve higher levels of competitive status within the community, and enhance the value of the on-site instructors. The advantages of the instructor enrollment may include a video of on-site lessons so students can view themselves to reinforce your instruction, to extend your reach by allowing students from around the world to benefit from your instruction, and to instruct from a better vantage point by leveraging multiple viewing angles. The advantages for the student may include to take lessons from instructors from around the world, to video the lessons by an on-site instructor, to video your practice sessions to confirm your execution, and to have at your fingertips your video learning library so you can see your progress and share with friends.
The landing page may include a sample video 119 showing one angle of movement as well as depicting the present invention's Instructor's Experience showing for example the student on the first video camera 121, a second sample video 123, a third sample video 125, and a fourth sample video 127 all showing different angles of the same movement.
FIG. 3 illustrates a screenshot 301 of the facility enrollment which may include three steps. The first step presents how the invention may improve the facility being enrolled by increasing its revenues through use by remote instructors and earn them additional revenue from the use by on-site instructors who can then offer their students a video of their lessons. The facility may determine the usage fee and the availability schedule.
The present invention may provide additional value to the existing lesson program by providing videos for traditional lessons by on-site instructors at no additional cost. The present invention may differentiate the lesson program and attract more students.
As shown in FIG. 1, at no cost to the facility 111 video cameras 113, 115 can be installed and a wireless Internet surface to stream video to the server 109 may be installed with a standard communication device 117 which may be a microphone may be installed at the facility 111.
The present invention may have a prerequisite for installation to make the installation economically prudent including a promotional offer to video existing traditional on-site lesson program, the facility 111 may commit to video for six months at no cost. Advertising the present invention at the facility 111 may be required.
If there is no traditional on-site lesson program at the facility 111, contact information for a predetermined number students who want to take lessons with the present invention may be provided so that an offer of enrollment can be presented.
FIG. 4 illustrates a screenshot 401 to be used in the facility enrollment step 2 where the facility name, the facility email address, the facility address, the facility phone number, and the facility website address, and the activity may be input for enrollment.
FIG. 5 illustrates the facility enrollment step 3 and illustrates a screenshot 501 which may indicate that the facility 111 will receive a confirmation email with initial login instructions to set up a profile including the usage fee to be paid by the student. Furthermore, the screenshot 501 indicates the website support team will contact the facility 111 for an on-site equipment installation evaluation visit.
The confirmation email includes a link to FIG. 6 which illustrates a screenshot 601 of the login page to allow the user to enter the login ID and password.
FIG. 7 illustrates a screenshot 701 to allow the facility 111 to input information such as facility ID, facility name, facility email address, facility physical address, facility phone number, facility website address and other facility information.
FIG. 8 illustrates a screenshot 801 which includes the dates of the month and the times that the facility is available for the instructor/student to schedule use of the facility. Correspondingly, the availability calendar shows when the facility 111 is not available for use by the student.
FIG. 9 illustrates a screenshot 901 showing the facility fees including video recording a lesson from an on-site instructor, taking a lesson from the present invention remote instructor and video recording a practice ride.
FIG. 10 illustrates a screenshot 1010 of a current monthly financial report for a facility 111, showing the invoice date, description, transaction number and amount.
FIG. 11 illustrates a screenshot 1101 showing the ability to drill down on a particular month for financial statements.
FIG. 12 illustrates a screenshot 1201 showing the ability to drill down on a particular transaction to view transaction details for an individual session including lesson number, date, student, instructor, facility, scheduled and actual start time, video link and fee.
FIG. 13 illustrates a screenshot 1301 showing the facility scheduled lesson calendar including scheduled times and unscheduled times.
FIG. 14 illustrates a screenshot 1401 showing the calendar which shows the schedule of an on-site instructor lesson by day.
Each of the screenshots of the present invention may be displayed on the student device 101, the facility device 103 or the instructor device 105.
FIG. 15 illustrates a landing page showing the student experience and or the instructor experience. The student experience may be a video showing the student from a video camera, and the instructor experience may include a multitude of sample video showing different angles of the same movement depicting the instructor's console.
FIG. 16 illustrates a screenshot 1601 showing the instructor enrollment for step 1 and includes reasons why the present invention will grow the instructor's business. Instruction revenue can be obtained from students outside the instructor's geographical area. The instructor receives an instruction fee for a specified lesson time frame. The availability options include open schedule allowing the student to view and book lessons; and the present invention provides instructor option to pre-approve student prior to displaying schedule and allowing student to view and book lessons. The refund policy may include no refund/no reschedule, no refund but allow reschedule at no cost to the student or refund. The instructor and student may receive an email/text reminder of the scheduled lesson a predetermined time before the scheduled lesson. The present invention may collect fees after each lesson and pay the instructor and facility monthly.
FIG. 17 illustrates a screenshot 1701 instructor enrollment (step two) showing data fields including the first name, last name, email address, login ID, password, confirm password, address, phone number, web address, and activity.
FIG. 18 illustrates the screenshot 1801 showing instructor enrollment in step three. The present invention generates a welcome message, a message indicating a confirmation email will be sent and a test video stream to confirm the computer settings of instructor device 105.
The confirmation email includes a link to FIG. 19 which illustrates a screenshot 1901 showing the login page for the instructor including a login ID and password.
FIG. 20 illustrates an instructor portal as shown through a screenshot 2001 which may include a calendar including scheduled times and unscheduled times.
FIG. 21 illustrates a screenshot 2101 to allow the instructor to input information including first name, last name, email address, login ID, password, physical address, phone, website address, picture, activity, participation type, communication method, language, and credentials.
FIG. 22 illustrates a screenshot 2201 which includes a calendar showing the instructor availability for each day of the calendar.
FIG. 23 illustrates a screenshot 2301 to display instructor fees and payment information and may include the on-site instructor fee, the present invention video capture and review/coaching fee and the lesson duration. Payment information may also be displayed.
FIG. 24 illustrates a screenshot 2401 and illustrates a statement review displaying the invoice date, the description, the bank transaction number, and the amount.
FIG. 25 illustrates a screenshot 2501 which may include selected monthly transactions which may show the current statement, the previous statements and year-to-date.
FIG. 26 illustrates a screenshot 2601 which may display transaction details which may include lesson number, date, student, trainer, facility, scheduled start time, schedule and time, actual start time, actual and time, video link, and bank transaction number.
FIG. 27 illustrates a screenshot 2701 which may include a calendar and a activate lesson button. A particular lesson may be selected, and it may show the lesson number, the date the student, the instructor, the facility, the instructional area and the scheduled start time. In addition, a activate lessons button and a cancel lesson button may be displayed to activate the lesson with the student or to cancel the lesson with the student.
FIG. 28 illustrates a screenshot 2801 to conduct the lesson with the student and instructor and may include a lesson video from feed 1 which may be connected to the first video camera 113 and a lesson video feed 2 which may be connected to the second video camera 115. Additional feeds for example video lesson feed 3 and lesson video feed number 4 may be included with the present invention to simultaneously capture different angles of the same movement. The instructor may enter notes to memorialize the student's lesson that will be shared as part of the student's video library.
FIG. 29 illustrates a screenshot 2901 which may include information and a select button for a multitude of students to video an on-site lesson. The screenshot 2901 may include the student name, the student number and the lesson time. The screenshot 2901 may include a start and stop button to start and stop the lesson. The present invention will post the video artifact to each of the participating student's video library.
FIG. 30 illustrates a screenshot 3001 to record the on-site lesson. A multitude of video feeds may be established to simultaneously capture different angles of the same movement. The present invention may also allow the camera to follow a moving student and automatically adjust zoom to a predefined distance. The present invention will post the video artifact to the student's video library.
FIG. 31 illustrates a screenshot 3101 to conduct a video review/coaching session which may include a Skype web cam session to allow the instructor and student to view each other and a video of the practice session. The present invention will post the video artifact to the student's video library.
FIG. 32 illustrates a screenshot 3201 which may illustrate an instructor's learning library summary which may include the date, the instructor's name, the facility name, the duration of the session, a description of the session and the student name. The screenshot 3201 may include a thumbnail of the session.
FIG. 33 illustrates a screenshot 3301 which may include a learning library detail which may be a drill down of the screenshot 3201 and may provide a video from the various feeds taken during the session. This allows the instructor to return to evaluate their student's sessions.
FIG. 34 illustrates a landing page showing the student experience and or the instructor experience. The student experience may be a video showing the student from a video camera, and the instructor experience may include a multitude of sample video showing the instructor's console.
FIG. 35 illustrates a screenshot 3501 which may be for the student enrollment step one which communicates the benefits of the present invention. The screenshot 3501 may include that the present invention may include instructors and allows the student to pick the instructor and schedule the session time. The present invention may send an email/text reminder a predetermined time before the lesson. The present invention may communicate with the instructor using a wireless audio ear/bug, eliminating distance or environmental distortion. The present invention may view the student from multiple angles providing a 360° perspective for the instructor. The present invention bills the student after the lesson. The present invention manages a video playlist of the lessons and practice sessions for a monthly fee. The present invention accepts a video description to capture the nature of the session/lesson. The present invention may tag the video of the student to mark portions of the video that the student may want to review in the future. The present invention allows friends and family to share the videos. The student may purchase a wireless ear bug and provide facility information if the facility has not already been registered so that video cameras and Internet streaming device can be installed.
FIG. 36 illustrates a screenshot 3601 which may include the student enrollment step 2 which may include the ability of the student to enter the first name, the last name, the email address, a login ID, a password, a confirm password, and address, a phone number and activity.
FIG. 37 illustrates a screenshot 3701 which may include a student enrollment step 3 which may include a message of congratulations and welcome message, a message that the student will receive a confirmation email and a link to allow the student to set up a profile.
FIG. 38 illustrates a screenshot 3801 which may be a login page for the student and may include a login ID field and password field.
FIG. 39 illustrates a screenshot 3901 which may include a student portal, which may include a calendar to schedule a session and may have the ability to drill down to input a instructor, activity, start date, start time, duration and facility for the session.
FIG. 40 illustrates a screenshot 4001 which may include a screenshot to input student general information which may include the first name of the student, the last name, the email address, the login ID, the password, the address the phone number, and the communication method.
FIG. 41 illustrates a screenshot of the program offerings of the present invention which may include the basic membership which may manage a predetermined number of hours, videos being recorded by the present invention, the lessons, on site instructor lesson, practice session, the ability to upload student videos, communication with the instructors, share video with the friends. The membership may include additional video lesson hours.
FIG. 42 illustrates a screenshot 4201 which may include the student billing information allowing the student to input an account number to bill for the services of the present invention.
FIG. 43 illustrates a screenshot 4301 which may include a student statement review which may display the invoice date, the description, the bank transaction number and the amount charged for the session.
FIG. 44 illustrates the screenshot 4401 which may include the student statement review which may be displaying a drill down which may include recent activity, the current statement, the previous statements and the year to date statements.
FIG. 45 illustrates a screenshot 4501 which may include the student statement review which may show a drill down for a lesson which may include a lesson number, a date, the student name, the inventor, the facility, the scheduled start time, the schedule end time, the actual start time, the actual end time, a link to the video, the fee and the bank transaction number.
FIG. 46 illustrates a screenshot 4601 which may include a calendar for the student to train and may include dates for the actual lesson, the on site lesson, a practice session and a video review/coaching session.
FIG. 47 illustrates a screenshot 4701 which may include a calendar for the instructors and illustrates a drill down for allowing the scheduling of an instructor for an activity including a start date, a start time, duration and a facility 111 for the session to be held.
FIG. 48 illustrates a screenshot 4801 which may include a schedule for an instructor and may include a drill down to list the available times for the instructor.
FIG. 49 illustrates a screenshot 4901 of a calendar for scheduling the facility 111 for the training session and may include a drill down for a particular date to list the available times of the facility 111.
FIG. 50 illustrates a screenshot 5001 for scheduling the on-site practice session and illustrates a calendar and a drill down to show available times for the facility 111. A box may be checked to perform actual scheduling of the facility 111.
FIG. 51 illustrates a screenshot 5101 of the student's library landing page and may include a list of lesson videos and may include a thumbnail of the lesson video, the type of lesson, the date of lesson, the instructor name, the facility name, the duration of the session and a description of the session. The screenshot includes a box to select a desired lesson.
FIG. 52 illustrates a screenshot 5201 which may include the lesson videos from a selected video in selected screenshot 5101 and may include a video from feed 1 which may be from the first video camera 113, a second video feed 2 which may be from the second video camera 115, a third video feed 3 and a fourth video feed 4.
FIG. 53 illustrates a screenshot 5301 and illustrates the video library highlights of the student and may include a thumbnail of the lesson video, the date, the instructor's name, the family name, the duration, the description, the video library footer, and a thumbnail of highlights as chosen by the student.
FIG. 54 illustrates a screenshot 5401 which may be a screenshot to upload video and which may include a drill down when the make video button has been activated. The screenshot 5401 may include a find video button, a load button, a date, a duration, the instructor's name, the family name and a description.
FIG. 55 illustrates a screenshot 5501 which may be used to make video based on selections and may include lesson videos which may include a thumbnail, date, instructor name, name of the facility 111, duration, description, video library folder, highlight, and may include buttons to desired video.
FIG. 56 illustrates a screenshot 5601 to make a video including a sequence and label. The screenshot 5601 may include a drill down to make a video and includes a create button to create the video indicated by the date, duration, instructor name, family name and description.
FIG. 57 illustrates a screenshot 5701 which may include a progress analysis selection and illustrates a thumbnail of the video, a date, instructor name, the name of the facility 111, the duration, the description, the video library folder, and highlights and a selection button.
FIG. 58 illustrates a screenshot 5801 to provide progressive analysis viewing and which may include lesson video feed 1 from the first video camera 113, the lesson video feed 2 from the second video camera 115, lesson video feed 3 and lesson video feed 4 for each of the sessions the student may want to compare to measure their progress.
FIG. 59 illustrates a flowchart of the present invention and illustrates a step 5901 to generate first video signals at a first angle, a step 5903 to generate second video signals at a second angle, a step 5905 to transmit the first and second video to a remote location, a step 5907 to instruct the student from the remote location based upon the first and second video, a step 5909 to record the first and second video into a library and a step 5911 to access the stored video at the library by either the instructor or the student.
While the invention is susceptible to various modifications and alternative forms, specific embodiments thereof have been shown by way of example in the drawings and are herein described in detail. It should be understood, however, that the description herein of specific embodiments is not intended to limit the invention to the particular forms disclosed.
